Ryusen Hamono Fukaku-ryu Gyuto 210 mm

It complemented well the Bunka of the same maker. It is light and nimble and very good at slicing. The slightly recurved point is sharp and dangerous, it needs skilled hands. Do not let children use it. Even tricky soft pastries like millefeuille can be cut without spilling the custard. Better than a bread knife. Of course, you have to keep the edge as sharp as a razor, which is not for the faint of heart and that require some skills with the stones (8000 and up + leather). The finish, rounded and shiny, including the handle, is about the smoothest I ever had. All in all, one of my best knife ever for personal cooking preparation.

This knife knocks it out of the park. It makes the thinnest of cuts. THIN. THIN THIN.. The tip is perfect for the finest detail work and the handle is super comfortable. The entire knife is just gorgeous. Thanks again SHARP.

Where do I start, maybe at the beginning would be a good place. I have been an admirer of Ryusen Hamono for some time now and more recently the interest has increased dramatically, it could be the YouTube channel from the "Sharp folks" has slowly mesmerized me over the last few months and crept surreptitiously into the brain location that controls my love of Japanese knives. I had to buy one now, resistance was futile, but which one? I love the Blazen series as firstly they sport the beautiful Nashiji finish, hands down my favourite and secondly the mono handle is something I am turning more to these days, not a deal breaker in any sense of the word but I just like that pure simplistic shape and the wood grain free from any interruptions. Browsing through their web pages looking endlessly at the excellent selection I happen upon the Fukakuryu series and instantly spot the 210mm Gyuto with a pattern welded finish (Damascus) and a blade shape that resembled a sculptured piece of art befitting any gallery that has an appreciation of form and function. That was it, SOLD... Within three days of posting the knife was at my front door with the courier, 3,500 miles of travel under its belt and moving to a new home that will love and care for it for an eternity. Now was that time, yes, that time we all wait for with nervous anticipation. That time when we get to become one with our choice, a difficult choice as we do so remotely over the internet. The cardboard box is ripped open and there it is, Gage did touch on the Ryusen packaging in a video a while back and he was spot on. Pure class, all black, different from any others I have had and of a strength it could be used as a means of transportation should you need to. Yes, I know packaging does not make the knife any better or worse, but I do believe that this level of design and care has to spill over to the whole philosophy of the company, a window into their mind set if you will. Off slides the outer sleeve, reassuringly tight, then the lid folds back still attached to the base, a large piece of sponge holds and covers the blade that is also in a sleeve of its own and the handle is firmly wedged in a block of foam rubber, this fella ain't going nowhere in transit. There it lays, glistening in the last few rays of sunshine coming through my window before the sun hides behind the trees and rests for the night. This is a truly stunning knife and I have to admit that I was shocked at my own reaction, I love all my knives and I probably have too many (never too many) but this had the same feeling as when I bought a Yoshikane San Hakata. From the sweet Maple wood with its blonde and brown grain twisting in and out of each other there is a tall octagon handle that moves down to a slightly thicker part and then tapers smoothly down to the insert, I have not experienced this shaping in any of my collection and it instantly feels "right" it aids the pinch grip for me and is comfortable which is a huge part of enjoying your time on the cutting boards and preventing fatigue from rearing its head too soon. The insert and glue up on this knife are as close to perfection as you will likely ever see, part of my new knife routine is to check for any tiny gaps that water can sneak into be it a stainless steel or otherwise and the take the appropriate action. Nothing to report here. I also like to treat the wood handles to an oiling overnight just to refresh the wood then seal it with Danish oil for maximum protection. I oiled this one and left it for over ten hours and the oil was still sitting on the surface this morning, these handles come sealed, big time sealed. That is just another bonus. So, onto the blade itself, the shape of the spine arcs down its length very gently but enough to catch your eye and please it and then morphs into this wonderful sweeping K-tip of over 70mm to a point that makes this Gyuto act like a Kiritsuke/Bunka, holy Shamoly three knives in one! "Does it have a belly; can I rock chop?" I hear people ask, yes and yes, I got the heel up to 68mm before any resistance or digging in from the tip was felt. Fit and finish, sometimes can be a game breaker for some folks and that is exacerbated as we move through the price ranges of any product and rightly so. We graft hard so expect to get a fair swap for that labour. Well rest assured good people, fit and finish at Ryusen is, simply put, flawless. From out of the glue up and I should mention here that the handle is treated to the same softening and polish as the blade, there is a highly polished spine all the way to the tip, the choil is also as smooth as you can get and there is not a true right angle to be found on the entire knife, this is up there with the best of the best. ATS314 steel is new to me, it has migrated from the scissor industry but looking at its composition it sits happily amongst SG2 and VG-10, as for edge retention I cannot comment from personal use yet as it has only been here a few days, but I see no reason for it to be any less than the two alloys I mentioned above, it has a good heat treat and plenty of carbon. The blade profile could really be classed as a laser, the tip is 0.8mm and thins out further as it hits the apex, bearing in mind the spine only comes in at 2mm, the profile looking down the choil is very pleasing indeed showing a very high level of Smithing, a perfect taper to the cutting edge. It comes sharp, very sharp but I like to give all my new knives a quick blast on the stones, this just got a tickle on an 8k and a CBN strop, this steel is a breeze to sharpen and takes well to the strop. It was then off to the obligatory onion. Oh yes, slipped effortlessly through the horizontals and made the verticals feels like nothing was in the way, then the dicing ensued. Man alive, that was effortless, the blade just flies though produce and it is a genuine pleasure to use. Would I recommend this series? absolutely yes, also the Blazen has the same profile as this one, so you have choices there. For me it was the sweeping arc of the spine of the Kukakuryu that pulled me away from the Blazen Nashiji Gyuto with the straighter spine, but I believe you are onto a winner which ever path you choose. I really need to mention the great service that I have enjoyed from the very enthusiastic, friendly and knowledgeable folks at Sharp Edge Shop over the last few years, no I do not work for them but praise where praise is deserved is a personal way of life for me. Jon...

It complemented well the Bunka of the same maker. It is light and nimble and very good at slicing. The slightly recurved point is sharp and dangerous, it needs skilled hands. Do not let children use it. Even tricky soft pastries like millefeuille can be cut without spilling the custard. Better than a bread knife. Of course, you have to keep the edge as sharp as a razor, which is not for the faint of heart and that require some skills with the stones (8000 and up + leather). The finish, rounded and shiny, including the handle, is about the smoothest I ever had. All in all, one of my best knife ever for personal cooking preparation.

This knife knocks it out of the park. It makes the thinnest of cuts. THIN. THIN THIN.. The tip is perfect for the finest detail work and the handle is super comfortable. The entire knife is just gorgeous. Thanks again SHARP.

Where do I start, maybe at the beginning would be a good place. I have been an admirer of Ryusen Hamono for some time now and more recently the interest has increased dramatically, it could be the YouTube channel from the "Sharp folks" has slowly mesmerized me over the last few months and crept surreptitiously into the brain location that controls my love of Japanese knives. I had to buy one now, resistance was futile, but which one? I love the Blazen series as firstly they sport the beautiful Nashiji finish, hands down my favourite and secondly the mono handle is something I am turning more to these days, not a deal breaker in any sense of the word but I just like that pure simplistic shape and the wood grain free from any interruptions. Browsing through their web pages looking endlessly at the excellent selection I happen upon the Fukakuryu series and instantly spot the 210mm Gyuto with a pattern welded finish (Damascus) and a blade shape that resembled a sculptured piece of art befitting any gallery that has an appreciation of form and function. That was it, SOLD... Within three days of posting the knife was at my front door with the courier, 3,500 miles of travel under its belt and moving to a new home that will love and care for it for an eternity. Now was that time, yes, that time we all wait for with nervous anticipation. That time when we get to become one with our choice, a difficult choice as we do so remotely over the internet. The cardboard box is ripped open and there it is, Gage did touch on the Ryusen packaging in a video a while back and he was spot on. Pure class, all black, different from any others I have had and of a strength it could be used as a means of transportation should you need to. Yes, I know packaging does not make the knife any better or worse, but I do believe that this level of design and care has to spill over to the whole philosophy of the company, a window into their mind set if you will. Off slides the outer sleeve, reassuringly tight, then the lid folds back still attached to the base, a large piece of sponge holds and covers the blade that is also in a sleeve of its own and the handle is firmly wedged in a block of foam rubber, this fella ain't going nowhere in transit. There it lays, glistening in the last few rays of sunshine coming through my window before the sun hides behind the trees and rests for the night. This is a truly stunning knife and I have to admit that I was shocked at my own reaction, I love all my knives and I probably have too many (never too many) but this had the same feeling as when I bought a Yoshikane San Hakata. From the sweet Maple wood with its blonde and brown grain twisting in and out of each other there is a tall octagon handle that moves down to a slightly thicker part and then tapers smoothly down to the insert, I have not experienced this shaping in any of my collection and it instantly feels "right" it aids the pinch grip for me and is comfortable which is a huge part of enjoying your time on the cutting boards and preventing fatigue from rearing its head too soon. The insert and glue up on this knife are as close to perfection as you will likely ever see, part of my new knife routine is to check for any tiny gaps that water can sneak into be it a stainless steel or otherwise and the take the appropriate action. Nothing to report here. I also like to treat the wood handles to an oiling overnight just to refresh the wood then seal it with Danish oil for maximum protection. I oiled this one and left it for over ten hours and the oil was still sitting on the surface this morning, these handles come sealed, big time sealed. That is just another bonus. So, onto the blade itself, the shape of the spine arcs down its length very gently but enough to catch your eye and please it and then morphs into this wonderful sweeping K-tip of over 70mm to a point that makes this Gyuto act like a Kiritsuke/Bunka, holy Shamoly three knives in one! "Does it have a belly; can I rock chop?" I hear people ask, yes and yes, I got the heel up to 68mm before any resistance or digging in from the tip was felt. Fit and finish, sometimes can be a game breaker for some folks and that is exacerbated as we move through the price ranges of any product and rightly so. We graft hard so expect to get a fair swap for that labour. Well rest assured good people, fit and finish at Ryusen is, simply put, flawless. From out of the glue up and I should mention here that the handle is treated to the same softening and polish as the blade, there is a highly polished spine all the way to the tip, the choil is also as smooth as you can get and there is not a true right angle to be found on the entire knife, this is up there with the best of the best. ATS314 steel is new to me, it has migrated from the scissor industry but looking at its composition it sits happily amongst SG2 and VG-10, as for edge retention I cannot comment from personal use yet as it has only been here a few days, but I see no reason for it to be any less than the two alloys I mentioned above, it has a good heat treat and plenty of carbon. The blade profile could really be classed as a laser, the tip is 0.8mm and thins out further as it hits the apex, bearing in mind the spine only comes in at 2mm, the profile looking down the choil is very pleasing indeed showing a very high level of Smithing, a perfect taper to the cutting edge. It comes sharp, very sharp but I like to give all my new knives a quick blast on the stones, this just got a tickle on an 8k and a CBN strop, this steel is a breeze to sharpen and takes well to the strop. It was then off to the obligatory onion. Oh yes, slipped effortlessly through the horizontals and made the verticals feels like nothing was in the way, then the dicing ensued. Man alive, that was effortless, the blade just flies though produce and it is a genuine pleasure to use. Would I recommend this series? absolutely yes, also the Blazen has the same profile as this one, so you have choices there. For me it was the sweeping arc of the spine of the Kukakuryu that pulled me away from the Blazen Nashiji Gyuto with the straighter spine, but I believe you are onto a winner which ever path you choose. I really need to mention the great service that I have enjoyed from the very enthusiastic, friendly and knowledgeable folks at Sharp Edge Shop over the last few years, no I do not work for them but praise where praise is deserved is a personal way of life for me. Jon...