Sorry about another post on the same knife but this is fascinating to me now. The first shop I checked 10 days ago and at least once after that didn’t have it, now shows it has the knife in stock. This is after it is largely sold out everywhere. But the price is now $450. Not sure if that reflects their cost to get it or because of the scarcity. It appears that most of the knives are moving to Chomax and thus the few remaining R2 knives out there may be the last ones available.
Why not get the chromax version? just looking it up it appears to have very similar properties to sg2 - 62-63hrc, stainless, and better edge retention than the sg2. The downside looks like it’s a little more chip prone, but the Shibata is a total laser, and not something youd want to use to hack through a big pumpkin or something that could chip your blade.
I don’t think the performance of the knife will be any difference, or if there is its negligible. The knife is about geometry, grind, balance in the hand more than it is about steel type to me at least.
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I don’t know that there is a Chromax version. I don’t find one available at this time. That is just my speculation as most of the other knives have moved from R2 to Chromax. The 210 gyuto when changed to Chromax became a bit shorter and heavier at the same time. I assume the blade is thicker and driving the change. The tip profile changed as well.
found this one
you are right that the tip profile has changed, its only 9g heavier though so I wouldn’t consider that a huge deal personally.
I personally would still buy this knife at $235 vs the old one at $450, but price might matter more to me than to you, everyone is different in that regard of course. I will say that I adore my sg2 version and would never sell it, even for 450 (think I paid 299).
It is also 20mm shorter overall and the blade is 5mm shorter. It is the combination of slightly heavier and shorter that makes me wonder how the bigger bunka might change.
As for price, you need to include the standard duty (6%), the steel tariff (50% or 25% unsure which applies), the paperwork fee (UPS charged me $40 last October), and the shipping (another $40 +/-).
I have stopped looking for now given the current prices. It was to be for my wife who has the standard bunka and wanted a larger one. It was a want, not a need so will just wait and see what becomes available in the future and at what price.
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Bought a couple to add to collection recently. Takeshi Saji SG2 Black Damascus Santoku with ironwood handle. Wanted something agile and versatile. If I was nitpicking would say a bit thick top line and food tends to stick a bit, but no doubting it’s edge and precision.
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How is the weight? The specs I find on-line for the ironwood handle version has it in the 230g-240g range which is much heavier than my knives.
I have a slicer from Takeshi Saji and fully agree! Holds a very sharp edge for an extremely long time.
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Lovely knife @Rob_Isaacs. Gorgeous western handle.
@Brian_Gilp , you’re on the money it’s quite heavy and not quite what I was expecting. Still great to use.
On the other hand my other purchase, this Nigara Hamono SG Strix Sujihiki 240mm (Dark Maple handle) is really light and nimble for a slicer. FYI SG Strix is up around 65 HRC.
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Recently returned from our inaugural trip to Japan and I bought this knife. I don’t know the producer, but it’s 165mm, ginsan steel, Zelkova wood handle, weighs 120gm. Bought at Tsubaya in Tokyo. I’m having a great time with it. I love the weight (or lack thereof).
My only experience with anything that resemble a high end knife is my nearly 20 year old Kramer Meiji 203mm Gyuto, which has been the workhorse (at least for me) in our kitchen since purchase. The experience of using this new knife is wildly different (in a good way).
My wife and I are both experiencing whatever the opposite of buyer’s remorse is, wishing we had bought at least one more knife while in Japan. So, I’m looking for some help. I’m in the market for a 165mm-ish gyuto, stainless steel, with a Japanese style handle for my wife. I am willing to spend a bit, but not interested in breaking the bank ($200 or so, give or take?). I am hoping for recommendations for both producers and for websites.
Thanks in advance. I really hope I’m not on the cusp of another obsessive rabbit hole here…
Gorgeous
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If you’re looking for US based retailers, Cutlery and More has a pretty broad selection of stuff in stock. Carbon is another good one.
Here’s a longer list if you wanna go down the rabbit hole:
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I fear that I am approaching the vortex…
Now lookinging out for Myojin Riki knives and have a hankering for one of these high polish style knives (but not in this price range).
First thing that comes to mind doesn’t hit all your boxes. It is longer with a western handle. I have the 210 version that I have used for years without any complaints. Available at multiple trusted stores for $200. MTC Kitchen has it for slightly less.
Here is another option. Still 180 (not finding much shorter in guyot) and this is stainless clad super blue carbon.
Same knife with a different steel and handle.
RUN!!! 
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We’re all more inclined to use tools that bring us joy. I now have literal stacks of Griswold pans in sizes 3-12 in my kitchen, with matching lids for most of them. Also have multiple knife blocks (soon going to magnetic strips as recommended by folks upthread). If we’re gonna nerd out over wine, why not high end kitchen ware too? My family is way more understanding of my cast iron and kitchen knife obsessions as they see the practical daily use of those. Plus they also enjoy using those things.
Griswold pans are very useful though, and quite light for cast iron. I use mine every single day; i don’t use my japanese knives all that often though.
Yeah, even though I’ve come to the conclusion that non-stick properties of cast iron and carbon steel are mostly down to proper temp management and cooking fat usage, it’s hard to not love the lightness and glassy smoothness of vintage cast iron. We use ours every single day as well - but also use our Japanese knives daily. My German knives see much less use the past couple of years as I’ve gotten more into Japanese knives.
I just tend to use my misen short chef knife for everything, it fits my hand well and is very sharp and cuts well while being more durable than my japanese knives. Sometimes I’ll use them to cut fish and other things but I tend not to use them for meats.
I will use cast iron for all meats and fish but not for eggs, I prefer my old hard anodized all clad for that. I have some cool 1930s era Griswold 10 and 12 pans that I love.
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