Thanks for the correction, Harrison!

Just got my Enso HD 5.5 for Christmas yesterday, and I am loving it

Sarcasm?

NEVER EVER start an argument when someone has a large sharp implement in their hand. ;o)

It's still a top notch knife. It's really a Yaxell Zen without the branding and slightly different cosmetics. A solid choice. HIGHLY recommended

after 3 layers, it's just cosmetics, but WOW!!!!! What cosmetics!!!!! The regular gou is similar to the Miyabi birchwood in layers, slightly different profile. But it only has a micarta handle not real gorgeous gnarly birchwood. The super gou has more layers so the blade pace is prettier, but not really functionally different than a regular gou As far a german steel, the ikon is one of the most comfortable knives to use. great ergonomics and great manufacturing. But it's pretty pricy.

HR Hamada, I also love that Kramer Meiji it is beautiful, however the primary interest to me is ergonomics, I wonder if a larger hand will wield this better?

@@tiagovirago I have used the other 3 kramers for over a week each and used to own the FC61. I haven't tried the meiji yet Remember it is for "rockers" only, but if you're a rocker this should be good.

Me, I’m a Slicer with limited rock and chop. I get the satisfaction from push and pull cuts. It’s important to hear what others say because I don’t get the time in hand that others do.

@@tiagovirago check the shape of the blade, it's for rockers It IS nice, but not for everyone

it's on the way!

murray does not do samples However maybe some supporter might want to chip in and we can buy one

HR Hamada yea!! That’s a great idea. I’d love to send him a Cartier, or Muteki and see what he thinks. I can’t afford to send him a $800 knife though. In a few months I may get a gyuto by Jamison (Muteki line). Maybe somehow I can get a hold of ryky and send it to him to give a review.

thanks for the suggestion. will see how to make a video that makes the most sense for most people.

@@Burrfection, Thanks and very cool! Wikipedia has some decent info, for a start... BUT you might find it easier if you can get to a machine shop or metallurgical class and put hands on a Rockwell testing machine, yourself... a few minutes of supervised "play" to understand what's going on... and a video should almost write itself. Hope you have fun, and I look forward to it! ;o)

My hobby is to go sea fishing and make sashimi out if my catch. Currently bought shun premier boning/fillet knife but considering replacing it with miyabi birchwood after watching your video. Please let me know your thoughts. Thank you

Hey, Leonard... I know I'm not Ryky, but your post has caught my eye... It's occurred to me that a LOT of viewers probably have NO idea what the hardness numbers really even mean, and so the popular view is "higher is always better"... Just upfront, since I am only a humble "Hobby Smith"... I'll let you in on some basics... so Ryky can later suggest his feelings and they'll make more sense... hopefully. The scale used is HRC which has more to do with the particular testing load and equipment, like a tungsten ball or a spevifically shaped diamond cone in the tester-machine for the C-scale of Rockwell Hardness... In this scale (popularly used for common utensils from ball-bearings to industrial cutters and tooling parts, a common hardness range for knives is between 55 and 66, above which even for hand-slicing and chopping, tends to get brittle and "Chippy" in regular use and maintenance. It's not that the steel is no longer strong enough, but at high-tensile hardness, when chips come off, they fly, rather than fall... so it's dangerous. For the same reasons, they generally keep axes "for hard chopping action" between 45 and 55 on the HRC scale... their blades also tend to be outwardly curved slightly, Convex, as opposed to the "hollow" or Concave grind-shape of most utlitiarian kitchen and similar knives... In any case, you shouldn't have too much trouble finding blades up to a 65 or 66 hardness, available on the open markets, but they'll likely be "pricey" and from "high end" manufacturers... ALTHOUGH, a lower-end or NEWER manufacturer or craft-shop trying to establish business may well produce them at significantly lower prices to "grow the customer base", a popular tactic in business... SO keep your eyes out, and maybe contact a "metal shop" or "machine shop" for the purpose of "renting" a tester or hiring them for an independent test... It could be worth the investment. ;o)

the harder the blade usually the more brittle it is too. One of our favorite retailers may be making one in the near future that will be around 67. but this is NOT recommended for someone who does not have excellent skill and discipline. Even the ZDP 189 knives like Miyabi and some of the handmade knives are very difficult to use even for a pro. Choosing the hardest blade is NOT the best way to choose a knife. A soft knife is preferable for butchering, for BBQ, for boning out product, for hard squash, etc, etc, etc. And the harder it is, the better your skill and discipline better be. Also too hard a knife feels really funny and gives strange "feedback". I do not have a miyabi black Ash, but I do have a Geihei in HAP 40 at 65 rockell which I like relatively well, but not as much as my Yaxell Gou, My Miyabi Asritsans, or my Tojiro SG2's. And I have a Sukenari in ZDP 189. Not real happy with it even though the design is my style and it is a GREAT maker. ________________________ Ceramic blades can be good, like the kyoceras. or they can be HORRIBLE like 99.99% of the Chinese ceramics you see on fleabay. With a ceramic knife from an off name, it is BUYER BEWARE. Interestingly Dalstrong just to market ceramic blades before they started marketing steel blades. I tried one. meh. But dalstrong has great customer care so I'm sure they lost a ton of money replacing knives for idiots who don't know that perpendicular is 90 degrees not 85 degrees and don't know not to twist their wrist at the end of a stroke. I may not think too much of dalstrong knives, but I HIGHLY admire their customer care reputation/ And think about having a piece of sharp ceramic in you esophagus or your small intestine. I do not think an average user should use a ceramic knife except maybe a small tomato knife. A pretty skilled home user can use one, in a professional setting except maybe sashimi but I have nice yanagibas for that. If is NOT worth sharpening ceramic knives unless you're unbeliably skilled. Even I don't attempt it. But Kyocera will sharpen them free for life. Don't buy bargain brands. they're junk

@@hrhamada1982 THANKS for that!!! Okay, I am admittedly (mis)adventurous, so I've occasionally thought of picking up a ceramic (crap) at a flea-market just for the "test drive" and maybe an adventure in learning the sharpening situation... I know, it's probably a short-lived personal act of frustration, ending with a two-dollar (or so) piece of garbage and a good reason to personally avoid ceramics like the plague... BUT... Going in... (and I don't know that I will consider it further, frankly) is there a good place to start on the "research side" for the sharpening gear??? I've hand-knapped a variety of workable knives from obsidian. SO it's not my first rodeo, but beating and picking a blade from volcanic glass is obviously NOT the same technique as putting a smooth and consistent edge on even a straight-profiled knife in a ceramic material, either. SO since you seem to know something integral about the skills required, I think you might be worth the interaction as opposed to "going it alone" on this... antics? adventure? potentially lesion-inducing lesson? Yeah, in the end I may still just be "F***ing around", at best... BUT there may also be other curious readers trawling through in months or years to come, too. ;o)

@@gnarthdarkanen7464 awesome I'm really interested in hand napped blades and arrowheads!!!! I've attempted a few with our local archeological society ryky is better at sharpening than I am, but I think even he would say don't even bother doing it on ceramic. Just buy one good blade. And of course don't use diamond rods on a good knife. Nice plates are OK, but cheap ones are not worth it. Better to use stones than a cheap diamond plate. As far as which gear to buy, it's going to be a matter of how much you're going to use it and how much are you willing to pay. I've pretty much stuck to King and Chosera. Prefer choera, but I don't always have the cash for it, hence the king. Ryky can recommed a set up for you better than I could.

these are an a whole 'nother class than dalstrong. NO comparison

@@hrhamada1982 above?

@@StagnantMizu WAY WAY above. Dalstrong is a Chinese knife made by untrained workers that will be instantly fired if they don't make their quota. If they drop dead or commit suicide because of the pace, they're replaced. Miyabi, Yaxell, and Henckels/Kramer are made by lifelong workers who take pride in every single task they do, Every step will be perfection. They are well treated by the employer, are happy and healthy. Each of those companies has sterling reputation amongst professionals. Wusthof ikon is a superb german steel knife with great ergonomics. Dalstrong is NOT a bad knife. It's just not a good knife. Remember dalstrong doesn't make them, they buy them and brand them, themselves. But the dalstrong marketing company has GREAT customer care, even idiot proof care. They are good for home cooks because of that. If you have limited skill and discipline Dalstrong is a very good choice. it's just no where near these, or other world class knives like MAC, Mcuesta, Misono, Shun etc You're paying for peace of mind if you have no skill and chip your knife and for most home users that is a wise choice. You won't get that customer care with the better knives. They expect you to know what they heck you're doing. They warrant for defects in material and workmanship only and you will NEVER have a defect in either. Do not buy a knife thinking that x number of layers vs x number of layers is a good point of comparison. that's like buying a stereo at a swap meet that says 150 watts that is clipping at 149 and will only last 6 months, is the same as an onkyo for example which has rock solid engineering and 1.5 db headroom (3db is a doubling of power). Both will get the job done, but one will last 50 years and be perfection the hole time, and one will last 6 months. Or saying A5 wagyu is " just a steak" the same as I can get at golden corral or sizzler.