I have recently purchased from CKTG and have been using the Masskage Yuki 150mm petty. I am very happy with its performance. I love white # 2 steel. It's clad in stainless which has its benefits, however watching a patina develop or forcing one with mustard or some other technique is an amazing sight. The profile is nice, however I may flatten the heel portion to achieve more consistent board contact. However when using this knife for paring operations a flat spot in the profile isn't always necessary, just a preference of mine. Only sharpened once on my finishing stone as ootb edge was very functional, just needed a slight refinement. The handle is very attractive, but the wood was a bit rough/fuzzy. Getting it wet raised the grain further. A few minutes with 220, and 320 grit sandpaper, now it's smooth. I hesitate to put butcher block oil or another type of finish on wa handles. The dry natural feel helps with my grip when it's wet during use. This knife isn't exactly thin, not a laser, but not to thick either. It's a bit thicker than my 210 Yoshihiro hagane gyuto. Still very thin behind the edge, with a nice bevel. Might be a benefit when dealing with tougher ingredients. I'm contemplating the purchase of another in the yuki series, either a 240 or 270 gyuto. I'm also looking at the mizu series as well. Maybe someone can comment on the mizu and how it compares to the yuki series. I still haven't worked with a blue steel knife yet, just white, and VG-10. I like VG-10's durability, but feel white steel has much better edge refinement capabilities. I also don't leave my knives at work, and wish a saya was included for edge protection for transport, but there are people who will custom make them, and knife rolls and bags available for transporting fine cutlery. Not that huge of a concern, would just be an added benefit. Overall I am very happy with my Masakage knife and will purchase more from this company in the future.
