Got it for a good price used (barely), but I see some small chips on the edge, maybe from shipping. Sharpened out in no time. <3 carbon steel.
It's a little thinner than the website picture one, and has as much belly as you think. However it doesn't curve up until the last bit. If it was a 210mm it'd be way worse.
Then again depends on what you compare it with. The type of knives I like are heavier, but thin behind the edge. My short list was this one, Kochi, and Watanabe, and now I just added Wakui.
I cut carrots today and it didn't wedge at all, just sailed through.
No idea how I missed that this is stainless clad. I see that as a positive feature even though thinning is less fun. This is by far my favorite gyuto and a fine workhorse. I've been making custom handles, but can't bring myself to get rid of th big beefy D shaped handle. It just works!
The western looks flatter than mine, which I like. Out of th dozens of chefs knives/ gyutos i have bought and sold, this is one of the few I kept. It is a great cutter and easy to maintain.
Also, I see the Western listed on JNS's and a purchaser has criticised the F&F, particularly the handle when in use with a pinch grip. I have emailed JNS asking if there were any known issues that may have been adressed
You'd be paying over $100 more for that upgraded handle. It's all preference. Some people like that bolsterless handle at an angle and some don't. I prefer wa handles anyway and it's easy enough to swap out my own custom, but I like the big oversized wa handle it came with.
FWIW, just looking at it I don't care for the ironwood handle at all. Ugly cheap looking, scales possibly have gap problems, too wide at the heel end. Echoing other comments I'm pretty sure I'd have to grind away some material on the left to get it out of the way of my thumb, but at least after that and some epoxy sealing I'd be happy with the feel and function, if not the looks.
For my eye the profiles look the same.
Bottom line, I personally can't see spending an extra bill for it, but for a bill less than the Wa I might go for it.
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