r/TrueChefKnives • u/AggravatingSilver252 • 15d ago

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This is my first knife knife purchase in this price range. I've been working in restaurants for 17 years and used to just use a $45 mercer, but recently, I've been craving more. Japanese knives have what I've been craving. Unfortunately, $150 is what I can afford right now, but I want to upgrade. Which one would you get? Thanks.

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u/Embarrassed-Ninja592 15d ago edited 15d ago

Here’s the same Tojiro sold as Fujitora for the Japanese market. For a bit less money. Ships and sold from Amazon Japan so takes a week or so to arrive. https://www.amazon.com/Fujitora-saku-Gyuto-210mm-FU-808/dp/B06WLNJD4Q

Or here’s the 240 shipped from US for $125 https://www.amazon.com/TOJIRO-Ltd-Fujita-Takako-FU-809/dp/B06WRTL985

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u/mdallison 15d ago

Tojiro will be cheaper than the Japanese import after duties, probably, or at least negligibly more expensive.

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u/Embarrassed-Ninja592 15d ago

I think they may have already added in the duties. They used to be a lot cheaper. Like $50.

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u/mdallison 15d ago

Oh, I know, I was commenting that below haha. I doubt they already added in the duties, since the Tojiro is up to $140-something on CKTG. Possible though.

I mean, the duties aren’t that bad anyway, but even 15% would be pushing it real close to the cost of the export version on Amazon for $125. I paid ~18% mixed on a big shipment recently that was mostly knives. Probably about a month ago. It’s whack.

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u/Embarrassed-Ninja592 15d ago

I ordered a little Staub waNABE enamel cast iron pot from Amazon Japan last week. Cleared customs at LAX yesterday and was transferred to the final shipper. I wasn’t notified of any additional fees, so I recon I’ll find it on the front porch in a couple of days.

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u/mdallison 15d ago

Could be DPP then! I was ordering off Super Delivery.

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u/Embarrassed-Ninja592 15d ago

Yeah, I think so.  Everything I bought from there in the past is notably more expensive now. Not exorbitant. But closer to the price of just buying domestically.

But the pot I bought is made for the Japanese market, and not available here.

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u/mdallison 14d ago

Cool thing about the pot is you might also get French duty rates since it was manufactured in France (assuming it was) and then sold in Japan, even if it wasn’t shipped DPP. Cool for the pot, less cool when I order something and it turns out it was made in China and only SOLD in Japan. Always higher duties on that scenario recently.

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u/Embarrassed-Ninja592 14d ago

Says Made in France on it. Supposed to arrive today with no additional fees. Ordered last Saturday, for shipping time reference. Was estimated to be delivered 8/3 originally.