# Some hand made sayas I have recently finished.



## ChefShramrock (Jan 20, 2020)

Decided to try my hand at making some sayas a few months back. I am using a pretty primitive set-up. Hand chisel, coping saw, hand-held sanding blocks. I do have a dremel for drilling pin holes. I have been using yellow poplar due to ease of use & edge protection. It is a really fun & relaxing way to spend an afternoon.

Kajiwara blue 2 240 gyuto





Kurosaki r2 210 gyuto




Konosuke Swedish 140 petty




Kaeru sld 150 petty & Yuki white 2 240 gyuto




Harukaze ginsan 240gyuto




Masashi sld & Yoshimune white 2 210 gyutos












Tinker Tank AS 180mm


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## ChefShramrock (Jan 20, 2020)

Kurosaki AS petty 150mm


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## San_ (Feb 3, 2020)

The yuki gyuyo saya looks very good , did you torch it first of after fished ?thx


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## Brian Weekley (Feb 3, 2020)

Great job Chef ... are you taking orders?


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## ChefShramrock (Feb 3, 2020)

Not yet. Still trying to find my style.


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## ChefShramrock (Feb 3, 2020)

San_ said:


> The yuki gyuyo saya looks very good , did you torch it first of after fished ?thx


After. The seams separated when torching. I had to re-glue and clamp. Then sanded and buffed. And thanks.


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## San_ (Feb 3, 2020)

ChefShramrock said:


> After. The seams separated when torching. I had to re-glue and clamp. Then sanded and buffed. And thanks.


Thanks buddy !

I had never make the saya , but did torch couple , them was all kind of change the sharp little bit , guess that was too hot for them lol !


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## milkbaby (Feb 3, 2020)

Very classy shapes, nice work! </two_thumbs_up>


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## childermass (Feb 5, 2020)

Great work and awesome finish on these.


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## Carl Kotte (Feb 5, 2020)

Do you make them human sized with airholes?


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## ChefShramrock (Feb 5, 2020)

Carl Kotte said:


> Do you make them human sized with airholes?


Do you want to live it it? lol


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## Carl Kotte (Feb 5, 2020)

ChefShramrock said:


> Do you want to live it it? lol



Not me, but I may have a client [emoji16]


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## ChefShramrock (Feb 5, 2020)

Just finished a couple more. I recently purchased an inexpensive belt sander. It really made the shaping go so fast. I was able to get the petty saya really thin.
Tanaka ginsan 240 gyuto 









Kaeru sld 90mm petty.


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## Gjackson98 (Feb 5, 2020)

Beautiful work man! Thanks for sharing.


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## VICTOR J CREAZZI (Feb 6, 2020)

Nice stuff! I'm going to be making my first saya next week.


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## ChefShramrock (Feb 6, 2020)

VICTOR J CREAZZI said:


> Nice stuff! I'm going to be making my first saya next week.


What kind if set-up will you be using? Have you decided on the method? I started using the 2 piece method, carving out both sides to get a fit. My Tinker saya was made using a 3 piece construction. After I bought the belt sander, I was able to carve out 1 side only, using a 2 piece method, then thinning the sides using the sander.


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## VICTOR J CREAZZI (Feb 6, 2020)

I'm still trying to decide on my method. Part of it depends on what wood I can find. Right now I'm leaning towards the 2 piece.


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## ChefShramrock (Feb 6, 2020)

VICTOR J CREAZZI said:


> I'm still trying to decide on my method. Part of it depends on what wood I can find. Right now I'm leaning towards the 2 piece.


I recommend poplar or cedar, as they softer and easier to carve, plus being kinder to the knife edge. Any hardware store should have it.


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## Carl Kotte (Feb 6, 2020)

Carl Kotte said:


> Not me, but I may have a client [emoji16]



@Michi Haha, I see you found this request!


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## Michi (Feb 6, 2020)

Carl Kotte said:


> @Michi Haha, I see you found this request!


I'm watching you!


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## Carl Kotte (Feb 6, 2020)

Michi said:


> I'm watching you!



Ouch, a big brother... I’ll send you my measures for the saya in a pm. Chefshamrock I will not be needing your services, which is a shame. Your work looks great!


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## ChefShramrock (Feb 20, 2020)

Just finished this saya for a 270mm suji. My former sous chef just got promoted to chef, so I am giving him these as a gift. Wood is stained poplar. Pin is made from a cribbage peg. Suji is a 270mm vg10 ForgeToTable.


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## captaincaed (Feb 22, 2020)

The attached pin is a really nice touch. Should be industry standard.
What are you finishing the outside with?
Also, way to get going without power tools. I bet the transition to belt felt great.


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## ChefShramrock (Feb 23, 2020)

captaincaed said:


> The attached pin is a really nice touch. Should be industry standard.
> What are you finishing the outside with?
> Also, way to get going without power tools. I bet the transition to belt felt great.


I am finishing with polyurethane. The belt sander was a godsend. Such a transition.


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## ChefShramrock (Mar 28, 2020)

Picked up some nice looking red oak from the hardware store before all this corona-mess. Using this down time to do some more work. 
This one for a Moritaka as 240. Figuring looks really nice.
















https://imgur.com/LcNtV7a


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## birdsfan (Mar 29, 2020)

Beautiful work ChefShamrock! What did you use to finish it?


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## milkbaby (Mar 29, 2020)

It's fun what figured woods you can randomly find at the home improvement or hardware stores. I got some nice oak and curly poplar sitting around there that I'll eventually use.


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## ChefShramrock (Mar 29, 2020)

birdsfan said:


> Beautiful work ChefShamrock! What did you use to finish it?


Sanded up to 500gr and finished with 2 coats Danish oil.


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## birdsfan (Mar 29, 2020)

Your grains really seemed to pop. I have been playing with cedar to make mine. but still looking for an alternative to the mineral oil finish.


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## ChefShramrock (Mar 29, 2020)

birdsfan said:


> Your grains really seemed to pop. I have been playing with cedar to make mine. but still looking for an alternative to the mineral oil finish.
> View attachment 75320


Danish oil would make that one really pop.


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## birdsfan (Mar 29, 2020)

Just might be worth a trip out of the house to get some! Break out the sanitizer and Lysol wipes!


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## ChefShramrock (Apr 6, 2020)

Another finished saya in red oak. This one is for my Moritaka AS 210 k-tip gyuto. Saya is finished with 1 coat of walnut Danish oil to really bring out the grain & 2 coats clear Danish oil. Pin is a cribbage peg I colored with a red sharpie.























a little .gif of the saya 
https://imgur.com/yF9MOLm


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## ChefShramrock (Apr 18, 2020)

Recently finish saya for Tanaka 150mm ginsan petty. Red oak with mahogany stain & dark walnut oil finish. Friction fit.


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## marc4pt0 (Apr 18, 2020)

Just saw this thread. these look great!
i just started trying saya making again myself. Grabbed a bunch of poplar before things got out of hand. Still working on trying to get the hang of it


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## marc4pt0 (Apr 19, 2020)

What's really funny, on a personal level, is of course I pick this hobby back up in a time where it's effing impossible to get a dual respirator dust/ paint mask. Dammit!


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## banzai_burrito (Apr 19, 2020)

Beautiful work!


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## ChefShramrock (Apr 19, 2020)

marc4pt0 said:


> What's really funny, on a personal level, is of course I pick this hobby back up in a time where it's effing impossible to get a dual respirator dust/ paint mask. Dammit!


I know, right? Luckily, I stocked up on wood and n95 masks before all this happened. I have enough wood to finish my knives and a couple for other people. I have 1 clean mask left.


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## ChefShramrock (Apr 24, 2020)

Recently finished saya for 170mm Kurosaki As KU santoku in stained oak.


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## milkbaby (Apr 24, 2020)

Looking good! I'm surprised not more people use wood stain because it can often look very nice especially if using some lighter colored woods like poplar, maple, oak...


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## banzai_burrito (Apr 24, 2020)

ChefShramrock said:


> Recently finished saya for 170mm Kurosaki As KU santoku in stained oak.


Oh that's hella pretty. Like a Samoa cookie too!


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## Chang (Apr 26, 2020)

ChefShramrock said:


> Recently finished saya for 170mm Kurosaki As KU santoku in stained oak.



Really diggin' your work. if you're ever down for commission work, hit me up!

Also just noticed this, are you Chocu1a on r/chefknives?


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## ChefShramrock (Apr 26, 2020)

Jchau890 said:


> Really diggin' your work. if you're ever down for commission work, hit me up!
> 
> Also just noticed this, are you Chocu1a on r/chefknives?


One in the same.


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## ChefShramrock (May 8, 2020)

Finished a couple for my first clients. 
Stained poplar for a Kohetsu HAP40 210mm gyuto






















Stained oak for Mazaki kurouchi white #2 210mm gyuto


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## Matt Zilliox (May 8, 2020)

ChefShramrock said:


> Picked up some nice looking red oak from the hardware store before all this corona-mess. Using this down time to do some more work.
> This one for a Moritaka as 240. Figuring looks really nice.




When you get wood at the store, are you buying the correct thickness? or buying planks and thinning them on a bandsaw or something?? id like to try this.


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## ChefShramrock (May 8, 2020)

Matt Zilliox said:


> When you get wood at the store, are you buying the correct thickness? or buying planks and thinning them on a bandsaw or something?? id like to try this.


I buy 2 thickness. ¼" and 1" thick. I carve out and shape the 1", then glue the ¼ to that. Once dried, I shape the ¼, and remove thickness from the 1" using a belt sander. I then thin both walls to desired thickness and contour and finish. I started by using two ¼" boards and carving out both sides, but it is easier if you can carve 1 side.


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## MoabDave (May 10, 2020)

'
Picked up some nice looking red oak ....
This one for a Moritaka as 240. Figuring looks really nice.


I went and scouted a Moritaka 240, and when I read who endorses this stainless tang, I couldn't finish reading out loud to my partner I was in hysterics. Obviously Japanese school lunch kitchens are locally held in higher esteem than US


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## ChefShramrock (May 24, 2020)

Made another saya for a Mazaki ku nashiji 219mm gyuto(mine) in stained oak. Not much time for side projects since going back to work a couple weeks ago.


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## birdsfan (May 24, 2020)

As always Chef, beautiful work! Motivates me to step my game up. Congrats on returning to work!


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## Stewart122 (May 24, 2020)

Great work on the sayas. I really like the tether you added. (Dumb question)What sort of store did you source it from?


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## SeattleBen (May 24, 2020)

Those look great.


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## ChefShramrock (May 24, 2020)

Stewart122 said:


> Great work on the sayas. I really like the tether you added. (Dumb question)What sort of store did you source it from?


The tether? It's waxed twine. Purchased from Amazon. The pin is a cribbage peg I modified. Also purchased from Amazon. The wood came from home depot. 

And thanks.


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## Stewart122 (May 25, 2020)

ChefShramrock said:


> The tether? It's waxed twine. Purchased from Amazon. The pin is a cribbage peg I modified. Also purchased from Amazon. The wood came from home depot.
> 
> And thanks.


Thank you!


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## ChefShramrock (Jul 31, 2020)

Recent batch of sayas finished:

Natural oak for Anryu 240mm













Stained oak for Kurosaki Fujin 270mm

















Burnt oak for Kurosaki Raijin 240mm


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## Chang (Jul 31, 2020)

That burnt oak is deadly. Still killin' it, as always!


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