# Shigefusa Cleaver



## Potato42 (Jun 9, 2011)

The mythical Shigefusa Chucka-bouchou is finally reality after a long wait of nearly 3 years. Made for me in a special custom size of 210x100mm and "thin", it is truly unique. I have never seen a Shige cleaver, so I'm really curious. In the photos it looks like an absolute beaut, but what else would you expect from a Shige? It'll be in my hands soon. :drool:


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## evanjohnson (Jun 9, 2011)

Damn nice!


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## echerub (Jun 9, 2011)

Wooo! Have fun with it and let us know your impressions afterwards


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## mainaman (Jun 9, 2011)

he has made one as far as know but not for US.
Nice piece.
3 years wait is outrageous though.


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## peterm (Jun 9, 2011)

So THAT's the one you were hinting at before! Can't wait for some hands-on impressions! What's the steel?


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## mainaman (Jun 9, 2011)

peterm said:


> So THAT's the one you were hinting at before! Can't wait for some hands-on impressions! What's the steel?


 
Shigefusa uses only his modified Swedish carbon steel


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## 99Limited (Jun 9, 2011)

Wow that's nice slab of steel!!! You have the patience of Job. Well Job had patience, you had no choice but to wait. Anyway this is the perfect example of, "Somethings are worth waiting for." :thumbsup:


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## watercrawl (Jun 9, 2011)

Hehehe....that'll be fun to rehandle!!


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## Potato42 (Jun 9, 2011)

mainaman said:


> he has made one as far as know but not for US.
> Nice piece.
> 3 years wait is outrageous though.


 
Oh I'm sure in the more than half century of making knives that many cleavers have been made, I've just never seen one. Not online and certainly not in person. I was also happily surprised that it was made to my size request, and without any special markup in cost. From the looks of things so far it was worth the wait


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## Potato42 (Jun 9, 2011)

watercrawl said:


> Hehehe....that'll be fun to rehandle!!


 
yeah you were right, the scales look a little shrunken already. You ready for license plate #2?


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## stereo.pete (Jun 9, 2011)

Wow, that is amazing.


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## watercrawl (Jun 9, 2011)

Potato42 said:


> yeah you were right, the scales look a little shrunken already. You ready for license plate #2?


 
Of course! 

It's really sad to see such a beautiful knife with such a perpetual problem with their western handles.


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## jwpark (Jun 9, 2011)

Is that a kasumi blade or a single steel blade?


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## Potato42 (Jun 9, 2011)

Kasumi I believe. It sure looks like it in the pictures, and that's how it was described. I'll add it to the endless list of questions I have for So lol


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## mainaman (Jun 9, 2011)

nice
please post pics of the geometry when you get it I would like to compare with other makers.


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## DwarvenChef (Jun 9, 2011)

NOT LOOKING!!!!! ARRGGHH!!!!!


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## Potato42 (Jun 9, 2011)

DwarvenChef said:


> NOT LOOKING!!!!! ARRGGHH!!!!!



Haha be prepared to say that a lot around here with all these mastersmithy's about posting amazing steel. Welcome Bud!


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## JohnnyChance (Jun 10, 2011)

Jesus! No idea they made these either. Looks like a beaut though! So....I gotta ask...how much did they wack you for that?


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## Potato42 (Jun 10, 2011)

Not nearly as much as you might think! It's funny, So even said in his message with the initial quote that he thought it would cost a lot more. Like I said they agreed to do the slight custom changes for no additional cost too so I feel like I got it for a steal. Send me a PM if you want the exact price quote.



BTW, I got a 240 gyuto too...


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## AFKitchenknivesguy (Jun 10, 2011)

Nice license plate brother!


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## BertMor (Jun 10, 2011)

Amazing knife, I am envious! Only thing for me is the edge is too straight. I like a little curve in my cleavers. Nice going, if you ever decide to sell I got first dibs!!!!!


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## watercrawl (Jun 10, 2011)

AFKitchenknivesguy said:


> Nice license plate brother!


 
Hahaha....that's my brother in gyuto arms!!!


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## Potato42 (Jun 10, 2011)

BertMor said:


> Amazing knife, I am envious! Only thing for me is the edge is too straight. I like a little curve in my cleavers. Nice going, if you ever decide to sell I got first dibs!!!!!


 
Thanks Bert. I noticed in the pictures of my Konosuke (also custom same size) that the edge looked perfectly straight, but after receiving it, the knife had the slightest curve to it that I found to be perfect. I'm hoping this is the same.


So got back to me about the weight - 490g so it's going to be _really_ similar to my Konosuke

I got another message from So about the knife in response to my question about how hard the steel is -

"Hmmm, HRC huh..., well to be honest, this knowledge isn't too popular yet, but this HRC thing, it's actually very unreliable. It's affected by the angle of the bevel which the diamond pin strikes, and this angle isn't adjusted accurately at all. So I myself never paid much, well to tell you the truth, any attention to it, so I actually don't know. I'm not even sure if Shigefusa themselves know.

But considering the usage of this knife, I assume it is tempered a bit more, perhaps close to deba (Shigefusa's deba is pretty hard, less skilled chefs chip them very easily) or even more, so that it won't chip or crack when striking the bones. But I suggest you go easy on it first and see. 

In that sense, you should extensively try it before you change the handle, at least sharpen it twice and get the hang of the steel, because if you feel that it is a bit too hard/tense, you can bake it in the oven and temper it down a bit. It is very easy, but you need to know at what degree, for how long, so IF you decide to do it, let me know and I'll instruct in detail. Once you attach the new handle you cannot take it off anymore, so right before you send it to the handle maker, you can take the handle off (do you think you can do it?) and bake the blade in the oven.

Again, this might sound a bit surprising for you, but this is how the smiths are tempering to begin with, altho their ovens are specialized in tempering, but these tempering ovens are no different from the ones we bake cakes and lasagnas at home =-O 

Would this be good enough info?

So"


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## UglyJoe (Jun 10, 2011)

Man, I wish So would post on these forums. That dude knows his ****!


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## mainaman (Jun 10, 2011)

UglyJoe said:


> Man, I wish So would post on these forums. That dude knows his ****!


 
you think?


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## Potato42 (Jun 11, 2011)

BertMor said:


> Only thing for me is the edge is too straight. I like a little curve in my cleavers.


 


Potato42 said:


> Thanks Bert. I noticed in the pictures of my Konosuke (also custom same size) that the edge looked perfectly straight, but after receiving it, the knife had the slightest curve to it that I found to be perfect. I'm hoping this is the same.


 
I decided to pull up the image in photoshop and sure enough, there is the slightest bit of curve to the edge. I'm not at all surprised. Iizuka san spent decades refining his craft and it shows.


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## Mattias504 (Jun 13, 2011)

Potato42 said:


> Iizuka san spent decades refining his craft and it shows.



Yes it does. If you have ever held/used/seen in person a Shigefusa, you understand this. They really are just incredible especially considering the process and all the attention to detail. They are truly beautiful art. I would love to give that cleaver a run. 

How's about an action video Sean?


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## Cnimativ (Jun 13, 2011)

Wow, tempering with home cook oven to adjust the steel hardness... This thread has transcended to another level...


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## Potato42 (Jun 13, 2011)

Mattias504 said:


> Yes it does. If you have ever held/used/seen in person a Shigefusa, you understand this. They really are just incredible especially considering the process and all the attention to detail. They are truly beautiful art. I would love to give that cleaver a run.
> 
> How's about an action video Sean?



I'd love to, despite my horrendous knife skills, but I don't have it in my hands yet. I've already considered a passaround with a few select cleaver loving individuals. :wink:



Cnimativ said:


> Wow, tempering with home cook oven to adjust the steel hardness... This thread has transcended to another level...


 
Come on now guys I agree it sounds ridiculous, but he is right in that the basic concept of tempering (not heat treating) could be done in a standard oven. Though If I did want to do it, I'd still send it off to one of my knife making buddies who have a knife kiln!


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## sudsy9977 (Jun 13, 2011)

Cnimativ said:


> Wow, tempering with home cook oven to adjust the steel hardness... This thread has transcended to another level...


 



i bet alot more knifemakers than uthink use a regular oven for tempering....ryan


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## SpikeC (Jun 13, 2011)

I temper in the kitchen oven, but after buying an oven thermometer that did not jive with the oven settings I started using a pyrometer with a K thermocouple to monitor the temperature. Now I can fine tune the oven to get an accurate temper cycle. I'm still grinding the latest blade with the cycle that Hoss recommended so I don't have results quite yet. I had my BMW motorcycle fall over when parking and it pinned my previously broken foot under the cylinder head so I'm a little slow right now........


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## Pensacola Tiger (Jun 13, 2011)

SpikeC said:


> I temper in the kitchen oven, but after buying an oven thermometer that did not jive with the oven settings I started using a pyrometer with a K thermocouple to monitor the temperature. Now I can fine tune the oven to get an accurate temper cycle. I'm still grinding the latest blade with the cycle that Hoss recommended so I don't have results quite yet. I had my BMW motorcycle fall over when parking and it pinned my previously broken foot under the cylinder head so I'm a little slow right now........


 
And how's your finger?


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## SpikeC (Jun 13, 2011)

The finger is doing quite well, thanks! The nail is all the way across and over half way back to length. The nerves continue the slow growth back as well!


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## Pensacola Tiger (Jun 13, 2011)

SpikeC said:


> The finger is doing quite well, thanks! The nail is all the way across and over half way back to length. The nerves continue the slow growth back as well!


 
Good to hear it's healing well. Take care of that foot!


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## JohnnyChance (Jun 14, 2011)

Geez Spike you are falling apart! What did you do to your finger?


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## SpikeC (Jun 14, 2011)

Touched a tablesaw blade while making a knife handle. Won't do THAT again!


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## watercrawl (Jun 14, 2011)

Oh SOB....that had to suck Spike!! Hope you heal fast.


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## SpikeC (Jun 14, 2011)

Thanks, Adam, it is healing up nicely, I can even type with it now!


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## Eamon Burke (Jun 14, 2011)

Geez humpty dumpty.

I have to know, does tempering in a regular oven put off fumes of any kind? Is this an activity that can safely be done without a respirator(because home ovens have vents, you see).


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## Rottman (Jun 14, 2011)

There shouldn't be any fumes. Sad thing is you can only temper the hardness down and not up.


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## Johnny.B.Good (Jun 30, 2012)

It's been a year, I want an update!


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## Justin0505 (Jun 30, 2012)

Johnny.B.Good said:


> It's been a year, I want an update!


+1
SERIOUSLY!!! How the heck did I forget about this post! Thanks for poking the potato Johhny. 

Also, where did you order this from? Who is this "So" guy?


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## Birnando (Jun 30, 2012)

Justin0505 said:


> +1
> SERIOUSLY!!! How the heck did I forget about this post! Thanks for poking the potato Johhny.
> 
> Also, where did you order this from? Who is this "So" guy?



I believe "So" refers to So Yamashita, the proprietor of Japan-tool.com


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## Justin0505 (Jun 30, 2012)

Birnando said:


> I believe "So" refers to So Yamashita, the proprietor of Japan-tool.com



Thanks again! razors, custom shig dealers... you're just a fountain of knowledge.


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## brainsausage (Jun 30, 2012)

Potato42 said:


> I'd love to, despite my horrendous knife skills, but I don't have it in my hands yet. I've already considered a passaround with a few select cleaver loving individuals. :wink:
> 
> My heart just skipped a beat when I read this...


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## jm2hill (Jun 30, 2012)

I WANT.


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## Vertigo (Jul 1, 2012)

Johnny.B.Good said:


> It's been a year, I want an update!



He hasn't logged in since last December, so I wouldn't hold your breath. I guess when you finally get your "perfect knife" you don't need this place as much!


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## brainsausage (Jul 1, 2012)

I completely missed the date on that first post... It's even more frustrating that there's no performance review, and no potential pass around.


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## Crothcipt (Jul 1, 2012)

Most of all I hope he is all right.


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## brainsausage (Jul 1, 2012)

Crothcipt said:


> Most of all I hope he is all right.



I had a whisper of that in the back of my head when I wrote that last post...


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