# Shig alert



## Dardeau

There is a 270mm kasumi Shigefusa yanagiba for sale on A Frames. Heads up yall.


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## schanop

375 only, cheap cheap.


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## Von blewitt

There is also a Shig Kogatana & some cool Iwasaki Kamisori

They've been up a few weeks, surprised they hung around


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## Dardeau

With a saya!


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## havox07

I was pretty close to buying the yanagi last week, exchange rate kept me from snatching it up. Us Canadians have it pretty hard currently


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## malexthekid

Yeah same over here in Aus. Our dollar is just tanking and it is killing my knife purchases


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## aboynamedsuita

I got one from Maksim this morning, exchange rate be damned


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## spoiledbroth

tjangula said:


> I got one from Maksim this morning, exchange rate be damned


:eek2: nice


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## j22582536

havox07 said:


> I was pretty close to buying the yanagi last week, exchange rate kept me from snatching it up. Us Canadians have it pretty hard currently




yeah....Canadian dollar is really low right now, especially comparing with US dollar. Can't really afford foreign goods....


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## brainsausage

I just removed the immediate temptation of possibly purchasing said knife.

And I did it for all of you fine gentleman. 

It was strictly for your sakes. 

I am a selfless martyr. 

You're welcome.


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## brainsausage

Thanks for the heads up Andre.


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## spoiledbroth

Japan woodworker has a few too I noticed but they're suspiciously cheap. Anyone know what the deal is?


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## Mute-on

spoiledbroth said:


> Japan woodworker has a few too I noticed but they're suspiciously cheap. Anyone know what the deal is?



They're legit. I've bought more than a few from them. All good :thumbsup:


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## Mute-on

brainsausage said:


> I just removed the immediate temptation of possibly purchasing said knife.
> 
> And I did it for all of you fine gentleman.
> 
> It was strictly for your sakes.
> 
> I am a selfless martyr.
> 
> You're welcome.



You are a true gentleman. Saved me a small fortune. Thanks Josh :wink:


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## spoiledbroth

Mute-on said:


> They're legit. I've bought more than a few from them. All good :thumbsup:



I was just curious what the difference in price was about. Seem to recall there are a few smiths at Shigefusa, does one of them command a higher price? I saw a 300mm+ shig yanagi for somewhere around 300, a 210 gyuto for not much more.


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## perneto

I think it might just be because of the USD JPY exchange rate.


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## Von blewitt

I think it can also have to do with when the knife was ordered/ paid for by the Vendor. 
I know with So Yamashita from Japan Tool the knives that come up for sale on his site have been on order for 3 years +


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## brainsausage

Welp, false alarm. Just woke up to an email from Takeshi at A-Frames. Apparently he sold it to somebody else on Tuesday, but was having issues with his site marking it as sold. 

Who stole my Shig- er... I mean, who snapped up that Yani? Killer deal, even without the saya.


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## Bikeman

Thanks for the heads up on Japan Woodworker , I just ordered a 180mm Shig Nakiri that amazingly is priced as a clearance item. They had 1 more in stock on sale this am. Anybody looking for a great Nakiri should grab it, I have the 165 mm size also and it is a great blade . BB


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## schanop

brainsausage said:


> Welp, false alarm. Just woke up to an email from Takeshi at A-Frames. Apparently he sold it to somebody else on Tuesday, but was having issues with his site marking it as sold.
> 
> Who stole my Shig- er... I mean, who snapped up that Yani? Killer deal, even without the saya.



I feel sorry for you. Takeshi's deals on Shigefusa's are always awesome. I missed out on one ajikiri while waiting for his reply a couple of years ago.


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## havox07

There is a 300mm on Japan woodworker for 400 if you want that instead.


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## brainsausage

havox07 said:


> There is a 300mm on Japan woodworker for 400 if you want that instead.



Yeah... I've been mulling that over all day. After the initial rush of 'purchasing' the previous yani, followed by the crushing depression of realizing it wasn't mine, well- I don't know if I can put myself through that again.


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## knyfeknerd

brainsausage said:


> Yeah... I've been mulling that over all day. After the initial rush of 'purchasing' the previous yani, followed by the crushing depression of realizing it wasn't mine, well- I don't know if I can put myself through that again.



You should just start bidding on that Kramer on eBay!


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## j22582536

brainsausage said:


> Yeah... I've been mulling that over all day. After the initial rush of 'purchasing' the previous yani, followed by the crushing depression of realizing it wasn't mine, well- I don't know if I can put myself through that again.



Unlike kitaeji model, kasumi yanagiba aren't that hard to find, many japanese website have them in stock for about 50000~55000 japanese yen.


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## brainsausage

knyfeknerd said:


> You should just start bidding on that Kramer on eBay!



I just bought the 300mm yani over on Japan Woodworker instead. Figure I might need both of my kidneys the rate I'm going, so the Kramer is out of the question.

Fingers crossed I won't get a repeat of the last go around...


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## havox07

brainsausage said:


> I just bought the 300mm yani over on Japan Woodworker instead. Figure I might need both of my kidneys the rate I'm going, so the Kramer is out of the question.
> 
> Fingers crossed I won't get a repeat of the last go around...



Well I guess you just settled my decision of not buying it


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## brainsausage

havox07 said:


> Well I guess you just settled my decision of not buying it



See my previous post concerning martyrdom and what have you


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## oldcookie

For those who care, there is a used Shig kitaji Yanagiba on Yahoo Japan auction...



Edit: Sorry cookie - no links to active auctions. Rule was established so that members would not find themselves bidding against each other and running the price up.


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## oldcookie

Oops sorry. Just stumbled upon that one thought I would let people know.

Havox07, you inbox is maxed.


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## daveb

No worries cookie. And if someone wants to find it they can. 

When I looked the high bid was 40 cents though my math might be off....


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## brainsausage

Just received the shig yani from Japan Woodworker. Shipping box had next to no packing materials, and the knife was just sitting loose in the knife box itself. And as a consequence the last millimeter of so of the tip is missing/bent, and there's a series of abrasions just below the shinogi on the blade road that I couldn't quite capture in the pics. I haven't contacted them yet but I'm on the fence about whether I should ask for a refund or see if they're willing to pay for repairs/refinishing.


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## Cheeks1989

Thats really crappy. Nothings worse then waiting for something and then it shows up damaged. I would ask for a refund, even if they repair the knife it will always have the first impression of disappointment. Keep us informed on how they take care of you.


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## havox07

brainsausage said:


> Just received the shig yani from Japan Woodworker. Shipping box had next to no packing materials, and the knife was just sitting loose in the knife box itself. And as a consequence the last millimeter of so of the tip is missing/bent, and there's a series of abrasions just below the shinogi on the blade road that I couldn't quite capture in the pics. I haven't contacted them yet but I'm on the fence about whether I should ask for a refund or see if they're willing to pay for repairs/refinishing. View attachment 28590
> View attachment 28591



Ouch, and I have been on the fence about ordering from them as they still have some left. But getting that knife all the way to Canada would probably prove even more damaging.


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## daveb

Sux.


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## oldcookie

Man that sucks.

I bought this "practice" Yanagiba off Rakuten for not a lot of money. The quality of the blade aside(which is actually pretty good), the packing was excellent. The box it came in could have fit probably 15 or 20 of the yanagiba boxes in it. It was full of packing material, and the saya was sitting in the material with the yanagiba in the box. How retailers ship their products really show how much they care sometimes.


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## j22582536

damn....u should ask for refund. Also the blade doesn't looks like brand new to me, it feels like someone else had sharpen it before.


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## Dardeau

That's a bummer. I just got a saya nomi and a saw from them that was packed well. I'd ask for it to be replaced.


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## TheDispossessed

FWIW I had a Shig related incident w JW that was 100% not their fault (UPS lost the package on its way back for a return). They were extremely helpful and I was very happy with how the situation was resolved.


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## aboynamedsuita

How unfortunate, you'd think that with a knife in the league of a Shigefusa extra cares would be taken.

I know when I received my Shig Suji earlier this week from Maksim it was packaged a lot better, even inside the small knife box itself to prevent it sliding around. My only quibble in my case was the ootb sharpening; the tip is super thin and there is a bit of a foil edge that tore off, but to be honest I don't really care about that.

Hopefully Cheeks' Suji arrived safe and sound too.


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## brainsausage

Finally had a second to check out their return policy, printed on the invoice, 90 days no questions asked. Gonna mail it back on Monday, right after I implore them to re-evaluate their packing procedures. Some extra padding around the knife to keep it from slipping, and extra packing material in the shipping container would have prevented all of this. It's so depressing to see all of the hard work to produce a beautiful, highly functional tool, brought low by sheer neglect. I have to wonder if they have a new person on staff or something, as I've never heard anything but positive feedback concerning their service.


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## chinacats

tjangula said:


> My only quibble in my case was the ootb sharpening; the tip is super thin and there is a bit of a foil edge that tore off, but to be honest I don't really care about that..



That's somewhat of a surprise to hear. I've owned three and thought the initial edges were all nice though one of the knives micro-chipped pretty bad before my initial sharpening.


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## aboynamedsuita

Perhaps I'm confusing the meaning of the term, but it seems like is what is described in this thread:
http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/showthread.php/23600-quot-Microserrations-quot-after-sharpening

Overall the sharpening job is pretty good, just one small section (few mm) about a 1/2" from the tip. It's pretty thin and flexible here, so I can see how it could've happened. Overall I can't complain really. Shigefusa knives will eventually become rarer once they're no longer made so I feel fortunate to own some. Gotta get something in Kitaeji at some point to round out the set.


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## oldcookie

FYI, a 330 kitaeji yanagi just showed up on japan-tool


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## schanop

It looks awesome.


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## aboynamedsuita

Havox can you use your visa gift card towards this :razz:


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## orange

oldcookie said:


> FYI, a 330 kitaeji yanagi just showed up on japan-tool



Why the price of these knives does not come down while JPY has depreciated considerably??
The knife looks pretty though. ^^


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## havox07

tjangula said:


> Havox can you use your visa gift card towards this :razz:



Oh god i've been talking to So-San for weeks and I'm pretty tempted, although on a students budget both he and I agree I should maybe aim for the kasumi model.


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## aboynamedsuita

Got the Petty email from Maksim. Picked up a 150mm KU, good timing with the email coming in on my lunch break :cool2:. Looks like all Kasumi and KU are gone now.


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## Cheeks1989

Nice pick up Tanner.


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## DamageInc

I wanted one of the 180mm Kasumi pettys but they were gone less than 10 minutes after I got the email....


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## Miho

Ah man 10mins. I saw it an hour after, dropped everything I was doing in the kitchen, took out my cc only to find it was already gone


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## lancep

Japanwoodworker has Shigefusas on sale, looks like 15% off a number of models. Don't know if they are in stock, but worth checking out if you're in the market for a Shig.


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## Bill13

lancep said:


> Japanwoodworker has Shigefusas on sale, looks like 15% off a number of models. Don't know if they are in stock, but worth checking out if you're in the market for a Shig.



lus1: I have bought from them before - highly recommended.


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## Doug

Aframes has another 270mm yanagiba for sale


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## schanop

There is a 165 kasumi deba and 210 kitaeji yanagiba popping up on Aframes:

http://yhst-27988581933240.stores.y...a-kasumi-165mm-swedish-steel-blade-kn165.html
http://yhst-27988581933240.stores.y...-kitaeji-210mm-swedish-steel-blade-kn210.html

Both are at a very good price, IMO.


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## TheDispossessed

Can I show this one off again???

View attachment 29083


no shame.


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## aboynamedsuita

schanop said:


> There is a 165 kasumi deba and 210 kitaeji yanagiba popping up on Aframes:
> 
> http://yhst-27988581933240.stores.y...a-kasumi-165mm-swedish-steel-blade-kn165.html
> http://yhst-27988581933240.stores.y...-kitaeji-210mm-swedish-steel-blade-kn210.html
> 
> Both are at a very good price, IMO.



Why did I have to be left handed


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## schanop

TheDispossessed said:


> Can I show this one off again???
> 
> View attachment 29083
> 
> 
> no shame.



Of course.

But that was from a few months' wait order, wasn't it? Not quite impromptu purchase when alert goes off. Maxim had two other Shigs up recently that I just cried, too big for me: kitaeji deba 240 and chasm mioroshi deba 240.

It's a nice 180 petty nevertheless.


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## aboynamedsuita

On the topic of rare knife alerts, I recently bought the 240 Kato workhorse gyuto from JNS that showed up last week. The only problem was that someone else did too 

I got the email while eating breakfast and jumped at it; got it added to my cart, thru checkout, PayPal and confirmation email but I was using my iPhone so had some lag during the process. I knew I couldn't be the only one trying to get it so I was kinda surprised that it went thru, got an email from Maksim apologizing for everything and got refunded thru PayPal. Next time I'll have to be faster.

I didn't leave totally empty handed I did pickup an ebony nickel-silver handle


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## ramenlegend

I could really really use a 180-240 shig petty/suji for work. Anyone seen one of these out there in the wild? super rare pokemon.


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## TheDispossessed

schanop said:


> Of course.
> 
> But that was from a few months' wait order, wasn't it? Not quite impromptu purchase when alert goes off. Maxim had two other Shigs up recently that I just cried, too big for me: kitaeji deba 240 and chasm mioroshi deba 240.
> 
> It's a nice 180 petty nevertheless.



I'm like the mobile off topic room here, sorry. super ADD brain.



ramenlegend said:


> I could really really use a 180-240 shig petty/suji for work. Anyone seen one of these out there in the wild? super rare pokemon.



Lefty had a gorgeous 220 a while back, almost hopped on it. Haven't seen one since.


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## Dardeau

Seth has one @ 220 mm if I remember right from the line knife thread.


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## TheDispossessed

check the bay -
there's a massive yanagi on there right now. the guy has it measured in inches though...


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## aboynamedsuita

The 240 and 270 Kitaeji Gyutos Maksim just emailed about are gone now. I wonder who got the 270 :scratchhead:

PS - I know who got the 240 :whistling:


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## Godslayer

tjangula said:


> The 240 and 270 Kitaeji Gyutos Maksim just emailed about are gone now. I wonder who got the 270 :scratchhead:
> 
> PS - I know who got the 240 :whistling:



you?


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## WildBoar

man, I clicked on the links minutes after receiving the email and both were already gone.


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## Hianyiaw

Same here :/


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## aboynamedsuita

Godslayer said:


> you?



Stay tuned to the newest buy thread.


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## Von blewitt

Ready, set, go..... 
2 240mm Kitaeji Gyutos with Saya & Signed Kiri Boxes
http://www.japan-tool.com/zc/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=30_32&products_id=511


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## Anton

Von blewitt said:


> Ready, set, go.....
> 2 240mm Kitaeji Gyutos with Saya & Signed Kiri Boxes
> http://www.japan-tool.com/zc/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=30_32&products_id=511



You are like a truffle smelling dog when it comes to finding the gems


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## Cheeks1989

Booo you have to buy two.


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## Von blewitt

Cheeks1989 said:


> Booo you have to buy two.


No that's each haha

Oh... I see what you mean, email So I'm sure that's an oversight


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## Cheeks1989

Lol I must be reading something wrong it's late and past my bedtime time to hide the credit card.


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## Cheeks1989

Yeah I went to check out and they said I had to buy 2. O well I'm sure I'll catch one some other time. Thanks for the heads up Huw.


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## marc4pt0

I was able to put 1 in the cart and go to check out. Didn't get it though. I was just curious. Too rich for my blood


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## Cheeks1989

Yeah I'm still having issues. I sent them a email last night hope it gets fixed.


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## 2010ZR1

Not sure if it is going to work or not but I went ahead and bought 2 in the cart. All paid and we will see what happens.


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## 2010ZR1

Well it must have worked. They are now sold out on the website.


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## aboynamedsuita

2010ZR1 said:


> Well it must have worked. They are now sold out on the website.



If you end up getting two you'll have to sell one to Smurfmacaw so he'll stop harassing me to give up my 240mm Kitaeji gyuto lol


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## spoiledbroth

tjangula said:


> If you end up getting two you'll have to sell one to Smurfmacaw so he'll stop harassing me to give up my 240mm Kitaeji gyuto lol


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## Smurfmacaw

:doublethumbsup:


tjangula said:


> If you end up getting two you'll have to sell one to Smurfmacaw so he'll stop harassing me to give up my 240mm Kitaeji gyuto lol


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## spoiledbroth

pew pew http://yhst-27988581933240.stores.y...-kitaeji-210mm-swedish-steel-blade-kn210.html


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## Von blewitt

That's been there a while



schanop said:


> There is a 165 kasumi deba and 210 kitaeji yanagiba popping up on Aframes:
> 
> http://yhst-27988581933240.stores.y...a-kasumi-165mm-swedish-steel-blade-kn165.html
> http://yhst-27988581933240.stores.y...-kitaeji-210mm-swedish-steel-blade-kn210.html
> 
> Both are at a very good price, IMO.


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## spoiledbroth

Whoops. Thought so, I have never really seen the utility in any of those petty/suji in 210 so I would assume a single bevel would be just as silly.


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## brainsausage

spoiledbroth said:


> Whoops. Thought so, I have never really seen the utility in any of those petty/suji in 210 so I would assume a single bevel would be just as silly.



210 length is great for cramped line work/garde manger IMO, depending on the product you're working with of course.


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## deltaplex

3 x Shigefusa Kitaeji 240mm Gyuto in the most recent email, for those with the funds...


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## aboynamedsuita

I'll be sitting this one out as I recently got one, hope Smurfmacaw is on the ball


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## Miho

Saw the email within 5 seconds. Had to use all my willpower not to buy the gyuto. Can't afford to spend another paycheck on a shig/kato.

It's actually a curse that I'm so quick on my phone. The jns list has cost me a lot of money. But man its such a thrill sometimes to pull the trigger before everyone else.


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## mikedtran

I swear I got to the website maybe 5 mins after the email went out and missed the 240s already =(


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## HomeCook

Saw the link _before_ the email, added to my cart and proceeded with paypal checkout. It wouldn't let me complete the checkout and now the gyuto is sitting in my cart. Is it unfair to ask that once you've got it in your cart you should have a minute or two to complete checkout before someone else buys it from under you?

Yes I'm bitter.


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## spoiledbroth

I think most ecommerce websites leave an item in stock until the payment is processed- all systems are different but if it's an automated system all stock is probably fair game until the system sees you've paid up.


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## HomeCook

I've resigned myself to never getting one. I just hope three different people got lucky and not one person bought all three.


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## deltaplex

I say if they were that fast and willing to buy three, more power to them.


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## mikedtran

HomeCook said:


> Saw the link _before_ the email, added to my cart and proceeded with paypal checkout. It wouldn't let me complete the checkout and now the gyuto is sitting in my cart. Is it unfair to ask that once you've got it in your cart you should have a minute or two to complete checkout before someone else buys it from under you?
> 
> Yes I'm bitter.



I have to say you made me a feel better. Sorry though that is a tough spot =/


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## Smurfmacaw

tjangula said:


> I'll be sitting this one out as I recently got one, hope Smurfmacaw is on the ball



Lol, didn't see it fast enough. Stupid job....keeps me too occupied to do what I really want sometimes. May have to drop his list because it's just too irritating dangit.


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## brainsausage

HomeCook said:


> Saw the link _before_ the email, added to my cart and proceeded with paypal checkout. It wouldn't let me complete the checkout and now the gyuto is sitting in my cart. Is it unfair to ask that once you've got it in your cart you should have a minute or two to complete checkout before someone else buys it from under you?
> 
> Yes I'm bitter.


 
Hah! At least you're honest. 

Although- If the cart was the rule, I'd have thousands of dollars worth of years/months old dangling threads at this point in my late night online cart based ordering!


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## SousVideLoca

brainsausage said:


> If the cart was the rule, I'd have thousands of dollars worth of years/months old dangling threads at this point in my late night online cart based ordering!



Ain't that the truth. So glad JKI doesn't have OneClick.


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## tward369

HomeCook said:


> I've resigned myself to never getting one. I just hope three different people got lucky and not one person bought all three.



I was lucky enough to purchase 1 of them, so there are definitely multiple recipients for this batch.


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## WildBoar

tward369 said:


> I was lucky enough to purchase 1 of them, so there are definitely multiple recipients for this batch.


Hey, how about an introduction? Always nice to meet another DC-area KKFer.


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## tward369

WildBoar said:


> Hey, how about an introduction? Always nice to meet another DC-area KKFer.



Definitely- I'll post to the introduction thread this evening! I've really enjoyed this forum since joining, and it's great to see the strong DMV area presence.

Tommy


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## pjotr

Two 210mm kitaeji on rakuten http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/nzshinkai/item/1480769a/


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## Brucewml

I checked. It's 240mm.


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## pjotr

Brucewml said:


> I checked. It's 240mm.



You've asked the store?


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## Brucewml

No. But I just look at the website is 240mm. Lol


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## bkultra

He is referring to the non simplified version of the page. Something was lost in the translation 

http://item.rakuten.co.jp/nzshinkai/1480769a

I do find it odd that it says "if beautiful finish is very important for you, 
I do not recommend Shigefusa."

Shigs have excellent fit and finish and to say that about the kitaeji line???


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## Brucewml

240mm is too long for my job. Looking for a Western handle 210mm kitaji blade. Lol. Feel like never see it anywhere. So sad.


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## pjotr

Oh, I see... thought the price was a bit high for a 210mm kitaeji


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## aboynamedsuita

I'd say Smurfmacaw should get this, but I've heard Rakuten is hit or miss if you have any issues with the order


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## pjotr

They have PayPal as a option so the risk should be minimal for presumptive buyers


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## Smurfmacaw

tjangula said:


> I'd say Smurfmacaw should get this, but I've heard Rakuten is hit or miss if you have any issues with the order



I'm working it....rakuten is a crap shoot at best!

Make my life easier Tanner.......Waiving pocket watch.....you want to sell me the shig....you want to sell me the shig!!!! Either post a pic with a patina or you aren't respecting the knife lol.:thumbsup:


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## Brucewml

Have you got one? I just check back the website. They sold out already. Lol


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## pjotr

bkultra said:


> He is referring to the non simplified version of the page. Something was lost in the translation
> 
> http://item.rakuten.co.jp/nzshinkai/1480769a
> 
> I do find it odd that it says "if beautiful finish is very important for you,
> I do not recommend Shigefusa."
> 
> Shigs have excellent fit and finish and to say that about the kitaeji line???



Wabi sabi


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## chinacats

pjotr said:


> Wabi sabi



Not likely with Shigefusa, guessing that more than likely the meaning lost in translation is that these knives are fairly reactive.


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## TheDispossessed

chinacats said:


> Not likely with Shigefusa, guessing that more than likely the meaning lost in translation is that these knives are fairly reactive.



+1

The translated page sadly omits the text : 
"For KKF members who prize beautiful finish, please do not touch Shigefusa after purchase. Keep in a cool, dark place away from any food that might need to be cut."


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## pjotr

I think he means a shigefusa being "imperfect" and "unfinnished" in the sense that no two knives are alike as opposed to a Global knife. They have a soul.


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## Smurfmacaw

Dammit, I emailed them to confirm 240, and they were, but then they were both sold out....hopefully they acknowledge I sent an email much earlier stating I'd buy it if it was 240 but otherwise it looks like Tanner is just going to have to send me his to keep me from crying......:spiteful:


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## aboynamedsuita

Smurfmacaw said:


> I'm working it....rakuten is a crap shoot at best!
> 
> Make my life easier Tanner.......Waiving pocket watch.....you want to sell me the shig....you want to sell me the shig!!!! Either post a pic with a patina or you aren't respecting the knife lol.:thumbsup:



I tried taking a picture but the glare from the glass on my display case made it look bad :razz: :justkidding:. I'll post some knife p0rn once I get the shigs rehandled.


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## HomeCook

http://yhst-27988581933240.stores.yahoo.net/shigefusa-wa-gyuto-240mm-kitaeji-blade-kn240.html

Guess what's back in stock and who just bought one! :wink:


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## schanop

665, that's a steal. :nunchucks:

Congrats.


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## Badgertooth

Trigger pulled... Expecting severe and swift retribution from my wife.

And not caring.


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## OneS

Gah, I resisted, I resisted, then I thought stuff it. It'll be my Christmas pressie to myself. Only my wife can't know. My wife really mustn't know. Maybe I can camouflage it behind my Mizuno. Or the Kamo. Arghhhh.....


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## Smurfmacaw

FINALLY.

Interesting that it comes through on paypal as Huckleberry Vintage Fishing Supply. 

If this works then Tanner won't have to lock up his 240 any more.


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## Smurfmacaw

Badgertooth said:


> Trigger pulled... Expecting severe and swift retribution from my wife.
> 
> And not caring.



Join the club. I've been wanting one of these for a long time. Now all I need is a 270 and I'm set!


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## Andrew

Thanks for the heads up here, I placed an order too... somewhat hard to believe he'd have two or three of these to sell, but worth the try!


----------



## HomeCook

Smurfmacaw said:


> Interesting that it comes through on paypal as Huckleberry Vintage Fishing Supply.



If you look at the very bottom of the product page in tiny print starting with "Copyright" You see Huckleberry Vintage Supply. I wondered about that too. Must be an inside joke.

This makes 6 sold just right here on this thread. Wonder how many they originally had in stock? Maksim only got five total last time on his site. My worst fear is it was a computer glitch and I get an email saying "no we never had any".


----------



## marc4pt0

I came close myself. For that price that's a no brainer. Already was figuring what to sell to fund this. But then I saw that several had sold already. And even though I was able to put one in the cart and checkout through PayPal, I bailed. I hope there's enough to cover you guys, but that seems odd to me. Especially at that price!
Plus, I really didn't want to sell anything so...


----------



## marc4pt0

In fact, I just changed my quantity to 8 in the checkout cart and it still said in stock. Hmmm. Me thinks a few are getting a Shig and a few are getting refunds...


----------



## Anton

oh Shiat...


----------



## HomeCook

Sold out.


----------



## Anton

HomeCook said:


> If you look at the very bottom of the product page in tiny print starting with "Copyright" You see Huckleberry Vintage Supply. I wondered about that too. Must be an inside joke.
> 
> This makes 6 sold just right here on this thread. Wonder how many they originally had in stock? Maksim only got five total last time on his site. My worst fear is it was a computer glitch and I get an email saying "no we never had any".



this would blow!


----------



## mikedtran

Just got off the phone with Aframes and he had just one. He said he had a total of 9 orders over the evening and it sending refunds now.


----------



## Badgertooth

marc4pt0 said:


> In fact, I just changed my quantity to 8 in the checkout cart and it still said in stock. Hmmm. Me thinks a few are getting a Shig and a few are getting refunds...



Had a feeling this might be the case. But then, you gotta be in it to win it right? Not that a $665 refund would be the worst thing in the world either.


----------



## marc4pt0

100% concur


----------



## Badgertooth

mikedtran said:


> Just got off the phone with Aframes and he had just one. He said he had a total of 9 orders over the evening and it sending refunds now.



Can't help but feel that's a bit of a school boy error and he's got a lot of peoples hopes up.


----------



## Asteger

Badgertooth said:


> Can't help but feel that's a bit of a school boy error and he's got a lot of peoples hopes up.



He's probably thinking, god, if only I could get about 2 dozen of these and not just one it'd be profit city. 

I even had a go. I tried upping the quantity as high as possible (15, seems there's a $10,000 limit on orders which I've never explored) and this made me just a little suspicious that something's amiss.


----------



## mikedtran

I kinda wanted a Kitaeji before, but now that I've submitted a cart for one I REALLLY REALLY want one...the hunt is on.


----------



## Asteger

I just went for it because of the price, which you'd be hard-pressed to get from a connected seller in Japan so why not. Otherwise I wouldn't have. But will, ahem, feel just a little guilty if I end up with it ahead of the masses.


----------



## Brucewml

Realize this month. So many 240mm kitaji Gyuto on sale in different website. Just a little bit weird. Where is the 210mm kitaji !!!!!!!!


----------



## Asteger

Yeah, I'd probably rather have a 210 too. Alas, yes, I just received the refund too: 

*Notes from merchant*
None provided


----------



## Andrew

Refund for me too... not remotely surprised though.

I would have thought he'd have a comment, but nope. Oh well, will have to keep looking.


----------



## HomeCook

Sorry everyone.
If I had known I wouldn't have gotten hopes up. I'll post if I ever see any again.


----------



## OneS

Oh well, was just an impulse buy - easy come, easy go..... Thanks for the heads up HomeCook anyway.


----------



## deltaplex

Does that mean you got the one that was in stock?


----------



## Smurfmacaw

Well RATS!

Oh well, the hunt continues. If whoever got it starts to experience buyers remorse, shoot me a line lol.


----------



## jimbob

Seems to be a plethora more shigs on rakuten recently showed up. No pics and descriptions dont help. (octopus pulling anyone?) Just type shigefusa in search. Have fun! ps ive bought a few times from rakuten with no problems but not from this particular store....


----------



## jimbob

oh look to be sold out, didnt check every one. Weird they showed up all of a sudden (i check daily.)


----------



## Badgertooth

Yeah saw those on Rakuten, reckon it's a sh*tload of takobikis (octopus pulling)


----------



## j22582536

The original page said in Japanese that they are custom orders, which will take at least 6 months to deliver. Btw They are made by shigefusa but go under the brand KIYA


----------



## deltaplex

6 x 210 Kato workhorses...


----------



## aboynamedsuita

deltaplex said:


> 6 x 210 Kato workhorses...



Saw that, but my email came thru titled as "Kitaeji Gyutos, Suji Yanagi".

I used to be really tempted by a (240) Kato but being so asymmetric probably isn't the best for a lefty.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Just checked again and they're all gone (<10min). Some ppl are going to be really happy for xmas.


----------



## mikedtran

Sadly missed this batch also =( Definitely some fast buyers


----------



## Cheeks1989

I got lucky and snagged one.


----------



## mikedtran

Cheeks1989 said:


> I got lucky and snagged one.



Nice & Congrats! One less person to compete with for the next batch =p


----------



## schanop

Aframes just listed Shig 210mm kasumi azumagata usuba with saya. It has a lot of cloud to boot, I think.

Another is 255mm kasumi yanagiba.


----------



## schanop

And both were gone!


----------



## daveb

ntxt


----------



## schanop

Here are some Shigefusas from a place in France that I bought a yo kitaeji gyuto from a while back:


Kitaeji Santoku 165mm with saya
KU Santoku 165mm with saya
KU Nakiri 165mm with saya
Kitaeji mioroshi deba 180mm

They have been sitting on the site for a while, probably no one knows about it. Price listed on the site has VAT included, and for non EU buyer, VAT shall be excluded.


----------



## krx927

schanop said:


> Here are some Shigefusas from a place in France that I bought a yo kitaeji gyuto from a while back:
> 
> 
> Kitaeji Santoku 165mm with saya
> KU Santoku 165mm with saya
> KU Nakiri 165mm with saya
> Kitaeji mioroshi deba 180mm
> 
> They have been sitting on the site for a while, probably no one knows about it. Price listed on the site has VAT included, and for non EU buyer, VAT shall be excluded.



Nakiri is sold out. But 3 still remain


----------



## Smurfmacaw

schanop said:


> Here are some Shigefusas from a place in France that I bought a yo kitaeji gyuto from a while back:
> 
> 
> Kitaeji Santoku 165mm with saya
> KU Santoku 165mm with saya
> KU Nakiri 165mm with saya
> Kitaeji mioroshi deba 180mm
> 
> They have been sitting on the site for a while, probably no one knows about it. Price listed on the site has VAT included, and for non EU buyer, VAT shall be excluded.



Do they speak English if I call them?


----------



## Zweber12

Maybe if you use a French accent on the phone, it might help. All kidding aside, take the Kitaeji Santoku, listed for 545 EUR, which comes to 580 USD ex shipping. Japanwoodworker had one available earlier this year for 367 USD including shipping. There are several of these site across Europe that sell Shigs for at least a 150 to 200 euro premium. Another such example from a Dutch online shop: Shigefusa Kasumi Yanagiba 360mm  for 795 USD ex shipping.


----------



## mikedtran

Zweber12 said:


> Maybe if you use a French accent on the phone, it might help. All kidding aside, take the Kitaeji Santoku, listed for 545 EUR, which comes to 580 USD ex shipping. Japanwoodworker had one available earlier this year for 367 USD including shipping. There are several of these site across Europe that sell Shigs for at least a 150 to 200 euro premium. Another such example from a Dutch online shop: Shigefusa Kasumi Yanagiba 360mm  for 795 USD ex shipping.



I would have to agree the prices were standout definitely a premium over some other websites. Though I believe we get to knock about 20%-25% off for VAT so total price is closer to $435-$450 ex shipping. All but the Western are priced a bit higher. The western with the VAT exclusion is a bit of a steal actually at $780-$800 for an integral Kitaeji Gytuo.


----------



## schanop

Smurfmacaw said:


> Do they speak English if I call them?



Definitely, François- Xavier Salle, the gentleman who runs the place, speaks English.



mikedtran said:


> I would have to agree the prices were standout definitely a premium over some other websites. Though I believe we get to knock about 20%-25% off for VAT so total price is closer to $435-$450 ex shipping. All but the Western are priced a bit higher. The western with the VAT exclusion is a bit of a steal actually at $780-$800 for an integral Kitaeji Gytuo.



Don't forget to take VAT off some European sites. I just bought a Güde bread knife for a pretty good price from www.knives-from-germany.com. Price on that site already includes VAT and DHL shipping.

The yo kitaeji from La Passion des Couteaux was a great deal when I stumbled on it last year. Besides that it was hard to find, it was at a great price, despite Australian dollar dwindling.


----------



## mikedtran

schanop said:


> Definitely, François- Xavier Salle, the gentleman who runs the place, speaks English.
> 
> Don't forget to take VAT off some European sites. I just bought a Güde bread knife for a pretty good price from www.knives-from-germany.com. Price on that site already includes VAT and DHL shipping.
> 
> The yo kitaeji from La Passion des Couteaux was a great deal when I stumbled on it last year. Besides that it was hard to find, it was at a great price, despite Australian dollar dwindling.



Yeah I have to say that Yo Kitaeji is a steal at that price! I'm drooling over it now. Curious on how you stumbled upon the site, I'm trying to see if I can uncover any other similar sites =p

The Santoku is also a pretty decent price after the VAT exclusion as it is the same price as Aframes who has some of the best prices around for Shigs


----------



## Smurfmacaw

The kitaeji santoku is spoken for! :doublethumbsup:


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Smurfmacaw said:


> The kitaeji santoku is spoken for! :doublethumbsup:



Does this mean I can unlock my 240 Kitaeji gyuto?


----------



## Smurfmacaw

tjangula said:


> Does this mean I can unlock my 240 Kitaeji gyuto?



Is the pope an atheist? I'm still searching for the fabled unicorns.....I'm just too darned slow on the switch apparently. I still need a 240 and 270 Gyuto. :angel2:

better get two locks.....


----------



## Zweber12

Smurfmacaw said:


> The kitaeji santoku is spoken for! :doublethumbsup:



nice choice!


----------



## Hianyiaw

Few debas just came up on JNS


----------



## Asteger

Zweber12 said:


> Maybe if you use a French accent on the phone, it might help. All kidding aside, ...



Never quite sure where many people are from here, and in your case what 'CH' is (what you've listed as your location), and so not sure if the reference here will work. But your comment reminded me of odd goings on with Joey Barton when he was over in League 1, if you know who he is.

[video=youtube;dovfYaQoPoY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dovfYaQoPoY[/video]


----------



## schanop

All right, another round of 210 mm knives, deba, mioroshi deba, and gyuto from JNS.


----------



## Brucewml

Anyone get it?


----------



## ynot1985

sigh, it's so hard to predict when Maksim puts up his Katos and Shigs... almost like a lottery getting one from him but for most Aussies, it's the best value in terms of shipping cost and minus VAT


----------



## Brucewml

I am in Sydney!!!. Where about you? Ynot1985


----------



## ynot1985

I live near Burwood


----------



## schanop

Cool, not even 15 minutes drive from where I am.


----------



## malexthekid

The number of aussies is growing steadily &#128522;


----------



## TheDispossessed

ynot1985 said:


> sigh, it's so hard to predict when Maksim puts up his Katos and Shigs... almost like a lottery getting one from him but for most Aussies, it's the best value in terms of shipping cost and minus VAT



He often posts pics on Instagram prior to the email. So here's the hack.
Create an ig account that only follows JNS and have the notifications set so you get alerted when he posts anything. If you can even do that.


----------



## ynot1985

I've seen him post shig photos on Fb the last few days but it's hard to work out when exactly does he puts them online/sends email out.. It's almost like as if you have to be glued in front of the computer at all times refreshing your email account...I'm pretty sure the 2 gyuto sold out within 5 mins of the email going out. btw, what's the JNS IG account called?

I scored a Kato workhorse about 2 weeks back on my first try.. didn't realise it was that hard until now


----------



## Asteger

... And prices keep on creeping up. No wonder M doesn't post on here anymore. He doesn't have to, with the instagram surveillance and so on. I'd say these are getting quite overpriced at this point.


----------



## Dardeau

I would be inclined to agree. I have a yanagiba that I really like and use almost every day, but if I had to replace it I would not buy another Shigefusa at current pricing. The Masamoto KS single bevels are functionally as good as a Shig for less money and nearly constant availability.


----------



## Asteger

Credit to Shigefusa for their great knives and success, and I think they have been very slow to put prices up. However, the foreign bubble probably means that we pay a lot more from abroad and that Shigs are scarce in Japan because of it. Anyway, lots of other great knives too


----------



## Mucho Bocho

I've said it before, I so tired of hearing about the Shigfusa faux-utopia and all the ring-around-the-roses grab-a$$ fan-boy prattle. 

I'm glad that you've made that brand untouchable, bloated and overpriced. Remind me a lot of what happened with Bose speakers. 

I had a chance to use Bill13 brand new 240 Kitjei, was certainly a nice knife but did I think it was worth $1000, come one. Not when there are so many other performers out there that are on par. What even funnier is that so many people gush on knives they never even touched. Makes me laugh. 

When something comes up on Newest Knife buy, and people go wow, and ooo to knives they have never even heard of. I know I'm being a downer but overtime I see that Shig Alert post, my eyes just roll. Don't worry, yo won't get any competition from me.


----------



## Lefty

Shigs are nice...really nice. It's not so much that they're better than many others, but that they've been that good and that well made for a long time. The name goes a long way.


----------



## Cheeks1989

Haha #keepingitreal My man. No highs no lows must be bose.


----------



## alterwisser

Mucho Bocho said:


> I've said it before, I so tired of hearing about the Shigfusa faux-utopia and all the ring-around-the-roses grab-a$$ fan-boy prattle.
> 
> I'm glad that you've made that brand untouchable, bloated and overpriced. Remind me a lot of what happened with Bose speakers.
> 
> I had a chance to use Bill13 brand new 240 Kitjei, was certainly a nice knife but did I think it was worth $1000, come one. Not when there are so many other performers out there that are on par. What even funnier is that so many people gush on knives they never even touched. Makes me laugh.
> 
> When something comes up on Newest Knife buy, and people go wow, and ooo to knives they have never even heard of. I know I'm being a downer but overtime I see that Shig Alert post, my eyes just roll. Don't worry, yo won't get any competition from me.



I agree. A lot of it is personal taste as well. I stated it before, and I will say it again... I did not like the Shig I tried for a couple of weeks (loaner) at all. I had it sharpened by a pro, I tried it again. It was ok, but nothing special FOR ME. Not saying it isn't a great knife, but then it is for others. Maybe I am still too much of a novice, but to me the cutting performance still comes first, then the looks. 

No offense to anyone.


----------



## Bill13

Mucho Bocho said:


> I've said it before, I so tired of hearing about the Shigfusa faux-utopia and all the ring-around-the-roses grab-a$$ fan-boy prattle.
> 
> I'm glad that you've made that brand untouchable, bloated and overpriced. Remind me a lot of what happened with Bose speakers.
> 
> I had a chance to use Bill13 brand new 240 Kitjei, was certainly a nice knife but did I think it was worth $1000, come one. Not when there are so many other performers out there that are on par. What even funnier is that so many people gush on knives they never even touched. Makes me laugh.
> 
> When something comes up on Newest Knife buy, and people go wow, and ooo to knives they have never even heard of. I know I'm being a downer but overtime I see that Shig Alert post, my eyes just roll. Don't worry, yo won't get any competition from me.



I bought mine from Japanese Woodworker using a 100 off coupon so I paid 650 for it (the most I have ever paid for a knife), but I had to wait about 8 months for one to come in. My thinking at the time was I want to know that what I am getting will be perfect (or close to it) and made by a craftsman with a long track record. If I ever decide to sell it be it in 5 or 10 years I am pretty sure there will still be a market for it - especially down under.

The newer makers scared me at the time; do they really know what they are doing and will they still be in business 5 to 10 years from now, or will their brand already be forgotten? This is why I am also partial to Watanabe knives.

They are getting too expensive, but I am not sure who is benefitting from this rise in price, especially considering the strong dollar.


----------



## TheDispossessed

Careful guys were about to crash the value of our unused shigs on BST


----------



## brainsausage

Mucho Bocho said:


> I've said it before, I so tired of hearing about the Shigfusa faux-utopia and all the ring-around-the-roses grab-a$$ fan-boy prattle.
> 
> I'm glad that you've made that brand untouchable, bloated and overpriced. Remind me a lot of what happened with Bose speakers.
> 
> I had a chance to use Bill13 brand new 240 Kitjei, was certainly a nice knife but did I think it was worth $1000, come one. Not when there are so many other performers out there that are on par. What even funnier is that so many people gush on knives they never even touched. Makes me laugh.
> 
> When something comes up on Newest Knife buy, and people go wow, and ooo to knives they have never even heard of. I know I'm being a downer but overtime I see that Shig Alert post, my eyes just roll. Don't worry, yo won't get any competition from me.



You should've just posted a pic of you giving the middle finger to a Shig. Would've been less to read and just as effective, and just as insulting on a thread devoted to Shig lovers. I'm not a fan of ITK's, but I don't run around the forum telling everyone who is a fan, how dumb they are for buying them.


----------



## Asteger

Hehe, good. Maybe now the latest Shig-wave is starting to break. 

To be positive, I'll list their pros as far as I'm concerned: classy feel and elegant finish, cut well, consistency, relative scarcity and value (value being a detriment too), sharpenability, ease of care. 

On that last point, no need to decry their reactivity again, especially kasumi. I mean that their design enables and invites you to re-polish and re-finish once the inevitable thinning/scratching all unfolds. They're good for training you how to do this, I think. 

My rough, subjective feeling, though, looking at the latest JNS prices is that they're going at 1.5x above what they might be, thinking of the actual knife, what they do, and what other knives/prices exist out there, not to mention the wait if you want one. The Shig Bubble as said.



Mucho Bocho said:


> When something comes up on Newest Knife buy, and people go wow, and ooo to knives they have never even heard of. I know I'm being a downer but overtime I see that Shig Alert post, my eyes just roll.



I don't think we're allowed to say 'oh poo, nothing special' considering we're all nice-guy, supportive knife types (and they're still great knives anyway; careful, there are probably some forum rules about this). It is much, though, when too many people listen to the same song.


----------



## brainsausage

Complaining about the cost of a Shig is akin to complaing about the cost of a Kramer.


----------



## Brucewml

I got a shigefusa Kaumi Gyuto cost me aud600. And then I want to get one knife from lan's ready make knife plus shipping cost me about usd700. So I don't really feel the knife is too much over priced.


----------



## Lefty

They're more expensive than they were a few months back, but I'd take a Shig kasumi gyuto over many of the customs people are buying, and I think the price is comparable. With that being said, there are certain custom makers whose work I'd take in a heartbeat over a Shig (one rhymes with Candy Dillipp), even for more money. It's all part of the fun, really; we all like different things, and that is how there are so many successful makers who keep this hobby alive.


----------



## DamageInc

Lefty said:


> They're more expensive than they were a few months back, but I'd take a Shig kasumi gyuto over many of the customs people are buying, and I think the price is comparable. With that being said, there are certain custom makers whose work I'd take in a heartbeat over a Shig (one rhymes with Candy Dillipp), even for a more money. It's all part of the fun, really; we all like different things, and that is how there are so many successful makers who keep this hobby alive.



The only thing keeping me from a Shig (other than scarcity), is the chatter about the very high reactivity. I would be so happy if they did a semi-stainless clad.


----------



## brainsausage

DamageInc said:


> The only thing keeping me from a Shig (other than scarcity), is the chatter about the very high reactivity. I would be so happy if they did a semi-stainless clad.



The reactivity is no higher than many other iron clad knives at that price point, IMO. Both of my Kato workhorses were more reactive than the any of my Shigs thus far.


----------



## DamageInc

Quite interesting. I've always heard the opposite. Guess I'll have to pick up a shig soon.


----------



## Smurfmacaw

In my limited experience, the shig's are reactive in that they seem take a patina really fast but I haven't found it objectionable. I have a Kato and it took a patina fairly fast but not as obviously (i.e. dark) as the shig kitaeji's. I wipe the blades a lot so that delays the patina and may affect it's development. I tried forcing a patina with mustard and various other concoctions I've read about here but frankly the one that develops with regular use is not so bad. I just took the fingerstones to the kitaeji nakiri and it only took a few minutes to have it looking like new (yes, I like fiddling with my knives - a lot :cool2 Banana's are the only think that get's kind of a weird black gunk but all my carbon knives do the same thing.


----------



## deltaplex

You can cut a banana with a bench scraper about as well as you can with a chef's knife.


----------



## Von blewitt

Ok, can someone buy these please! And maybe explain how they are used?
http://www.japan-tool.com/zc/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=38_26&products_id=578


----------



## Smurfmacaw

Von blewitt said:


> Ok, can someone buy these please! And maybe explain how they are used?
> http://www.japan-tool.com/zc/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=38_26&products_id=578



I've been eyeballing them....if only I was into major woodworking. They look absolutely deadly cool.


----------



## Smurfmacaw

deltaplex said:


> You can cut a banana with a bench scraper about as well as you can with a chef's knife.


True I guess but I have a whole flock of parrots to feed every day and it's an excuse to cut stuff with really sharp knives lol.


----------



## dmccurtis

Von blewitt said:


> Ok, can someone buy these please! And maybe explain how they are used?
> http://www.japan-tool.com/zc/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=38_26&products_id=578



Like this: [video=youtube;aZarAYS0ZlM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZarAYS0ZlM[/video]


----------



## Castalia

I heard Shigefusa was coming out with one of these:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0047E0EII?keywords=banana%20cutter&qid=1449528763&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1
comments are pretty amusing

But seriously I am a big fan of my 210 kasumi gyuto. It is my gold standard for comparing other knives.


----------



## Von blewitt

It's like a wooden strozzapreti maker


----------



## spoiledbroth

Smurfmacaw said:


> Banana's are the only think that get's kind of a weird black gunk but all my carbon knives do the same thing.


probably because bananas are very acid.


----------



## Smurfmacaw

Castalia said:


> I heard Shigefusa was coming out with one of these:
> http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0047E0EII?keywords=banana%20cutter&qid=1449528763&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1
> comments are pretty amusing
> 
> But seriously I am a big fan of my 210 kasumi gyuto. It is my gold standard for comparing other knives.



As long as it comes in Kitaeji I'm in.....maybe Hinoura will come out with a river jump model.


----------



## Dardeau

I'm definitely not bashing Shigefusa, I started the thread. 

I really like my yanagiba, it is definitely a keeper. I also really liked the 210mm gyuto I had. I (knocking on wood) would hate to not have my yanagiba anymore, but I don't know I could justify the prices I've seen on these recently. 

Again, Shigefusa makes great knives, especially the single bevels I have used. I would be totally content with an all Shig fish butchering set.


----------



## schanop

210mm deba is still available at JNS. Someone just took the 210 mioroshi last night.


----------



## pjotr

Two Katos on rakuten
http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/nzshinkai/item/10029046k/?s-id=borderless_browsehist_en

http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/nzshinkai/item/10029046k13/?s-id=borderless_browsehist_en


----------



## marc4pt0

Von blewitt said:


> It's like a wooden strozzapreti maker




Haha! Prefect!


----------



## bkultra

pjotr said:


> Two Katos on rakuten
> http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/nzshinkai/item/10029046k/?s-id=borderless_browsehist_en
> 
> http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/nzshinkai/item/10029046k13/?s-id=borderless_browsehist_en



Not available for Overseas shipping
This product cannot be shipped to the United States from the store.
Please contact the store for further information.


----------



## pjotr

bkultra said:


> Not available for Overseas shipping
> This product cannot be shipped to the United States from the store.
> Please contact the store for further information.



You must use a forwarding service in Japan


----------



## pjotr

I crossed my fingers and took a chance with https://www.tenso.com


----------



## Newbflat

Von blewitt said:


> Ok, can someone buy these please! And maybe explain how they are used?
> http://www.japan-tool.com/zc/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=38_26&products_id=578



I had a Yari years ago and was just getting use to it when it and a whole bunch of my tools were stolen. It's an amazing tool that has no equal in the west. It can do amazing things in tight areas as well but you MUST be aware of the wood grain all the time. They are not easy to use over all and are tricky to sharpen as they are curved. Must get another at some point.


----------



## marc4pt0

Great prices!


----------



## pjotr

Yeah, worth the gamble after watching the heavy price inflation elsewhere


----------



## TheDispossessed

Keep in mind with rakuten you will pay a fee of about 5% as a standalone charge and an additional $15 or so for shipping.


----------



## ynot1985

Tenso are pretty good with their service. Never had any problems with them


----------



## Brucewml

Suddenly want to ask how many shigefusa Gyuto maxi post on JNS this year? Lol


----------



## mikedtran

"Looks" like Japanwoodworker has 210mm Kitaeji in stock, but I almost doubt it and think they just accidentally took off the backorder tag.

http://www.japanwoodworker.com/Prod...Chef's-Knife-(Wa-Gyuto-Hocho)--Shigefusa.aspx


----------



## ynot1985

I asked them a week ago.. They were expecting a shipment soon.. Praying my 210mm kasumi gyuto is in that lot but they told me kitaeji 210 gyuto isn't due due till April 2016. Maybe send them an email about it..

Make sure to sign up for an account for 10% off code


----------



## inzite

pjotr said:


> I crossed my fingers and took a chance with https://www.tenso.com



Same here. Price is reasonable for a kato (44000 YEN with shipping), workhorse version or not. I took the 240mm. Woohoo!


----------



## wellminded1

Not sure if anyone follows him on instagram, but our boy aka sharpandshinyshop aka Lefty aka Tom has a few shig deba available im pretty sure. Worth a look if anyone is interested.


----------



## Smurfmacaw

wellminded1 said:


> Not sure if anyone follows him on instagram, but our boy aka sharpandshinyshop aka Lefty aka Tom has a few shig deba available im pretty sure. Worth a look if anyone is interested.




Sigh, if only I needed another deba.


----------



## schanop

Looks like a 270 kasumi yanagiba is available on AFrames.


----------



## Andrew

I recently bought a kasumi yanigiba from Maxim and am thrilled with the knife- in particular the finish is simply flawless... unfortunately this has only made me more excited to find a gyuto...


----------



## schanop

Someone bought it already :happymug:


schanop said:


> Looks like a 270 kasumi yanagiba is available on AFrames.


----------



## ynot1985

Japan wood worker has the 210 kiteaji gyuto for 810.. Is that a good price?


----------



## schanop

ynot1985 said:


> Japan wood worker has the 210 kiteaji gyuto for 810.. Is that a good price?



810 USD? That would be a fair price, I think. 810AUD? Bargain for current exchange rate.


----------



## bkultra

You might want to confirm its in stock, it will let you add any number of them into the cart. I think they just removed the "on back order" status by mistake.


----------



## mikedtran

schanop said:


> 810 USD? That would be a fair price, I think. 810AUD? Bargain for current exchange rate.



They have had that gyuto up for so long, I'm kinda wondering if they actually have it or just accidentally labeled it as in stock. Would agree that it is a fair price (they do have 10% off coupon for new orders), so comes down to about $730 (assuming you live in a state without tax) which is pretty good.


----------



## ynot1985

schanop said:


> 810 USD? That would be a fair price, I think. 810AUD? Bargain for current exchange rate.



810 USD  ... I still dream of the day we are at parity again



mikedtran said:


> They have had that gyuto up for so long, I'm kinda wondering if they actually have it or just accidentally labeled it as in stock. Would agree that it is a fair price (they do have 10% off coupon for new orders), so comes down to about $730 (assuming you live in a state without tax) which is pretty good.



I have the kasumi on order and they told me the ETA has been pushed back another 3 months till Feb 2016.

I'm considering asking them to swap the kasumi for the kitaeji and pay the difference. Hence why i'm asking if the kitaeji's price is okay since the Kasumi worked out to be 383 usd for me


----------



## Smurfmacaw

ynot1985 said:


> 810 USD  ... I still dream of the day we are at parity again



I was in Sydney maybe 15 years ago when the AUD was at an all time low against the USD. 2 to 1. Now THAT was fun - besides the fact that Australia is a fun place.


----------



## mikedtran

ynot1985 said:


> 810 USD  ... I still dream of the day we are at parity again
> 
> 
> 
> I have the kasumi on order and they told me the ETA has been pushed back another 3 months till Feb 2016.
> 
> I'm considering asking them to swap the kasumi for the kitaeji and pay the difference. Hence why i'm asking if the kitaeji's price is okay since the Kasumi worked out to be 383 usd for me



I'm so with you, debated the same thing. I have a Kasumi on order from them as well right around that $380-$400 mark. Hopefully it actually comes in February =D


----------



## ynot1985

mikedtran said:


> I'm so with you, debated the same thing. I have a Kasumi on order from them as well right around that $380-$400 mark. Hopefully it actually comes in February =D



we can only pray... I asked if they stock 240mm and they said they don't and many of their shigefusa's have been 'discontinued' which worries me if they even can get stock.

yeah.. as much as I want a Kitaeji, I think I might hold as the difference is almost enough to pay for the Haburn I have on order.. can only watch other's Kitaeji and drool


----------



## Smurfmacaw

ynot1985 said:


> we can only pray... I asked if they stock 240mm and they said they don't and many of their shigefusa's have been 'discontinued' which worries me if they even can get stock.
> 
> yeah.. as much as I want a Kitaeji, I think I might hold as the difference is almost enough to pay for the Haburn I have on order.. can only watch other's Kitaeji and drool



Trust me, you'll like the Haburn....a lot.


----------



## HomeCook

It's not AUD. It's USD. I tried initiating paypal checkout and it came up as USD. By contrast JNS sells it for $760 excluding vat.


----------



## ynot1985

its 730 if you use the promo code.

someone please buy it so it won't tempt me


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Just buy it, if it's a glitch you'll get refunded in due course, if it works out you'll have one hell of a knife :knife:


----------



## Asteger

ynot1985 said:


> Japan wood worker has the 210 kiteaji gyuto for 810.. Is that a good price?



A pretty good price right now, unfortunately. Gone up. Would probably be even higher for other foreign sellers.


----------



## krx927

ynot1985 said:


> 810 USD  ... I still dream of the day we are at parity again
> 
> 
> 
> I have the kasumi on order and they told me the ETA has been pushed back another 3 months till Feb 2016.
> 
> I'm considering asking them to swap the kasumi for the kitaeji and pay the difference. Hence why i'm asking if the kitaeji's price is okay since the Kasumi worked out to be 383 usd for me



The switch to Kitaeji would push delivery for another 6 months if not more...


----------



## ynot1985

What's the normal wait time for kitaeji vs kasumi


----------



## Smurfmacaw

I've talked to a couple of people that sell Shig's. If you order a kitaeji, the wait can be up to three years but is kind of random. Haven't tried to order a kasumi.


----------



## Asteger

I've said earlier in the thread that the best seller I know in Japan (related to Izuka, and so I don't think you could do any better) says that an order would take a year - big change from when I last asked, when it was maybe 4 months. Moving to the foreign sellers, I guess you'll be farther down the pipeline and it'll have to be longer. 3 years, though, is pretty severe.


----------



## Smurfmacaw

Asteger said:


> I've said earlier in the thread that the best seller I know in Japan (related to Izuka, and so I don't think you could do any better) says that an order would take a year - big change from when I last asked, when it was maybe 4 months. Moving to the foreign sellers, I guess you'll be farther down the pipeline and it'll have to be longer. 3 years, though, is pretty severe.



Foreign seller. In all fairness he said it could be a year, two years or even three....indefinite wait time.


----------



## Asteger

Hmm... Aframes, when they come up, sells Shigs for quite low prices, and I seem to recall that Takeshi (is it?) has said that it's because they were ordered long before, and so the prices reflect the ordering price back when. I don't know which non-Japan seller you're dealing with, but would be nice if others sold long-wait knives at prices from when the orders were made, but I don't think this will happen. Different, though, if you make the order and agree on the price now.


----------



## krx927

Last November when I ordered through Japanese vendor I was told I will get it in half a year. I got it in October 

Now they are saying the wait time is a year.


----------



## Asteger

Sounds like the best you can do.


----------



## jacko9

If you don't mine my asking, what or who is Aframes? Is there a link to a site?


----------



## jacko9

Aframes?


----------



## spoiledbroth

aframestokyo


----------



## Pensacola Tiger

jacko9 said:


> If you don't mine my asking, what or who is Aframes? Is there a link to a site?



http://yhst-27988581933240.stores.yahoo.net/index.html


----------



## ynot1985

does the search function on Aframes work for anyone?


----------



## Dardeau

Never


----------



## ynot1985

Dardeau said:


> Never



damn.. it's so annoying finding things on it


----------



## daveb

The " knife type" tabs will break it into manageable chunks.


----------



## Pensacola Tiger

ynot1985 said:


> does the search function on Aframes work for anyone?



Use a Google search instead.


----------



## Smurfmacaw

ynot1985 said:


> does the search function on Aframes work for anyone?



Nope...sucks...


----------



## Asteger

I don't search but sort of peruse through Aframes every once in a while when not in a rush


----------



## Pensacola Tiger

Smurfmacaw said:


> Nope...sucks...



Use a Google search of the website instead. It works.


----------



## Noodle Soup

Link works fine for me. I shop Aframes fairly often. Good stuff when it is in stock.


----------



## bryan03

in france , you can find some shig :
http://lapassiondescouteaux.fr/rech...ay=desc&search_query=shigefusa&submit_search=


----------



## ynot1985

Japan wood worker has a Shig Kasumi 240mm gyuto 554USD...

SAVE15 gives you 15% off (ends 12/31/15)..so its 470.90 before taxes

I would have gone for this if I didn't have a preference for 210mm gyutos


----------



## Badgertooth

Trigger pulled. There's a teeny tiny chance this might arrive on my actual birthday.


----------



## marc4pt0

Very nice. Saw this about 2hrs ago and wondered who was going to grab it. That's a nice birthday score


----------



## Badgertooth

I'm going to cut my birthday cake with it. 
And my cake is basically just a big Parmesan wheel iced with chicken bones.


----------



## OneS

If I didn't have a Watanabe waiting for me at the PO when we get home from holidays I would be all over this. Explaining 2 back-to-back knife purchases to my wife stretches my capacity for language, unfortunately.


----------



## Badgertooth

OneS said:


> If I didn't have a Watanabe waiting for me at the PO when we get home from holidays I would be all over this. Explaining 2 back-to-back knife purchases to my wife stretches my capacity for language, unfortunately.



Watanabe's knives are such good cutters. Take the time to enjoy it. 

And, you know, save your marriage.


----------



## brainsausage

Great. Now you guys taught the New Zealanders how to hoard Shigs.

THAT'S JUST FECKING GREAT


----------



## aboynamedsuita

brainsausage said:


> Great. Now you guys taught the New Zealanders how to hoard Shigs.
> 
> THAT'S JUST FECKING GREAT



It's spreading like an infection; originated in Australia and is radiating outwards from the epicentre. I'm already infected in Canada


----------



## jimbob

I have a bad feeling I carried the infection when shifting back to NZ. Gonna have to quarantine all shigs at my house sorry.


----------



## Smurfmacaw

WORSE than ebola dammit.


jimbob said:


> I have a bad feeling I carried the infection when shifting back to NZ. Gonna have to quarantine all shigs at my house sorry.


----------



## brainsausage

It's like a scarier version of 28 Days Later. Except with Shigs.

28 SHIGS LATER


----------



## Badgertooth

jimbob said:


> I have a bad feeling I carried the infection when shifting back to NZ. Gonna have to quarantine all shigs at my house sorry.



A suitcase full of shigs and Queensland fruit flies. It's all Jimbob's fault.


----------



## Smurfmacaw

Typhoid JimBob.....The apocalypse is beginning.....


----------



## SuperSharp

I just ordered one from Japan Woodworker too. This will be my first Shig!


----------



## Smurfmacaw

SuperSharp said:


> I just ordered one from Japan Woodworker too. This will be my first Shig!



Uh oh, you've been bitten by the Shig zombie......there is no going back now. Next you'll start dreaming about Kitaeji's....and setting up the top secret knife account your wife doesn't know about. You are doomed my friend.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

I remember my first shig http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/showthread.php/7655-Show-your-newest-knife-buy?p=355407#post355407

Certainly wasn't the last. I ended up keeping the handle for the nakiri as its probably the nicest h&#333; handle I've personally had, it's got some streaking in the horn and chatoyance in the wood.


----------



## SuperSharp

Smurfmacaw said:


> Uh oh, you've been bitten by the Shig zombie......there is no going back now. Next you'll start dreaming about Kitaeji's....and setting up the top secret knife account your wife doesn't know about. You are doomed my friend.



Truth be told, I bought a yanagiba today too. It was listed as a damascus version and in stock, so hopefully it ships tomorrow. It did go on a seldom used account too. Must be a sickness if it's that predictable...


----------



## ynot1985

I keep on seeing that the kitaeji 210mm yangiba is still in stock at aframes.. Price seems good but is 210mm really short for yangibas?.. Never owned one so I'm curious


----------



## SuperSharp

ynot1985 said:


> I keep on seeing that the kitaeji 210mm yangiba is still in stock at aframes.. Price seems good but is 210mm really short for yangibas?.. Never owned one so I'm curious



The one I ordered was marked as a 9" in the description.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

ynot1985 said:


> I keep on seeing that the kitaeji 210mm yangiba is still in stock at aframes.. Price seems good but is 210mm really short for yangibas?.. Never owned one so I'm curious



I'd say the answer is "it depends". I don't use a Yanagi professionally so take this for what it is (have a 330 but don't really "need" it). I've heard of using a 180 Yanagi as a line knife; salty has some that size in the 2011 inventory video:
[video=youtube_share;V1iuBFvQS0g]http://youtu.be/V1iuBFvQS0g[/video]


----------



## Zweber12

Didn't JWW just add a 240mm Gyuto? 

http://www.japanwoodworker.com/Prod...hef's-Knife-(Wa-Gyuto-Hocho)---Shigefusa.aspx


----------



## ynot1985

Yep.. That's the one I posted about and a few people have just brought.. I wonder how many orders they can fill before it goes on back order .. That 15% off is great


----------



## ynot1985

tjangula said:


> salty has some that size in the 2011 inventory video:
> [video=youtube_share;V1iuBFvQS0g]http://youtu.be/V1iuBFvQS0g[/video]



wow.. what a collection!!


----------



## SuperSharp

ynot1985 said:


> Yep.. That's the one I posted about and a few people have just brought.. I wonder how many orders they can fill before it goes on back order .. That 15% off is great



I think the 15% off code expired today. They did send me an email with my order that said I could get 10% off my next order using the code "welcome"


----------



## ynot1985

SuperSharp said:


> I think the 15% off code expired today. They did send me an email with my order that said I could get 10% off my next order using the code "welcome"



yeah.. it expired at the end of 12/31.. they were sneaky about it.. the sign up email only has 10% but the icon you click to get the signup email had the 15% save 15 code on it...

but i guess the 10% welcome code is still good..


----------



## Badgertooth

At least they got back to you.. I tried to apply it well within the cutoff period with no luck and went ahead with the purchase to secure my order. I then emailed saying I was having technical difficulties with the code which no-one has replied to.


----------



## YG420

Has anyone received a shipping confirmation? I also ordered one and I noticed when I was checking out it said backorder date 2/1/15 but when you click on the 240 gyuto it doesnt say out of stock like the others do. And bu the way thanks for the 10% discount code!


----------



## SuperSharp

I ordered Wednesday and had a shipping confirmation Thursday on the 240 gyuto. I ordered the yanagiba Friday and haven't received any info on it yet, but figured they were off for New Years as well as the weekend.


----------



## YG420

O ok thanks for the info!


----------



## ynot1985

i ordered the 210 and go a confirmation email on friday


----------



## HomeCook

Got a JNS "I'm back" email from Maxim that a Shigefusa Kato email was forthcoming later today.
Bought too much over the holidays so I won't be partaking, but good luck to everyone else!


----------



## Andrew

I saw that too, I really hope there aren't any tempting shigs...

That said, I'm sticking close to my computer!


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Got it as well. There's a 210 Kasumi Deba up, but that may have been from before the holidays?


----------



## ynot1985

He did post online a photo of a kitaeji usaba last week.. Maybe it's that.. Not sure


----------



## Miho

Interesting. I didn't get any email from JNS. Not that I could really afford anything atm but I like looking at what he has for sale.


----------



## Andrew

ynot1985 said:


> He did post online a photo of a kitaeji usaba last week.. Maybe it's that.. Not sure



Where does he post? Instagram? Twitter? Just curious


----------



## ynot1985

Instagram .. I'm more interested in The Kato he posted up last week


----------



## Andrew

Thanks Ynot, I'll have to track that down.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

The JNS email sent may be the general subscription, but there is also the one specific to Shig/Kato.


----------



## jimbob

Anyone else checking email every minute?!?


----------



## jacko9

I registered with them but, I didn't get email?


----------



## ynot1985

jimbob said:


> Anyone else checking email every minute?!?



I'm at work so I'm checking it every 1-2 mins.. it's 1am in Denmark so I doubt it will be up now..

have been burnt before.. stayed up all night once after Maxim told me it will be up soon.. but it never came


----------



## TheDispossessed

he's trolling us. kato-san and iizuka-san retired. it's over guys.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

TheDispossessed said:


> he's trolling us. kato-san and iizuka-san retired. it's over guys.



Say it ain't so


----------



## mikedtran

On his Facebook he posted a picture of a Damascus Kato...it was a cover photo but it looked like a new picture possibly??


----------



## Smurfmacaw

mikedtran said:


> On his Facebook he posted a picture of a Damascus Kato...it was a cover photo but it looked like a new picture possibly??



He's just teasing us - they have a lot of masochists in Denmark apparently.


----------



## ynot1985

mikedtran said:


> On his Facebook he posted a picture of a Damascus Kato...it was a cover photo but it looked like a new picture possibly??



I'm most interested in the Damascus kato he posted on instagram last week..

it had &#33738;&#31452; on it which is beyond rare

it does get a bit tiring when you refresh your mail every few minutes for x hours straight.. started before work and now working hour is almost over for the day... sigh


----------



## mikedtran

What does that Kanji mean?


----------



## ynot1985

mikedtran said:


> What does that Kanji mean?



no idea.. all I know is that it's hard to find.. not many have ever been listed on JNS

I think its Kikuryu


----------



## Asteger

mikedtran said:


> What does that Kanji mean?



Kikuryu


----------



## schanop

Looks like three kikuryu's, 2 kietaeji usuba's, one yo gyuto, and one kitaeji gyuto are coming via Maxim.


----------



## mikedtran

schanop said:


> Looks like three kikuryu's, 2 kietaeji usuba's, one yo gyuto, and one kitaeji gyuto are coming via Maxim.



Based on my emails with Maxim sounds like 2 of the Kikuryus will be 240s gyuto O_O

This is quite the batch Maxim has...it is going to be a serious race to get these.


----------



## mikedtran

Shig Kasumi 210mm Western - $638
Shig Kitaeji 210mm - $812
Shig Kitaeji Usuba - $870
Kato Kikuryu 240mm - $870


----------



## Zweber12

wow, that was fast, all sold out within 2 minutes..


----------



## F-Flash

Got one kikuryu! &#128077; never thought I'm gonna use this much on one knife. Well what the hell


----------



## mikedtran

I saw the link before the email went out and still couldn't get the Kato =( and </3


----------



## Andrew

I got an order through for one of the kikuryu, let's hope it sticks...

Regardless, what a gorgeous knife!


----------



## Andrew

Nope, refunded already... bummer


----------



## SuperSharp

I had one in my cart and before I could finish paying, the site informed me that it was out of stock. That was quick.


----------



## DeepCSweede

SuperSharp said:


> I had one in my cart and before I could finish paying, the site informed me that it was out of stock. That was quick.



Same here.


----------



## krx927

All of them are already gone. But please do not blame me I did not buy them


----------



## WildBoar

My email just arrived after I finshed reading the above posts about all already being gone...


----------



## HomeCook

Hold on, I got a Kikuryu too. Everything went through, paypal included, and got confirmation emails from JNS and paypal. There were only two so how could the three of us have gotten one?


----------



## Asteger

Those Kikuryo are special, but on the other hand they're also going to be Kato gyuto with special, expensive finishes that you'll have to take care of. Show pieces more than knives to use, I think. Still, I checked to see if any were available. I think this is just the 2nd time that Maxim has had 3 or so. The previous time was 2-3 years ago, so well done to the winners.


----------



## Matus

I was just curios - check what was available 3 (!) minutes after the email arrived - apart from the usubas it was all gone. I am glad I was not after a kikuryu Kato - seems like my internet connection would be too slow for that


----------



## Zweber12

To the one who got the Shigefusa Kitaeji 210 mm Wa Gyuto: willing to resell?


----------



## mikedtran

HomeCook said:


> Hold on, I got a Kikuryu too. Everything went through, paypal included, and got confirmation emails from JNS and paypal. There were only two so how could the three of us have gotten one?



Andrew's got refunded so it is just you and F-Flash got them it looks like.

Congrats on the purchase!!! 

I'm quite bummed. I had it in my cart before the email went out, but the internet is quite slow on the remote island I'm on Holiday on (Nusa Lembongan). =(


----------



## mikedtran

At the same time the hunt is more than half the fun =p


----------



## preizzo

They are already gone. I am tired of this. &#128547;


----------



## maxim

Long time no Post ;( But that one i can not ignore as it became bit of a problem and i can see that it is a big problem.
If it was me that got money refunded and did not get it from website, i was pissed  Specially if i have waited super long time for one 

it looks like i need to go to old method where i send paypal invoice instead of people buying them directly from website. As website go totally crazy when so many people try to buy one or 2 knives at same time  

So i apologise to you all that tried to buy but did not get them :spankarse:

And Happy 2016 to you all  I will try to post more then i did last year :shocked3:


----------



## HomeCook

It sold out in 30 seconds not three minutes.


----------



## DeepCSweede

Maxim - Perhaps you should have a lottery for them in the future - Get a list of people interested and draw however many you get in. Just a thought - but it seems to work pretty good for Marko when he does it.


----------



## maxim

Yes please come with some ideas on how it can be done fair and best for everyone ! 



DeepCSweede said:


> Maxim - Perhaps you should have a lottery for them in the future - Get a list of people interested and draw however many you get in. Just a thought - but it seems to work pretty good for Marko when he does it.


----------



## mikedtran

maxim said:


> Long time no Post ;( But that one i can not ignore as it became bit of a problem and i can see that it is a big problem.
> If it was me that got money refunded and did not get it from website, i was pissed  Specially if i have waited super long time for one
> 
> it looks like i need to go to old method where i send paypal invoice instead of people buying them directly from website. As website go totally crazy when so many people try to buy one or 2 knives at same time
> 
> So i apologise to you all that tried to buy but did not get them :spankarse:
> 
> And Happy 2016 to you all  I will try to post more then i did last year :shocked3:



Very kind of you to post! I don't think many people are pissed more disappointed. The hunt is fun in a strange way.

Would be very excited for you to go back to the old method of sending a paypal invoice tough =)


----------



## Asteger

mikedtran said:


> ...the internet is quite slow on the remote island I'm on Holiday on (Nusa Lembongan). =(



Bali! I'll tell you from experience, never trust minute-critical knife/stone purchases to Indonesian internet coverage.



maxim said:


> Long time no Post ...



Surely this cannot be Maxim. An imposter? :dazed:



DeepCSweede said:


> Perhaps you should have a lottery for them in the future



That's a nice idea for the people that pay attention


----------



## maxim

You get one anyway  



Andrew said:


> Nope, refunded already... bummer


----------



## Asteger

maxim said:


> You get one anyway



Whew, some unusual and pleasant special attention! Lucky fellow


----------



## Andrew

What? Wow!

Thank you Makim


----------



## Smurfmacaw

I think probably the fairest way to do it would be kind of like Kramer does it. Everyone who is interested in purchasing a Shig xx or Kato xx puts name in hat. Use a random number generator to order the names. First guy gets the opportunity to purchase one knife (keeps the profiteers under control and is more fair to everyone since more people would get a chance). If that person buys a knife then number two gets the chance to purchase from what's left, repeat until gone. If a person buys a knife, they have a period of non-eligibility...say six months (so everyone gets a chance not just those who were born under lucky stars (I think Kramer lets you buy one knife per lifetime in the lottery system but these are a little more available then his knives)), if they pass completely then they just go back in the ready pool of hopefuls for the next time.

That being said, I hope my luck in getting one of the Usuba's holds and I don't get a sad email lol.


----------



## Smurfmacaw

Just saw that Bloodroot has an interesting twist on the wait for the email scheme...

http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/showthread.php/25664-January-sale?p=391696&viewfull=1#post391696

Might give everyone an equal footing since it could eliminate some of the timezone issues. You hate being in the time zone that is 0300 when the Maksim sits down to the computer normally right?

I still think the last idea (Kramer-like) is preferable in my opinion.


----------



## ynot1985

It was 2am for me.. Maybe 4am in nz .. Hehe, I don't think anyone lived in that 3am time zone unless it's some remote island in the pacific .. But yeah.. Was asleep and never had a chance with this one which was a shame since it's a good one


----------



## aboynamedsuita

maxim said:


> Yes please come with some ideas on how it can be done fair and best for everyone !



The issue I could foresee with the email / PayPal Invoice is the time zone difference, which is similar to the current situation with the website. On the plus side, there wouldn't be potential duplicates as you could decide who gets it based on the first "I'll take it, please send me a PayPal invoice" email reply you receive to the offering. Another potential issue would be whether or not the "buyer" is actually ready and able to purchase, or is expecting some a grace period to make the payment. This is where the website checkout is superior.

What Smurfmacaw says sounds like it could work in theory: an email is sent as per usual, but instead of purchasing instantly, interested individuals would get the random number by logging into their JNS account and selecting what they want. It could then work like the Kramer ready-made sale (I imagine most are familiar with this).


----------



## Matus

Sounds like a possible solution for the situation where demand is so much higher than a supply. Maxim could also just run an auction on every Shig or Kato. I guess that would make him little more rich, but probably not more popular


----------



## JohnnyChance

Open a list, Google spreadsheet works well, let people add their name to a specific sheet that specifies what the knife is and how much it will cost. Leave it open for 24 or 48 hours, then run a randomizer 5 times, name at the top on the fifth run gets it. If you put up several knives at once, perhaps limit people to putting their name up for 1 (or 2) knives to give more people a shot and actually entering for the knife they want rather than all of them.


----------



## schanop

Maxim has been randomly sending out notification emails at different time, so I personally think it works. It is as a luck of a draw whether you see the information at the right time and act quickly compared with other luck based method. But well, it prefers people who are closely following his Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twiter, and emails.


----------



## krx927

That would be the fairest way I suppose. I just wonder how many knives Mr.Iizuka would still send to him if he starts doing it


----------



## TheDispossessed

I think the simplest solution here is to simply stop the email list altogether. The knives should just go up on the site as they come in. They'll still sell quite fast I'm sure and the playing field remains level. It would also boost site traffic in general for JNS w people periodically checking in. 
Just my opinion.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Zweber12 said:


> To the one who got the Shigefusa Kitaeji 210 mm Wa Gyuto: willing to resell?



I just got my shipping email earlier today and I think I'll keep it thanks




schanop said:


> Maxim has been randomly sending out notification emails at different time, so I personally think it works. It is as a luck of a draw whether you see the information at the right time and act quickly compared with other luck based method. But well, it prefers people who are closely following his Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twiter, and emails.



Notwithstanding what I said earlier you are 100% correct. I'm sure that email didn't arrive at the greatest time for you being down under. If someone really wanted it they'd stay up all night, take a vacation if they come during the workday, cancel your vacation if you're planning on travelling, etc.

Life isn't always fair and any of the suggestions would create extra work for Maksim.


----------



## jacko9

While I recieved the email in time for some of the offerings, the price seems a bit high for a non-professional/non-collector chef. I get daily emails from Japan Woodworker since I've been a customer of their's for almost 40 years but again, the price seems to have crept up to the point of serious users only territory.


----------



## Asteger

jacko9 said:


> While I recieved the email in time for some of the offerings, the price seems a bit high for a non-professional/non-collector chef. I get daily emails from Japan Woodworker since I've been a customer of their's for almost 40 years but again, the price seems to have crept up to the point of serious users only territory.



Agreed that the prices get higher and higher, and are too high. But 'non-professional/non-collector chef'? 

No, the opposite. Of course they're professional and people collect them, which explains the prices going up. Also sought after in Japan, too, for these reasons.


----------



## jacko9

Asteger - I think that's what I was trying to say - The bottom line I think is that "collectors" are driving the price up in a limited supply situation.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

The 210 Kitaeji I just got was 50dkk more than the 240 Kitaeji I got several months ago. Btw the 240 is on its way to a lucky new owner


----------



## aboynamedsuita

jacko9 said:


> Asteger - I think that's what I was trying to say - The bottom line I think is that "collectors" are driving the price up in a limited supply situation.



I think the exchange rate is also to blame


----------



## Matus

Well, collectors are often users' worst enemy


----------



## chinacats

tjangula said:


> The 210 Kitaeji I just got was 50dkk more than the 240 Kitaeji I got several months ago. Btw the 240 is on its way to a lucky new owner



I'm hoping you sold that to bluebird, or there will be problems.:biggrin:


----------



## Timthebeaver

Matus said:


> Well, collectors are often users' worst enemy



Anyone who drinks malt whisky knows this... and yes, I loathe whisky collectors...

The hype train has got silly with these knives (although Shigefusa have always been especially prized).

They are simply not better than multiple other, more readily available options out there, and are certainly not the best fit for everyone. And yes, I have owned a Kato and used a Shig in the eight years or so I have been active on the forums (wow, has it been that long...)


----------



## j22582536

tjangula said:


> I think the exchange rate is also to blame



Couldn't agree more on that, Canadian dollar is freaking me out...


----------



## aboynamedsuita

j22582536 said:


> Couldn't agree more on that, Canadian dollar is freaking me out...



Agree 100%. I've seen the CAD lose about 20 cents on the dollar since the summer :shocked3:. I'm glad I prepaid most of my USD work when it was like $1.21 compared to $1.41, I remember the Fall of 2014 when I thought $1.13-$1.18 was bad. I feel the hit in the pocketbook when I go grocery shopping too, many products have increased in cost. Now if only the gas prices would drop to reflect crude oil, instead they're rising here


----------



## Asteger

tjangula said:


> I think the exchange rate is also to blame



Maybe, and certainly if you're dealing with CDN$. (As an expat, fortunately, I'm not.) However, with knives/stones I usually think in terms of JPY and in Japan Shigs are priced higher now and kitaeji are a lot higher than before, with long waits that didn't exist before either



jacko9 said:


> Asteger - I think that's what I was trying to say - The bottom line I think is that "collectors" are driving the price up in a limited supply situation.



Sorry, I mis-read you a bit :dazed: However, I'd say that Shigs are sought after in Japan and most are certainly sold there, but I have no idea if they're being bought for collections like they are for some people who read/write about them here. I'd guess that demand there influences prices more than those of us who obsessively monitor JNS emails or Aframes, etc, and wait to pounce.


----------



## jacko9

I have faced the same situation with wood chisels being made in Japan. I have my first set that I bought from Fred at Japan Woodworker back in 1980 and that steel is great but before Fred closed his retail store and retired I went in there to buy some additional chisels and the price spread was astonishing! Some of the blacksmiths are creating "works of art" in wood chisels at several hundred dollars each (smaller chisels). I'm glad I bought mine when I did before the collectors got into the market.

Jack


----------



## ynot1985

I think the problem for Canadians/Australians are two fold- our currency sucks at the moment as resource prices are getting a hammering hence affecting our dollars value 

and secondly, the price direct from the maker has gone up. It's all supply and demand.. it's worth what someone is willing to pay and at the moment even at these increased price points, demand far outweighs supply.


----------



## Asteger

jacko9 said:


> I have faced the same situation with wood chisels being made in Japan. I have my first set that I bought from Fred at Japan Woodworker back in 1980 and that steel is great but before Fred closed his retail store and retired I went in there to buy some additional chisels and the price spread was astonishing! Some of the blacksmiths are creating "works of art" in wood chisels at several hundred dollars each (smaller chisels). I'm glad I bought mine when I did before the collectors got into the market.Jack



Yup. Also, handmade things are made differently over time. Newer Shigs definitely have a sleeker finish than older Shigs (going back some years) and the extra skill/attention in this area could possibly justify some price rises, too. On the other hand, my impression is older shigs were a bit heavier (gyuto specifically) which would better suit me; I had a kasumi number (made in 2012 I think) which was just too light and so sold it on. So, prices change for the worse, and production can change too for better or worse



ynot1985 said:


> I think the problem for Canadians/Australians are two fold- our currency sucks at the moment as resource prices are getting a hammering hence affecting our dollars value ... and secondly, the price direct from the maker has gone up. It's all supply and demand.. it's worth what someone is willing to pay and at the moment even at these increased price points, demand far outweighs supply.



If this is what it takes to stem the flow of Shigefusa to Australia, then maybe it's for the best!


----------



## Smurfmacaw

tjangula said:


> Agree 100%. I've seen the CAD lose about 20 cents on the dollar since the summer :shocked3:. I'm glad I prepaid most of my USD work when it was like $1.21 compared to $1.41, I remember the Fall of 2014 when I thought $1.13-$1.18 was bad. I feel the hit in the pocketbook when I go grocery shopping too, many products have increased in cost. Now if only the gas prices would drop to reflect crude oil, instead they're rising here



Maple syrup prices don't seem to be reflecting the weakness of the CAD darn it. Wish it would do like the AUD in 2000, 2:1 to the USD....what a spending spree I had when I was there!


----------



## ynot1985

Smurfmacaw said:


> Maple syrup prices don't seem to be reflecting the weakness of the CAD darn it.



we love Canadian maple syrup here but it's so expensive!!


----------



## Miho

4 years ago my main income was USD when cnd was really strong, like 1 USD = 0.9 cnd.

Now I only make cnd and its an all time low.

Fml


----------



## Smurfmacaw

chinacats said:


> I'm hoping you sold that to bluebird, or there will be problems.:biggrin:



Peaceful relations between the best of neighbors  To show my gratitude we're sending the Biebs back to you guys. Pic's to follow (of the knife).


----------



## Dardeau

Get ready to cut some **** SMcC! That's a pristine kitaeji!


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Smurfmacaw said:


> Maple syrup prices don't seem to be reflecting the weakness of the CAD darn it. Wish it would do like the AUD in 2000, 2:1 to the USD....what a spending spree I had when I was there!



This is some decent stuff right here:






If I had known I could have sent a bottle with the Kitaeji


----------



## Smurfmacaw

tjangula said:


> This is some decent stuff right here:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> If I had known I could have sent a bottle with the Kitaeji



It's the secret ingredient in my steak sauce. I could darn near just drink it straight.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Judging by the bottle you could almost mistake it for a bottle of wine lol


----------



## ynot1985

Asteger said:


> If this is what it takes to stem the flow of Shigefusa to Australia, then maybe it's for the best!



I'm new to this Shig purchasing craze.. are you implying that there's a lot of Shigefusa knives in Australia? or selling or whatever?

any aussies have a spare shig to sell? I just want to know why it's that sought after


----------



## bkultra

There are a lot of Australians that buy up many of the Shigs. It's kind of a joke around these parts


----------



## aboynamedsuita

James at Knives and Stones carries them, I got my Kurouchi nakiri from him, this is a shig I actually use and really like it. Look like he's all sold out at the moment


----------



## Smurfmacaw

It's a requirement for citizenship down under....if you don't have at least three kitaeji's you need to report to the nearest deportation center for immediate processing.


----------



## ynot1985

does the kurouchi cut just as well as the kasumi/kitaeji ? I would have taken the nakiri if I didn't have one on order with Haburn.

only really want a petty and gyuto

I did ask James if I can order through him but he won't take any as he was worried that he might never fill the order.

I would have jumped on the kitaeji gyuto at Japan woodworker but they refused to under declare by 50 USD. It was just over our tax free threshold and meant I have to pay an extra 150 on top so that put me off


----------



## aboynamedsuita

ynot1985 said:


> does the kurouchi cut just as well as the kasumi/kitaeji ? I would have taken the nakiri if I didn't have one on order with Haburn.
> 
> only really want a petty and gyuto
> 
> I did ask James if I can order through him but he won't take any as he was worried that he might never fill the order.
> 
> I would have jumped on the kitaeji gyuto at Japan woodworker but they refused to under declare by 50 USD. It was just over our tax free threshold and meant I have to pay an extra 150 on top so that put me off



See this thread for a comparison between Kurouchi and Kitaeji nakiri: http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/s...ing-to-understand-Shigefusa-finish-variations


----------



## Smurfmacaw

I think the grinds are similar. I gave my daughter a kourouchi santuko for Christmas and it was a pretty awesome knife. It's grind and edge seemed pretty much the same as the kitaeji (to my inexpert eye) and it cut extremely well. One thing to keep in mind is they have an extremely fine edge out of the box as apparently they expect you to put a microbevel prior to use and they'll microchip like crazy if you don't. Otherwise they are great cutters and very easy on the eye.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

I didn't put a micro bevel on my KU nakiri and its holding up well, but I've only really used it on a hinoki board. Perhaps end grain maple would be a bit tougher. I recall the Kasumi gyuto I used to have but never used had a micro bevel OOTB, perhaps it's because gyutos see tougher use?


----------



## ynot1985

Smurfmacaw said:


> I think the grinds are similar. I gave my daughter a kourouchi santuko for Christmas and it was a pretty awesome knife. It's grind and edge seemed pretty much the same as the kitaeji (to my inexpert eye) and it cut extremely well. One thing to keep in mind is they have an extremely fine edge out of the box as apparently they expect you to put a microbevel prior to use and they'll microchip like crazy if you don't. Otherwise they are great cutters and very easy on the eye.



microbevel... never done it.. is it easy to do? so all shigs need a microbevel


----------



## Smurfmacaw

Very easy. I think Jon Broida has a couple of videos that detail it but basically if you can sharpen you can put a microbevel with little effort.


----------



## Smurfmacaw

Found a site in Canada that seems to have some Shig Korouchi knives in stock. If the prices are in CAD then the prices are pretty good if you live south of the border.

http://www.finejapanesekitchenknives.com/shigefusa.php


----------



## Cheeks1989

I wonder why they don't do KU gyutos.


----------



## Smurfmacaw

I'd definitely buy one if they did.


----------



## spoiledbroth

Smurfmacaw said:


> Found a site in Canada that seems to have some Shig Korouchi knives in stock. If the prices are in CAD then the prices are pretty good if you live south of the border
> 
> http://www.finejapanesekitchenknives.com/shigefusa.php



:spankarse:


----------



## mikedtran

Smurfmacaw said:


> Found a site in Canada that seems to have some Shig Korouchi knives in stock. If the prices are in CAD then the prices are pretty good if you live south of the border
> 
> http://www.finejapanesekitchenknives.com/shigefusa.php



Prices seem standard?

The standard santouka w/ saya comes out to $250 (mostly sold out)
Knives and Stones (no saya) - ~$210 (sold out)
Buttermilk Supply (no saya) - ~$200 (sold out)
Secret site selling at - $158 (sold out also)

Japanwoodworker (185mm) - $213

That being said K&S and BMS are sold out (FJK is also sold out besides the custom handle), though I think there are a couple other sites with Santoukas in stock.


----------



## Smurfmacaw

Hmmm, autocorrect seems to have bitten me - if the mod's could please erase the last word lol.

They come with upgraded handles, bog oak is pricey. Just another option.


----------



## mikedtran

Smurfmacaw said:


> Hmmm, autocorrect seems to have bitten me - if the mod's could please erase the last word lol.
> 
> They come with upgraded handles, bog oak is pricey. Just another option.



True true bog oak + koa is quite a combo...two of the priciest woods. =)

At $350, so about $140 more than the cheaper options that is probably still a good deal. Full length bog oak + curly koa ferrule handle for $140 seems like a very reasonable price.


----------



## Godslayer

mikedtran said:


> Prices seem standard?
> 
> The standard santouka w/ saya comes out to $250 (mostly sold out)
> Knives and Stones (no saya) - ~$210 (sold out)
> Buttermilk Supply (no saya) - ~$200 (sold out)
> Secret site selling at - $158 (sold out also)
> 
> Japanwoodworker (185mm) - $213
> 
> That being said K&S and BMS are sold out (FJK is also sold out besides the custom handle), though I think there are a couple other sites with Santoukas in stock.
> 
> 
> 
> $158 for a shigefusa  thats the promised land.


----------



## mikedtran

Godslayer said:


> $158 for a shigefusa  thats the promised land.



$158 for KU Santoku
$320 for Kitaeji Santoku

Now the question is which is a better deal?


----------



## Godslayer

mikedtran said:


> $158 for KU Santoku
> $320 for Kitaeji Santoku
> 
> Now the question is which is a better deal?



Kitaeji, now the question is what is this mystery site. Daddy wants a new shigefusa, to match his new kato.


----------



## mikedtran

Godslayer said:


> Kitaeji, now the question is what is this mystery site. Daddy wants a new shigefusa, to match his new kato.



Just had to rub it in with the Kato huh =p

I'm actually talking to them about securing a Kitaeji right now. Send me a PM to remind me and after I lock mine down I'll send it over =)


----------



## ynot1985

mikedtran said:


> $158 for KU Santoku
> $320 for Kitaeji Santoku
> 
> Now the question is which is a better deal?



thats even cheaper than aframes... good luck mike


----------



## daveb

Smurfmacaw said:


> Hmmm, autocorrect seems to have bitten me - if the mod's could please erase the last word lol.



Done. Now quit dicking around and check your stuff.


----------



## SuperSharp

Just in case someone is looking, I just returned a 240mm Shigefusa Kasumi gyuto to Japan Woodworker. It was too long for my taste. I mailed it USPS Priority a couple days ago, so it should be arriving back to them any time. They had removed it from their site after I bought it, but thought I would give a heads up in case anyone was looking for one as I didn't have the time/posts to sell on here yet.


----------



## Godslayer

SuperSharp said:


> Just in case someone is looking, I just returned a 240mm Shigefusa Kasumi gyuto to Japan Woodworker. It was too long for my taste. I mailed it USPS Priority a couple days ago, so it should be arriving back to them any time. They had removed it from their site after I bought it, but thought I would give a heads up in case anyone was looking for one as I didn't have the time/posts to sell on here yet.



Mine :knife: i hope


----------



## mikedtran

Godslayer said:


> Mine :knife: i hope



You are coming up on some blades!!! You are building quite the collection =p


----------



## Godslayer

mikedtran said:


> You are coming up on some blades!!! You are building quite the collection =p



It isnt mine yet. I emailed them and said i want it. This was a big month for me, a gude 320mm kato 180 hopefully à shig 240 takamura r2 180 and the first im grabbing a kujira gyuto probably a 150, but maybe just maybe a 240. Im also looking at yanagi but the us/cad dollar is killing me and no canadian vendor carries an inexpensive 300.


----------



## Badgertooth

SuperSharp said:


> Just in case someone is looking, I just returned a 240mm Shigefusa Kasumi gyuto to Japan Woodworker. It was too long for my taste. I mailed it USPS Priority a couple days ago, so it should be arriving back to them any time. They had removed it from their site after I bought it, but thought I would give a heads up in case anyone was looking for one as I didn't have the time/posts to sell on here yet.



How on earth do you have one so quick. I bought on 30 Dec and was told it's maybe coming 22 Jan?


----------



## Mute-on

Cheeks1989 said:


> I wonder why they don't do KU gyutos.



Only one I know of, a 210 made my the elder son. My second Shig purchase ever. I've not seen another since. 

Cheers

J


----------



## ynot1985

There's a used 330mm yangiba buy it now (or make offer) on ebay for 385 if anyone is interested


----------



## mikedtran

That seems like a great deal!


----------



## SuperSharp

Badgertooth said:


> How on earth do you have one so quick. I bought on 30 Dec and was told it's maybe coming 22 Jan?



I think they had a few actually in stock, then allowed back order on a few others that were inbound. I did two day shipping on it and had it right away.


----------



## YG420

SuperSharp said:


> Just in case someone is looking, I just returned a 240mm Shigefusa Kasumi gyuto to Japan Woodworker. It was too long for my taste. I mailed it USPS Priority a couple days ago, so it should be arriving back to them any time. They had removed it from their site after I bought it, but thought I would give a heads up in case anyone was looking for one as I didn't have the time/posts to sell on here yet.



I also purchased a 240 from them (my first shig) and it seems like it's pretty thick and wedges alot. Did you or any shig vets notice this as well? Do these require any initial thinning?


----------



## brainsausage

YG420 said:


> I also purchased a 240 from them (my first shig) and it seems like it's pretty thick and wedges alot. Did you or any shig vets notice this as well? Do these require any initial thinning?



Define 'thick'. Shig's aren't lasers by any means. I like to think of them as a middle weight in fighting terms. What was it wedging on btw?


----------



## SuperSharp

YG420 said:


> I also purchased a 240 from them (my first shig) and it seems like it's pretty thick and wedges alot. Did you or any shig vets notice this as well? Do these require any initial thinning?



This one was my first as well. I didn't cut anything with it. Didn't mind the weight or thickness, but it didn't feel entirely natural or fluid to hold. I'm used to more of a laser style knife and prefer light and nimble for most things. Also, I'm just a home cook, so volume prep is never encountered. Fit and finish was fantastic on the knife as expected, but it felt too long and clunky compared to the habits I'm used to.


----------



## YG420

brainsausage said:


> Define 'thick'. Shig's aren't lasers by any means. I like to think of them as a middle weight in fighting terms. What was it wedging on btw?



When cutting med sized carrots or yukon potatoes, they kind of snap in between the slice. As a comparsison, I also just recieved a kochi 240 kiritsuke gyuto from jki as a surprise from my fiancee around the same time and that thing just glodes theough the same product. Maybe I need to get used to the shig idk? But it is alot different than all of the other j-knives Ive used/owned so far. Not saying I dont like it, just wondering if anyone has experienced the same with their shigs.


----------



## YG420

SuperSharp said:


> This one was my first as well. I didn't cut anything with it. Didn't mind the weight or thickness, but it didn't feel entirely natural or fluid to hold. I'm used to more of a laser style knife and prefer light and nimble for most things. Also, I'm just a home cook, so volume prep is never encountered. Fit and finish was fantastic on the knife as expected, but it felt too long and clunky compared to the habits I'm used to.



My impressions are the same as well. I think maybe I need to get used to it because it is alot different and heavier than what im used to. Im sure there are different aspects of the knife that Im missing that will get appreciated more as I use the knife more.


----------



## Asteger

YG420 said:


> SuperSharp said:
> 
> 
> 
> This one was my first as well. I didn't cut anything with it. Didn't mind the weight or thickness, but it didn't feel entirely natural or fluid to hold. I'm used to more of a laser style knife and prefer light and nimble for most things. Also, I'm just a home cook, so volume prep is never encountered. Fit and finish was fantastic on the knife as expected, but it felt too long and clunky compared to the habits I'm used to.
> 
> 
> 
> My impressions are the same as well. I think maybe I need to get used to it because it is alot different and heavier than what im used to. Im sure there are different aspects of the knife that Im missing that will get appreciated more as I use the knife more.
Click to expand...


Ha, I sold my 240 kasumi gyuto - which seemed so 'special' then - because it was just too light-feeling.

I am more of a 210 even 180 user. Did you find you really needed the 240 length?


----------



## YG420

Asteger said:


> Ha, I sold my 240 kasumi gyuto - which seemed so 'special' then - because it was just too light-feeling.
> 
> I am more of a 210 even 180 user. Did you find you really needed the 240 length?



I'm actually more used to 270 so the length doens't bother me much. But lately I've noticed that I reach for my 240's more often, and my kono fuji w#1 the most, which I believe is a bit shorter than 240. I guess my tastes are changing a bit, but I still use my 270's for more heavy duty tasks.


----------



## Asteger

YG420 said:


> I'm actually more used to 270 so the length doens't bother me much. But lately I've noticed that I reach for my 240's more often, and my kono fuji w#1 the most, which I believe is a bit shorter than 240. I guess my tastes are changing a bit, but I still use my 270's for more heavy duty tasks.



I do think this gradual downsizing happens to people. 240 is probably more knife than most people would need, but I think lots of people go for them just because there's a perceived consensus this is the standard. One advantage of longer knives, though, is they're easier to sharpen and maintain.


----------



## mikedtran

I'd say generally a 210 is enough for onions, tomatoes, potato, etc.

Though if I'm slicing up protein (probably should use a suji) or doing larger produce: cauliflower or lettuce I much prefer the extra length of a 240.

I guess it depends on your style a lot too. If you are doing push cutting additional length doesn't do as much. If you are slicing/drawing extra length will be more helpful.


----------



## Asteger

mikedtran said:


> I guess it depends on your style a lot too. If you are doing push cutting additional length doesn't do as much. If you are slicing/drawing extra length will be more helpful.



True in my case, as I'm not much of a slicer


----------



## Godslayer

spoiledbroth said:


> :eek2: nice



Trust me i am hating this. I can buy a shig kasumi 240 for 540. But by the time we exchange it to cad we are at $800. Plus import fees  :surrendar: :knife:


----------



## Asteger

Godslayer said:


> Trust me i am hating this. I can buy a shig kasumi 240 for 540. But by the time we exchange it to cad we are at $800. Plus import fees  :surrendar: :knife:



Don't do it. First of all, no idea where you see the $540 (USD, I guess) price, but these aren't worth it. (Great knife, but sold mine, there are others to own out there.) Don't see how you'd get the $800 CAD figure out of that, though .... uh, wait. Jeez last time I checked the CAD it was near the USD. Oh well, little different now. Wait for it to recover? ... 

Annoying thing in Canada (I'm from there originally, allowed to complain) is stuff is compared constantly to the US. Anyway, just a general kind of vague observation, but the point is don't follow it all and look through the US and involve too-expensive USD in your transaction. Just checking... and the CAD-JPY isn't too bad at Y100=$1.24. Going by this and trying to remember the Shig 240 I bought, it'd convert to well under CAD $550. (Caveat: this was 3 years ago, prices are somewhat higher now, I don't have to go through the normal KKF buying channels and got this in Japan.) Still, this one would reasonably cost under Y50,000 now in J and that converts to well under $650 in CAD. Point is, avoid USD transactions and US dealers/sellers. Hope you can find something elsewhere.

How about from Oz, the Land of Shigs. Currency also affected by ties to the weakening Chinese economy, blows to resource prices, overblown housing market... Surely some of them down there will need to offload a few soon? Probably a decent conversion rate, as long as you don't let the USD types jump in first


----------



## glestain

Little off topic, but is Shigefusa kitaeji really stink?


----------



## Bill13

My Shig don't stink:rofl2:


----------



## Pensacola Tiger

glestain said:


> Little off topic, but is Shigefusa kitaeji really stink?



With certain foods, like onions, the cladding will react strongly, and produce an "off" odor. Whether this is properly called a "stink" is up to the individual. What bothered me more was that the food discolored.

I was never able to make the ones I've owned settle down completely, despite developing a patina.


----------



## Asteger

glestain said:


> Little off topic, but is Shigefusa kitaeji really stink?



I haven't had one, but sure why not. The most reactive knives react and 'stink'. Add to that, with Shig kitaeji, its presumed uguchimori polish which must multiply surface area and reactive territory, et voila.

However, if you patina (I'm of 2 minds about this) then far less so. My wife, very sensitive, asked me to fine-slice a kg or so of shallots recently but using only her VG10 petty because my other knives 'stink'. I used a carbon because I just can't submit to all of her decrees. My knife was sufficiently broken in, and she didn't detect a thing. Success. 

Should go the same for a kasumi Shig if careful, KU much more easily, and kitaeji would maybe take more care than kasumi - by which I mean careful wiping/attention, if no patina. You'd be in danger with kitaegi if you want your knife to look wonderful at all, which is the point for almost all buyers who enthuse on KKF, I'm pretty sure. 

Who knows, but from what I've read Iizuka's idea with the kitaeji was that it would sharpen more easily than honyaki but replicate honyaki in that it would be less likely to warp like san-mai blades over time. That mean's, the main idea isn't that the look so great. I'm guessing that kitaeji followers here don't usually think along these lines and like the looks and exclusivity, but apparently that's the real idea.


----------



## malexthekid

Asteger said:


> Don't do it. First of all, no idea where you see the $540 (USD, I guess) price, but these aren't worth it. (Great knife, but sold mine, there are others to own out there.) Don't see how you'd get the $800 CAD figure out of that, though .... uh, wait. Jeez last time I checked the CAD it was near the USD. Oh well, little different now. Wait for it to recover? ...
> 
> Annoying thing in Canada (I'm from there originally, allowed to complain) is stuff is compared constantly to the US. Anyway, just a general kind of vague observation, but the point is don't follow it all and look through the US and involve too-expensive USD in your transaction. Just checking... and the CAD-JPY isn't too bad at Y100=$1.24. Going by this and trying to remember the Shig 240 I bought, it'd convert to well under CAD $550. (Caveat: this was 3 years ago, prices are somewhat higher now, I don't have to go through the normal KKF buying channels and got this in Japan.) Still, this one would reasonably cost under Y50,000 now in J and that converts to well under $650 in CAD. Point is, avoid USD transactions and US dealers/sellers. Hope you can find something elsewhere.
> 
> How about from Oz, the Land of Shigs. Currency also affected by ties to the weakening Chinese economy, blows to resource prices, overblown housing market... Surely some of them down there will need to offload a few soon? Probably a decent conversion rate, as long as you don't let the USD types jump in first



I think if you are waiting for the Aus market to crash and people to offload them cause of that get in for a long wait.


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## WildBoar

I have a Shig Kitaeji nakiri. As stated by other above, smells horrible when used on onions, and causes a lot of discoloration. I've had it !4 years. It's hard to find a meal where we're not cutting some onions, so as much as the knife is a really good cutter it does not get much board time. Also as stated above the kitaejis are not 'lookers' -- don't buy one just because you want to ooh and ahhh over the dammy, 'cause you wont. I have not played with the cabbage method for devloping a patina, or tried anything else to 'force'. One day I may try to force one and see how much it helps, as the knife has tremendous potential. But for now it pretty much just sits in the block while the gyutos handle the bulk of vegetable prep.


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## Miho

WildBoar said:


> I have a Shig Kitaeji nakiri. As stated by other above, smells horrible when used on onions, and causes a lot of discoloration. I've had it !4 years. It's hard to find a meal where we're not cutting some onions, so as much as the knife is a really good cutter it does not get much board time. Also as stated above the kitaejis are not 'lookers' -- don't buy one just because you want to ooh and ahhh over the dammy, 'cause you wont. I have not played with the cabbage method for devloping a patina, or tried anything else to 'force'. One day I may try to force one and see how much it helps, as the knife has tremendous potential. But for now it pretty much just sits in the block while the gyutos handle the bulk of vegetable prep.




That's really unfortunate. A nakiri that can't touch onions is a useless nakiri.


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## ynot1985

Asteger said:


> How about from Oz, the Land of Shigs. Currency also affected by ties to the weakening Chinese economy, blows to resource prices, overblown housing market... Surely some of them down there will need to offload a few soon? Probably a decent conversion rate, as long as you don't let the USD types jump in first



if this ever happens (highly unlikely though), I'm happy to take it off anyone in oz just to make sure it stays in the country


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## WildBoar

Yeah. Probably the last knife that should be a kitaeji. Was one of my first j-knife purchases, and I went nakiri because it as a lot cheaper than a gyuto. And at that time landing a shig was even tougher then it is now (in the US, at least). The last time I used it was to fine-dice carrots and celery, and I switched to a gyuto for the accompanying onions. Definitely not desireable to have to do so. Live and learn, and all that... If nothing else, maybe these posts will allow someone else to better spend their $ then I did.


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## brainsausage

I'm still mystified by the so-called extra reactive Shig cladding thing. Mine had some issues to start but leveled out pretty quick. I even sent mine off to Jon for a natural stone Kasumi finish(not a fan of the typical finish. Looks boring to me), took it for a ride and it was even less reactive, and built a patina much faster(so there goes the surface area argument). I think Shigs are meant to be worked. Not used on occasion. If you treat them like a precious ornament you're not going to get the most out of them...


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## ramenlegend

brainsausage said:


> I'm still mystified by the so-called extra reactive Shig cladding thing. Mine had some issues to start but leveled out pretty quick. I even sent mine off to Jon for a natural stone Kasumi finish(not a fan of the typical finish. Looks boring to me), took it for a ride and it was even less reactive, and built a patina much faster(so there goes the surface area argument). I think Shigs are meant to be worked. Not used on occasion. If you treat them like a precious ornament you're not going to get the most out of them...


My experience has been the same. I have a few nice damascus knives that are too flashy for work, but a shig kasumi is a simple beauty that can crush projects. I use a 210, if it was a 240 it would be the last gyuto I ever used at work (I will get a 240 someday:knife.


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## aboynamedsuita

I haven't had such problems with my shig KU nakiri doing onions and other veg shocked3: yes I actually use one of my shigs). But this is in a home kitchen so low volume and intermittent exposure to onions.


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## brainsausage

tjangula said:


> I haven't had such problems with my shig KU nakiri doing onions and other veg shocked3: yes I actually use one of my shigs). But this is in a home kitchen so low volume and intermittent exposure to onions.



Heh! Hope you didn't think I was singling you out Tanner, I've definitely ribbed you in the past, all in good fun of course. It just maddens me seeing people complain about a tool that they don't seem to fully understand. Not that I'm lumping you into that group by any means.


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## aboynamedsuita

It's all good man, I can take it in the name of fun. It's not gonna be the same now that Smurfmacaw won't be asking me to sell the 240
Kitaeji anymore though.


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## brainsausage

I'd also like to hear you report back if you ever do use any of the Kitaeji that are still lingering in isolation at your kitchen knife hoarding compound you call your home&#128513; Kurouchi doesn't count when it comes to reactivity!!!!!!!!!


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## Asteger

For what it's worth, Maxim once said Shigefusa uses the same cladding as other makers - for kasumi, I suppose. That's definitely not true, but some others might and not have the same reactivity rep here.. Then again it might also be completely untrue because doesn't their cladding steel on the kasumi contain unusual impurities which form the 'clouds'? 

I do think it has to do with their polishing style. I haven't found either I've own to be especially reactive, but it depended on the finish at the time (which I would alter).


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## chiffonodd

Just noticed *this* beauty over at EE. Don't know if it's new or if I missed it before but dayumm.


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## Droahrig3

chiffonodd said:


> Just noticed *this* beauty over at EE. Don't know if it's new or if I missed it before but dayumm.



Echo the dayumm..


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## Badgertooth

chiffonodd said:


> Just noticed *this* beauty over at EE. Don't know if it's new or if I missed it before but dayumm.



I mean, it's nice, don't get me wrong. But it's not $1,885.00 nice.


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## bryan03

:sad0:


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## Asteger

Badgertooth said:


> ... it's nice, don't get me wrong. But it's not $1,885.00 nice.



Ridiculous. Taking the p!ss now. Personally, I'd much rather have a wa myself


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## bryan03

what is nice for 1,885.00 ?


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## Asteger

cassca said:


> what is nice for 1,885.00 ?



I helped a friend order a 210 Kitaeji yo for about Y75,000 less than 2 years ago, and so this price for a 240 (with a showy handle not everyone'd be into) at more than double is ridiculous.


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## bryan03

but you don't have a shop, and you probably do not take fee.
(is "fee" is correct in this case ?) 
but i agree, 1800 is very expensive


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## Von blewitt

Remember KKF Members geta 10% discount at EE, I think this knife represents better value than a number of other knives currently available. If I had the spare funds it would be mine in an instant


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## Asteger

Von blewitt said:


> Remember KKF Members geta 10% discount at EE, I think this knife represents better value than a number of other knives currently available. If I had the spare funds it would be mine in an instant



VonB maybe you won't be able to given your mod position, but would be interesting if you could expand on this and give examples of better value for $1800 USD. Knowing you, you probably have great ideas, but still...



cassca said:


> but you don't have a shop, and you probably do not take fee. (is "fee" is correct in this case ?) but i agree, 1800 is very expensive



Understood, and you mean 'profit' or 'mark up' and of course you're right. However, you can't order knives directly in Shigefusa's case. Only a normal order though a seller in Japan. Still, without the flashy customised handle with this one (if you like that sort of thing) the price should be much less.

Interest in things comes and goes, and on KKF it seems that Shigefusa is hitting another crest at the moment, but you don't have to grab your surfboard. Maybe take the time you'd spend earning the extra money for such an expensive knife and instead research a more reasonable alternative.


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## Pensacola Tiger

Von blewitt said:


> Remember KKF Members geta 10% discount at EE, ...



I don't believe that the discount applies to semi-customs like that one.


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## WildBoar

brainsausage said:


> I'm still mystified by the so-called extra reactive Shig cladding thing. Mine had some issues to start but leveled out pretty quick. I even sent mine off to Jon for a natural stone Kasumi finish(not a fan of the typical finish. Looks boring to me), took it for a ride and it was even less reactive, and built a patina much faster(so there goes the surface area argument). I think Shigs are meant to be worked. Not used on occasion. If you treat them like a precious ornament you're not going to get the most out of them...


Hmmm, I have a strange need to defend myself a bit on this one... I didn't have many knives when I picked that one up, and I intended it to be a go-to. Due to the smell and discoloration issues I had to largely bag it, as most times I have stuff to cut it includes onions and/ or a couple other items that readily discolor. Actuallly led to me start accumulating guytos, which definitely was NOT my intention at the time. I wish mine 'leveled out quickly' but it did not. Can't say it's a 'precious ornament', because it really isn't a bling damascus; in fact you can't even really tell it is damascus unless you look at it closely. So now I have a lot of options, so I rarely look towrds it. And with a toddler running around all the time I usually reach for a DT ITK in stainless steel, as there is a good chance the knife will not be wiped/ cleaned in a timely manner; in fact I often have to set it down and run off to play for 5-10 minutes before I can return to the board. Anywho, I'm glad your experience has been better.


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## chiffonodd

Asteger said:


> I helped a friend order a 210 Kitaeji yo for about Y75,000 less than 2 years ago, and so this price for a 240 (with a showy handle not everyone'd be into) at more than double is ridiculous.



Actually I've noticed a pretty substantial mark-up at EE on certain high end products. The shop is located in a very affluent suburb of Seattle and I think the local market (Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland etc.) accommodates that sort of thing. For example the Teruyasu Fujiwara Denka-series AS 240 sells *there* for $1,119. It's ~$646 US if ordered *direct*. And it's about $630 US at *Knifewear*.


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## aboynamedsuita

Asteger said:


> I helped a friend order a 210 Kitaeji yo for about Y75,000 less than 2 years ago, and so this price for a 240 (with a showy handle not everyone'd be into) at more than double is ridiculous.



I recently sold my unused Kitaeji 240mm wa-gyuto for less than half of this price, although it didn't have a custom handle. Never set out to make a profit, just more or less break even.


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## Asteger

Asteger said:


> 210 ... about Y75,000 less than 2 years ago





tjangula said:


> I recently sold my unused Kitaeji 240mm wa-gyuto for less than half of this price, although it didn't have a custom handle. Never set out to make a profit, just more or less break even.



You can't mean less than half of Y75,000. If so, what a deal! :eek2:


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## aboynamedsuita

Asteger said:


> You can't mean less than half of Y75,000. If so, what a deal! :eek2:



Oh no I meant half of the $1885USD. The 210 Kitaeji wa-gyuto I bought ended up costing pretty much the same due to the price increase Maksim mentioned plus the exchange rate. I hope to see a 270 pop up in which case I'd sell the 210


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## schanop

Usually wa to yo, double the price, kasumi to kitaeji double the price, so wa kasumi to yo kitaeji, quadruple the price :hungry:

1.8k is with custom handle, so I don't think it is not a rip-off, given price increase we have been seeing the past few years. I bought mine (240 yo kitaeji) at a equivalent of around 1.3-1.4 a while ago just with normal handle. I still like Shig standard normal handle that most of the custom handle that I have seen due to shape and size; it fits my hand better being slim and tall.


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## mikedtran

Curious if anyone has orders in for Shigs through vendors?

Who is the most reliable/go to option for that?


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## Asteger

schanop said:


> Usually wa to yo, double the price, kasumi to kitaeji double the price, so wa kasumi to yo kitaeji, quadruple the price :hungry:



Not quite based on my experience. Kasumi to kitaeji double or maybe 2/3 more, but from kitaeji wa to yo isn't the same kind of leap.


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## brainsausage

mikedtran said:


> Curious if anyone has orders in for Shigs through vendors?
> 
> Who is the most reliable/go to option for that?



I doubt the hard core addicts will give up their sources. Don't want to possibly slow the flow if you know what I mean&#129300;


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## ynot1985

mikedtran said:


> Curious if anyone has orders in for Shigs through vendors?
> 
> Who is the most reliable/go to option for that?




I know a lot of the English speaking shops don't take any more orders

best bet would be to try Japanese vendos but problem is most don't speak English ( you need to find someone to translate/write for you)

or try KIYA.. they are a famous knife brand in Japan with a massive store in Nihonbamshi and stands at high end department stores (you can claim tax back). 

They have a Shigefusa line (one side is Shig stamped and the other side is KIYA). I saw online they if you ring they can speak English.


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## bryan03

http://www.couteaujaponais.com/couteau-artisanal-shigefusa-santoku-165-mm-c2x18426413

:running:


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## krx927

Also my experience is that the knife is very very reactive. First time I was cutting onions it was causing almost immediate discoloration, both on the onions and the knife. I did not notice a big smell but brown color was immediately there. As WildBoar was writing it is bordering on useless. Knife that cannot cut onions without an issue!? 

But my solution was very simple I just forced patina with cooked chicken breast (http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/s...-patina-thread?p=382348&viewfull=1#post382348). After that I do not have ANY issues with reactivity any more. Knife is perfect, onions - no problem, cabbage - no problem, any kind of food - no problem.
But it is true that kitaeiji is not so visible any more. You can still see it but much less. Perhaps I should just go with kasumi and save me some money 

About price differences:
kasumi : kitaeiji = 1:1.8
Wa : Yo = 1 : 1.5


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## WildBoar

Thanks for the info -- I'll have to try the cooked chicken breasts. I tried raw red meat and that patina did not hold up next time I hit onions. Agree the kitaeji is likely not worth the premium. I purchase a petty later, but kuriochi. Kasumi is likely the sweet spot.


----------



## Andrew

Email blast from Maxim for one 240 western kasumi, getting expensive!


----------



## lobby

Just snapped on a 240 kato. :happy1:

looks like he had 4 on hand


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## mikedtran

From Maksim's email:

"Some news from Shigefusa 
This Year Shigefusa knives will be even more limmeted !! As Old son got bit sick and cant work as much and young son just got 2 children, So there is almost only father him self  
Thats why i will get much less Shigefusa this year"


----------



## Godslayer

Lol I had one but was too slow paying  next time I'll get a 240 Kato


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## Miho

15 mins later
Only 210 kato is left!


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## mikedtran

Godslayer said:


> Lol I had one but was too slow paying  next time I'll get a 240 Kato



Oh no =(

I actually saw the knives go up before the email. I have alerts on page changes on JNS but decided to hold off since I have a Kato Damascus on order. Really curious now the different between the standard and the workhorse that JNS carries now though. Don't think I've seen a direct comparison.


----------



## mcritchlow

I was fortunate enough to be checking email when the notification came in. After many failed attempts, going to be trying out a Kato Workhorse 240! Will report back 

Sad to see the news about the Shig family's sick son. Hopefully it's nothing too serious..


----------



## preizzo

Already gone all.. S.... Seek 
I guess I will never have one of these knives. &#128546;


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## mikedtran

The worse is when you get it into your cart but you don't checkout fast enough. That happened on the 240 Damascus for me </3

Now I will use paypal checkout to expedite it a bit.


----------



## YG420

I actually had a 240 workhorse go through via paypal, then got an email saying my funds are being refunded becaquse there was an error on the jns website...very frustarting


----------



## mikedtran

YG420 said:


> I actually had a 240 workhorse go through via paypal, then got an email saying my funds are being refunded becaquse there was an error on the jns website...very frustarting



You win that is worse. =(


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## YG420

mikedtran said:


> You win that is worse. =(



LOL tell me about it!


----------



## Asteger

mikedtran said:


> Really curious now the different between the standard and the workhorse that JNS carries now though. Don't think I've seen a direct comparison.



No, I don't think I've ever seen that either, except for someone like me speculating a bit about it. I think it's funny, though, how people seem to assume that the Workhorse would be superior. Just because it's customised for a vendor doesn't mean that the added input results in something superior to the experienced guy making it. Slight differences between the two (I've only had Workhorses) but in reality it would probably just be down to preferences such as profile, rather than superiority. If I were more patient I'd just go and order non-Workhorse from Japan.

About Shigs, Dr Naka estimated that they make 400-something knives a year. Who knows how they are distributed after that, but I'd think the majority would still be in Japan. Wonder how many you could knock off this figure now. Also - sorry, to say - maybe they could all do with a break and I'm fully happy with the youngest being with his family and the oldest recuperating. How about we stop all Shig discussion, look at other knives for a change, and keep quiet so the Iizukas don't feel guilty.


----------



## Chicagohawkie

Asteger said:


> No, I don't think I've ever seen that either, except for someone like me speculating a bit about it. I think it's funny, though, how people seem to assume that the Workhorse would be superior. Just because it's customised for a vendor doesn't mean that the added input results in something superior to the experienced guy making it. Slight differences between the two (I've only had Workhorses) but in reality it would probably just be down to preferences such as profile, rather than superiority. If I were more patient I'd just go and order non-Workhorse from Japan.
> 
> About Shigs, Dr Naka estimated that they make 400-something knives a year. Who knows how they are distributed after that, but I'd think the majority would still be in Japan. Wonder how many you could knock off this figure now. Also - sorry, to say - maybe they could all do with a break and I'm fully happy with the youngest being with his family and the oldest recuperating. How about we stop all Shig discussion, look at other knives for a change, and keep quiet so the Iizukas don't feel guilty.



I just picked a standard Kato 240 model and have a pretty nice camera with an 800 macro lens. I could take some detailed pics and post them if so desired. Let me know what you would want detailed.


----------



## Asteger

Chicagohawkie said:


> I just picked a standard Kato 240 model and have a pretty nice camera with an 800 macro lens. I could take some detailed pics and post them if so desired. Let me know what you would want detailed.



There are photos out there, but if you did so it'd be good and everyone loves nice pictures. Maybe a new thread?

I don't know how far a comparison could go, unless you had 2 versions side-by-side. Even with that, it might depend as it seems that older Workhorse might be thicker than newer. I think Kato's own knives have tips that go down a bit more, in Japan you'll see shorter gyuto or santoku, but longer gyuto (of course) for the foreign crowd, ho handles instead of Maxim's usual chestnut, and the steel differences you can't see. 

Another not too important suggestion. 'Workhorse' isn't the best name, but 'standard' Kato sounds worse. How about 'original Kato'? I still think a maker like this will know what he's doing and if the design's changed a little and re-branded a bit for the foreign crowd it can be great, but I'd still like to respect the maker's original stuff the same. Also curious to try/see more of it too.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

YG420 said:


> I actually had a 240 workhorse go through via paypal, then got an email saying my funds are being refunded becaquse there was an error on the jns website...very frustarting





mikedtran said:


> You win that is worse. =(



Had that happen when there was one 240 available back in the Fall of 2015. It is what it is and I can't hold it against JNS for the technical limitations of the website for which Maksim cannot control.

Oh ya I was too slow today as well, I'm not looking personally but was shopping for someone.


----------



## mikedtran

Asteger said:


> No, I don't think I've ever seen that either, except for someone like me speculating a bit about it. I think it's funny, though, how people seem to assume that the Workhorse would be superior. Just because it's customised for a vendor doesn't mean that the added input results in something superior to the experienced guy making it. Slight differences between the two (I've only had Workhorses) but in reality it would probably just be down to preferences such as profile, rather than superiority. If I were more patient I'd just go and order non-Workhorse from Japan.
> 
> About Shigs, Dr Naka estimated that they make 400-something knives a year. Who knows how they are distributed after that, but I'd think the majority would still be in Japan. Wonder how many you could knock off this figure now. Also - sorry, to say - maybe they could all do with a break and I'm fully happy with the youngest being with his family and the oldest recuperating. How about we stop all Shig discussion, look at other knives for a change, and keep quiet so the Iizukas don't feel guilty.



Great points! I have thought about this quite a bit actually. You might almost think that the knife that Kato-san makes more of, his original might actually be better (Blasphemy!!!). Though I think you are right in that it is likely a tradeoff. Often the western market likes higher HRC better edge retention, but also more chippy vs. Japanese which sometime prefer slightly lower HRC for increased toughness. Also Kato-san profile/grind has changed over the years so its possible that the two models actually might be more similar today than they once were.

I had no idea it was only 400 something knives, I would guess maybe all year that a-frame/JNS get 30-40 between then together? Maybe 100 or 25% going to western markets, totally a back of the envelope guess.


----------



## Asteger

I forget Dr Naka's estimate for Shig's output, but it's something like batches of 30 every 3 weeks, and then give the poor Iizukas just a little holiday time too. (Not too much, it's Japan. I I were them, I'd already be holiday-ing it somewhere at this point. They've earned it.) Therefore, maybe 400-500/year at that rate.

About Kato - When they appeared on KKF the foreign crowd hadn't heard of them, they do look a bit plain, while snazzy knifes might sell more. So the solution over at JNS had to be to add the Workhorse name - kind of explaining the idea behind a kind of plainer-looking, heavier, non-fashionably-thin knife - and then including the name through the nice kanji Kato does so well on the back side too (everyone likes nice extra kanji; who knows what it says), make the profile less Japanese-santoku-ish and so more western, and then use 'exotic' old tamahagane metal stock, which is nice but might not necessarily be better than yasugu/hitachi I don't know. Sure, then you can also list higher specs with the HRS. And then the final thing was to usually use burnt chestnut, because of course people usually don't like ho.


----------



## YG420

tjangula said:


> Had that happen when there was one 240 available back in the Fall of 2015. It is what it is and I can't hold it against JNS for the technical limitations of the website for which Maksim cannot control.
> 
> Oh ya I was too slow today as well, I'm not looking personally but was shopping for someone.



I hear ya! Not trying to blame him but it does suck tho. Anyways, thanks for the petty, haven't had a chance to use it yet but I'll take some pics and post in the newest buy thread when I get my post count up!


----------



## ynot1985

Asteger said:


> So the solution over at JNS had to be to add the Workhorse name



it's kind of weird that they used the word 'workhorse' on a Japanese product. I was told by a Japanese that it was like an insulting term that you would only place on an inferior item. Definitely a case of lost in translation


----------



## Lucretia

Not trying to justify the price, but I've handled a couple yo-handled knives from the shigefusa shop, and the handle that Daniel O'Malley puts on a shig is a step up--in F&F, balance (I think he does some work on the tang to get the balance just so), shape--just really a top-notch job. As far as reactivity and stink--never really noticed a stink on my kitaeji, but I could practically wave it by an onion and it would turn orange and the onion would discolor. Finally used mustard to force a patina, and now it's fine. Not as pretty, but a lot more functional.


----------



## Smurfmacaw

FWIW, I've got a standard Kato Gyuto that turns orange even faster than my Shigs near onions and the things it does to a banana....Still a great little cutter and I've found that a little flitz gets rid of the orange and black marks without altering the original finish (Haven't tried it on a shig to see what it would do to the original finish.)


----------



## krx927

WildBoar said:


> Thanks for the info -- I'll have to try the cooked chicken breasts. I tried raw red meat and that patina did not hold up next time I hit onions. Agree the kitaeji is likely not worth the premium. I purchase a petty later, but kuriochi. Kasumi is likely the sweet spot.



Just one more thing, do not cook the breast fully. Leave it slightly underdone and you'll get much better result.


----------



## Asteger

krx927 said:


> Just one more thing, do not cook the breast fully. Leave it slightly underdone and you'll get much better result.



:cool2: Not an unusual topic on these forums, but just thinking how funny this discussion would sound to an 'outsider' - specifications on using only partially cooked chicken breast to induce a desired patina on some expensive Japanese kitchen knife. Don't know how I'd explain it if a coworker peered over my shoulder and wanted to know what I'm reading.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

YG420 said:


> I hear ya! Not trying to blame him but it does suck tho. Anyways, thanks for the petty, haven't had a chance to use it yet but I'll take some pics and post in the newest buy thread when I get my post count up!



Glad it arrived safe & sound. BTW you can post in the newest knife buy thread anytime, if the picture thing is causing problems it's because you need to be a site supporter to upload direct, or else use something like photobucket


----------



## Chicagohawkie

YG you will also have to post that Honyaki you got as well. I may grab the other one soon.


----------



## Godslayer

Kindof off topic. Does shigefusa ever make honyaki blades. Also fun fact takeda hamono makes single bevel knives apparently.


----------



## Seth

mcritchlow said:


> I was fortunate enough to be checking email when the notification came in. After many failed attempts, going to be trying out a Kato Workhorse 240! Will report back
> 
> Sad to see the news about the Shig family's sick son. Hopefully it's nothing too serious..



Yes, I have several by the son and I love them; a yanagi, a 210 gyuto. I am not sure a would pass judgement on son vs. dad, just great knives.


----------



## brainsausage

Seth said:


> Yes, I have several by the son and I love them; a yanagi, a 210 gyuto. I am not sure a would pass judgement on son vs. dad, just great knives.



Yep. My western Yoshihide petty is one of my favorite cutters by far.


----------



## YG420

tjangula said:


> Glad it arrived safe & sound. BTW you can post in the newest knife buy thread anytime, if the picture thing is causing problems it's because you need to be a site supporter to upload direct, or else use something like photobucket



Ok, I'll look into being a supporter since I dont have photobucket or anything like that, thanks!


----------



## YG420

Chicagohawkie said:


> YG you will also have to post that Honyaki you got as well. I may grab the other one soon.



For sure! Im just waiting on a custom handle, might take a while so I gotta stay patient..&#128517;


----------



## YG420

Chicago, did u pull the trigger? I seen theyre sold out


----------



## Chicagohawkie

YG420 said:


> Chicago, did u pull the trigger? I seen theyre sold out


Damit! No! Hoping he pulled it for me or I'm gonna be bummed. Just talked to him today about it.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Godslayer said:


> Kindof off topic. Does shigefusa ever make honyaki blades. Also fun fact takeda hamono makes single bevel knives apparently.



AFAIK Shigefusa developed Kitaeji as an alternative to honyaki:


> I asked about what he thinks of honyaki.
> "The biggest concern for clad knife was the bending after years because of different stress of jigane and hagane for single bevel knife. Honyaki solves this but it has also many inferior characteristics. One is difficult to sharpen. Other is the failure rate at heat treatment if you want the steel hard. I solved the problem making kitaeji clad. Kitaeji is a mixture of layers of carbon steel and very soft steel. Because it contain carbon steel the stress is lower and does not bend after years. It is also very easy to sharpen because it has very soft steel."



http://hides-export.blogspot.nl/2011/06/q-with-iizuka-san.html?m=1


----------



## mcritchlow

Seth said:


> Yes, I have several by the son and I love them; a yanagi, a 210 gyuto. I am not sure a would pass judgement on son vs. dad, just great knives.



Oh I wasn't at all referring to the knives when I said that. Just that I hope the son's illness isn't too serious.


----------



## YG420

Chicagohawkie said:


> Damit! No! Hoping he pulled it for me or I'm gonna be bummed. Just talked to him today about it.



Hope you get it!


----------



## Chicagohawkie

YG420 said:


> Hope you get it!



Nope, he sold it to a dude in Cali.


----------



## YG420

Chicagohawkie said:


> Nope, he sold it to a dude in Cali.



Dam...well maybe he got a few more in that he's gona put handles on


----------



## F-Flash

Some shig usubas, atleast it says they are not out of stock. 
Not bad price if someone wanna try it out.
https://www.dictum.com/en/knives/tr...shigefusa-hocho-kasumi-usuba-vegetable-knife#


----------



## Noodle Soup

Pretty sure those are nakiri rather than usuba. I have a 180. Many catalogs mix the two knives up.


----------



## mikedtran

Interestingly enough that site also lists the blades as V1 steel and the title of the page says Kasumi =p


----------



## Badgertooth

Yeah, I gave the site a bit of a side-eye when I saw V1, Kasumi, & usuba. I mean if selling knives is your bag you expect the product knowledge to be down pat on arguably the most sought after knives on the planet.


----------



## brainsausage

Badgertooth said:


> Yeah, I gave the site a bit of a side-eye when I saw V1, Kasumi, & usuba. I mean if selling knives is your bag you expect the product knowledge to be down pat on arguably the most sought after knives on the planet.



I'd put Hattori KD above Shig in the most sought after category.


----------



## Chicagohawkie

can you buy KDs anymore?


----------



## Godslayer

Id take a Bob Kramer over a kd any day. The kd is sick though.


----------



## Kristoff

brainsausage said:


> I'd put Hattori KD above Shig in the most sought after category.



After 7 years, still searching for the KD. Would even trade 2-3 knives for a KD


----------



## bkultra

Kristoff said:


> After 7 years, still searching for the KD. Would even trade 2-3 knives for a KD



One just sold on eBay around mid January.


----------



## preizzo

I have a contact in Instagram who is selling one for 3000 usd 
210 mm Gyuto


----------



## bkultra

preizzo said:


> I have a contact in Instagram who is selling one for 3000 usd
> 210 mm Gyuto



That is going to be a tough sale IMO... The one on eBay did not get a single bid at $2300 and had to except the best offer.


----------



## preizzo

I know that, but also we have to think that not so many of them are available anymore. It s a kimera &#128516;
I am happy with the simple one from Koki, vg 10 nice shape, great grind and hold quiete long the edge. 
For 255 usd it s perfect &#128076;


----------



## Kristoff

bkultra said:


> That is going to be a tough sale IMO... The one on eBay did not get a single bid at $2300 and had to except the best offer.




I never looked on eBay before so I will start now. $3000 is very steep for a 210mm. However if there's a brand new 240mm then it will gonna be a big problem for me.... Really want it


----------



## Badgertooth

There may be a 240 Kasumi available on japanwoodworker if they accept my refund request on a back-ordered knife. Otherwise keep an eye on BST in March.


----------



## ynot1985

any one after 210mm kateji gyuto.. one of the stores I speak to has just got 2 in ( not listed on their site yet).. price is around 875 usd before postage from Japan.

I'm undecided on it so if anyone is after it, PM and I'll let you know the contact info.

sorry I won't list the site as the site isn't a vendor here


----------



## Brucewml

Is that yo or wa?


----------



## ynot1985

wa


----------



## mikedtran

"I need to keep one for someone who's considering it, but if he will pass, I will list the second one for sale soon."

I believe this is referencing you Tony =p


----------



## Andrew

I was offered those knives too, but will hold out for a 240... Hopefully if you're interested you can grab one.


----------



## ynot1985

I always wondered why everyone wants a 240...I only cook at home and have both 210/240 gyutos and can never really understand what the extra 3cm can offer me 

He told me there's 4 ahead of me for 240 so it might be years before I get another email from him which is why I'm seriously considering the 210 atm


----------



## Asteger

ynot1985 said:


> I always wondered why everyone wants a 240...I only cook at home and have both 210/240 gyutos and can never really understand what the extra 3cm can offer me
> 
> He told me there's 4 ahead of me for 240 so it might be years before I get another email from him which is why I'm seriously considering the 210 atm



Oh, I'm totally a 210 convert. Maybe the 240s are excuses for people to invest in new, bigger boards. That and/or they cook in large and spacious western kitchens. 

I think if you pay attention a lot of the pro-types who maybe go for bigger knives at work for their prep will deal with 210s or smaller when at home. 

Other advantages: 210s are cheaper and there's less competition sometimes to buy. Disadvantages: perhaps easier to bst 240s and 240s are also easier to sharpen because the curves are more gradual


----------



## brainsausage

Asteger said:


> Oh, I'm totally a 210 convert. Maybe the 240s are excuses for people to invest in new, bigger boards. That and/or they cook in large and spacious western kitchens.
> 
> I think if you pay attention a lot of the pro-types who maybe go for bigger knives at work for their prep will deal with 210s or smaller when at home.
> 
> Other advantages: 210s are cheaper and there's less competition sometimes to buy. Disadvantages: perhaps easier to bst 240s and 240s are also easier to sharpen because the curves are more gradual



Yep. 240-270's at work, and a 190 Shig at home.


----------



## Brucewml

Feel like 240 shigefusa goes up to 246 around. Much more like prep knife. So bad nowadays I like to use 215 to 220. Lol


----------



## mikedtran

And the Kitaeji 210s are sold!


----------



## Andrew

I used a 210mm for the first several years of paying attention at home, then switched to a 240mm. It's a small difference, but it's what I'm used to. 

If I'm going to spend money on a knife, I want to get exactly what I'm after- not a different size so as to avoid a wait. Maybe that's crazy, but certainly my point of view.


----------



## Asteger

brainsausage said:


> Yep. 240-270's at work, and a 190 Shig at home.



There you go. And I'll bet no Shig at work, right? 

Kudos to you too. When I worked in a kitchen, I could barely stand cooking anything at home. Final place we used 300 chef knives. Maybe big blades remind me of those days. 

Andrew - agree with you. However, sometimes people comment here how people sort of 'graduate up' to the standard 240, but I guess there are some who go the opposite way too.


----------



## 2010ZR1

http://japanesenaturalstones.us2.li...8e0a3a4b4062e53ef1&id=1b5907e795&e=ee11ec6fb3


----------



## schanop

That's fast .. all three are gone.


----------



## Zweber12

2010ZR1 said:


> http://japanesenaturalstones.us2.li...8e0a3a4b4062e53ef1&id=1b5907e795&e=ee11ec6fb3



I am seriously thinking of upgrading to a fiber optic connection to receive these JNS email a nanosecond before any one else; these knives are gone in literally seconds..


----------



## mikedtran

What was the price on the 210mm Shigs this time?

I know it is the "Shig" thread, but the Kato available this time was beautiful.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

schanop said:


> That's fast .. all three are gone.


Was about 5 min from when I got the email



Zweber12 said:


> I am seriously thinking of upgrading to a fiber optic connection to receive these JNS email a nanosecond before any one else; these knives are gone in literally seconds..


I know someone who has an unused 210mm Kitaeji wa-gyuto and would be willing to sell because they're really on the hunt for a 240+ :whistling:


----------



## mikedtran

Zweber12 said:


> I am seriously thinking of upgrading to a fiber optic connection to receive these JNS email a nanosecond before any one else; these knives are gone in literally seconds..



I think a lot of people actually see the knives on the website before the email goes out. If you check his fb/instagram he starts posting pictures a little before he sends out the email.


----------



## ynot1985

mikedtran said:


> What was the price on the 210mm Shigs this time?
> 
> I know it is the "Shig" thread, but the Kato available this time was beautiful.



Yeah I want to know the price too so I can have an idea what the going rate is at the moment. He did say in the email, the page will be removed/ deleted to avoid the stuff up that happened last time around


That Kato had a lot of kanji on it.. Wonder if that's another special line for JNS


----------



## inzite

ynot1985 said:


> Yeah I want to know the price too so I can have an idea what the going rate is at the moment. He did say in the email, the page will be removed/ deleted to avoid the stuff up that happened last time around
> 
> 
> That Kato had a lot of kanji on it.. Wonder if that's another special line for JNS



that's how Kato in that style (yanagiba) is made like. the kanji i believe is the full formal name including the title/name he inherited from his father.


----------



## inzite

mikedtran said:


> What was the price on the 210mm Shigs this time?
> 
> I know it is the "Shig" thread, but the Kato available this time was beautiful.



worked out to about 611 cdn without VAT from what i saw.


----------



## mikedtran

Thanks for the update so its about $435 USD which was the same price as the last round. Nice to know it hasn't gone up even with there being less supply this year.


----------



## KimBronnum

The Kato yanagi is about 1190 $ without vat.


----------



## Andrew

KimBronnum said:


> The Kato yanagi is about 1190 $ without vat.



I clicked the link quick enough where I "think" I could have bought that, but WOW the price was high... I decided I didn't need a fight with the LOML enough.


----------



## mikedtran

Kitaeji Shigefusa 240mm (don't think its actually in stock) at JWW (cheaper than the 210mm) - http://www.japanwoodworker.com/Prod...hef's-Knife-(Wa-Gyuto-Hocho)---Shigefusa.aspx


----------



## ynot1985

I say it probably in stock.. May be a just the odd one that came in the shipment. Tanner!! Get it


----------



## Andrew

I placed an order... no confirmation yet, but a boy can dream!


----------



## bkultra

That has been listed on the site for sometime. It has even been brought up in this thread... General consensus is its not in stock.

It will allow you to place an order for as many as you like. Place an order and it's still available on the site.


----------



## mikedtran

bkultra said:


> That has been listed on the site for sometime. It has even been brought up in this thread... General consensus is its not in stock.
> 
> It will allow you to place an order for as many as you like. Place an order and it's still available on the site.



I thought it was the 210mm that was listed for a while. 

I got a webpage alert saying this was added over the evening. Though might be that they took it down for a while then reposted it.


----------



## bkultra

mikedtran said:


> I thought it was the 210mm that was listed for a while.
> 
> I got a webpage alert saying this was added over the evening. Though might be that they took it down for a while then reposted it.



You are correct it was the 210mm...

http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/showthread.php/23929-Shig-alert?p=388759&viewfull=1#post388759

I would not put to much faith in the listing still based on past problems with listings that have not been in stock, but worth a shot (what's the worst that can happen).



Andrew said:


> I placed an order... no confirmation yet, but a boy can dream!



Keep us posted and good luck.


----------



## mikedtran

bkultra said:


> You are correct it was the 210mm...
> 
> http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/showthread.php/23929-Shig-alert?p=388759&viewfull=1#post388759
> 
> I would not put to much faith in the listing still based on past problems with listings that have not been in stock, but worth a shot (what's the worst that can happen).



100% agree, worth the shot though. There is a possibility I have 3 Kitaejis and 2 Kasumis coming in.

I did give JWW a call and it sounds like they are expecting a Kitaeji with their shipment which should have a couple Kasumis.


----------



## Andrew

Honestly I placed the order mostly for the price... if the recent 210s showing up elsewhere are any indication, pying $750 might feel like a steal...


----------



## mikedtran

Andrew said:


> Honestly I placed the order mostly for the price... if the recent 210s showing up elsewhere are any indication, pying $750 might feel like a steal...



Totally with you, good trade bait also =p

Unfortunately there is a significant State sales tax =/


----------



## Andrew

Not in Oregon!


----------



## aboynamedsuita

ynot1985 said:


> I say it probably in stock.. May be a just the odd one that came in the shipment. Tanner!! Get it



Hmm, it would be tempting but being in Canada JNS is the best source for me. I'll be watching for Maksim's emails...


----------



## mikedtran

tjangula said:


> Hmm, it would be tempting but being in Canada JNS is the best source for me. I'll be watching for Maksim's emails...



Tanner whats the shipping like to Canada? Do you get hit with duties?


----------



## mikedtran

They have taken the option to order the blade off the website, listing still there but no more order button: http://www.japanwoodworker.com/Prod...hef's-Knife-(Wa-Gyuto-Hocho)---Shigefusa.aspx


----------



## Andrew

Andrew said:


> I placed an order... no confirmation yet, but a boy can dream!



JWW just called, not in stock but expected "any day now". It sounds like it's been paid for and en-route from Japan. We shall see, but pretty exciting!


----------



## aboynamedsuita

mikedtran said:


> Tanner whats the shipping like to Canada? Do you get hit with duties?


Yep, duties/taxes, you name it, I pay it


----------



## ynot1985

tjangula said:


> Hmm, it would be tempting but being in Canada JNS is the best source for me. I'll be watching for Maksim's emails...



Is that a shipping issue or a duty issue? 

For me JNS is the best place as well..we get hit hard by both especially shipping


----------



## Badgertooth

Andrew said:


> JWW just called, not in stock but expected "any day now". It sounds like it's been paid for and en-route from Japan. We shall see, but pretty exciting!



Nice of them to give you a call, you must have some kind of magic touch, they go completely schtum when I query the "in stock " Kasumi I ordered a month ago and now the Kitaeji.


----------



## mikedtran

Andrew said:


> JWW just called, not in stock but expected "any day now". It sounds like it's been paid for and en-route from Japan. We shall see, but pretty exciting!



I just got a confirmation with backorder date to March 1st.



Badgertooth said:


> Nice of them to give you a call, you must have some kind of magic touch, they go completely schtum when I query the "in stock " Kasumi I ordered a month ago and now the Kitaeji.



I also got a call checking to see if it was ok if the shipment didn't arrive till March 1st.


----------



## Andrew

The call was a "security check" as I created the account for the order. It wouldn't surprise me if the operator was wrong about when I should expect the knife... the other request i have for one told me to expect it in 2017, so this seems like an improvement either way!


----------



## ynot1985

Congrats guys.. Was tempted to order one at that price point but decided against it as 240 is just not for me


----------



## Asteger

Impressed by how you guys are helping each other out. For your info, I think I had one lined up too before realising, doh, that I couldn't do any online purchase after losing my Visa card recently and having to get it blocked. 

Anyway, to be honest I was just interested because it would have been a good price and I would have liked to have it for a bit, and I probably would have sold it on soon after. Really, I'm wondering how many of you will use these things. In my case, I can't imagine it getting practical precedence over a Watanabe, Heiji, Toyama, Kato, etc. I know I'd spend 95% of the time re-sharpening it and attending to the lovely finish, which isn't really what's intended. No fancy rack in my kitchen, either. :angel2:


----------



## mikedtran

Asteger said:


> Impressed by how you guys are helping each other out. For your info, I think I had one lined up too before realising, doh, that I couldn't do any online purchase after losing my Visa card recently and having to get it blocked.
> 
> Anyway, to be honest I was just interested because it would have been a good price and I would have liked to have it for a bit, and I probably would have sold it on soon after. Really, I'm wondering how many of you will use these things. In my case, I can't imagine it getting precedence over a Watanabe, Heiji, Toyama, Kato, etc. I know I'd spend 95% of the time re-sharpening it and attending to the lovely finish.



I always say 50% of the fun is the hunt, I will likely look at it for a while then trade it off or sell it off to someone who will love it more (Tanner I'm thinking of you =p)


----------



## Asteger

mikedtran said:


> I always say 50% of the fun is the hunt, I will likely look at it for a while then trade it off or sell it off to someone who will love it more (Tanner I'm thinking of you =p)



Mike, the way you're headed I think you'll be moving out of your pricey apartment a lot sooner than you think - no doubt with some very carefully packed, crucial and superb blades in those boxes

I've seen too many packages come. I'm over the 50% thrill thing as my home's been sort of a delivery bay for far too long. However, kind of nice as I don't obsess about missing a sudden Shigefusa offering. Plenty of blades in the ... well, sea. And more will come


----------



## mikedtran

Asteger said:


> Mike, the way you're headed I think you'll be moving out of your pricey apartment a lot sooner than you think - no doubt with some very carefully packed, crucial and superb blades in those boxes
> 
> I've seen too many packages come. I'm over the 50% thrill thing as my home's been sort of a delivery bay for far too long. However, kind of nice as I don't obsess about missing a sudden Shigefusa offering. Plenty of blades in the ... well, sea. And more will come



Hahhaa I think I'm at ~$2500 in current collection and there is still stuff on the way. I'm going to thin out the collection probably in a month or two hopefully hook up some members with some blades they have been looking for. No more hoarding for me.


----------



## ynot1985

I think your only get the thrill if the item is that hard to come by in the first place. Hence why JNS Katos /shigs are so sought after. It's the effort you go through to acquire it. The best thing is once the novelty wears off you can still offload it for the minimal lost at the very worst which allows you to hunt for something else that's hard to find


----------



## Andrew

I'm convinced I will use it, but I can't know for sure until I find one... I use my kasumi for the absolute bulk of my "home" cooking, though will reach for stainless if I'm in a hurry or know i can't deal with the reactivity right then. That said, I was able to nab one of the kato damascus knives from JNS last month and have yet to use it... mostly haven't been cooking heavy prep meals recently, doing more sushi at home etc. I'm hoping I can use it this weekend as I'm planning some more elaborate cooking for the superbowl.

The thrill of the hunt, and finding hard to find stuff is certainly part of it though...


----------



## YG420

Just ordered the 240...man u guys move fast! Lol


----------



## YG420

Asteger, ive been looking at that damascus toyama, how do they compare to the shigs or even a kono fuji?


----------



## Asteger

ynot1985 said:


> I think your only get the thrill if the item is that hard to come by in the first place. Hence why JNS Katos /shigs are so sought after. It's the effort you go through to acquire it. The best thing is once the novelty wears off you can still offload it for the minimal lost at the very worst which allows you to hunt for something else that's hard to find



There's that, but there's also 'finding' something which is overlooked by others. You can chase after the same things as everyone, or sort of pause while they run away and then check around for what's being missed. I don't own anything particularly special, but if you think of JNS-supplied knives then Toyama seems missed. Who knows, Toyama-san might pack it in next month and that'll be it. 

I dunno, it's funny but maybe in the past few months there's been a resurgence with the Shigefusa thing, and then Kato too. (I've said before: not sure why the two are coupled together.) If memory serves, a year ago for eg it was much more of a buyer's market on KKF for these knives. I, ahem, sort of blame newer members. _Hey, what's this Shigefoosa stuff and how do I get some?_ Okay, sorry, being facetious. However, I'm sure there's an element of this. 



YG420 said:


> Asteger, ive been looking at that damascus toyama, how do they compare to the shigs or even a kono fuji?



Ah, don't even ask me about a Kono Fuji as I briefly had one and thought it was absolute [email protected] You can probably find the thread somewhere. I shared the knife with a respected knifemaker who indicated the same opinion, even if his position would mean he wouldn't voice this like a normal type like me could. Shig's are great, beautiful knives, with real craftsmenship but I think the KFs are made to entice people, too sell, and not to actually be good. They're dressed up with machined-on finishes, and underneath you'll find messed up grinds. The design is easier to pump out, and the selling point - the looks - is not maintainable if you actually use the knife (ie. thin it, not just sharpen, and then find that the grind is wonky, and so it all looks a mess when it hits your coarse stones). I worry when I read people like these, and although I just had one knife instinct tells me it's not going to be different with others. 

Toyama (I have a gyuto and yanagiba) are great, and a huge deal for the price. I don't know how damascus would be any better aside from aesthetics. While kitaeji Shigefusa have an idea behind them (the different cladding along with their best attention during making) makes a knife that's supposed to be the best they can make, and less likely to warp in a couple of decades even if you don't hear complaints of kasumi warping either, I'm not sure if there's any practical intentions behind the Toyama damascus design. I'd ask Maxim and see if he replies. My guess is it's about looks, which is why I'm quite happy with kasumi Toyama.


----------



## YG420

Thanks for the insight! I might have to try the toyama pretty soon as well.


----------



## ynot1985

Asteger said:


> There's that, but there's also 'finding' something which is overlooked by others. You can chase after the same things as everyone, or sort of pause while they run away and then check around for what's being missed. I don't own anything particularly special, but if you think of JNS-supplied knives then Toyama seems missed. Who knows, Toyama-san might pack it in next month and that'll be it.
> 
> I dunno, it's funny but maybe in the past few months there's been a resurgence with the Shigefusa thing, and then Kato too. (I've said before: not sure why the two are coupled together.) If memory serves, a year ago for eg it was much more of a buyer's market on KKF for these knives. I, ahem, sort of blame newer members. _Hey, what's this Shigefoosa stuff and how do I get some?_ Okay, sorry, being facetious. However, I'm sure there's an element of this.



funnily enough, The first time I went to JNS was to buy a Toyama but as I browsed through the site, I noticed the Kato/Shig alerts page. so I then did more research online and found that everyone has sold out and most won't take any orders for them (even orders take months to years to fill or maybe never). I think only JNS sells the Toyama and when people look at the site, they are immediately drawn to the shig/kato as they are always out of stock and you have to ask yourself why.

I suppose the 'hype' around it makes people want to try it. You rather try the best one you can afford rather than buy a cheaper knife and then regret it and then having to buy the 'better and pricier' one latter (I am not indicating price= better but that's how people perceive things).

As someone who is not a chef and only cooks at home, there's a number of reasons why I decided against the Toyama or trying out unknown or less popular knives.

- at 300USD for a 240 gyuto, it's not exactly a cheap knife for many people and you might take a higher loss if you want to resell later on and less demand for it (as compared to a shig/kato that you can easily resell if I don't like it)
- In Australia, you can claim your knives/equipment as part of your tax return since it's essential for work. I'm not a chef or work in the hospitality industrial so I don't get this subsidy from the government. It limit my ability to afford new knives
- I want a Shig Kitaeji as to me it's a piece of art as the F &F and polish is amazing. I might use one of them and then try and see if I can polish it back up.

but this is just me point of view


----------



## mikedtran

ynot1985 said:


> funnily enough, The first time I went to JNS was to buy a Toyama but as I browsed through the site, I noticed the Kato/Shig alerts page. so I then did more research online and found that everyone has sold out and most won't take any orders for them (even orders take months to years to fill or maybe never). I think only JNS sells the Toyama and when people look at the site, they are immediately drawn to the shig/kato as they are always out of stock and you have to ask yourself why.
> 
> I suppose the 'hype' around it makes people want to try it. You rather try the best one you can afford rather than buy a cheaper knife and then regret it and then having to buy the 'better and pricier' one latter (I am not indicating price= better but that's how people perceive things).
> 
> As someone who is not a chef and only cooks at home, there's a number of reasons why I decided against the Toyama or trying out unknown or less popular knives.
> 
> - at 300USD for a 240 gyuto, it's not exactly a cheap knife for many people and you might take a higher loss if you want to resell later on and less demand for it (as compared to a shig/kato that you can easily resell if I don't like it)
> - In Australia, you can claim your knives/equipment as part of your tax return since it's essential for work. I'm not a chef or work in the hospitality industrial so I don't get this subsidy from the government. It limit my ability to afford new knives
> - I want a Shig Kitaeji as to me it's a piece of art as the F &F and polish is amazing. I might use one of them and then try and see if I can polish it back up.
> 
> but this is just me point of view



Makes you think is Maxim a marketing genius and turning us all into Shigefusa and Kato addicts?


----------



## Pensacola Tiger

ynot1985 said:


> funnily enough, The first time I went to JNS was to buy a Toyama but as I browsed through the site, I noticed the Kato/Shig alerts page. so I then did more research online and found that everyone has sold out and most won't take any orders for them (even orders take months to years to fill or maybe never). I think only JNS sells the Toyama and when people look at the site, they are immediately drawn to the shig/kato as they are always out of stock and you have to ask yourself why.
> 
> I suppose the 'hype' around it makes people want to try it. You rather try the best one you can afford rather than buy a cheaper knife and then regret it and then having to buy the 'better and pricier' one latter (I am not indicating price= better but that's how people perceive things).
> 
> As someone who is not a chef and only cooks at home, there's a number of reasons why I decided against the Toyama or trying out unknown or less popular knives.
> 
> - at 300USD for a 240 gyuto, it's not exactly a cheap knife for many people and you might take a higher loss if you want to resell later on and less demand for it (as compared to a shig/kato that you can easily resell if I don't like it)
> - In Australia, you can claim your knives/equipment as part of your tax return since it's essential for work. I'm not a chef or work in the hospitality industrial so I don't get this subsidy from the government. It limit my ability to afford new knives
> - I want a Shig Kitaeji as to me it's a piece of art as the F &F and polish is amazing. I might use one of them and then try and see if I can polish it back up.
> 
> but this is just me point of view



I've owned (and sold) a Kato workhorse, a kasumi Shig and a kitaeji Shig. In my opinion, all three take a backseat to my damascus gyuto by Mert Tansu.


----------



## WildBoar

The Shig and Kato hype was just as bad -- if not worse -- before Maxim started to provide a more reliable supply a couple years ago.


----------



## Asteger

WildBoar said:


> The Shig and Kato hype was just as bad -- if not worse -- before Maxim started to provide a more reliable supply a couple years ago.



Yes, Shig attention has sort of gone up and down over time, while always being high. But not Kato, because no one knew what they were until - when was it, 2012? - when Maxim started selling them, so before that there was no reliable supply.

And yes, I think M is a cleverer marketer than most might realise. With jnats for example he's quite good at creating a kind of paranoia that you're definitely taking a chance if you buy elsewhere, especially from the shifty sellers in the land of origin, Japan. Also, how he tries all stones out himself. (Standard practise for a stone seller.) The 'red and green aoto' phenomenon. (They're not aoto at all; people remember the colours.) How you're steered to higher end, pricey finishers too. And there are other examples, also with knives. Yet, he's barely written 2 or 3 posts on KKF in the past year. He's pulling our strings.

Love to hear this about M.Tansu knives. I've got one in the works with him.


----------



## mikedtran

Got another Shigefusa delivery surprise something I ordered a while ago (again to my parents house) and was expecting it to come in about year.

It is two Kitaejis but I won't ruin the surprise of what they are till I can snap some photos. (trust me they aren't that special)


----------



## Asteger

Boy, your parents' is quick becoming *the* place to be. Address pls


----------



## mikedtran

Asteger said:


> Boy, your parents' is quick becoming *the* place to be. Address pls



Hahhaa for us Shig crazies it kinda is. To be completely honest I am not 100% sure (I'm like 80% sure) which order came in...


----------



## aboynamedsuita

mikedtran said:


> Got another Shigefusa delivery surprise
> 
> It is two Kitaejis
> 
> they aren't that special



Blasphemy!


----------



## Asteger

mikedtran said:


> Hahhaa for us Shig crazies it kinda is. To be completely honest I am not 100% sure (I'm like 80% sure) which order came in...



Goodness. Are you saying you have several kitaeji orders pending? You could alone be responsible for the global shortage.


----------



## Kristoff

YG420 said:


> Asteger, ive been looking at that damascus toyama, how do they compare to the shigs or even a kono fuji?



I have know maxim for a very long and I always hold his opinions in very high regard. That being said, he feels the Toyama performs better and hold the edger longer than the shigs and way under price at the moment. But shigs have better fit and finish. He recommended me a Toyama over the shig. And he knows I love my shig. I would have bought a Toyama but the AUD exchange rate is terrible at the moment. And I can't be bothered to alternate between 4 gyutos at work.


----------



## Asteger

Well, there you go.


----------



## Andrew

Andrew said:


> The call was a "security check" as I created the account for the order. It wouldn't surprise me if the operator was wrong about when I should expect the knife... the other request i have for one told me to expect it in 2017, so this seems like an improvement either way!



Just got an email with shipping info! No expected delivery as of yet, but with some luck this sucker is going to be in my hands next week.


----------



## Asteger

Andrew said:


> Just got an email with shipping info! No expected delivery as of yet, but with some luck this sucker is going to be in my hands next week.



Heady times!


----------



## YG420

Nice! I may have to grba one before prices go up!


----------



## YG420

I got a confirmation email with a backordered date of 3/1/16


----------



## mikedtran

So talked to JWW and looks like they screwed up my order a bit...

That being said they claim they are getting in 10x Kasumi Shigs (that seems RIDICULOUS) and 3x Kitaeji 240mm (seems quite crazy as well).

Cheers,
Michael


----------



## Badgertooth

I still haven't got sh*t after 3 follow up emails on my Kitaeji and others on my Kasumi that I ordered in December. I think if they ever arrive they're going on BST, I don't want a Shig bad enough to be treated like a mug.


----------



## Andrew

mikedtran said:


> So talked to JWW and looks like they screwed up my order a bit...
> 
> That being said they claim they are getting in 10x Kasumi Shigs (that seems RIDICULOUS) and 3x Kitaeji 240mm (seems quite crazy as well).
> 
> Cheers,
> Michael


In some ways this makes sense to me, as they're a big online retailer and I'd guess hate having ones and twos of something dribble in...


----------



## mikedtran

Asteger totally read the tea leaves he had said something like "surprised you guys are helping each other"

Looks like my order didn't get processed in the order it came in so I fell behind most of you guys who placed an order =/

3rd in line for the 240mm Kitaeji
2nd in line for the 210mm Kasumi

Though probably shouldn't really complain since I have multiple open Shig orders...though I'm surprisingly heartbroken hahah


----------



## jacko9

Japan Woodworker had a very long relationship importing Japanese tools and knives since about 1980 when I bought my first Japanese tools from Fred @ JWW. The original owners sold the business to Woodcraft Supply a few years ago and the lines of communications since then have been strained but their long term contacts are still there possibly explaining their ability to deliver Shigs when they are not available elsewhere. I just wished I bought a few the last weekend his retail store was open, instead I spent my money on Festool power tools.


----------



## Badgertooth

Is this real?


----------



## ynot1985

Yes


----------



## Badgertooth

Dayumn!


----------



## jimbob

Ive been trying to kid myself that im over kitaeji shigs and you remind me of this, cheers. Thinking of a cleaver at the mo too. Relapse methinks. WHERE IS THIS KNIFE


----------



## Von blewitt

Doesn't it belong to James from knives and stones?


----------



## jimbob

Right look out James, booking tickets now.


----------



## ynot1985

Surely that a unicorn as far as shigs are concerned


----------



## pkjames

yes, I was mine initially. I gifted to a close friend / chef to complete his personal shig collection quest earlier this year


----------



## Asteger

Wow. James, can I be your friend too? I'm usually pretty nice


----------



## brainsausage

ynot1985 said:


> Surely that a unicorn as far as shigs are concerned



I've only ever seen one hankotsu on the forums...


----------



## brainsausage

Honesuki, not hankotsu.


----------



## Zweber12

brainsausage said:


> I've only ever seen one hankotsu on the forums...



which one?


----------



## schanop

pkjames said:


> yes, I was mine initially. I gifted to a close friend / chef to complete his personal shig collection quest earlier this year



Is my order still on the queue?


----------



## brainsausage

Zweber12 said:


> which one?



My recollection is just as scrambled as I thought it was.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Here's a repost of the hankotsu, the knife of legend exists:


Sack of lemons said:


> [/URL][/IMG]
> 
> ok here is the knife after its workout last week. I will post some pictures of my other shigefusa soon. Thanks for the help with the pictures


----------



## TheDispossessed

Only a name like Shigefusa could make that knife look any good.....


tjangula said:


> Here's a repost of the hankotsu, the knife of legend exists:


----------



## spoiledbroth

jacko9 said:


> Japan Woodworker had a very long relationship importing Japanese tools and knives since about 1980 when I bought my first Japanese tools from Fred @ JWW. The original owners sold the business to Woodcraft Supply a few years ago and the lines of communications since then have been strained but their long term contacts are still there possibly explaining their ability to deliver Shigs when they are not available elsewhere. I just wished I bought a few the last weekend his retail store was open, instead I spent my money on Festool power tools.



festool is not as rare as a shig...


----------



## jacko9

spoiledbroth said:


> festool is not as rare as a shig...



I totally agree but, at the time I didn't know about Jknives and the line at those demonstration stations was way too long. Festool is not rare but, just as expensive (if not more so depending on what you buy). Mafell is also in that category and my last track saw cost me a few shigs ;-)

I just wish my hobby interests were more aligned to great knifes at the time when Japan Woodworker retailer was going out of business at 30% off!

Jack


----------



## schanop

Email is out now  7 KU petties


----------



## Andrew

Those strike me as expensive...


----------



## Asteger

Andrew said:


> Those strike me as expensive...



A bit. Just KU petties, and just 150mm right? Actually you can get good much larger gyuto for less


----------



## jacko9

Nice little knives but, I already have three 150mm pettys and so while I looked it over for 20 minutes, they sold out. That's one way to resist having too many knives ;-)


----------



## ynot1985

It's definitely pricy but it's not the stock standard KU. I got one and already sold out


----------



## TheDispossessed

150mm ku petty for over $200,
yeah its pricey, too much for me anyways. shigefusa has raised their prices across the board and the yen is climbing so thats how it is.
their ku is pretty damn nice i admit,
you wanna talk overpriced look at what takeda is asking for petties. stupid.


----------



## preizzo

True Story matteo


----------



## Kristoff

Seems like there will be emails out for new shigs really soon from JNS. Looks like kitaeji yanagiba


----------



## mikedtran

Kristoff said:


> Seems like there will be emails out for new shigs really soon from JNS. Looks like kitaeji yanagiba



Looking quickly, but something about the Kanji doesn't look right?


----------



## Kristoff

mikedtran said:


> Looking quickly, but something about the Kanji doesn't look right?



You are right. It's supposed to be only 2 large characters but it's 3 characters in the latest pic. Maybe it's a new signature style?


----------



## Andrew

I think the third kanji means "extra money"...

I have a heiji being made, and expect to see it next month or April at the latest, I've told myself this is the last knife I'll buy for 2016... makes it easier to not ocd check email when I see these teaser photos!


----------



## Kristoff

Andrew said:


> I think the third kanji means "extra money"...
> 
> I have a heiji being made, and expect to see it next month or April at the latest, I've told myself this is the last knife I'll buy for 2016... makes it easier to not ocd check email when I see these teaser photos!



2016 is a long way to go lol


----------



## Andrew

Kristoff said:


> 2016 is a long way to go lol



True, but I have to try... the wife wants to kill me when these long boxes covered with stickers from Japan show up...


----------



## brainsausage

Andrew said:


> True, but I have to try... the wife wants to kill me when these long boxes covered with stickers from Japan show up...



Have them sent to your work&#129300;


----------



## Asteger

brainsausage said:


> Have them sent to your work&#55358;&#56596;



Exactly, then discard packaging before bringing home, with knives enclosed in shopping bags/backpack/briefcase, etc. Also, rotate them in your kitchen so it's hard to keep tabs on how many you actually have, and seems like the collection's always in flux. Don't jump on the gaudy handle bandwagon and stick to honest ho wood, so that it's harder to distinguish between individual blades. Claim that with any newly discovered knife you're simply performing 'testing' before returning or selling it on. You might be able even to fool yourself.


----------



## j22582536

Kristoff said:


> You are right. It's supposed to be only 2 large characters but it's 3 characters in the latest pic. Maybe it's a new signature style?



Shigefusa only use the third kanji on all his kitaeji single bevel models, however the kanji still doesn't look normal on this one


----------



## Andrew

A couple more teaser pics on Instagram...


----------



## mikedtran

I will do my layman's analysis of the Kanji. Someone who can read Kanji can probably give much more detail and explain what it actually means.

*Posted on Maksim's Instagram:*

Standard 3-Kanji for Kitaeji Single Bevels






Looks like the standard 3-Kanji for Kitaeji Single Bevels but missing the small Kanji





Kanji looks deeper, the first two Kanji look right but the last one is a mystery to me. (I compared against the Masayuki, Yosihide, Toyama, Kato and couldn't find a match.)


----------



## Badgertooth

Asteger said:


> Exactly, then discard packaging before bringing home, with knives enclosed in shopping bags/backpack/briefcase, etc. Also, rotate them in your kitchen so it's hard to keep tabs on how many you actually have, and seems like the collection's always in flux. Don't jump on the gaudy handle bandwagon and stick to honest ho wood, so that it's harder to distinguish between individual blades. Claim that with any newly discovered knife you're simply performing 'testing' before returning or selling it on. You might be able even to fool yourself.



Haha, Asteger wins! And this is exactly how I handle mine.


----------



## XooMG

It's standard &#37325;&#25151;&#20316; shigefusa-saku, but the engraving technique is a little different. Nothing to worry about; it's rather pretty.


----------



## mikedtran

XooMG said:


> It's standard &#37325;&#25151;&#20316; shigefusa-saku, but the engraving technique is a little different. Nothing to worry about; it's rather pretty.



Robert you are the man =p

I actually like that it is a bit different =)


----------



## Badgertooth

They're 40 yr old blades


----------



## Andrew

Those are likely to be searingly expensive!


----------



## Asteger

Badgertooth said:


> Haha, Asteger wins! And this is exactly how I handle mine.



Brilliant! Why isn't there a separate forum here for this? We could use more mutual support, exchanges of strategies and techniques...


----------



## Badgertooth

Andrew said:


> Those are likely to be searingly expensive!



Why? Surely his craft is 40 years better now than when he made these. I'd go so far as to say it's a little cheeky if he charges more for these.


----------



## rami_m

Badgertooth said:


> Why? Surely his craft is 40 years better now than when he made these. I'd go so far as to say it's a little cheeky if he charges more for these.



Because it crosses over from being a tool into collection category. Rarity and demand drive price.


----------



## Badgertooth

rami_m said:


> Because it crosses over from being a tool into collection category. Rarity and demand drive price.



Point taken


----------



## maxim

All prices on Shigefusa or Kato is what i pay for them plus some % for my self, it is nothing to do with how rare or how demand is on them  
If i wanted to do some cheeky stuff then i put Kato or Shig on Auction and then we will see how price will sky rock on some are stuff from them. 

I got these not from Shig but from old Shop that is went out of business so prices ofc. is bit higher then on old ones. But i do same with price as on all Shigs  

Plus old Shigefusa you are 100 % on that it is Tokifusa Iizuka that made them. Heat-treat, finish and forging is made old way like Kato do it now. They are bit harder then new ones as they was less westernized then now etc. etc
But i will explain more when i send Shig email out  





Badgertooth said:


> Why? Surely his craft is 40 years better now than when he made these. I'd go so far as to say it's a little cheeky if he charges more for these.


----------



## Asteger

Excellent thing to be able to post up and sell some older Shig stuff for collectors. The collector thin probably isn't for me, but I understand. I'd be curious to hear from collectors how the older Shigs do it, even if I'm getting a bit sick of the current Shig-o-mania which is too much. 

Regarding prices, it's good Max is here to explain himself because he really hasn't been present for a long time. Regarding prices, I've bought a lot from him over the years and I think he gives a very fair deal, even adjusting prices for us buyers when the Yen loses its value and other vendors don't do anything, and even if I will also post that communication could be better with JNS, etc, and so not all is rosey. 

I've checked JNS prices a lot and they're really consistent when it comes to providing a fair mark up and also value with nat stones, even if I've only bought 1 or 2 nat stones in the past 2-3 years from him, compared to more before. Actually, sometimes I don't understand how he keeps his business going, operating in higher-cost Denmark, receiving shipments from his partner in Japan, and then distributing from there. 

Anyway, it's great to see some posts here again as M has much to share and has recently visited makers in Japan several times and has excellent info, along with great videos. I'm not sure to what extent 'vendors don't have time' is a cop out, as it sometimes seems it can be, but to me interaction with them is a great thing.


----------



## mikedtran

Did anyone else see the email on their phones just now and rush to their computers only to realize it wasn't the "big" release =p


----------



## Asteger

Nope.


----------



## mikedtran

Asteger said:


> Nope.



Hahaha you are immune/so over Shig fever =D


----------



## Asteger

mikedtran said:


> Hahaha you are immune/so over Shig fever =D



:scratchhead: Let's hope there's an antidote soon.


----------



## Kristoff

mikedtran said:


> Did anyone else see the email on their phones just now and rush to their computers only to realize it wasn't the "big" release =p



Hmm.:.. How come I ain't getting any emails even tho I subscribed.....


----------



## Zweber12

I think Maksim keeps two mailing lists, his general one and his shig and Kato one..


----------



## YG420

Ku pettys on deck...


----------



## ynot1985

JNS is putting up

old stock kitaeji (price in USD exc Vat). not sure how many

deba 240 -$1221
usuba 225 - $1043
takobiki 300- $1043
yanagiba 270- $1013
yanagiba 300- $1043


----------



## Kristoff

ynot1985 said:


> JNS is putting up
> 
> old stock kitaeji (price in USD exc Vat). not sure how many
> 
> deba 240 -$1221
> usuba 225 - $1043
> takobiki 300- $1043
> yanagiba 270- $1013
> yanagiba 300- $1043



I just checked maxim's site. The prices are a lot higher the using is $1400+ wo vat and so on


----------



## ynot1985

I only quoted the non EU price as I'm not in the EU


----------



## YG420

Sorry for my ignorance, but whats a takobiki and whats its use?


----------



## ynot1985

it's a kanto style sashimi knife ... yanagiba is more kansai style

basically a yanagiba without the pointed tip


----------



## YG420

Ahh I see. Thank you!


----------



## YG420

I was hoping for a gyuto or honesuki to show up


----------



## Dardeau

If they are NOS, I imagine they weren't making a lot of gyuto or any honesuki. I want to see photos of the 240mm deba, didn't see any on the Instagram.


----------



## Andrew

All in all the prices are lower than I was expecting, which is a nice surprise.

I'm still going to pass (if I even have the chance to add them to a shopping cart) but it's cool to see such rarities for sale.


----------



## Zweber12

These are already gone?


----------



## Asteger

Zweber12 said:


> These are already gone?



Thank goodness!


----------



## Zweber12

It seems his email came about 30 sec after my post, no worries Asteger!


----------



## Smurfmacaw

I saw it roll in, I acted, my wife is going to kill me lol.


----------



## Zweber12

Smurfmacaw said:


> I saw it roll in, I acted, my wife is going to kill me lol.



What did you end up getting?


----------



## mikedtran

I also bought something...sigh really should not have hahah


----------



## daveb

Yowser! Not for me but Yowser!


----------



## Smurfmacaw

Zweber12 said:


> What did you end up getting?



300mm Takobiki and 300mm Yanagiba.


----------



## Smurfmacaw

mikedtran said:


> I also bought something...sigh really should not have hahah



Which one(s) did you get Mike?


----------



## ynot1985

wow.. im eyeing the takobiki as I think it's quite rare but must resist


Smurfmacaw said:


> 300mm Takobiki and 300mm Yanagiba.


----------



## Asteger

Shig-o-mania persists....

MikeT: shouldn't you be saving for your future? starting a family? your kids' university fees? etc? This stuff costs a lot where you are



Smurfmacaw said:


> I saw it roll in, I acted, my wife is going to kill me lol.



Certainly having another special blade around will make the kill part not more difficult at all, too, won't it?


----------



## Asteger




----------



## ynot1985

Asteger said:


> starting a family?



he already has.. it's called the the Shig family


----------



## Asteger

ynot1985 said:


> he already has.. it's called the the Shig family



Oh dear....


----------



## mikedtran

Smurfmacaw said:


> Which one(s) did you get Mike?



Mike we both have a true addiction, I got a 300 Yanagiba. The 270mm Yanagiba went quick but also had the standard Kanji instead of the NOS?


----------



## mikedtran

Asteger said:


> Oh dear....



Hahahaah, well the hope is in the future these blades will be worth the same or more? =D

Investment for my future family hahaa


----------



## ynot1985

it's going to be your children's inheritance



mikedtran said:


> Hahahaah, well the hope is in the future these blades will be worth the same or more? =D
> 
> Investment for my future family hahaa



takobiki and deba sold


----------



## Zweber12

ynot1985 said:


> takobiki and deba sold



I'll probably regret not getting one of the three Takobiki's..


----------



## Smurfmacaw

Zweber12 said:


> I'll probably regret not getting one of the three Takobiki's..



Yeah, when I saw the Takobiki I just had to have one since it's "different". Now I just need one with the sword type tip....(yes, I'm too lazy to look it up at this moment in time lol.)


----------



## Asteger

YG420 said:


> Sorry for my ignorance, but whats a takobiki and whats its use?





ynot1985 said:


> it's a kanto style sashimi knife ... yanagiba is more kansai style basically a yanagiba without the pointed tip



'Tako' = octopus. They're octopus-slicers


----------



## Smurfmacaw

Smurfmacaw said:


> Yeah, when I saw the Takobiki I just had to have one since it's "different". Now I just need one with the sword type tip....(yes, I'm too lazy to look it up at this moment in time lol.)



The one I was referring to is a Sakimaru Takobiki. I probably won't be slaughtering a lot of octopuses any time soon so this one fits in the fun to have category.


----------



## Asteger

Smurfmacaw said:


> The one I was referring to is a Sakimaru Takobiki.



Those are the nicest.


----------



## chinacats

I guess it's tough **** if you're a sushi chef and actually use/look for one of these things. Not too be an ass, but curious if you folks who just purchased these actually own/use single bevel knives for their intended purpose, if at all? 

:running:


----------



## mikedtran

chinacats said:


> I guess it's tough **** if you're a sushi chef and actually use/look for one of these things. Not too be an ass, but curious if you folks who just purchased these actually own/use single bevel knives for their intended purpose, if at all?
> 
> :running:



I have debated if I will use mine, might use it if I do a bigger sushi dinner but not on a regular night.

If there are any sushi chefs looking for a Shigefusa Kitaeji Yanagiba or Takobiki , I have a couple sources that are at this price or a bit cheaper feel free to give me a PM. The Old stock 300 Yanagiba is still available at JNS as well.


----------



## daveb

How do you celebrate birthdays in a Shig family? Oh, never mind....


----------



## Asteger

chinacats said:


> I guess it's tough **** if you're a sushi chef and actually use/look for one of these things. Not too be an ass, but curious if you folks who just purchased these actually own/use single bevel knives for their intended purpose, if at all? :running:



It is the obvious question!



daveb said:


> How do you celebrate birthdays in a Shig family? Oh, never mind....



A bout of fingerstone polishing and photos, no doubt! :groucho:


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Smurfmacaw said:


> The one I was referring to is a Sakimaru Takobiki. I probably won't be slaughtering a lot of octopuses any time soon so this one fits in the fun to have category.





Asteger said:


> Those are the nicest.


I had Shinichi Watanabe make me a lefty version in Kintaro-ame, similar to this one from his website:









chinacats said:


> I guess it's tough **** if you're a sushi chef and actually use/look for one of these things. Not too be an ass, but curious if you folks who just purchased these actually own/use single bevel knives for their intended purpose, if at all?
> 
> :running:


I got a Shig takobiki, I'd be willing to part with it if I could find a NIB gyuto or something to fill the shig kitaeji gap


----------



## Asteger

tjangula said:


> I had Shinichi Watanabe make me a lefty version in Kintaro-ame, similar to this one from his website:



People like Watanabe must be a godsend if you're wrong-handed. And that's a real looker, indeed. Tending to that tip, when the time comes, would be the fun thing with this one. What is 'kintaro-ame'? (Pattern/finish name must be - something about 'rain'...)


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Asteger said:


> People like Watanabe must be a godsend if you're wrong-handed. And that's a real looker, indeed. Tending to that tip, when the time comes, would be the fun thing with this one. What is 'kintaro-ame'? (Pattern/finish name must be - something about 'rain'...)



That's his term for the Damascus, interesting about the rain (I suppose it's in the translation)


----------



## Smurfmacaw

chinacats said:


> I guess it's tough **** if you're a sushi chef and actually use/look for one of these things. Not too be an ass, but curious if you folks who just purchased these actually own/use single bevel knives for their intended purpose, if at all?
> 
> :running:



Actually yes. All my knives get used. While I probably won't slice and dice an octopus, I do portion fish and slice protein with my single bevel knives. I enjoy developing the skill to peel a radish or daikon with the usuba. I even make some Japanese dishes occasionally. What I wonder is how many actual sushi chefs in the US actually use a $1000+ knife at work? My daughter works in a Japanese restaurant, the chef uses a Shun. I can see using a kasumi finished knife at work maybe not a kitaeji unless you can really keep it in sight all the time. Maybe it's different in Japan, I lived there for two years but had no compelling interest in knives at the time and people seem more respectful of other's property there.


----------



## Dardeau

Not a sushi chef, but I do work in a seafood centered restaurant. I don't use my Shigefusa kasumi yanagiba as much as I used to as I'm getting more comfortable with a 270mm mioroshi. If I get comfortable enough in using it as a deba I will probably start looking for something of equal fanciness to a Shigefusa.

That being said I used my Shigefusa pretty thoroughly. If I ever decided to sell it it would need some serious polishing, but I think it's at its forever home. The gyutos don't strike my fancy but the single bevels are something special.

Off topic, how custom does Watanabe get, with regards to grind and profile?


----------



## marc4pt0

I poke my head in here from time to time. It makes me spin. You guys are crazy 

:biggrin:


----------



## chinacats

Smurfmacaw said:


> Actually yes. All my knives get used. While I probably won't slice and dice an octopus, I do portion fish and slice protein with my single bevel knives. I enjoy developing the skill to peel a radish or daikon with the usuba. I even make some Japanese dishes occasionally. What I wonder is how many actual sushi chefs in the US actually use a $1000+ knife at work? My daughter works in a Japanese restaurant, the chef uses a Shun. I can see using a kasumi finished knife at work maybe not a kitaeji unless you can really keep it in sight all the time. Maybe it's different in Japan, I lived there for two years but had no compelling interest in knives at the time and people seem more respectful of other's property there.



Cheers to you Smurf! I actually have no skin in this game...had a handful of Shigs and don't use any single bevels. My only point was being reminded of the little old lady that collects cats who has a gap in her collection


----------



## Doug

Out of curiosity, what size Shigafusa yanagiba do you have? I eat a lot more sashimi since I got a 270 kasumi, it's a blast to use.


----------



## Doug

Sorry, question was for Dardeau, stil learning to post on forum.


----------



## alterwisser

Smurfmacaw said:


> Actually yes. All my knives get used. While I probably won't slice and dice an octopus, I do portion fish and slice protein with my single bevel knives. I enjoy developing the skill to peel a radish or daikon with the usuba. I even make some Japanese dishes occasionally. What I wonder is how many actual sushi chefs in the US actually use a $1000+ knife at work? My daughter works in a Japanese restaurant, the chef uses a Shun. I can see using a kasumi finished knife at work maybe not a kitaeji unless you can really keep it in sight all the time. Maybe it's different in Japan, I lived there for two years but had no compelling interest in knives at the time and people seem more respectful of other's property there.



My wife is in Tokyo right now and she sent me a couple of pics of knives when she was going to restaurant. One sushi chef was actually using a CHROMA!


----------



## Dardeau

I use a 300mm.


----------



## Smurfmacaw

marc4pt0 said:


> I poke my head in here from time to time. It makes me spin. You guys are crazy
> 
> :biggrin:



Lol, I've seen pictures of your knife collection....


----------



## Smurfmacaw

chinacats said:


> Cheers to you Smurf! I actually have no skin in this game...had a handful of Shigs and don't use any single bevels. My only point was being reminded of the little old lady that collects cats who has a gap in her collection



I get your point, I've been known to ride certain individuals that had no patina on their shig's. I like to have a full set but if they stay in a drawer or rack all their lives then I have trouble justifying ownership to my wife with a straight face...she already thinks I've lost it when I have two or three knives out at any given time....that being said, don't come between her and her Carter funi that I had reupholstered for her....she expects me to keep it sharp for her too....nirvana! Now I just have to convince her that a selection of natural stones are required.


----------



## Badgertooth

Dardeau said:


> Off topic, how custom does Watanabe get, with regards to grind and profile?



He will try and steer you away from silliness and anything he reckons is Western frippery and affectation. It will be within the parameters of a fairly traditional, Sanjo idiom. That said, if your choice is a wa-handled japanese style, you have a little elbow room with geometry, grind and to a lesser extent, profile. Hit him up, he'll let you know soon enough


----------



## Smurfmacaw

Badgertooth said:


> He will try and steer you away from silliness and anything he reckons is Western frippery and affectation. It will be within the parameters of a fairly traditional, Sanjo idiom. That said, if your choice is a wa-handled japanese style, you have a little elbow room with geometry, grind and to a lesser extent, profile. Hit him up, he'll let you know soon enough



True, on his website he even says to try it his way for a year and then come back and talk about your way!


----------



## aboynamedsuita

chinacats said:


> My only point was being reminded of the little old lady that collects cats who has a gap in her collection





Smurfmacaw said:


> I get your point, I've been known to ride certain individuals that had no patina on their shig's.



I understand where both of you are coming from, but feel a bit of a need to explain myself, so please hear me out

First of all, I only have two shigs now (Kurouchi nakiri and soon to be NOS Kitaeji takobiki). I've sold the others to people who are happy to use them, and I wouldn't hesitate to do the same with what I currently have if it works out for all parties (I use my nakiri frequently, so would hang on to that one). Similarly I wouldn't hesitate to get another that strikes my fancy if the opportunity presents itself. Also remember that some of the younger members (such as MikeT and myself) could have these for another 40-50+ years and pass them on as family heirlooms (I hope left handedness isn't genetic lol). When I purchased the takobiki today it wasn't initially for myself, I was trying to help someone get one who may have not been able to get to the email in time. It worked out they were able to get the email, so now I have a rare treasure that I can hold onto as a collector's piece in the interim.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Dardeau said:


> Off topic, how custom does Watanabe get, with regards to grind and profile?





Badgertooth said:


> He will try and steer you away from silliness and anything he reckons is Western frippery and affectation. It will be within the parameters of a fairly traditional, Sanjo idiom. That said, if your choice is a wa-handled japanese style, you have a little elbow room with geometry, grind and to a lesser extent, profile. Hit him up, he'll let you know soon enough





Smurfmacaw said:


> True, on his website he even says to try it his way for a year and then come back and talk about your way!



When I told him I was looking for a 300mm sakimaru takobiki, he sent me his standard specs:


> Takohiki 300mm, 4mm thick, 29mm wide
> Takohiki 330mm, 4mm thick, 30mm wide



I asked for a couple mm wider and this was accommodated for no additional charge (he mentioned small variations wouldn't cost extra, but I imagine that say an extra 15mm or different spine/blade/shinogi profile would as it'd essentially be a completely different knife).

EDIT - found a pic of my sakimaru takobiki, man I suck at taking pictures:


----------



## Smurfmacaw

tjangula said:


> I understand where both of you are coming from, but feel a bit of a need to explain myself, so please hear me out
> 
> First of all, I only have two shigs now (Kurouchi nakiri and soon to be NOS Kitaeji takobiki). I've sold the others to people who are happy to use them, and I wouldn't hesitate to do the same with what I currently have if it works out for all parties (I use my nakiri frequently, so would hang on to that one). Similarly I wouldn't hesitate to get another that strikes my fancy if the opportunity presents itself. Also remember that some of the younger members (such as MikeT and myself) could have these for another 40-50+ years and pass them on as family heirlooms (I hope left handedness isn't genetic lol). When I purchased the takobiki today it wasn't initially for myself, I was trying to help someone get one who may have not been able to get to the email in time. It worked out they were able to get the email, so now I have a rare treasure that I can hold onto as a collector's piece in the interim.



I only did it because I wanted your shig lol. Actually, I have nothing against grabbing something because it's just cool....Ribbing someone can be fun as long as all involved enjoy it...


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Smurfmacaw said:


> I only did it because I wanted your shig lol. Actually, I have nothing against grabbing something because it's just cool....Ribbing someone can be fun as long as all involved enjoy it...



It's all good, I actually had a lot of fun with the "240mm Kitaeji gyuto" jokes


----------



## chinacats

Smurfmacaw said:


> I only did it because I wanted your shig lol. Actually, I have nothing against grabbing something because it's just cool....Ribbing someone can be fun as long as all involved enjoy it...





tjangula said:


> It's all good, I actually had a lot of fun with the "240mm Kitaeji gyuto" jokes




Yep, just having some fun...and the Shiganigans of late makes it somewhat easy:biggrin: 

I do have to say that as someone (home user) who enjoys carbon knives that I really cannot understand how someone could keep more than maybe a dozen in any kind of rotation--without the need for oiling, etc--unless possibly you use them for a living. I've got a few that are "put away" but carbon blades are somewhat like good steel pans whereas they are only really at their best when being used often.

Cheers


----------



## Smurfmacaw

You'd be surprised. We cook pretty much every night and with the flock of parrots we chop up a lot of vegetables on a regular basis. Sometimes I'll use two side by side to compare. My wife thinks I've lost it but hey what the heck. I've found that as long as I wash and dry them well they don't patina or corrode at all. The real down side with having several knives is it takes a while for them to get dull....I like sharpening.....all my neighbors have pretty sharp knives these days lol.


----------



## Kristoff

ynot1985 said:


> I only quoted the non EU price as I'm not in the EU



Hmmm.... But on my JNS page it says $1480 non vat and $1800+ inc vat. I am not sure what is the currency used in maxim's page. Anyway thank goodness the usuba is 225mm long, if it's 180 or 210 i would have pull the trigger and most likely sleep on the couch for the next month or so. Man Aussie dollars is so bad right now.......

That being said, I am willing to sleep on the couch for a 240mm kitaeji gyuto! Hahaha


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Smurfmacaw said:


> The real down side with having several knives is it takes a while for them to get dull...



Word, my stones don't see as much use as I'd like


----------



## aboynamedsuita

chinacats said:


> Yep, just having some fun...and the Shiganigans of late makes it somewhat easy:biggrin:



I know it's all in good fun, it adds to the interesting forum dynamic.


----------



## ynot1985

Kristoff said:


> Hmmm.... But on my JNS page it says $1480 non vat and $1800+ inc vat. I am not sure what is the currency used in maxim's page. Anyway thank goodness the usuba is 225mm long, if it's 180 or 210 i would have pull the trigger and most likely sleep on the couch for the next month or so. Man Aussie dollars is so bad right now.......
> 
> That being said, I am willing to sleep on the couch for a 240mm kitaeji gyuto! Hahaha



your currency was set to AUD (I normally set mine to AUd as well) but I changed it to USD for the forum as most speak in USD



tjangula said:


> Word, my stones don't see as much use as I'd like



man, I wish I can sharpen my knives everyday if I can.. btw, did you part with the kitaeji Suji?


----------



## aboynamedsuita

ynot1985 said:


> your currency was set to AUD (I normally set mine to AUd as well) but I changed it to USD for the forum as most speak in USD
> 
> 
> 
> man, I wish I can sharpen my knives everyday if I can.. btw, did you part with the kitaeji Suji?



I was seeing about $1400 CAD as Canadian and Australian dollars are similar, but follow in USD for the forums. Sometimes I like to browse JNS using DKK because these prices don't fluctuate based on the daily exchange rate

I only had a Kasumi Suji but it had clouds, it get sold to a fellow Canadian. For awhile recently I only had the KU nakiri (some shig collector eh)


----------



## ynot1985

you sold the usuba too? I think Miketran will have the ultimate Shig soon at the rate he is acquiring them

maybe one day when you get bored of the Takobiki, let me know.. I might get it off your hands... thank god JNS sold out, putting me out of my misery.


----------



## Kristoff

ynot1985 said:


> your currency was set to AUD (I normally set mine to AUd as well) but I changed it to USD for the forum as most speak in USD



Thanks for letting me know. I reckon it's auto currency set as I didn't change any settings at all.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

ynot1985 said:


> you sold the usuba too? I think Miketran will have the ultimate Shig soon at the rate he is acquiring them.



I wish I could find a lefty usuba, lefty Kitaeji anything would be nice (really liking those Yanagis with tamamoku cedar sayas at JNS). It seems like mikedtran and/or Zweber12 scoop up all shigs as they become available.


----------



## ynot1985

tjangula said:


> I wish I could find a lefty usuba, lefty Kitaeji anything would be nice (really liking those Yanagis with tamamoku cedar sayas at JNS). It seems like mikedtran and/or Zweber12 scoop up all shigs as they become available.



aren't lefty knives like 50% more.. custom order might be your only option unless you want to try the other hand (that could be interesting if you ever want to do Katsuramuki)


----------



## aboynamedsuita

I use a righty Toyama mukimono in my left hand off the board with the blade towards me no problems, except I had to round the choil a bit because that side is sharp


----------



## Zweber12

tjangula said:


> It seems like mikedtran and/or Zweber12 scoop up all shigs as they become available.



Great, I see I am building a reputation here; PM me if you have something interesting available! :razz:


----------



## Cheeks1989

You shig guys are nuts in a good way :razz:


----------



## Cashn

http://global.rakuten.com/en/co/us/cur/usd/store/niigatabussan/item/35093?scid=re_us_crt_criteo_paid

This randomly popped up in a side bar for me, sorry if it's old news but I know you don't see very many western shigs.


----------



## Badgertooth

This is going to be snapped up in abt a minute.


----------



## ynot1985

omg.. he has alot of shigs.. are they really available!!!


----------



## Smurfmacaw

If I didn't have two blue boxes already on the way AND if I could figure out Rakuten I'd buy it just to have as trading material.


----------



## ynot1985

theres every thing

210,210 yo kitaeji gyuto
yo petty
fugu knife
eel knife
270/300 kitaeji yanagiba
210 kasumi wa gyuto for 370 usd

+ many

where's miketran when you need him


----------



## Asteger

Cashn said:


> sorry if it's old news but I know you don't see very many western shigs.



Going back a long ways, I'm not sure why KKF people are into them either as the yo-handles look odd to me on Shig gyuto/petty blades. Could just be another part of the rarity-pursuing collection syndrome? I think the fact that Shigefusa makes them shows they cater a lot to the non-J (ie. Western) market, which to me sort of alters some of the Shig-allure. I wouldn't be the first to say that the single-bevels are where it's at with Shigs. Certainly more traditional.


----------



## Badgertooth

300mm Western Kitaeji has to be some madman's unicorn. US$1,800.00 worth of unicorn.
135mm Western Kitaeji Petty in at an eye watering US$900.00
Mike is abt lose his sh*t


----------



## Asteger

Badgertooth said:


> 300mm Western Kitaeji has to be some madman's unicorn. US$1,800.00 worth of unicorn. 135mm Western Kitaeji Petty in at an eye watering US$900.00. Mike is abt lose his sh*t



MikeT? Lost his long ago. Those prices are ridiculous, but I guess as this kind of knife soars into the non-real monied collectors' realm it's going to happen and then you see a bit of the frenzy on our pages here. I got a Western 210 Kitaeji gyuto (for a friend) for about $700 2 years ago or less. Bollocks


----------



## Miho

I thought those vendors at rakuten don't ship shigs outside of Japan


----------



## Badgertooth

Asteger said:


> MikeT? Lost his long ago. Those prices are ridiculous, but I guess as this kind of knife soars into the non-real monied collectors' realm it's going to happen and then you see a bit of the frenzy on our pages here. I got a Western 210 Kitaeji gyuto (for a friend) for about $700 2 years ago or less. Bollocks



Yo Kasumi costs significantly more than that now.


----------



## ynot1985

Tenso or make some friends with someone who lives in Japan



Miho said:


> I thought those vendors at rakuten don't ship shigs outside of Japan


----------



## ynot1985

Asteger said:


> I wouldn't be the first to say that the single-bevels are where it's at with Shigs. Certainly more traditional.



I wish they made single bevels in KU

I just want a poor man's shig collection.. strictly KUs

nothing that really interest me on that page except this.. 

http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/niigatabussan/item/35059/

got the Ajikiri. not cheap. but I have never seen this before. does anyone know if its single bevel? google translate tells me it a horse mackerel knife or mini deba?


----------



## Badgertooth

ynot1985 said:


> I wish they made single bevels in KU
> 
> I just want a poor man's shig collection.. strictly KUs
> 
> nothing that really interest me on that page except this..
> 
> http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/niigatabussan/item/35059/
> 
> got the Ajikiri. not cheap. but I have never seen this before. does anyone know if its single bevel? google translate tells me it a horse mackerel knife or mini deba?



Should be like small nimble deba, though I've seen ryoba versions by the likes of tadafusa.


----------



## Cashn

Funny, that link came up when I was checking the weather :laugh: hopefully someone finds something they like. Halfway thought it might of been nothing or BS.


----------



## mikedtran

ynot1985 said:


> theres every thing
> 
> 210,210 yo kitaeji gyuto
> yo petty
> fugu knife
> eel knife
> 270/300 kitaeji yanagiba
> 210 kasumi wa gyuto for 370 usd
> 
> + many
> 
> where's miketran when you need him



I've seen this vendor and I'm not sure that they have most of these knives in stock? Anyone know?

"Stock as soon as shipping (please contact us)"

Also if you want to see all their knives, which I think are a bit overpriced: http://item.rakuten.co.jp/niigatabussan/c/0000000145/


----------



## mikedtran

Anyone recognize this Shigefusa Kanji? What does the additional Kanji mean/say?


----------



## TheDispossessed

All I know is those are the cheapest shigs I've seen. They normally sell for even less than the traditional KU and come with vinyl ferrules on the handles. So maybe it means cheap.


mikedtran said:


> Anyone recognize this Shigefusa Kanji? What does the additional Kanji mean/say?


----------



## mikedtran

TheDispossessed said:


> All I know is those are the cheapest shigs I've seen. They normally sell for even less than the traditional KU and come with vinyl ferrules on the handles. So maybe it means cheap.



Yeah they sell for about half the price of the traditional KU. I'm curious on the grind and could always swap out the handle assume its installed without epoxy.


----------



## Keith Sinclair

I find more Knives from Japan are often epoxy. It is nice when you can knock off a handle in one piece. Can save them & put on another knife. When epoxied to the tang I split them off with a flat chisel handle gets destroyed.


----------



## Smurfmacaw

mikedtran said:


> Anyone recognize this Shigefusa Kanji? What does the additional Kanji mean/say?



That's easy, it says sell the santoku to smurf!


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Zweber12 said:


> Great, I see I am building a reputation here; PM me if you have something interesting available! :razz:


I'll have a NIB NOS Kitaeji takobiki shortly, should be here on Thursday. One other member was also interested too





mikedtran said:


> Anyone recognize this Shigefusa Kanji? What does the additional Kanji mean/say?


There was a thread in the kitchen knife knowledge sub forum called Shigefusa brands (or similar) that may have something, not sure though. If they are basically a rebranded shig with a garbage handle it may be a good deal if you don't mind rehandling.


----------



## mikedtran

tjangula said:


> I'll have a NIB NOS Kitaeji takobiki shortly, should be here on Thursday. One other member was also interested too
> 
> There was a thread in the kitchen knife knowledge sub forum called Shigefusa brands (or similar) that may have something, not sure though. If they are basically a rebranded shig with a garbage handle it may be a good deal if you don't mind rehandling.



Thanks, I look a look and nothing fruitful there. The character in the bottom left looks like a (-) sign which makes me wonder if this is second quality?


----------



## chinacats

mikedtran said:


> Anyone recognize this Shigefusa Kanji? What does the additional Kanji mean/say?




I have no idea what that kanji means, but doubt many that can read it are following this thread. May want to post a new thread to ask if interest in reading the kanji...


----------



## mikedtran

chinacats said:


> I have no idea what that kanji means, but doubt many that can read it are following this thread. May want to post a new thread to ask if interest in reading the kanji...



Good thinking =) - Posted another thread

Zoomed picture incase someone can:


----------



## maxim

It is made for Sanjo Shop, cheaper version of Shigefusa, they usually come with plastic bulster as well


----------



## XooMG

maxim said:


> View attachment 30828
> 
> 
> It is made for Sanjo Shop, cheaper version of Shigefusa, they usually come with plastic bulster as well


Thanks for the clearer picture Maksim; I had guessed wrong from the first pic.


----------



## mikedtran

maxim said:


> View attachment 30828
> 
> 
> It is made for Sanjo Shop, cheaper version of Shigefusa, they usually come with plastic bulster as well



Thanks Maksim! Nice to see you posting =)


----------



## Kristoff

maxim said:


> View attachment 30828
> 
> 
> It is made for Sanjo Shop, cheaper version of Shigefusa, they usually come with plastic bulster as well



The kanji means special production, or if put in a sentence "made specifically for xxx"


----------



## Mucho Bocho

Kristoff said:


> The kanji means special production, or if put in a sentence "made specifically for xxx"



Who was the porn star? Now this is getting interesting...


----------



## Kristoff

Mucho Bocho said:


> Who was the porn star? Now this is getting interesting...



Mikedtran maybe? &#128513;&#128513;


----------



## Asteger

Ah-ha! I knew this Shig business was getting out of hand!


----------



## Zweber12

He like to appeal to a new audience, especially the scissor subsegment..


----------



## Pcol2000

All these shigs popping up but no lefty single bevels. I been looking for over a year now.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

There's a few lefty single bevels out in the wild but definitely a unicorn.


----------



## Iggy

I don't know if someone has already wrote about it but James from K&S has some Kitaeji Yanagibas (300 & 330 mm) in his shop now!
Luckily I can't convince myself of buying one of those because I just got a 300mm Kasumi a few month back... :bliss:


----------



## Smurfmacaw

The 300mm Yanagiba and 300mm Takobiki arrived today and they are really nice. Signatures are a little different from the newer ones but same quality of finish on the steel and nice highlights in the horn bolsters.


----------



## glestain

Photos. ....


----------



## spoiledbroth

Wasn't it Einstein who asked Bohr if somebody buys a shig and doesn't take a picture, does the shig even exist?


----------



## Smurfmacaw

So true. Pic's tomorrow, running out of light today.


----------



## Asteger

glestain said:


> Photos. ....



Yes, please. After all, the point of these is to take nice photos, non? :whistling:

(Sorry, don't get me wrong. I enjoy this stuff too but also like a tease.)


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Smurfmacaw said:


> The 300mm Yanagiba and 300mm Takobiki arrived today and they are really nice. Signatures are a little different from the newer ones but same quality of finish on the steel and nice highlights in the horn bolsters.



Did you get the one with the really nice marble bolster? I was too lazy to go by DHL so will get tomorrow


----------



## Smurfmacaw

No, they both have dark horn bolsters with brown highlights. Kind of cool actually.


----------



## patraleigh

Hi all, 

I just got my SHIGEFUSA KITAEJI YANAGIBA 300MM OLD STOCK couple hrs. ago 

Like Smurfmacaw said is really really nice !!

this's my fist Shig knife and give me awhile to figure out how to post pictures











edited : sorry picture not show up but you can right click and then click on " open image in new tap "


----------



## glestain

Not working


----------



## bkultra

patraleigh said:


> edited : sorry picture not show up but you can right click and then click on " open image in new tap "


----------



## glestain

Ok, from what I see, it seems the pattern not that much populated?


----------



## Smurfmacaw

I haven't had much time to play with knives today but I'll put it side by side with a new usuba to see how the patterns compare. Unfortunately my other yanagiba isn't back from Mikey yet.


----------



## patraleigh

Thanks you so much bkultra:wink:


----------



## Smurfmacaw

Ok, some pics finally.

First off, the teaser.....


----------



## Smurfmacaw

Now the 300mm Yanagiba. Also a close up of the signature.


----------



## Smurfmacaw

300mm Takobiki and the signature.


----------



## Smurfmacaw

The two of them together.


----------



## Smurfmacaw

Finally, with a modern shig usuba and a comparison of the makers marks.


----------



## Smurfmacaw

The ferrules have more brown streaks in them than my newer shigs but the blade pattern and finish is indistinguishable. The steel is mirror smooth and very understated.


----------



## Smurfmacaw

The handles are in extremely good shape, I wonder if they have been added recently.


----------



## Mucho Bocho

Nice score Mike. Post a shot of your whole Shigfusa family.


----------



## Bill13

Very nice, great photography skills too.


----------



## Smurfmacaw

Lol, I don't know about my photography skills. I need to put my light box together - knives are extremely difficult to photograph.

I've got half the family (5 of 10) out for new handles so it'll be a couple of weeks until I can photograph them all.


----------



## Asteger

Smurfmacaw said:


> Finally, with a modern shig usuba and a comparison of the makers marks.



That usuba looks very large. A 240? Also, the tip is quite square and usually there's an angle there. If you hadn't said this was a 'modern' usuba, I would have guessed it was older too. But what do you know about the square tip?


----------



## Smurfmacaw

Asteger said:


> That usuba looks very large. A 240? Also, the tip is quite square and usually there's an angle there. If you hadn't said this was a 'modern' usuba, I would have guessed it was older too. But what do you know about the square tip?



Actually it's a 210mm, the tip angles down but doesn't come to a sharp edge. I'll try to get a better photo of the tip later.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

I got the nos takobiki today, pics to follow once I'm home.


----------



## Smurfmacaw

I'm doing pork tenderloins tonight so I have to decide whether to use the Yanagiba or the Takobiki. Both are pretty bitchin'.


----------



## Smurfmacaw

Well....the out of box edge is enough to fall through a pork tenderloin. Didn't even drag the final edges...perfect cut with NO pressure. I'm impressed. Can't wait to cut up some tuna!


----------



## aboynamedsuita

tjangula said:


> I got the nos takobiki today, pics to follow once I'm home.



Here's the 300mm Shigefusa Kitaeji NOS Takobiki:









I concur with Smurfmacaw's comments about F&F on the NOS Shigs the marble horn ferrule is really nice on this one too!

Closeup of the kanji:





Here's a book I picked up to unlearn my wrong handedness:


----------



## Smurfmacaw

Let us know how it works.


----------



## easy13

Anyone grab a 210 Kasumi from Japan Woodworker today?


----------



## ynot1985

Both myself and mikedtran got a dispatch email


----------



## easy13

ynot1985 said:


> Both myself and mikedtran got a dispatch email



Saying?


----------



## ynot1985

The 210 kasumi that we ordered ages ago has been despatched with tracking info

Is that what you mean by grabbed one today?


----------



## easy13

ynot1985 said:


> The 210 kasumi that we ordered ages ago has been despatched with tracking info
> 
> Is that what you mean by grabbed one today?



Yeah, I grabbed one up earlier, got confirmation, operator said it was shipping Monday, but payment wasn't processed yet. Wanted to see if a batch came in or if it was one of those open hold situations


----------



## ynot1985

They are terrible with back orders .. Dates always wrong so I'm not believing anything until I see the knife in front of me


----------



## mikedtran

ynot1985 said:


> They are terrible with back orders .. Dates always wrong so I'm not believing anything until I see the knife in front of me



+1 on that they are terrible with backorders. Though me and Tony did get a delivery email so that is hopeful =)


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Smurfmacaw said:


> Let us know how it works.



No dice 

I'm too old to unlearn as the antiquated publication is intended for children.


----------



## Smurfmacaw

tjangula said:


> Here's the 300mm Shigefusa Kitaeji NOS Takobiki:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I concur with Smurfmacaw's comments about F&F on the NOS Shigs the marble horn ferrule is really nice on this one too!
> 
> Closeup of the kanji:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Here's a book I picked up to unlearn my wrong handedness:



I just now had the chance to look at the photo closely....nice score on the ferrule, that's a really nice one.


----------



## jacko9

easy13 said:


> Anyone grab a 210 Kasumi from Japan Woodworker today?


 Yeah too bad that the current sale at Japan Woodworker is only $20 off a $200 sale. Did you guys order back during the holiday sale was it 15 or 20% off? I would be interested to see when they actually deliver.


----------



## ynot1985

I got it just before xmas.. 15 % off


----------



## jacko9

I remember that sale and I had just purchased a Konosuke Fyjiyama Gyuto - my wife wasn't in the mood for me getting "her a new xmas knife"


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Smurfmacaw said:


> I just now had the chance to look at the photo closely....nice score on the ferrule, that's a really nice one.



Yeah that's the ultra-streaked marble one I was referring too when I asked which one you got. Probably going to leave the handle alone on this one.


----------



## jacko9

ynot1985 said:


> I got it just before xmas.. 15 % off



Was this the knife you got for 15% off?

http://www.japanwoodworker.com/Prod...hef's-Knife-(Wa-Gyuto-Hocho)---Shigefusa.aspx

Jack


----------



## mikedtran

jacko9 said:


> Was this the knife you got for 15% off?
> 
> http://www.japanwoodworker.com/Prod...hef's-Knife-(Wa-Gyuto-Hocho)---Shigefusa.aspx
> 
> Jack



I got this one at 10% off before Christmas, but I had to pay 10% state sales tax so it evened out. Then of course there is shipping.


----------



## ynot1985

Yes. I ordered it pre dec at 10% off but the back order was wrong so when they had 15% off, I cancelled my old order and reordered again. Every bit. Helps when postage was 85 usd for a knife


----------



## schanop

All right, Maximo has more mioroshi debas available.


----------



## Zweber12

schanop said:


> All right, Maximo has more mioroshi debas available.



5 minutes in and they are still available..


----------



## schanop

All three of 210 mioroshi debas are gone :happymug: not bad for single bevel knives.


----------



## Dardeau

If the 270mm were a touch cheaper if be all over it. Close to $700 is a bit too much for a work knife for me.


----------



## spoiledbroth

as an aside, is it some kind of long running joke to constantly spell that JNS fellow's name differently every time he's mentioned


----------



## daveb

I almost did the math on a 210 this morning. Scary close.


----------



## daveb

spoiledbroth said:


> as an aside, is it some kind of long running joke to constantly spell that JNS fellow's name differently every time he's mentioned




Hell, he spells it differently everytime...


----------



## jacko9

daveb said:


> Hell, he spells it differently everytime...



You mean MrM from JNS?


----------



## Dardeau

The big ones are still there, tempting me. I really shouldn't buy one of these, I have a perfectly good 270mm mioroshi, but there are so few fancy big mioroshi available.


----------



## Asteger

spoiledbroth said:


> as an aside, is it some kind of long running joke to constantly spell that JNS fellow's name differently every time he's mentioned



Good spelling and KKF should probably never be mentioned in the same breath, and count me as an offender (but blame my typos, honest). Don't even get me started on punctuation.


----------



## mikedtran

180mm Kitaeji Gyuto - $650
240mm Kasumi Gyuto - $550
210mm Kasumi Mioroshi Deba - $380

PM me if you want to know the source(s) let the hunt / games begin =D


----------



## Jovidah

mikedtran said:


> 180mm Kitaeji Gyuto - $650
> 240mm Kasumi Gyuto - $550
> 210mm Kasumi Mioroshi Deba - $380
> 
> PM me if you want to know the source(s) let the hunt / games begin =D



You could....auction off the the sales information...


----------



## mikedtran

As a note I think most people found the 180mm and the 240mm by now, but the VERY VERY strange thing is that the 180mm Kitaeji seems to have the full 2-small 3-large kanji normally reserved only for Kitaeji single bevels...

I've only ever seen this one other time on a double bevel shigefusa and it was a yo-handle kitaeji:


----------



## Chicagohawkie

Why would you not just post where the knives are available to simplify the process. Getting so silly.


----------



## Miho

mikedtran said:


> 180mm Kitaeji Gyuto - $650
> 240mm Kasumi Gyuto - $550
> 210mm Kasumi Mioroshi Deba - $380
> 
> PM me if you want to know the source(s) let the hunt / games begin =D



Shigs that your not buying?
Feel like I'm being trolled 

Woke up 5am in the morning and ended up buying the 240 on impulse.

Selling my 210 when it gets here


----------



## mikedtran

Chicagohawkie said:


> Why would you not just post where the knives are available to simplify the process. Getting so silly.



To be completely honest the first two blades are from a source I would very willing share (and most people know)

The second source is one that I would probably only share with active members, as it has been the source of most of my Shigefusas at a very very reasonable price. That m-deba is $200 cheaper than the most recent prices.


----------



## mikedtran

Miho said:


> Shigs that your not buying?
> Feel like I'm being trolled
> 
> Woke up 5am in the morning and ended up buying the 240 on impulse.
> 
> Selling my 210 when it gets here



HAHAHA 

Solid buy on the 240mm! I think the 180mm is a bit overpriced though.

I know Floris (Zweber12) is looking for a Kasumi Gyuto so I would point you his way when you sell the 210mm =)


----------



## mikedtran

Did someone here pickup the 180mm Kitaeji Gyuto? Seems to be sold now =)


----------



## HomeCook

210mm Kitaeji. Email came at 10:35am
http://www.japanesenaturalstones.com/shigefusa/

Edit: gone by the time I posted 
Edit: back up, go figure


----------



## mikedtran

210 Kitaeji Yanagibas - $856
210 Kitaeji Gyuto - $871

They are up on JNS!

Edit: Everything still live 20 minutes after the email went out.


----------



## mikedtran

HomeCook said:


> 210mm Kitaeji. Email came at 10:35am
> http://www.japanesenaturalstones.com/shigefusa/
> 
> Edit: gone by the time I posted
> Edit: back up, go figure



I think the Maksim put them in stock after the email went out this time =p


----------



## Hianyiaw

And they are still there


----------



## mikedtran

Hianyiaw said:


> And they are still there



Gyuto just sold out (right now) =)


----------



## aboynamedsuita

mikedtran said:


> Gyuto just sold out (right now) =)


Did you buy it?


----------



## mikedtran

tjangula said:


> Did you buy it?



I did not! Don't think I'm looking for a Kitaeji Gyuto (shockingly enough)

Pictures of the 210mm Yanagibas were just posted on the website (there were some on IG and FB earlier today) it looks beautiful. Luckily I scored a 210mm Kitaeji Yanagiba just earlier this week:


----------



## aboynamedsuita

mikedtran said:


> I did not! Don't think I'm looking for a Kitaeji Gyuto (shockingly enough)
> 
> Pictures of the 210mm Yanagibas were just posted on the website (there were some on IG and FB earlier today) it looks beautiful. Luckily I scored a 210mm Kitaeji Yanagiba just earlier this week


I'm kind of surprised to see the yanagi still around


----------



## F-Flash

I wonder how many shig gyutos Maksim would have to get, for them to last this long, 5, 10, 15?


----------



## mikedtran

The gyutos are out, I believe he had one

He had at least 3 yanagis, based on the IG and FB pictures.


----------



## mikedtran

There is a Masayuki 180mm Deba on the BST right now...


----------



## Badgertooth

Kitaeji yanagiba on JNS


----------



## jacko9

Badgertooth said:


> Kitaeji yanagiba on JNS



I thought that I saw mikedtran's name on that one ;-)


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Badgertooth said:


> Kitaeji yanagiba on JNS



It's been there for awhile, i believe several came in at the time.


----------



## F-Flash

Don't know if it has been mentioned before. But this seems to be in Stock. 360mm yanagiba. If you can get VAT off. Doesn't sound bad at all .
http://www.japansemessen.nl/a-41074301/shigefusa/shigefusa-kasumi-yanagiba-sashimi-vismes-360mm/


----------



## mikedtran

jacko9 said:


> I thought that I saw mikedtran's name on that one ;-)



Hahaha I got one from another source already =)


----------



## DamageInc

F-Flash said:


> I wonder how many shig gyutos Maksim would have to get, for them to last this long, 5, 10, 15?



I think if he got a shipment of 50 240mm Katos and Shigs, it would last roughly a week.


----------



## chinacats

DamageInc said:


> I think if he got a shipment of 50 240mm Katos and Shigs, it would last roughly a week.



No, my guess is that they would be split among about three members and thrown in a safe somewhere...just like any other shipment, gone in 5 minutes...


:running:


----------



## ynot1985

Maksim just posted a kitaeji cleaver on Instagram.. Wonder if that's for sale


----------



## Badgertooth

What do we think that other badass blade is a few posts later with that crazy hamon?


----------



## Zweber12

Wow:


----------



## Smurfmacaw

I don't see it. His instagram address is japanesenaturalstones?


----------



## glestain

https://www.instagram.com/jnsmaksim/


----------



## mikedtran

Smurfmacaw said:


> I don't see it. His instagram address is japanesenaturalstones?



His Instagram is jnsmaksim


----------



## Smurfmacaw

thanks....the cleaver is....wow! The katana looks great too but probably out of my price range lol.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Smurfmacaw said:


> thanks....the cleaver is....wow! The katana looks great too but probably out of my price range lol.



If the katana is out of your price range that says something because I've seen your knife collection


----------



## mikedtran

echurub is selling a Kasumi Chukka!


----------



## aboynamedsuita

mikedtran said:


> echurub is selling a Kasumi Chukka!



saw that... if I didn't have an mini version on the way I may be interested


----------



## Asteger

chinacats said:


> No, my guess is that they would be split among about three members and thrown in a safe somewhere...just like any other shipment, gone in 5 minutes...
> 
> :running:



:doublethumbsup:


----------



## F-Flash

Keep your bankaccounts full. I think Maksim has lot of stuff for sale soon.


----------



## mikedtran

I had to clear my inbox, who was asking about a price on a Shigefusa Kiritsuke? I just got a line/quote on one.


----------



## Zweber12

2 muki's on JNS!


----------



## Mute-on

Zweber12 said:


> 2 muki's on JNS!



One left. Someone hurry up and take it! I don't need the temptation


----------



## ynot1985

Buy it mute-on.. There's not enough shigs down under.. Too many leaving our shores and not enough coming in


----------



## schanop

Maxim just posted this on instagram. It looks awesome.


----------



## ynot1985

new email is out and the chukka isn't there. I think Maksim is keeping that one in his collection


----------



## rami_m

ynot1985 said:


> new email is out and the chukka isn't there. I think Maksim is keeping that one in his collection



Want to bet it shows up here in the new knives thread before too long.


----------



## Smurfmacaw

For those interested, I listed one of my Kitaeji 300mm NOS Takobiki's for sale in BST.


----------



## MAS4T0

Smurfmacaw said:


> For those interested, I listed one of my Kitaeji 300mm NOS Takobiki's for sale in BST.



Great looking knife you've got there Mike!


----------



## Kn9b8

There is a 240 Kasumi Gyuto for sale on ebay from Canada . Only $360


----------



## jacko9

Kn9b8 said:


> There is a 240 Kasumi Gyuto for sale on ebay from Canada . Only $360



Just out of curiosity, if a shig like this one has been used in a pro environment and sharpened 15 times or so, how much is it worth? For us newbies how do we place value on a used knife? If a knife has been sharpened so many times that it needs to be thinned, how expensive is it to have a pro do that (assuming that you can't do it yourself)?


----------



## strumke

Sold already


----------



## jacko9

strumke said:


> Sold already



No doubt, he posted it on another forum a little while ago for $400 - so my question still stands, how would somebody value a knife like that???? Perhaps the answer is the buyer should know but, I thought this being an open forum one might be able to ask that question.


----------



## chinacats

jacko9 said:


> No doubt, he posted it on another forum a little while ago for $400 - so my question still stands, how would somebody value a knife like that???? Perhaps the answer is the buyer should know but, I thought this being an open forum one might be able to ask that question.




Hard to tell a real value. IMO, the knife he sold (if it was sharpened 15 times) is not likely to be even similar to a new Shig. If it was maintained by someone who knows what they are doing and sharpening is only stropping on a finisher then maybe no big deal--did they thin the knife? I would rely on pics and hopefully the honesty of the seller. More importantly, I would have a hard time buying a Shig from Ebay and would consider that you could do much better around these parts by posting a wtb at the right time. I would also suggest that if you bought that knife and didn't like it that you could not relate that to how a Shig actually performs.


----------



## mikedtran

To pile in on a knife that has been sharpened 15 times.

If it was sharpened and thinned there is a decent chance it cuts better than it originally did out of the box. I would say what makes a Shig a Shig has a lot to do with the S-grind (which you don't lose from thinning), the steel, and the heat treat.


----------



## Godslayer

Shigefusa line knife? Man those would sell.


----------



## chinacats

mikedtran said:


> If it was sharpened and thinned there is a decent chance it cuts better than it originally did out of the box. I would say what makes a Shig a Shig has a lot to do with the S-grind (which you don't lose from thinning), the steel, and the heat treat.



I think you are being misled because the Shiggies sold around here are either un-used or been sharpened by professionals. Most knives that I've seen that have been sharpened and thinned that much are wrecks that do not outperform the originals (with a few exceptions).

While 15 sharpenings may not lose the S-grind, it certainly will not perform the same as it did when new because the edge will have moved up toward the spine.

Agreed about steel and h/t, but overall give me a Shig when it's new...

And I'm not sure what happened to Shigefusa as of late, but they used to be outstanding cutters straight out of the box...the handful of used Shigs I've seen/used do not come close to oob performance.


----------



## mikedtran

chinacats said:


> I think you are being misled because the Shiggies sold around here are either un-used or been sharpened by professionals. Most knives that I've seen that have been sharpened and thinned that much are wrecks that do not outperform the originals (with a few exceptions).
> 
> While 15 sharpenings may not lose the S-grind, it certainly will not perform the same as it did when new because the edge will have moved up toward the spine.
> 
> And I'm not sure what happened to Shigefusa as of late, but they used to be outstanding cutters straight out of the box...the handful of used Shigs I've seen/used do not come close to oob performance.



I've had a mix of new and used Shigefusas and I personally prefer to thin them out a bit myself even for the brand new ones. It is relatively easy to thin and refinish an Shigefusa due to the steel used and the finish the Kasumis start with. I can probably get a decent job done in about 1-1.5 hours.

I find the Shigefusa grind to be an amazing grind through potatoes, excellent through onions and other vegetables, but can use a bit of thinning before hitting the carrots to its fullest potential.


----------



## jacko9

mikedtran said:


> I've had a mix of new and used Shigefusas and I personally prefer to thin them out a bit myself even for the brand new ones. It is relatively easy to thin and refinish an Shigefusa due to the steel used and the finish the Kasumis start with. I can probably get a decent job done in about 1-1.5 hours.
> 
> I find the Shigefusa grind to be an amazing grind through potatoes, excellent through onions and other vegetables, but can use a bit of thinning before hitting the carrots to its fullest potential.



The seller mentioned sharpening 15 times or so but, nothing about thinning. I would tend to go with a known quantity of a new knife (or one not used very much).


----------



## Badgertooth

mikedtran said:


> I've had a mix of new and used Shigefusas and I personally prefer to thin them out a bit myself even for the brand new ones. It is relatively easy to thin and refinish an Shigefusa due to the steel used and the finish the Kasumis start with. I can probably get a decent job done in about 1-1.5 hours.
> 
> I find the Shigefusa grind to be an amazing grind through potatoes, excellent through onions and other vegetables, but can use a bit of thinning before hitting the carrots to its fullest potential.



+ 1


----------



## chinacats

Agree that they are easy to refinish...I believe a green scrubbie will yield an almost identical finish and sharpening/thinning is as easy as anything...all that said, if I'm buying then I'll take a new one or something other than a Shig.


----------



## krx927

chinacats said:


> I think you are being misled because the Shiggies sold around here are either un-used or been sharpened by professionals. Most knives that I've seen that have been sharpened and thinned that much are wrecks that do not outperform the originals (with a few exceptions).
> 
> While 15 sharpenings may not lose the S-grind, it certainly will not perform the same as it did when new because the edge will have moved up toward the spine.
> 
> Agreed about steel and h/t, but overall give me a Shig when it's new...
> 
> And I'm not sure what happened to Shigefusa as of late, but they used to be outstanding cutters straight out of the box...the handful of used Shigs I've seen/used do not come close to oob performance.




I must say that when I received my first Shig last autumn I was pretty disappointed by the OOTB edge. I was reading how they come with super sharp edges, but mine was not like that.
No issue to sharpen it but it was against everything I read about them.


----------



## jimbob

I don't know why ootb edges are so important. Buying knives like this surely it is known sharpening and maintaining is required. Especially when different edges on the same knives will work better for different users and different tasks.


----------



## krx927

I agree, they are not important. I was just surprised as everybody was saying that Shigs come screamingly sharp.


----------



## schanop

If anyone is interested, have a look at this KU chuka on B/S/T irate1:


----------



## mikedtran

Currently available...

230mm Kasumi Yanagiba - ~$400
320mm Kitaeji Yanagiba - ~$960

Most of you guys know where to look, or just shoot me a PM. If I didn't already have yanagibas in these lengths I probably would have been all over it =)


----------



## Hianyiaw

The 320 is a great price but I just bought the gyutohiki on bst


----------



## mikedtran

Hianyiaw said:


> The 320 is a great price but I just bought the gyutohiki on bst



It is! I think another member is already on it =)


----------



## mikedtran

Inbox cleared for whoever was trying to message me.


----------



## YG420

Im proud of myself im finally showing some restraint but that is a great price for the 320!


----------



## ynot1985

Must resist too.. [emoji1]


----------



## mikedtran

Surprised it is still around, thought the sushi chef I talk to would have yoinked it already =p

Then again maybe he did and the site as usual never updates...


----------



## Badgertooth

380mm Kitaeji takobiki monster headed to JNS soon


----------



## Zweber12

Just saw that knife on his instagram, that is a proper sword..


----------



## DamageInc

It's 360mm. And it's still there surprisingly.


----------



## chinacats

DamageInc said:


> It's 360mm. And it's still there surprisingly.



Not quite sure why that would be so surprising. How many people would you guess have a need (meaning purpose) for such a knife? Unfortunate that it'll either wind up as a display piece or at best be used to cut rolls. :running:


----------



## YG420

Gone


----------



## DamageInc

It's gone now. Unsurprisingly.


----------



## chinacats

DamageInc said:


> It's gone now. Unsurprisingly.



:biggrin:

So, who's wall art?


----------



## aboynamedsuita

chinacats said:


> Not quite sure why that would be so surprising. How many people would you guess have a need (meaning purpose) for such a knife? Unfortunate that it'll either wind up as a display piece or at best be used to cut rolls. :running:





chinacats said:


> :biggrin:
> 
> So, who's wall art?



I can tell you who's it isn't


----------



## DamageInc

I'm not one to gloat.


----------



## chinacats

DamageInc said:


> I'm not one to gloat.



Well it certainly won't be gloating to post a nice picture...I am sure it will be a magnificent piece of steel. irate1:


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Good score damage, nice way to get into the shig game :knife:


----------



## DamageInc

I never said I purchased it.


----------



## YG420

Lmao


----------



## DanHumphrey

Does anyone in this thread want to school me on what is _so_ special about Shigefusas? Heat treat? Edge? Grind?


----------



## DamageInc

Finish is top notch. Grind is good for a medium weight. Edge retention is medium-good.

They just feel real good in the hand. At least the ones I've handled. Premium knives.


----------



## Anton

It's the grind 
But they are also running in a "Hot" streak right now, little hipped up tho IMO


----------



## alterwisser

I tried two, didn't like either one. Especially not at the price point. You can stone me now [emoji87][emoji6]


----------



## TheDispossessed

I'm of two minds about this.........
The fact that the knives are primarily, if not entirely shaped with a sen is pretty cool, and the choil pictures always look beautiful, they have a sculpted quality to them.....
But in actual use I wasn't impressed by the grind and think they're too thick ootb. Many forum members are of the same opinion. 
The steel/HT is nice, some of the most pleasant stuff to sharpen. But that's really any properly heat treated super pure carbon steel.
I'd love to have a shig gyuto, but I'd pay about $400 for a Kasumi 240, I don't think they're worth a dollar more than that.


Anton said:


> It's the grind


----------



## easy13

Hype machine, the fact that they are hand forged always earns points in my book when the price is that high but wasn't that much impressed by any I had.


----------



## chinacats

They cycle in popularity...very high right now, sometimes not so much. Great knives, great steel, great finish; still probably overpriced.


----------



## Anton

TheDispossessed said:


> I'm of two minds about this.........
> The fact that the knives are primarily, if not entirely shaped with a sen is pretty cool, and the choil pictures always look beautiful, they have a sculpted quality to them.....
> But in actual use I wasn't impressed by the grind and think they're too thick ootb. Many forum members are of the same opinion.
> The steel/HT is nice, some of the most pleasant stuff to sharpen. But that's really any properly heat treated super pure carbon steel.
> I'd love to have a shig gyuto, but I'd pay about $400 for a Kasumi 240, I don't think they're worth a dollar more than that.



I support this message 
They are very well made knives, but they vary. went through 6; Kasumi, Kitaegi, wa and yo until I found the right one, but then I sold it... Since then I got one of them back, it is a very good knife to keep in the rotation. But not for more than $400-500. 
I think a knife, like most things, represents a certain value, not cost, to each user. If you get one with the right grind for you, it feels great in hand and stones and performs great then it would be of high value to that individual, Shig or ol rusty Misono. I just think the recent demand spree is not represenative.


----------



## daveb

They turn your produce into all kinds of groovy colors. Like cool man. :cool2:


----------



## Asteger

Seems like there was a recent Shig bubble. Of course prices won't go through the roof like they could with other goods in the wider world, but you can get a kind of have-to-buy mentality which probably distorts their objective value and the feeling around them, and then everything becomes scarce while people feel they must purchase or if not they'll miss out. Basically, seems there were a bunch of people who started pursuing them without the constraints of budget that others would usually have, and a kind of aftermath was left. In ways I can't help but think of examples of where outside buyers descend on a property market, buy up most of the places, and then the locals can't find a new home. Shigs seem prone to this as they have a pretty developed image, but I would say that when there's too much of a frenzy around them it becomes a bit of a turn off. Maybe be patient and see what else is out there.


----------



## jacko9

I agree with the hype vs cost and the few times that I have been at the keyboard when JNS email arrived with Shig availability - I just couldn't justify to myself pulling the trigger on a knife I have never had the pleasure to hold in my hand for the price.


----------



## Timthebeaver

Asteger said:


> Seems like there was a recent Shig bubble. Of course prices won't go through the roof like they could with other goods in the wider world, but you can get a kind of have-to-buy mentality which probably distorts their objective value and the feeling around them, and then everything becomes scarce while people feel they must purchase or if not they'll miss out. Basically, seems there were a bunch of people who started pursuing them without the constraints of budget that others would usually have, and a kind of aftermath was left. In ways I can't help but think of examples of where outside buyers descend on a property market, buy up most of the places, and then the locals can't find a new home. Shigs seem prone to this as they have a pretty developed image, but I would say that when there's too much of a frenzy around them it becomes a bit of a turn off. Maybe be patient and see what else is out there.



All of this.

However, Shigefusa knives have always been highly sought after, as examples of first rate craftsmanship. Availability has increased over the last few years, demand even moreso. Performance is nothing extraordinary, at least in my experience.


----------



## mikedtran

Having owned and still owning many Shigs, I would say that the double bevel knives (Nakiri, Santoku, and Gyuto) are a little thick behind the edge to start in my book and are extremely reactive. That being said Shigs have an amazing subtle S-grind, are easy to thin, have great heat treatment, and balance. 

Shig single bevel on the other hand are a whole different story, this is where Shigefusas really shine. The couple that I have started to sharpen have had extremely even bevels with almost no or no low spots at all. The ura side is beautiful and the blades are a dream to handle.

That being said there is a lot of hype around Shigs, though equally as much if not more imo around other knives I have owned such as Devin Thomas, Katos, etc. I would generally recommend everyone give all these knives a try though as resale on the knives is 90%-100% of the value you will pay for them.

*Summary*

Pros:
-Amazing to Sharpen (great heat treat/steel)
-Easy to Thin
-Great grind (S-grind)
-Great Balance

Cons:
-Reactive
-Slightly thick behind the edge (performance OOTB)
-Recent prices


----------



## Asteger

Timthebeaver said:


> However, Shigefusa knives have always been highly sought after, as examples of first rate craftsmanship. Availability has increased over the last few years, demand even moreso. Performance is nothing extraordinary, at least in my experience.



Prices have gone up and real availability has decreased, so that some long-time Shig sellers in Japan appear not to stock them any more. At the same time, anecdotally it seems that they've altered their knives (2-bevels) to appeal to the foreign market. It's a matter of taste and preference, but it could be the older ones were better. Usual concensus is that the 1-bevs are where it's at, and I imagine these are much more like they were made in the past.


----------



## Asteger

mikedtran said:


> Pros:
> -Amazing to Sharpen (great heat treat/steel)
> -Easy to Thin
> -Great grind (S-grind)
> -Great Balance
> 
> Cons:
> -Reactive
> -Slightly thick behind the edge (performance OOTB)
> -Recent prices



I like this but haven't found the same cons so much, aside from the reactivity with is more than usual. (Has to be a disadvantage of the finish.) Didn't find a thickness problem, though this would be easily remedied. Prices were on the high side before, but I wouldn't even bother checking now.


----------



## mikedtran

Asteger said:


> I like this but haven't found the same cons so much, aside from the reactivity with is more than usual. (Has to be a disadvantage of the finish.) Didn't find a thickness problem, though this would be easily remedied. Prices were on the high side before, but I wouldn't even bother checking now.



I think the thickness for me is most noticeable through carrots, though very easy to fix with a quick thinning. Easiest knife to thinned I have ever owned =)


----------



## easy13

For the prices these are going for you shouldn't have to thin anything on a brand new knife.


----------



## chinacats

easy13 said:


> For the prices these are going for you shouldn't have to thin anything on a brand new knife.



Agreed, and in my memory this was never necessary on new Shigs (I only owned double bevels) so guessing it is a rather new phenomenon. That said, I agree that they are extremely easy to thin/sharpen.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

DamageInc said:


> I never said I purchased it.


True, I must have interpreted your earlier comment incorrectly gotta stop reading between the lines :detective:




Asteger said:


> Seems like there was a recent Shig bubble. Of course prices won't go through the roof like they could with other goods in the wider world, but you can get a kind of have-to-buy mentality which probably distorts their objective value and the feeling around them, and then everything becomes scarce while people feel they must purchase or if not they'll miss out. Basically, seems there were a bunch of people who started pursuing them without the constraints of budget that others would usually have, and a kind of aftermath was left. In ways I can't help but think of examples of where outside buyers descend on a property market, buy up most of the places, and then the locals can't find a new home. Shigs seem prone to this as they have a pretty developed image, but I would say that when there's too much of a frenzy around them it becomes a bit of a turn off. Maybe be patient and see what else is out there.


The property market analogy reminds me of Vancouver, BC, Canada. Homes selling for +$2M which wound only be a few hundred thousand here. I currently only have two shigs  both nakiris, one Kurouchi and one Kitaeji.


----------



## Timthebeaver

Asteger said:


> Prices have gone up and real availability has decreased, so that some long-time Shig sellers in Japan appear not to stock them any more. At the same time, anecdotally it seems that they've altered their knives (2-bevels) to appeal to the foreign market. It's a matter of taste and preference, but it could be the older ones were better. Usual concensus is that the 1-bevs are where it's at, and I imagine these are much more like they were made in the past.



Agree real availability has decreased - the silly glued-to-refresh arms race shows that clear enough. There are far more Shigs about than e.g. 7/8 years ago, when they really were pretty rare - I remember when Takeshi at A-Frames, JWW, Dr Naka were the sources for Shigs, and they only used to pop up on KF sporadically.

I had a kasumi gyuto and kurouchi petty for a bit c. 2008. They were very good knives, but better performers than e.g. Yoshikane/Watanabe? - Nah. Perhaps I just saw poor ones, I don't know.

Can't speak for the single bevels, but would only listen to the opinions of very experienced users/members regarding this. Although as someone who prepares Japanese food only rarely, I don't really have any interest in them.


----------



## fujiyama

Shig has always made quality knives. Problem is the internet forum(s) have created an artificial demand, hurting us all in the past two years. If people were smart they wouldn't hype up products. It drives demand and prices up. Many people who bought into the hype were not happy with their purchase and sold them soon after. Then there's the people who never tried, but still praise them ( :eyebrow: ). Let's face it, the price hike was simply because they are taking advantage of us as a market. 


This isn't the only brand that has increased in cost. I think the Konosuke price hike was more justified, but at the same time their quality had a slight drop when demand rose. They took advantage of us. Labor did increase, but so did sales which should have paid their way.

With all that said I'd like a couple Shig Kitaeji single bevels. Not that I need or could justify them.


----------



## TheDispossessed

miyabi said:


> Let's face it, the price hike was simply because they are taking advantage of us as a market.
> 
> 
> This isn't the only brand that has increased in cost. I think the Konosuke price hike was more justified, but at the same time their quality had a slight drop when demand rose. They took advantage of us. Labor did increase, but so did sales which should have paid their way.



I think it's a little more complicated than that. Most of the vendors who have spent time developing relationships with smiths and makers in Japan over the years would say that by in large, it is a tough and not very lucrative occupation. I tend to believe this. Even konosuke or Shigefusa who seem to make such a volume of product, are actually quite small entities. For a business, to make maybe 1000 products a year that take that much labor per unit isn't a huge number in terms of potential profit. Surely the cost of materials has risen some over the years but also right now the yen is up quite a bit compared to a few years ago, that is totally out of the makers hands and of course has to be passed on.
I do believe there is a phenomenon on the forums where Shigefusa for example sell so readily because it's basically no risk for the buyer, with the ability to resell, perhaps even at a profit. (There was an overground then modified shig on BST just last week for an asking price of I'm sure over the purchase price new). If you knew you might be stuck with a $500 knife that you might not like, there'd be less incentive to buy. And as such the high resale potential and perpetual sellout cycle are cyclical in a way. 
Not sure if that makes any sense.


----------



## jacko9

Actually it makes a lot of sense and if you watch the videos of Shig and Kato making their products (on the JNS website) you get to understand how much effort goes into each product (definately not a huge profit at the maker).


----------



## chinacats

jacko9 said:


> Actually it makes a lot of sense and if you watch the videos of Shig and Kato making their products (on the JNS website) you get to understand how much effort goes into each product (definately not a huge profit at the maker).



While true, pretty much the same amount of effort goes into many other knives that sell for much less...and possibly cut better.


----------



## fujiyama

I agree it's complicated.



TheDispossessed said:


> Most of the vendors who have spent time developing relationships with smiths and makers in Japan over the years would say that by in large, it is a tough and not very lucrative occupation. I tend to believe this.



It is a tough and not very lucrative occupation (for most). Even as a vendor it's not a very profitable business. 

For a small retail shop to pay it's monthly overhead and make a profit, it's very hard to do. How many knifes do they need to sell in the run of a month? They have to pay for their imported product, rent, staff, electricity and much more. The middle man is raising our final cost as well, so while they aren't lying they are driving prices up. Both people need to make a profit. 

The whole thing is a mess. We pay the premium we do for availability in our countries, yet the demand for most of these knives in Japan is non existent. Most of these knives are made with intention of being exported to foreign countries. We are the customers, and they control the pricing.

With all that said, if there's opportunity to take advantage of the market it will happen. It happens in every market.


----------



## TheDispossessed

miyabi said:


> the demand for most of these knives in Japan is non existent. Most of these knives are made with intention of being exported to foreign countries. We are the customers, and they control the pricing.
> 
> With all that said, if there's opportunity to take advantage of the market it will happen. It happens in every market.



I could send you plenty of links of japanese knife/tool shops websites that are absolutely not designed towards export sales at all with Shigefusa prices as high or higher than western vendors. I'm talking home-brew websites for small generations old shops that may have never done much business at all outside of Japan.

limited ability to produce (labor) + rising material cost + exponentially increased demand + a marked raise in local currency = increased price to consumer. you can call that taking "advantage" but it's just basic business. 

Make some calls to the local smiths in Sakai and ask them how many talented and dedicated young apprentices they have taken on to keep up with demand.


----------



## bryan03

http://gx2.japan-messer-shop.de/de/...aegi-Gyuto--22-cm-Klinge--nicht-rostfrei.html

:dazed:


----------



## mikedtran

bryan03 said:


> http://gx2.japan-messer-shop.de/de/...aegi-Gyuto--22-cm-Klinge--nicht-rostfrei.html
> 
> :dazed:



That is a great price, but looks sold.

"sold - but ordered - Delivery time but may take up to one year."


----------



## krx927

But there are some kurouchi knives available:

http://gx2.japan-messer-shop.de/de/...i-Nakiri--16-5-cm-Klinge--nicht-rostfrei.html

http://gx2.japan-messer-shop.de/de/...oku--16-5-cm-Klinge--nicht-rostfrei-1839.html


----------



## bryan03

mikedtran said:


> That is a great price, but looks sold.
> 
> "sold - but ordered - Delivery time but may take up to one year."



:/


----------



## Godslayer

bryan03 said:


> :/



That knife normally sells around $1000 usd - $1100 usd the price you saw you need to substract 19% for vat as we don't pay that. The wait list on a shigefusa knife is currently 2-3.years. they are in high demand at the moment. Probably one of the most coveted j knives in western markets besides maybe katos and hattori kds.


----------



## bryan03

oh yes i know about shig, i have one. 
but I had not read he was not available


----------



## Andrew

Probably too late to help anyone, but a couple just showed up on JNS.


----------



## DeepCSweede

Gyuto went quick - I was thinking of getting one for a gift.


----------



## jacko9

I went off for a doctor appointment and the email comes out - I checked at 4:30 this morning and all morning long until my appointment and then the email comes ;-(


----------



## F-Flash

There's also 300mm Kato kikuryu yanagi. Wow.


----------



## Pensacola Tiger

jacko9 said:


> I went off for a doctor appointment and the email comes out - I checked at 4:30 this morning and all morning long until my appointment and then the email comes ;-(



Perhaps Maksim could be persuaded to use a lottery, like the one Bloodroot Blades uses.


----------



## Hianyiaw

The kato is so out of my price range lol


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Pensacola Tiger said:


> Perhaps Maksim could be persuaded to use a lottery, like the one Bloodroot Blades uses.



I know the emails come out at various times of the day (I get them anywhere between about 2:00am and 3:30pm CST, I think Denmark is about 6 or 7 hours ahead), so that's kind of like being in the right place at the right time. I know I wouldn't have minded getting one of the 240 workhorse gyutos that came out recently, but the email came in the middle of the night so there wasn't a chance of me getting in time even if I had my ringer turned on.


----------



## DamageInc

Wait, were there emails recently? Both my sub inboxes have gotten nothing since the Shig takobiki dropped.


----------



## bkultra

Yes one came in at 9:45 CST today


----------



## aboynamedsuita

DamageInc said:


> Wait, were there emails recently? Both my sub inboxes have gotten nothing since the Shig takobiki dropped.



Kato Kikuryu Yanagi still available:
http://www.japanesenaturalstones.co...iaki-Fujiwara-300mm-Yanagiba-&#33738;&#31452;


EDIT
link doesn't seem to be working, still showing as available but is around $2600CAD, sometimes being left handed helps with temptation.


----------



## DamageInc

I've gotten nothing and I have two different immediate alert emails set up for JNS specifically. What was available if I may ask?

(Sorry Mucho)


----------



## aboynamedsuita

DamageInc said:


> I've gotten nothing and I have two different immediate alert emails set up for JNS specifically. What was available if I may ask?
> 
> (Sorry Mucho)




Kato 

Yoshiaki Fujiwara 300mm Yanagiba &#33738;&#31452;


Shigefusa 


Shigefusa Kasumi 240 mm Wa Sujihiki

Shigefusa Kasumi 240 mm Wa Gyuto

Shigefusa Kasumi 270 mm Wa Sujihiki

Shigefusa Kasumi 300 mm Wa Sujihiki

Some more Shigefusas is online as Old stock Usuba and Yanagi


----------



## DamageInc

Phew, don't care about any of that crap. Thanks for the info.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

I'm on the lookout for when Maksim drops a 210-240 Kato workhorse gyuto email. Ever since I got the 210 Kato Damascus gyuto I've been a true Kato believer. I also have a rare 240 Kato Kurouchi gyuto on the way. Sold the 240 Kikuryu but got the Kurouchi and have some $ left over for some other projects


----------



## j22582536

tjangula said:


> I know the emails come out at various times of the day (I get them anywhere between about 2:00am and 3:30pm CST, I think Denmark is about 6 or 7 hours ahead), so that's kind of like being in the right place at the right time. I know I wouldn't have minded getting one of the 240 workhorse gyutos that came out recently, but the email came in the middle of the night so there wasn't a chance of me getting in time even if I had my ringer turned on.



Yeah... I have to say one of the tips is to be familiar with Maksim's email timing and habits. By the way I'm sorry tj, but I think I'm the one that took the workhorse away from you lol.

Just a teaser, I will be putting my 240 non-workhorse Kato on BST later today to recover from the knife I got earlier today.


----------



## DamageInc

tjangula said:


> I'm on the lookout for when Maksim drops a 210-240 Kato workhorse gyuto email. Ever since I got the 210 Kato Damascus gyuto I've been a true Kato believer. I also have a rare 240 Kato Kurouchi gyuto on the way. Sold the 240 Kikuryu but got the Kurouchi and have some $ left over for some other projects




Yeah, you and two thousand other people. Good luck man. I already have three Kato knives and I still want more.

(600TH POST YEAH BABY)


----------



## bkultra

Whoever bought that Kikuryu sure got lucky. The Macassar ebony helps bring the balance point to the pinch grip location


----------



## bkultra

j22582536 said:


> Yeah... I have to say one of the tips is to be familiar with Maksim's email timing and habits. By the way I'm sorry tj, but I think I'm the one that took the workhorse away from you lol.
> 
> Just a teaser, I will be putting my 240 non-workhorse Kato on BST later today to recover from the knife I got earlier today.



Send labor of love a PM... He has been looking for a non workhorse


----------



## aboynamedsuita

j22582536 said:


> Yeah... I have to say one of the tips is to be familiar with Maksim's email timing and habits. By the way I'm sorry tj, but I think I'm the one that took the workhorse away from you lol.
> 
> Just a teaser, I will be putting my 240 non-workhorse Kato on BST later today to recover from the knife I got earlier today.



No worries j, an email that comes in the middle of the night here in central Canada is much more likely to be gotten at a reasonable hour on the left coast. Similarly when they come early in the AM here, we're at an advantage over those out west


----------



## aboynamedsuita

tjangula said:


> Kato Kikuryu Yanagi still available:
> http://www.japanesenaturalstones.co...iaki-Fujiwara-300mm-Yanagiba-&#33738;&#31452;
> 
> 
> EDIT
> link doesn't seem to be working, still showing as available but is around $2600CAD, sometimes being left handed helps with temptation.





bkultra said:


> Whoever bought that Kikuryu sure got lucky. The Macassar ebony helps bring the balance point to the pinch grip location



Thr Kikuryu Yanagi still seems to be available, the link I copied doesn't seem to work on the app but on the web shows it was deleted implying Maksim took it offline. Let's try this again:
http://www.japanesenaturalstones.com/yoshiaki-fujiwara-300mm-yanagiba/

EDIT
it works now! If only I had $2k to buy a knife I can't even use being a lefty


----------



## YG420

tjangula said:


> Thr Kikuryu Yanagi still seems to be available, the link I copied doesn't seem to work on the app but on the web shows it was deleted implying Maksim took it offline. Let's try this again:
> http://www.japanesenaturalstones.com/yoshiaki-fujiwara-300mm-yanagiba/
> 
> EDIT
> it works now! If only I had $2k to buy a knife I can't even use being a lefty



Im actually considering this but want to move the kasumi kato yanagiba first lol.


----------



## spoiledbroth

Seems to be gone again :/


----------



## jacko9

I can still find it on his web site - I think somebody that wants a Great Kato Yana should sell me their Kato Gyuto and buy it ;-)


----------



## j22582536

I really want that Kikuryu yanagiba, but the price.... the most I can take is 80% of that price tag


----------



## mikedtran

jacko9 said:


> I can still find it on his web site - I think somebody that wants a Great Kato Yana should sell me their Kato Gyuto and buy it ;-)



There is a 240mm Kato for $500 on BST right now...very fair price imo

If I didn't have 3 on order direct from Kato-san I would order it.


----------



## TheDispossessed

mikedtran said:


> There is a 240mm Kato for $500 on BST right now...very fair price imo
> 
> If I didn't have 3 on order direct from Kato-san I would order it.



Just to clarify, you mean direct from a lesser known Japanese shop that orders direct from Kato? You're not emailing with the smith himself I assume.
Cheers
Matteo


----------



## jacko9

TheDispossessed said:


> Just to clarify, you mean direct from a lesser known Japanese shop that orders direct from Kato? You're not emailing with the smith himself I assume.
> Cheers
> Matteo



I was wondering the same myself.

Jack


----------



## schanop

Just to recap shig alert from a while back  508g 95mm*210mm of awesomeness.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

That's a beaut! Congrats on the unicorn


----------



## rami_m

Hubba hubba


----------



## Mute-on

rami_m said:


> Hubba hubba



Couldn't have put it better myself

Congratulations Chanop! You've captured the unicorn :thumbsup:


----------



## chinacats

schanop said:


> Just to recap shig alert from a while back  508g 95mm*210mm of awesomeness.



Now that is a special grade of Shigefusa, congrats! Curious if you know what the handle is?


----------



## schanop

Thank gents for compliments. Handle is Cocobolo from Dan's stock. It has a good colour and keep itself humble for the kitaeji pattern to show. Very nice work from Dan, there.


----------



## Johnny.B.Good

Wow, Schanop.

If you don't mind the question, what did you pay for the cleaver itself?


----------



## j22582536

such a beautiful piece!! I call dibs if you ever going to sell it :cool2:


----------



## aboynamedsuita

j22582536 said:


> such a beautiful piece!! I call dibs if you ever going to sell it :cool2:



I bet it'll never leave Australia


----------



## ynot1985

wow.. simply wow


----------



## akirapuff

I would never be able to use that for what it was intended for


----------



## schanop

Johnny.B.Good said:


> Wow, Schanop.
> 
> If you don't mind the question, what did you pay for the cleaver itself?



Let put it this way that it is north of what I paid for my kitaeji yo gyuto 240mm ;-)



tjangula said:


> j22582536 said:
> 
> 
> 
> such a beautiful piece!! I call dibs if you ever going to sell it :cool2:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I bet it'll never leave Australia
Click to expand...


This one will stay, irate1:



ynot1985 said:


> wow.. simply wow



Thank, gent.



akirapuff said:


> I would never be able to use that for what it was intended for



It is a show piece, but I am used to using Shig kitaeji's. Soon, this one will get all the patina and stuff from usage.


----------



## Johnny.B.Good

schanop said:


> Let put it this way that it is north of what I paid for my kitaeji yo gyuto 240mm ;-)



You know you spent a lot on a knife when you're afraid to say the number to this crowd!


----------



## aboynamedsuita

240 Kitaeji gyuto on BST :running:


----------



## schanop

JNS also has 15% off sale at the moment.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

I thin k they only have nos Kitaeji usuba, Kitaeji Yanagi, Kasumi mukimono?


----------



## schanop

tjangula said:


> I thin k they only have nos Kitaeji usuba, Kitaeji Yanagi, Kasumi mukimono?


Righto, just those three at the moment.


----------



## Zweber12

tjangula said:


> I think they only have nos Kitaeji usuba, Kitaeji Yanagi, Kasumi mukimono?



These knives have been up there for a long, long time; if you count in 'Shig Years."


----------



## Inonot

Hello all,
Ive been a long time lurker and purchased a shig 270 gyuto about 3 years ago.. Im in the market for another Shig knife now and it seems like zero exist.. does anyone know if he slowed down production..or if the demand just sky rocketed? Im mainly wanting a 150 kitaeji petty and a Nakiri
Thanks!


----------



## schanop

There is another kitaeji 240 gyuto on BST ;-)


----------



## mikedtran

schanop said:


> There is another kitaeji 240 gyuto on BST ;-)



It is RAINING Shigs right now...good thing I broke that habit (or have I hahah)


----------



## schanop

mikedtran said:


> It is RAINING Shigs right now...good thing I broke that habit (or have I hahah)



You haven't shown off your new gyuto and usuba yet.


----------



## mikedtran

schanop said:


> You haven't shown off your new gyuto and usuba yet.



Shhhhhhhhhhhh =D

The Usuba hasn't arrived yet, but there will be some pictures of 3 new ones coming probably next week =)


----------



## ynot1985

mikedtran said:


> It is RAINING Shigs right now...good thing I broke that habit (or have I hahah)



that not possible... you still end up buying more Shigs than us.. I'm still eyeing your 2 nakiris..haha


----------



## Zweber12

mikedtran said:


> It is RAINING Shigs right now...good thing I broke that habit (or have I hahah)



That would be dangerous, Shigs falling from the sky; though yes, lots for sale and requested in the last couple days..


----------



## ynot1985

Maksim just posted on instragm a kitaeji chukabocho that he sending to Sweden for handling.. Wonder who the lucky owner is this time


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Zweber12 said:


> That would be dangerous, Shigs falling from the sky; though yes, lots for sale and requested in the last couple days..



A true shig aficionado would be more concerned with damaging the tips than the danger posed by falling knives :groucho:


----------



## preizzo

Shigefusa rush.. Never saw something like that


----------



## Zweber12

tjangula said:


> A true shig aficionado would be more concerned with damaging the tips than the danger posed by falling knives :groucho:


Good point (pun intended)


----------



## Aleque

I keep missing out on all the Shig deals. I've had my eye on a santoku for a while, but can't seem to get one. I haven't seen this many Shigs on BST before. Everyday seems like there is a new one.


----------



## schanop

ynot1985 said:


> Maksim just posted on instragm a kitaeji chukabocho that he sending to Sweden for handling.. Wonder who the lucky owner is this time



Another one from Maxim, :hungry:


----------



## ynot1985

Aleque said:


> I keep missing out on all the Shig deals. I've had my eye on a santoku for a while, but can't seem to get one. I haven't seen this many Shigs on BST before. Everyday seems like there is a new one.



I can direct you to a shop with the Sanjo one. 

Sanjo ones are the ones with the oz horn handles

Let me know if you are interested


----------



## mikedtran

ynot1985 said:


> I can direct you to a shop with the Sanjo one.
> 
> Sanjo ones are the ones with the oz horn handles
> 
> Let me know if you are interested



oz horn handles or plastic?


----------



## ynot1985

Lol plastic.. Without the ox horn.. Damn autocorrect.. I wish he makes a special handles for oz customers


----------



## Aleque

I just sent you a PM. I'm interested. Thanks!


----------



## Smurfmacaw

tjangula said:


> A true shig aficionado would be more concerned with damaging the tips than the danger posed by falling knives :groucho:



Heh, a true Shig nut would calculate exactly where and how high to place his foot in the air so the edge doesn't chip on the tarsal bones or the tip break on the floor. Save the knife, the foot will heal.


----------



## mikedtran

I finally hunted down a Yo-handled Gyuto so very much contemplating releasing a couple of my Shig gyutos. Likely the 210mm and 240mm Kasumi versions.

If anyone is looking...


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Smurfmacaw said:


> Heh, a true Shig nut would calculate exactly where and how high to place his foot in the air so the edge doesn't chip on the tarsal bones or the tip break on the floor. Save the knife, the foot will heal.



well it wasn't a shig, but I did a number on some fingers on my right hand shortly before Xmas. Wounds heal and skin grows back... steel doesn't.


----------



## schanop

tjangula said:


> I thin k they only have nos Kitaeji usuba, Kitaeji Yanagi, Kasumi mukimono?



I thought I saw an usuba sold during the 15% sale, but another one is already back up on the site per Maksim's email. Those two Masayuki's also went quickly.


----------



## Smurfmacaw

tjangula said:


> well it wasn't a shig, but I did a number on some fingers on my right hand shortly before Xmas. Wounds heal and skin grows back... steel doesn't.



I seem to remember a Mikey post where he properly caught a nice knife with his foot.....looked painful. I saw your pics I think....ouch! I haven't had any major disasters but my wife did managed to get a couple of stitches when she disregarded my "Ok, no problem, you can use it but be careful, it's really sharp...." Now she's a LOT more careful and even told me the other night that her Carter needed attention on the stones....it wasn't cutting up to snuff......I think I have her converted....THEN she used one of my Kato's......now I think she has a Kato Jones lol.....apparently I've been holding out on her!


----------



## aboynamedsuita

schanop said:


> I thought I saw an usuba sold during the 15% sale, but another one is already back up on the site per Maksim's email. Those two Masayuki's also went quickly.


Ya me too, was sure nos usuba was out of stock, but saw available again. 




Smurfmacaw said:


> I seem to remember a Mikey post where he properly caught a nice knife with his foot.....looked painful. I saw your pics I think....ouch! I haven't had any major disasters but my wife did managed to get a couple of stitches when she disregarded my "Ok, no problem, you can use it but be careful, it's really sharp...." Now she's a LOT more careful and even told me the other night that her Carter needed attention on the stones....it wasn't cutting up to snuff......I think I have her converted....THEN she used one of my Kato's......now I think she has a Kato Jones lol.....apparently I've been holding out on her!


I remember that Mikey post too, glad it wasn't just a figment of my imagination. I probably still have that pic somewhere on here, I don't recall the name of that thread at the moment. I'm also a laser convert they have their place, but I'm really liking my shig KU nakiri, Damascus Kato gyoto and am looking forward to the KU Kato gyuto once it's done at JKI. Three Watanabe honyaki are going down to Jon as well.


----------



## ynot1985

Is Jon thinning them like the takeda?


----------



## Lucretia

The only time I've been happy to have wood floors in the kitchen is when my yo Shig took a dive off the kitchen counter. Lost a tiny bit of the tip. Toes are intact.


----------



## ynot1985

Just picked this one up today (the left one). the store said it's a 210 Yanagiba (thanks to TheDispossessed- Mateo for the heads up).

I have never heard of KU yanagiba Shigs. I have both the single and double bevel 150mm pettys in KU. The knife on the right is the 150 double bevel petty.

from the photo, can anyone tell if that's a yanagiba or just a 210 petty. The box looks crazy old too (2nd Photo)


----------



## brainsausage

Hard to tell without a look at the other side to check for ura. I had the same single bevel petty (not the one in the pic, obviously), and it was essentially a mini yani minus the hollow.


----------



## ynot1985

brainsausage said:


> Hard to tell without a look at the other side to check for ura. I had the same single bevel petty (not the one in the pic, obviously), and it was essentially a mini yani minus the hollow.



I'll take a photo of the other side of the 2 single bevel knives when I get home later today then


----------



## schanop

That's a cool find. Shape of the bevel/grind does look like a yanagiba. That 150mm shortie is closer to a mini mioroshi, me think, and this one does have proper hollow ura.



ynot1985 said:


> Just picked this one up today (the left one). the store said it's a 210 Yanagiba (thanks to TheDispossessed- Mateo for the heads up).
> 
> I have never heard of KU yanagiba Shigs. I have both the single and double bevel 150mm pettys in KU. The knife on the right is the 150 double bevel petty.
> 
> from the photo, can anyone tell if that's a yanagiba or just a 210 petty. The box looks crazy old too (2nd Photo)


----------



## mikedtran

schanop said:


> That's a cool find. Shape of the bevel/grind does look like a yanagiba. That 150mm shortie is closer to a mini mioroshi, me think, and this one does have proper hollow ura.



+1

*Reasons that point towards the 210mm being a Yanagiba:*
-The sharpness of the shinogi
-Shape of the bevel
-Forward choil shape
-Taller emoto
-Shorter heel height

This is my 210mm Kitaeji Yanagiba next to a 150mm KU double bevel petty for comparison:


----------



## bryan03

http://lapassiondescouteaux.fr/cout...3-shigefusa-kitae-ji-mioroshi-deba-damas.html


----------



## ynot1985

Maksim just posted a kasumi honseuki on his IG account.. He seems to have so many unicorns lately


----------



## Mute-on

Congratulations on the Ku Yanagiba. What a great and unique find. Mike and Chanop are correct in their observations. 

I love the look of the Ku Shigs but I am less enamored with them in use ... So I managed to stop at 4


----------



## Mute-on

OK 5 including the Kiridashi. But that's it!


----------



## ynot1985

Mute-on said:


> OK 5 including the Kiridashi. But that's it!



what's the fifth one? excluding the ones in your photo


----------



## Mute-on

Just a 150 petty I purchased in Tokyo


----------



## ynot1985

But your avatar is a Nakiri, a petty and a santuko


----------



## Mute-on

That's a Gyuto, not a petty


----------



## ynot1985

Oh dear.. I need that!!!


----------



## Mute-on

You are second in line if I ever sell :thumbsup:


----------



## ynot1985

Make sure this stays in oz at the very least..


----------



## Mute-on

Done Mate


----------



## Von blewitt

:groucho::dance:


----------



## schanop

And we have reached 1000th post on this thread. :hula::hula::hula::hula::hula::hula::hula::hula::hula::hula:


----------



## Zweber12

As the 1001th post: this thread started 308 days ago and has on average 3.24 post per day..


----------



## Mute-on

Von blewitt said:


> :groucho::dance:



Take it easy Huw. I'm not releasing it just yet


----------



## ynot1985

schanop said:


> That's a cool find. Shape of the bevel/grind does look like a yanagiba. That 150mm shortie is closer to a mini mioroshi, me think, and this one does have proper hollow ura.



I think you're right Schanop.. compared the 150mm single bevel petty I got off you with my 210mm mioroshi and they seem similar profile.. the 210mm KU yanagiba might actually a yanagiba afterall


----------



## brainsausage

Looks like it to me.


----------



## preizzo

Few shigefusa on sale at cleancut.se


----------



## mikedtran

preizzo said:


> Few shigefusa on sale at cleancut.se



Additional details for the lazy or curious:

http://cleancut.se/butik/knivserier/shigefusa/santoku-26-detail

I've ordered from cleancut a couple times so can give an accurate breakdown of pricing:

3500 kr x 0.8 (remove tax for those not in EU) + 300 kr (shipping sometimes its 200) = 3100 kr

~$380 USD, damn prices are up these days on Shigs...I also believe this is also the "Sanjo Made" version which has a plastic ferrule. I will say from my experience they cut just as well, though just wanted to flag that.

If anyone is really hunting for a 165mm Santoku KU brand new, I can probably help out at a lower price will take a couple weeks though.


----------



## F-Flash

http://lapassiondescouteaux.fr/cout...ro-uchi-kazumi-165-mm-avec-fourreau-bois.html

http://www.japansemessen.nl/a-41069935/shigefusa/shigefusa-kuroichi-santoku-universeel-mes-165mm/

Few cheaper options.


----------



## krx927

cassca said:


> http://lapassiondescouteaux.fr/cout...3-shigefusa-kitae-ji-mioroshi-deba-damas.html



That knife is sitting there for almost half a year.
Is the Shig fever over on KKF?


----------



## mikedtran

I won't say I wasn't tempted, but its a bit short for a moiroshi deba. I'd want a moiroshi deba at least 210mm as its meant to cover for both a deba and a yanagiba. Now if it was a deba I might just have swooped it up as I have specific strain of shig fever looking for: Yo-handled Kasumis and Kitaeji Single Bevels.


----------



## Zweber12

mikedtran said:


> I won't say I wasn't tempted, but its a bit short for a moiroshi deba. I'd want a moiroshi deba at least 210mm as its meant to cover for both a deba and a yanagiba. Now if it was a deba I might just have swooped it up as I have specific strain of shig fever looking for: Yo-handled Kasumis and Kitaeji Single Bevels.



Could not agree more, contemplated this one a few times, though the length is the kicker. I have a 190mm kasumi mioroshi and it's great for smaller fish, going 160 for that price makes you think twice. For that price you're in kitaeji 210+ Gyuto area, or in a yanagiba 270 kasumi territory plus a decent stone. Similar to the 360mm yanagiba on japansemessen.nl; for that price in dollars you can buy the kitaeji NOS usuba on JNS.


----------



## F-Flash

Don't you get VAT away from both of those? (if you buy it to outside Eu)


----------



## Zweber12

F-Flash said:


> Don't you get VAT away from both of those? (if you buy it to outside Eu)



You do, though you can get 'caught' on the other end; then it's a zero sum plus shipping.


----------



## daveb

Maxim email in. Stopwatch started.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Garasuke is long gone (sold within a min of me getting the email just before the hour), not surprised given its uniqueness


----------



## chinacats

daveb said:


> Maxim email in. Stopwatch started.



Nothing good there...just a bunch of kitaeji single bevels:biggrin:


----------



## Hianyiaw

There's a Kasumi yanagi tho


----------



## Seth

Do I ask for much out of life? Do I have to drive a Mercedes? No NO. I have been waiting 17 years for a shig chicken knife. When I am on my deathbed will I have one? Will I die with a smile? NO. Why? Huh? Why (said over and over softer and softer as I withdraw into myself....)


----------



## Zweber12

Seth said:


> Do I ask for much out of life? Do I have to drive a Mercedes? No NO. I have been waiting 17 years for a shig chicken knife. When I am on my deathbed will I have one? Will I die with a smile? NO. Why? Huh? Why (said over and over softer and softer as I withdraw into myself....)



Is the wait for a direct order up to 17 years now.. wow.. :justkidding:


----------



## mikedtran

Zweber12 said:


> Is the wait for a direct order up to 17 years now.. wow.. :justkidding:



1.5 years for normal stuff and 2 years for 'custom' stuff...I think :scratchhead:


----------



## ynot1985

Jpn wood worker has 210mm in kasumi gyutos in stock


----------



## mikedtran

Kitaeji Santoku and Kitaeji Yanagiba

http://www.knivesandstones.com/shigefusa-kitaeji-santoku-165mm/
http://www.knivesandstones.com/shigefusa-kitaeji-yanagiba-270mm-with-saya-and-kiri-box/


----------



## Badgertooth

That's a great price for the Santoku!


----------



## ynot1985

so sad.. no nakiri


----------



## mikedtran

Badgertooth said:


> That's a great price for the Santoku!



You think that is a great price, you should talk to Tanner and Smurf to see what they got them from me for =p


----------



## ynot1985

mikedtran said:


> You think that is a great price, you should talk to Tanner and Smurf to see what they got them from me for =p



and me too:doublethumbsup:


----------



## mikedtran

ynot1985 said:


> and me too:doublethumbsup:



That is true, almost forgot. It is 4am here and I just got off work...its been a LONG day.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

mikedtran said:


> You think that is a great price, you should talk to Tanner and Smurf to see what they got them from me for =p



+1


----------



## davidlee119

mikedtran said:


> You think that is a great price, you should talk to Tanner and Smurf to see what they got them from me for =p



I picked up the santoku. wish I am lucky enough to get better deals from you


----------



## Zweber12

davidlee119 said:


> I picked up the santoku. wish I am lucky enough to get better deals from you



Nice! I have the same knife (length and finish); so far a daily user for me, really like it!


----------



## mikedtran

Two brand new BIN Kitaejis on eBay.

270mm Yanagiba (no reason to buy this one as K&S has the blade with a Saya + Box for cheaper) - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sushi-knife...942878?hash=item3f6450975e:g:VWIAAOSw9eVXVbBV

165mm Deba (also pretty expensive imo) - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Shigefusa-Deba-165mm-/252414664774?hash=item3ac5162046:g:xQIAAOSwqBJXVHE~


----------



## Zweber12

lol, I see you are manning the "Shig Alert Operational Control Center" day and night now; I can picture you in a Swordfish-style desk with tons of screens around you, hunting down Shigs globally..



mikedtran said:


> Two brand new BIN Kitaejis on eBay.
> 
> 270mm Yanagiba (no reason to buy this one as K&S has the blade with a Saya + Box for cheaper) - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sushi-knife...942878?hash=item3f6450975e:g:VWIAAOSw9eVXVbBV
> 
> 165mm Deba (also pretty expensive imo) - http://www.ebay.com/itm/Shigefusa-Deba-165mm-/252414664774?hash=item3ac5162046:g:xQIAAOSwqBJXVHE~


----------



## mikedtran

Hahhaa I definitely have a process to check on Shigs and Katos...tomorrow will post about a Damascus Kato 210mm available at around $750ish


----------



## schanop

Maxim got a Santoku and a Yanagiba available. Probably gone by now, in seconds ;-)


----------



## mikedtran

I just got a call from DHL saying they have a package for me (with hints that make me think it is another Shigefusa) and they did not have the proper address to deliver. It will be arrive either tomorrow or Wednesday. My guess is it is a Kitaeji Nakiri or Santoku...watch it show up and its just a magazine =p


----------



## DanHumphrey

schanop said:


> Maxim got a Santoku and a Yanagiba available. Probably gone by now, in seconds ;-)



Santoku is gone. The Yanagiba is still there.


----------



## Aleque

Have prices on the Shig Santoku been rising? It seems each time I look the price is a little higher than before. What's the mark-up on a knife like this?


----------



## mikedtran

Prices have gone up a bit at $270, though it would be hard to find one for say less than $225-$250. Not sure what you mean by mark-up, do you mean how much does the seller make?


----------



## Aleque

mikedtran said:


> Not sure what you mean by mark-up, do you mean how much does the seller make?



I'm curious if Shigefusa is raising the prices on the knives, or if it's the retailer. JNS knows the popularity of the brand and I would image is pricing these knives higher and higher. Especially when they sell out so quickly. However, it seems the more expensive knives sit for longer, but that makes complete sense when you consider how many people have the funds for such a purchase. But anything under $400 seems to go quick.


----------



## mikedtran

I don't want to speak for Maksim - so I won't =)

There was a 20% hike on Shigefusa about a year or so ago. (source: http://hiro-shio.blogspot.jp/2015/04/note-for-those-who-wish-to-get.html)

I imagine Shigefusa should be raising their prices as their blades are highly sought after and sell out very quickly.



Aleque said:


> I'm curious if Shigefusa is raising the prices on the knives, or if it's the retailer. JNS knows the popularity of the brand and I would image is pricing these knives higher and higher. Especially when they sell out so quickly. However, it seems the more expensive knives sit for longer, but that makes complete sense when you consider how many people have the funds for such a purchase. But anything under $400 seems to go quick.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

It blows me away that people continue to buy Shigefusa knives super reactive, wedge monsters with mediocre edge retention do yourself a favor and send all of your Shigefusa to me if you are in Canada, to Smurfmacaw or mikedtran if you are in the USA, or to Zweber12 if you are in the EU. We will dispose of them accordingly :justkidding:


----------



## daveb

I've got one left. Send me all of your money and I'll send you the knife. I'll let it be a surprise.


----------



## Mute-on

tjangula said:


> It blows me away that people continue to buy Shigefusa knives super reactive, wedge monsters with mediocre edge retention do yourself a favor and send all of your Shigefusa to me if you are in Canada, to Smurfmacaw or mikedtran if you are in the USA, or to Zweber12 if you are in the EU. We will dispose of them accordingly :justkidding:



Wait just a sec! You forgot the natural home if all Shigs ... Australia!!

Not to worry, what we don't have already will probably end up here at some point anyway


----------



## ynot1985

Mike did u say shig Nakiri!!


----------



## mikedtran

ynot1985 said:


> Mike did u say shig Nakiri!!



I'll let you know when it arrives, I don't know what it is myself...though fingers crossed.


----------



## Zweber12

tjangula said:


> It blows me away that people continue to buy Shigefusa knives super reactive, wedge monsters with mediocre edge retention do yourself a favor and send all of your Shigefusa to me if you are in Canada, to Smurfmacaw or mikedtran if you are in the USA, or to Zweber12 if you are in the EU. We will dispose of them accordingly :justkidding:



I fully support these global Shig collection points; this bubble should end once and for all.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

mikedtran said:


> I just got a call from DHL saying they have a package for me (with hints that make me think it is another Shigefusa) and they did not have the proper address to deliver. It will be arrive either tomorrow or Wednesday. My guess is it is a Kitaeji Nakiri or Santoku...watch it show up and its just a magazine =p





ynot1985 said:


> Mike did u say shig Nakiri!!





mikedtran said:


> I'll let you know when it arrives, I don't know what it is myself...though fingers crossed.



Looking forward to seeing your latest random acquisitions too bad for ynot it isn't KU.

I also have a DHL notification and should have a new knife later today


----------



## ynot1985

I collect all sorts of unusual ku but my fav knife is the Nakiri so I have been hassling Mike about it everytime I hear him mention one


----------



## mikedtran

ynot1985 said:


> I collect all sorts of unusual ku but my fav knife is the Nakiri so I have been hassling Mike about it everytime I hear him mention one



The 210mm KU Nakiri is yours =)


----------



## mikedtran

Well my DHL packaged arrived today and my original guess was a Santoku or a Nakiri...I was wrong it is 2 Kitaeji Santokus - these are the 4th and 5th Kitaeji Santokus I've had in my hands now, probably some of the best specimens I have personally seen though unfortunately I'm not a Santoku fan at all =/

Definitely need to get these two beautiful Santokus to better homes.

Quick picture in terrible lighting before heading out for some beers.


----------



## Johnny.B.Good

mikedtran said:


> Well my DHL packaged arrived today and my original guess was a Santoku or a Nakiri...I was wrong it is 2 Kitaeji Santokus - these are the 4th and 5th Kitaeji Santokus I've had in my hands now, probably some of the best specimens I have personally seen though unfortunately I'm not a Santoku fan at all =/
> 
> Definitely need to get these two beautiful Santokus to better homes.
> 
> Quick picture in terrible lighting before heading out for some beers.



Why did you buy two fancy santokus if you don't like santokus?


----------



## mikedtran

Johnny.B.Good said:


> Why did you buy two fancy santokus if you don't like santokus?



It's a long story that probably is a bit much for the forums but some members know I get surprise Shigs that show up on my door. 

I didn't place the order and I don't know when they are going to arrive. I'm actually a bit shocked it is two Santokus...


----------



## F-Flash

You order every single Shig you can get your hands to? Despite not knowing what they are going to be? &#128514; don't know if that's awesome or just crazy.


----------



## mikedtran

F-Flash said:


> You order every single Shig you can get your hands to? Despite not knowing what they are going to be? [emoji23] don't know if that's awesome or just crazy.



Hahaha that's not exactly how it works, these were ordered a long time ago by someone else who encouraged me at the time to get them and now they show up. 

Not sure why anyone would order 3 Santokus though....


----------



## rami_m

mikedtran said:


> It's a long story that probably is a bit much for the forums but some members know I get surprise Shigs that show up on my door.
> 
> I didn't place the order and I don't know when they are going to arrive. I'm actually a bit shocked it is two Santokus...



I would love to hear how you are getting surprise shigs. That sounds awesome.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

mikedtran said:


> Well my DHL packaged arrived today and my original guess was a Santoku or a Nakiri...I was wrong it is 2 Kitaeji Santokus - these are the 4th and 5th Kitaeji Santokus I've had in my hands now, probably some of the best specimens I have personally seen though unfortunately I'm not a Santoku fan at all =/
> 
> Definitely need to get these two beautiful Santokus to better homes.
> 
> Quick picture in terrible lighting before heading out for some beers.



Wow Mike, I must admit that I am tempted I don't own a santoku other than a Misono


----------



## davidlee119

mikedtran said:


> Well my DHL packaged arrived today and my original guess was a Santoku or a Nakiri...I was wrong it is 2 Kitaeji Santokus - these are the 4th and 5th Kitaeji Santokus I've had in my hands now, probably some of the best specimens I have personally seen though unfortunately I'm not a Santoku fan at all =/
> 
> Definitely need to get these two beautiful Santokus to better homes.
> 
> Quick picture in terrible lighting before heading out for some beers.



Maybe I can help you with this problem.:bliss:


----------



## DanHumphrey

mikedtran said:


> It's a long story that probably is a bit much for the forums but some members know I get surprise Shigs that show up on my door.
> 
> I didn't place the order and I don't know when they are going to arrive. I'm actually a bit shocked it is two Santokus...



I think a bunch of us would like to know that.


----------



## mikedtran

DanHumphrey said:


> I think a bunch of us would like to know that.



Hahaha the long story short, is someone placed them for me a while ago/encouraged me to place them. We aren't in contact anymore, but these surprise packages still arrive.

Though I don't know why anyone would order two Santokus...shoot me a PM if you want the specific details hahah


----------



## schanop

mikedtran said:


> Though I don't know why anyone would order two Santokus...shoot me a PM if you want the specific details hahah



There is one good reason from So a pair of a thick and a thin to accomodate all kind of task, quoting him from japan-tool front page:



So said:


> Heiji Swedish INOX Santoku 195/210mm
> 
> My most recommended knives for daily usage out of all J knives. JT best selling knife as well. I own a pair of these two Santokus (thin and thick) myself and use them basically every day.


----------



## mikedtran

Hahaha wow there is a reason. These two are very similar in weight though both around 155-160grams. 

Will take a closer look at the spine and edge thickness later =)


----------



## schanop

mikedtran said:


> Hahaha wow there is a reason. These two are very similar in weight though both around 155-160grams.
> 
> Will take a closer look at the spine and edge thickness later =)



You need no excuse to get multiple knives of the same type, Mike :bliss:


----------



## mikedtran

schanop said:


> You need no excuse to get multiple knives of the same type, Mike :bliss:



Hahahah that is a good point, I should just become a Shigefusa horader (I have been trying hard not too) - both of these are up for sale/trade =D


----------



## schanop

mikedtran said:


> Hahahah that is a good point, I should just become a Shigefusa horader (I have been trying hard not too) - both of these are up for sale/trade =D



It is hard, I know it first hand too. At least I try to keep just one knife per type, those that I would use. In the past I have replaced a yo gyuto and a kitaeji gyuto with a yo kitaeji one; a wa petty with a yo kitaeji petty; a yangi with a kitaeji yangi; an usuba with a kitaeji usuba; a KU chuka with a kitaeji chuka; a deba with a kitaeji deba.


----------



## mikedtran

schanop said:


> It is hard, I know it first hand too. At least I try to keep just one knife per type, those that I would use. In the past I have replaced a yo gyuto and a kitaeji gyuto with a yo kitaeji one; a wa petty with a yo kitaeji petty; a yangi with a kitaeji yangi; an usuba with a kitaeji usuba; a KU chuka with a kitaeji chuka; a deba with a kitaeji deba.



My current biggest horde-ing issue with with the yanagibas:

320mm Kitaeji 
300 Kitaeji NOS
300 Kasumi (most used)
210mm Kitaeji

I wish the 300 Kitaeji wasn't a NOS, something feels strange about using the NOS as a regular user.

I'm currently working with the rule of just what I will use. Knives I don't reach for will be going up for sale/promised to users already =)


----------



## strumke

If you happened to have a larger deba (~210), I have the perfect home for it... (mine!)


----------



## V1P

Hey guys, there's a 270mm Shig gyuto being auctioned at the fora.


----------



## brainsausage

mikedtran said:


> My current biggest horde-ing issue with with the yanagibas:
> 
> 320mm Kitaeji
> 300 Kitaeji NOS
> 300 Kasumi (most used)
> 210mm Kitaeji
> 
> I wish the 300 Kitaeji wasn't a NOS, something feels strange about using the NOS as a regular user.
> 
> I'm currently working with the rule of just what I will use. Knives I don't reach for will be going up for sale/promised to users already =)



I crave that NOS. 

I have zero need for it. 

I crave it nonetheless.


----------



## davidlee119

V1P said:


> Hey guys, there's a 270mm Shig gyuto being auctioned at the fora.


Is that a Yoshihide?


----------



## brainsausage

davidlee119 said:


> Is that a Yoshihide?



Yep.


----------



## davidlee119

brainsausage said:


> Yep.



how does it compare to the real shig?


----------



## mikedtran

davidlee119 said:


> how does it compare to the real shig?



I have a petty (it is a western though) and its much better than my Shig petty. 

I have found that the western Shigs are thinner behind the edge, not sure if it's just from being from an older batch though.


----------



## jacko9

davidlee119 said:


> how does it compare to the real shig?



Would you explain the difference between a Yoshihide and a "real Shig"?


----------



## brainsausage

jacko9 said:


> Would you explain the difference between a Yoshihide and a "real Shig"?



Yoshihide is made by the youngest son of Iizuka Shigefusa.


----------



## jacko9

brainsausage said:


> Yoshihide is made by the youngest son of Iizuka Shigefusa.



Is there any appreciable difference in grind or fit and finish between the father and son (or son's) work?


----------



## Lucretia

The Yoshihide I had was a Kasumi finish; my Shigs are Kitaeji and KU, so not an exact comparison, but I'd say the Yoshi compares favorably to the Shigs. I'd say there's more far,far more difference in F&F going between KU/Kitaeji than there is between Yoshihide and Shigefusa. If you're talking yo handle comparisons, the handles are done by a third party. If I were to get another yo handle I'd sure want Daniel O'Malley at EE to do the work.


----------



## panda

i want a masayuki


----------



## Lucretia

Found a photo of the Yosihide when the handle was a lighter color:






Big change over time.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

That was ironwood if I recall? The way it darkens almost reminds me of tiger wood flooring


----------



## davidlee119

Do you know a source for Yoshihide? I can not find any. Are they more or less expensive than equivalent shig


----------



## YG420

Shig Kitaeji santoku 150mm on JNS


----------



## Johnny.B.Good

Not anymore!


----------



## YG420

Haha! I was surprised it survived for a few min.


----------



## mikedtran

Man I'm selling my Kitaeji Santokus way too cheap if that is the going price...hahha at least I think they are going to good homes =)


----------



## Badgertooth

mikedtran said:


> Man I'm selling my Kitaeji Santokus way too cheap if that is the going price...hahha at least I think they are going to good homes =)



Which is what this forum is about and why we like you Mike.


----------



## mikedtran

Badgertooth said:


> Which is what this forum is about and why we like you Mike.



Thanks mate, means a lot =)

I have made it a general point to not try to profiteer of knives I've sold and to try to connect people who really want knives with sources.


----------



## davidlee119

mikedtran said:


> Man I'm selling my Kitaeji Santokus way too cheap if that is the going price...hahha at least I think they are going to good homes =)



:happymug::happymug::happymug::happymug::happymug:


----------



## patraleigh

mikedtran said:


> Man I'm selling my Kitaeji Santokus way too cheap if that is the going price...hahha at least I think they are going to good homes =)



:happymug::happymug::happymug::happymug::happymug:


----------



## mikedtran

Chances of another one arriving on my door is medium, chances of a Kitaeji Nakiri landing on my door is VERY HIGH!


----------



## riverie

hi folks, 
I'm an old member of KFF, just got back in restaurant business after a long years because I switched my career into non-food related before. I still have a shige 300mm yanagi with custom handle that I got from Marko long time ago when their price is very low compare to nowadays. I had lots of yanagi including honyaki before, I sold all of them and I just keep one which is shigefusa because it's my favorite and in my opinion...it's the best cutter for me to be used in sushi bar. But given the choice of other gyutou that has stain resistant, lower price, availability, etc...I was wondering why there's a lot of demand in shige? I was really surprised that after I got back to this forum, people chasing for shige like never before (109 pgs on shige alert ). Please don't take this as a doubt to shigefusa knife's performance since I do love and believe their single bevel knife is the best for me.

thank you in advance,
ry


----------



## ynot1985

For myself personally, I enjoy the thrill of the chase getting things that are hard to get and they have a pretty good resell value even when used.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

mikedtran said:


> Chances of another one arriving on my door is medium, chances of a Kitaeji Nakiri landing on my door is VERY HIGH!



:whistling: any Kato's on the way...


----------



## mikedtran

tjangula said:


> :whistling: any Kato's on the way...



Rhetorical question? =D 

I really want a Kato yanagiba now =(


----------



## mikedtran

Also JNS will have:

165mm Kitaeji Unagisaki - $998
150mm Kitaeji Mukimono - $983 (luckily I got my 165mm for a bit less than that....)


----------



## preizzo

I believe maxim will send some emails today &#128539;


----------



## schanop

Who bought that beautiful Shig western 240 kitaeji gyuto on B/S/T?


----------



## mikedtran

edit, might have made a wrong guess =p


----------



## Zweber12

Is it me, or has JWW 3 210mm kasumi gyutos back in stock?


----------



## mikedtran

Zweber12 said:


> Is it me, or has JWW 3 210mm kasumi gyutos back in stock?



I think you are right. On a side note though, if anyone is looking for a 210mm kasum gyuto I have an unused one that I would sell for less than JWW prices =)

Don't need the 210mm now that I have the western 210mm =D


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Last time I was there I recall seeing a note that they were expected in sometime in June


----------



## ynot1985

I don't think they got in anything besides the 210mm.. All the dates have been pushed back to July


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Yea I remember seeing they were expecting some others in too


----------



## Hianyiaw

mikedtran said:


> I think you are right. On a side note though, if anyone is looking for a 210mm kasum gyuto I have an unused one that I would sell for less than JWW prices =)
> 
> Don't need the 210mm now that I have the western 210mm =D



I would have taken it if it was a deba


----------



## Zweber12

Hianyiaw said:


> I would have taken it if it was a deba



Seems they have a 9.5 inch deba as well.. (at least last night)


----------



## preizzo

Some shigefusa coming up on japanese natural stone &#128521;


----------



## ynot1985

KU's .. im excited!!!


----------



## Hianyiaw

Just the standard nakiri and santoku though


----------



## mikedtran

Missed that Moiroshi deba, probably a bit small but an interesting knife none the less.


----------



## jimbob

Almost seemed like a typo with the price, less than kasumi muki!


----------



## Aleque

The deba was really interesting. Not your typical shape or run of the mill deba based on the pictures.


----------



## jaknil

I picked that one up :wink:


----------



## mikedtran

jaknil said:


> I picked that one up :wink:



Good pickup!


----------



## Hianyiaw

So there was at least one of that deba? Because I had picked one up as well.


----------



## Mute-on

jimbob said:


> Almost seemed like a typo with the price, less than kasumi muki!



I'm thinking it was a typo too. The 150 Kitaeji Santoku was priced higher recently IIRC. 
Great deal at the published price (not for Maksim ...)


----------



## mikedtran

Mute-on said:


> I'm thinking it was a typo too. The 150 Kitaeji Santoku was priced higher recently IIRC.
> Great deal at the published price (not for Maksim ...)



If memory serves me right Maksim says he charges a fixed % amount more than what he pays for them. Seems like he got the 180mm M-deba for a good price.

I didn't even thinking to look at the price as I assumed it would be much higher than what I would want to pay, but it came out to be a great deal!


----------



## Hianyiaw

mikedtran said:


> If memory serves me right Maksim says he charges a fixed % amount more than what he pays for them. Seems like he got the 180mm M-deba for a good price.
> 
> I didn't even thinking to look at the price as I assumed it would be much higher than what I would want to pay, but it came out to be a great deal!



I thought I saw wrong as well. And after double checking proceeded to grab it immediately lol


----------



## maxim

you are correct it was not a typo  Those was really cheap, maybe Shig had a good day 


mikedtran said:


> If memory serves me right Maksim says he charges a fixed % amount more than what he pays for them. Seems like he got the 180mm M-deba for a good price.
> 
> I didn't even thinking to look at the price as I assumed it would be much higher than what I would want to pay, but it came out to be a great deal!


----------



## jaknil

It is my third Shig. All bought from JNS.

The first one was a KU 165 Petty (which was actually my first J-knife).
Second was a Kitaeji Yanagiba 240.
And now the Kitaeji Mioroshi Deba 180.

It is my first Deba of any sort. 
I recon that a Mioroshi Deba is supposed to be a bit longer than a regular Deba.
How large fish would you say a Mioroshi 180 would be suitable for?


----------



## preizzo

For small fish and big one &#128521;


----------



## Mute-on

maxim said:


> you are correct it was not a typo  Those was really cheap, maybe Shig had a good day



I look forward to more of these good days


----------



## jacko9

I just got my 1st Kato from JNS and I hope to add a Shig (to go along with my Kato and Butcher knives).


----------



## Zweber12

165mm kitaeji Deba on Ebay


----------



## Hianyiaw

It's been there for quite some time if my memory serves


----------



## Aleque

Yeah, I've seen the kitaeji deba on eBay for a while. I think it was mentioned a few weeks ago on this thread. The price seems pretty steep so that probably is keeping it from being sold.


----------



## DanHumphrey

How often do 240mm kasumi gyutos appear? I seem to see a lot of debas and santokus and nakiris and sushi knives. And is there a place that has the dimensions?


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Gyutos that size are a hot commodity and sell fast. I'd check JNS Maksim may have posted them (spex) at some point


----------



## Godslayer

It's worth mentioning they vary I know I've seen 47mm-52mm in blade height. Not sure about weight. I don't really like shigs so I've never bought one. Turned down a 330 yanagi for $330 usd. Looking back I should of bought it and traded it here.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Yea come to think of it the 210 gyuto I had was between 50-55 and most would typically be 45-50


----------



## Zweber12

DanHumphrey said:


> How often do 240mm kasumi gyutos appear? I seem to see a lot of debas and santokus and nakiris and sushi knives. And is there a place that has the dimensions?



If you are looking for dimensions/measurements/photos of several Shigs, I have some on my site under the "collection" tab.


----------



## DanHumphrey

tjangula said:


> Gyutos that size are a hot commodity and sell fast. I'd check JNS Maksim may have posted them (spex) at some point



Yeah, but it shocks me they don't adjust production to get closer to the demand ratio. After the light bulb went off about grind issues on BT's thread over on the Sharpening side I got the bug for one of these... :knife:


----------



## jmgray

There is a 210 kasumi on japan woodworker


----------



## aboynamedsuita

DanHumphrey said:


> Yeah, but it shocks me they don't adjust production to get closer to the demand ratio. After the light bulb went off about grind issues on BT's thread over on the Sharpening side I got the bug for one of these... :knife:



I don't think it's as simple as just increasing production when the knives are made entirely by hand and involve three people (i.e. not a factory production line), have you seen the video at JNS? I think they also have a domestic market where more traditional styles/sizes are desired, so have to balance that as well.


----------



## havox07

DanHumphrey said:


> Yeah, but it shocks me they don't adjust production to get closer to the demand ratio. After the light bulb went off about grind issues on BT's thread over on the Sharpening side I got the bug for one of these... :knife:



It's a small shop with a father and his two sons, this keeps quality very high and consistent. It's nice to see companies which focus on the product and not just pumping as many out as possible. Sure they could hire another 10 workers but the quality would drop and the knives would not be as good.


----------



## DanHumphrey

havox07 said:


> It's a small shop with a father and his two sons, this keeps quality very high and consistent. It's nice to see companies which focus on the product and not just pumping as many out as possible. Sure they could hire another 10 workers but the quality would drop and the knives would not be as good.



Oh I know, but I'm just talking ratio of the knife styles produced, not total volume.


----------



## Zweber12

Kamagata usuba on JNS, wondering about the length..


----------



## Aleque

Zweber12 said:


> Kamagata usuba on JNS, wondering about the length..



It says 210mm on the email Maksim sent out as well as on the site. I'm guessing it's the length mentioned.


----------



## mikedtran

210mm Kasumi Gyuto look to be back in stock at JWW. (no longer backordered)


----------



## DanHumphrey

mikedtran said:


> 210mm Kasumi Gyuto look to be back in stock at JWW. (no longer backordered)



I thought that had been in for a while? I keep looking at it, but I'm at little concerned it will seem too short, since y'all persuaded me that 240mm isn't too big!


----------



## jmgray

At least a couple days


----------



## mikedtran

My webpage update alert just went off, probably for some other JWW change.


----------



## Mute-on

DanHumphrey said:


> I thought that had been in for a while? I keep looking at it, but I'm at little concerned it will seem too short, since y'all persuaded me that 240mm isn't too big!



Just buy it!

If this is for home use, a 240 is not too big if you have enough board space, but pretty unnecessary if you are cooking for less than 6 at once. 

I have everything up to a 240 Shig, but my favourite gyuto is a 180. 

You won't regret a 210 Shig. Right in the sweet spot for everyday use. 

Enjoy!

J


----------



## Farnorth

mikedtran said:


> My webpage update alert just went off, probably for some other JWW change.



Kasumi Usuba looks like it's now in stock.


----------



## ynot1985

DanHumphrey said:


> Oh I know, but I'm just talking ratio of the knife styles produced, not total volume.



Just get it I say

I love both my 210mm kasumi and kitaeji

Even if you don't like it, you won't have any trouble selling it


----------



## Badgertooth

Big takobiki coming at JNS which I've never seen before and a Kitaeji yanagiba.


----------



## Zweber12

Badgertooth said:


> Big takobiki coming at JNS which I've never seen before and a Kitaeji yanagiba.



it's actually a 300mm Fuguhiki, not a Yanagiba, even more rare.


----------



## Badgertooth

Yeah, just saw that. That price is a bit rich for my blood


----------



## Godslayer

Badgertooth said:


> Yeah, just saw that. That price is a bit rich for my blood



I just saw the price and lol'd


----------



## Aleque

Godslayer said:


> I just saw the price and lol'd



Whoa! Same here. I refreshed JNS webpage and just saw that. Just a bit out of my price range haha


----------



## strumke

Few more popped up in a recent email


----------



## mikedtran

The fuguhiki sold quite quickly!


----------



## aboynamedsuita

mikedtran said:


> The fuguhiki sold quite quickly!



Not as fast as one of the katos :evilgrin:


----------



## LucasFur

come on guys ... who got the two Shigefusa Kasumi Gyuto's ???


----------



## preizzo

That was fast!!


----------



## davidlee119

I did not even get a chance to see the price..just curious how much it was listed for?


----------



## mikedtran

$524 USD when I saw it =)

Prices on these guys are just sky rocketing. I got my first one for $350 used, and my second one for $400 new, third for $440 all within the last year.


----------



## Asteger

If you're thinking in terms of USD, wasn't it about 12 or 18 months ago when USD1 was about JPY120 or so? Quite different now which must be part of it.

Not sure how the yen is doing against most other currencies, but it must be pricier


----------



## aboynamedsuita

LucasFur said:


> come on guys ... who got the two Shigefusa Kasumi Gyuto's ???





preizzo said:


> That was fast!!



I got the one from last week... picking it up today after work from DHL 

It'll probably end up on BST as I've been bitten by the J-Nat bug and need to free up some funds.


----------



## Chicagohawkie

mikedtran said:


> $524 USD when I saw it =)
> 
> Prices on these guys are just sky rocketing. I got my first one for $350 used, and my second one for $400 new, third for $440 all within the last year.




Mike,
Are we talking a 210 Kasumi gyuto? I got one new a few months ago at 420 and thought that was outrageous! Feds gonna raise interest rates asap because of this!


----------



## Timthebeaver

Almost 500 GBP. Silly money really.


----------



## easy13

This thread is doing nothing to help keep the prices at a reasonable number


----------



## Mute-on

Timthebeaver said:


> Almost 500 GBP. Silly money really.



Closer to £400 isn't it? 

Still silly money in any case. As much as I'd like to add a 210 Kasumi Shig to the stable, this is getting too rich for my blood. Many other gyutos available at this price point that are much more unique. 

On the other hand, for collectability I think the smart money is on Shig single bevels, or Kitaeji anything. 

Cheers

J


----------



## havox07

Mute-on said:


> Closer to £400 isn't it?
> 
> Still silly money in any case. As much as I'd like to add a 210 Kasumi Shig to the stable, this is getting too rich for my blood. Many other gyutos available at this price point that are much more unique.
> 
> On the other hand, for collectability I think the smart money is on Shig single bevels, or Kitaeji anything.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> J



On the other hand maybe not with this soon to be 20 percent price raise. I know I have been looking at debas at local retailers and they are all around 500, so I think why not just buy a shig?


----------



## Mute-on

If you are looking at a $500 USD deba, I would definitely top it up and get a Shig. No question.


----------



## havox07

Mute-on said:


> If you are looking at a $500 USD deba, I would definitely top it up and get a Shig. No question.



Nah I was hoping more for a 300cad Deba. Unfortunately can't really find any nearby, so this might as well pay the extra for a shig.


----------



## copperJon

210 on sale now at JNS... Just sayin &#128512;


----------



## aboynamedsuita

copperJon said:


> 210 on sale now at JNS... Just sayin [emoji3]



I wish there were more left hand single bevel shigs around


----------



## Godslayer

havox07 said:


> Nah I was hoping more for a 300cad Deba. Unfortunately can't really find any nearby, so this might as well pay the extra for a shig.



Isnt jessf selling a deba with a custom handle and saya around that price. Not a shig but a kiatoka is a solid deba.


----------



## Badgertooth

Kitaeji Sujis coming soon


----------



## ynot1985

4 !!!!

240mm kitaeji suji.. Roughly 1000 usd each


----------



## LucasFur

there is a deba kitaeji 165 on the bay atm. if anybody is interested. 
*Not my posting* i dont even know what i would use a deba for. 

moderators - please delete if this is against forum rules.


----------



## KimBronnum

Who bought the sujis from JNS? - they looked sweet [emoji106][emoji173]&#65039;[emoji380]


----------



## Doug

Shigefusa Kitaeji Yanagiba 300mm for sale at Japan-Tool


----------



## aboynamedsuita

LucasFur said:


> there is a deba kitaeji 165 on the bay atm. if anybody is interested.
> *Not my posting* i dont even know what i would use a deba for.
> 
> moderators - please delete if this is against forum rules.



That has been around for awhile apparently.

My understanding about eBay is its okay if it's a "buy it now", but not an auction?


----------



## daveb

OK to discuss, call attention to anything at the bay. Links to a "buy it now" are ok, links to auctions are verboten. Intention is to keep KKFrs from bidding against each other and driving price up.


----------



## F-Flash

http://lapassiondescouteaux.fr/cout...usa-kazumi-wa-gyuto-210-mm-fourreau-bois.html

215mm gyuto


----------



## Anton

Can't get over how much these are going for now.


----------



## Badgertooth

The French aren't playing games


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Just wait til the price increases hit full swing


----------



## Zweber12

Since we're calling out shigs; saw these two Kiya branded kitaeji yanagibas (330 & 360mm) at Kiya in Tokyo last week:


----------



## bryan03

http://lapassiondescouteaux.fr/cout...usa-kazumi-wa-gyuto-210-mm-fourreau-bois.html


----------



## aboynamedsuita

bryan03 said:


> http://lapassiondescouteaux.fr/cout...usa-kazumi-wa-gyuto-210-mm-fourreau-bois.html


This was already posted yesterday see below:





F-Flash said:


> http://lapassiondescouteaux.fr/cout...usa-kazumi-wa-gyuto-210-mm-fourreau-bois.html
> 
> 215mm gyuto


----------



## bryan03

oups.


----------



## Elber10

There is a Shigefusa Gyuto in a German Forum for sale

http://www.messerforum.net/showthre...und-Neuwertiger-Zustand&p=1039391#post1039391


----------



## Von blewitt

Unicorn Alert!!!
http://www.japan-tool.com/zc/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=30_32&products_id=685


----------



## Aleque

Von blewitt said:


> Unicorn Alert!!!
> http://www.japan-tool.com/zc/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=30_32&products_id=685



I'm assuming it sold out quick. I didn't even know Shigefusa made chuuka. Pretty pricy at ~$1200usd


----------



## Inonot

Von blewitt said:


> Unicorn Alert!!!
> http://www.japan-tool.com/zc/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=30_32&products_id=685



Says sold out now.. that didn't last long


----------



## Zweber12

A good week for shigs: a 270mm kasumi gyuto on JWW..


----------



## mikedtran

HOLY MOLY that is a smoking deal on a 270mm IMO same price as the 210mm we have seen recently!

I'm off the double bevel Shig buying, but man people should grab those if they are looking for a Shig.


----------



## Badgertooth

Oops


----------



## copperJon

No need to alert on Maksim's 180 petty...as luck would have it the notification didn't go out at 3AM, but rather just as I opened up my email at work. Been waiting a while on that petty!

2x 210 Gyutos available!


----------



## Bloum

Once again, Maksin just recieved few Shigefusa...:bliss:

Ask somebody to hide your wallet!


----------



## patraleigh

look like still had one 210 Gyutos left after I ckeck out.


----------



## Matus

More than an hour after the email that one 210 Shig is still sitting tight. It makes me wonder whether the hype is approaching its limits at nearly 600 ...


----------



## Brucewml

Maybe everyone have one already. Lol just kidding.


----------



## bennyprofane

Matus said:


> More than an hour after the email that one 210 Shig is still sitting tight. It makes me wonder whether the hype is approaching its limits at nearly 600 ...



Perhaps it's shifted entirely to Kato?


----------



## Matus

bennyprofane said:


> Perhaps it's shifted entirely to Kato?



Maybe, maybe the continuous price rise (of both Kato and Shig) has pushed the buyers elsewhere to look at alternatives that are in the same class, just without the status.


----------



## bennyprofane

Yes, possible, but from what I've read, there is nothing that really compares to Kato in terms of geometry and how they cut?


----------



## Anton

If it is indeed a Kato geometry and profile what's going to work best for you. Won't know until you try it. I personally thinks it's just ok.


----------



## ynot1985

I have to agree with Matus, my collecting of shig has grinder to a halt due to the price increases unless it's something hard to find or I really want. In regards to Kato, due to his health issues, he is slowing down so which means he is making less and harder to get. Supply and demand I guess


----------



## Brucewml

Japan tool get some new shigefusa up for sale.


----------



## Von blewitt

Seems pretty steep!


----------



## Badgertooth

Those prices are eye-watering


----------



## ynot1985

I think I got my kitaeji 210 off So 6 months ago i think for roughly the same price but those kasumi prices seem a bit steep


----------



## jimmy_d

Wow that is a lot of money...


----------



## F-Flash

http://gx2.japan-messer-shop.de/de/...aegi-Gyuto--22-cm-Klinge--nicht-rostfrei.html

Some KUs also available.


----------



## tgfencer

A deba is up on Ebay

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Shigefusa-Deba-165mm-/252616210163?hash=item3ad11976f3:g:xQIAAOSwqBJXVHE~


----------



## Vancouverguy

Just letting everyone know, http://aframestokyo.com/shigefusa-wa-gyuto-kasumi-270mm-japanese-chef-kn270.html This happened today. I dont really know how many are in stock but.... that price.. Good thing I got myself 2x today. :laugh::laugh:


----------



## lans8939

Shogun Knife Company has a few with custom handles. The Kanji look different on several of them. Here's one that's available. Still not sure of the Kanji.


----------



## ynot1985

That's one of the son's kanji


----------



## lans8939

I thought it maybe but needed a more experienced opinion. Are the knives similar in performance between sons and father?


----------



## leansmancave

A Shig Kasumi 270mm gyuto popped up on Aframe today. With a Saya.irate1:

-Lean


----------



## Godslayer

leansmancave said:


> A Shig Kasumi 270mm gyuto popped up on Aframe today. With a Saya.irate1:
> 
> -Lean



All i can say is whoever bought that is one good looking guy


----------



## Badgertooth

There is something about making dinner with a 270 shig which feels really authoritative.


----------



## Vancouverguy

That price with a Saya is perfect. I can't believe the system let me have two.


----------



## Badgertooth

Vancouverguy said:


> That price with a Saya is perfect. I can't believe the system let me have two.



Takeshi's software sometimes mongs out and you might get an apologetic email and a refund.


----------



## Godslayer

I'm guessing some of use will be getting emails lol.


----------



## TheCaptain

Sounds like I have to add a Shig to my list of knives to get a second job to afford...


----------



## Marek07

Vancouverguy said:


> That price with a Saya is perfect. I can't believe the system let me have two.


It shouldn't have. Greedy boy!
:justkidding:


----------



## tgfencer

Been on the lookout for the right 270mm for a while, never thought it would end up being a Shig.


----------



## ynot1985

Vancouverguy said:


> That price with a Saya is perfect. I can't believe the system let me have two.



these seem a steal considering the 270mm wa ksaumi gyuto on Japan Tool sold for 98,000 yen so roughly 980 usd


----------



## spoiledbroth

So how many people have bought knives through yoshizawa riko?

Just curious


----------



## Furminati

Jeez how many did they have ?


----------



## Badgertooth

Who is Yoshizawa Riko?


----------



## panda

someone who figured out ya'll are obsessed and will pay honyaki prices.


----------



## Vancouverguy

I'll Keep you guys updated If I DO get two!


----------



## Godslayer

Just got the email of shame... My heart is broken  maybe someday I'll get my shigefusa gyuto. :cheffry:  :knife:


----------



## Vancouverguy

Godslayer said:


> Just got the email of shame... My heart is broken  maybe someday I'll get my shigefusa gyuto. :cheffry:  :knife:



Where from? Theres some shigs on Japan Woodworker.


----------



## Badgertooth

That 188mm that's threatened to be in stock since last year


----------



## tgfencer

panda said:


> someone who figured out ya'll are obsessed and will pay honyaki prices.



$520 for a Shig Gyuto 270mm+saya isn't quite at the level of honyaki pricing I don't think. Also I second Badgertooth, who is Yoshizawa Riko?


----------



## panda

someone mentioned $980


----------



## Godslayer

tgfencer said:


> $520 for a Shig Gyuto 270mm+saya isn't quite at the level of honyaki pricing I don't think. Also I second Badgertooth, who is Yoshizawa Riko?



He owns a store in japan that sells very high end knives. More of a collectors store. Probably has some very nice stuff. No website that I know of. Probably exists but in moon speak.


----------



## Godslayer

panda said:


> someone mentioned $980



Japan tool. I'm guessing that's for a kiteji(damascus) gyuto as that's stupidly expensive for a san mai shig. I want a shig I don't $1000 want one. Even $520 hurt me


----------



## spoiledbroth

It is possible to buy knives from him through an English speaking guy hiro who writes a blog about Japanese food, but "wait times are now one year"

I'm really surprised nobody here had bought one via that route. Though I'm sure this is not news to our resident shig nut


----------



## tgfencer

panda said:


> someone mentioned $980



Ah yes, apologies. I see that now, I got confused trying to follow the conversation. Yeah $980 is to my mind excessive.


----------



## Vancouverguy

Super excited to see that Aframes just sent me tracking details for my 2x 270mm ones with saya!


----------



## Godslayer

spoiledbroth said:


> It is possible to buy knives from him through an English speaking guy hiro who writes a blog about Japanese food, but "wait times are now one year"
> 
> I'm really surprised nobody here had bought one via that route. Though I'm sure this is not news to our resident shig nut



Waiting for knives is killing me slowly. I ordered two honyakis one was a 3-5 week wait and now I'm at 3+ months. The other was 2 months now 4ish months. The mental anguish is unrivaled. I just want my super cool toys  and I want them now. I may contact miked Tran about that next year if my hunt for the fabled 270 goes on much longer.


----------



## Godslayer

Vancouverguy said:


> Super excited to see that Aframes just sent me tracking details for my 2x 270mm ones with saya!



We cant be friends lol


----------



## tgfencer

Vancouverguy said:


> Super excited to see that Aframes just sent me tracking details for my 2x 270mm ones with saya!



Me too. Only 1 though, because I want people here to like me!


----------



## panda

you should sell godslayer one of those 270s couver


----------



## copperJon

Lol nice dude. Takeshi sent me an email saying he had two, and I was third on the list. I'll take one off of your hands if you get tired of holding on to both&#128512;


----------



## copperJon

Wait, th you say you got one too? 

This from takeshi:
"I had tow of them Yesterday, but they were sold very quickly."

Sounds like maybe there is still some sorting out to do.


----------



## Godslayer

copperJon said:


> Wait, th you say you got one too?
> 
> This from takeshi:
> "I had tow of them Yesterday, but they were sold very quickly."
> 
> Sounds like maybe there is still some sorting out to do.



That is the email of shame yes.


----------



## Vancouverguy

Correction! He has shipped me one I just had to look at what he charged me, and I didnt know! My bads! Oops!


----------



## Godslayer

Vancouverguy said:


> Correction! He has shipped me one I just had to look at what he charged me, and I didnt know! My bads! Oops!



I feel for you brother. Promise me you'll take care of her and don't be like tanner, he doesn't use his shigs, keeps them in a glass frame never knowing the heat of battle.


----------



## copperJon

Well, you are a good man for alerting the vultures in any case. Congrats on your shig, even if it's only one.


----------



## tgfencer

Vancouverguy said:


> Correction! He has shipped me one I just had to look at what he charged me, and I didnt know! My bads! Oops!



Guess I got the second one then. Appreciate your Shig alert, its what made me check though I assumed they would be gone even then.


----------



## copperJon

Tg you must have been on it! My order is time stamped 4 minutes after the original post haha.


----------



## Vancouverguy

Second shig! I'll probably collect more of them in the future


----------



## aboynamedsuita

spoiledbroth said:


> It is possible to buy knives from him through an English speaking guy hiro who writes a blog about Japanese food, but "wait times are now one year"
> 
> I'm really surprised nobody here had bought one via that route. Though I'm sure this is not news to our resident shig nut



I know a number of members have done that, the wait times have increased significantly in the past year or so. You can actually match the kitaeji pattern on some knives in Hiroyuki's blog to pics here





Godslayer said:


> I feel for you brother. Promise me you'll take care of her and don't be like tanner, he doesn't use his shigs, keeps them in a glass frame never knowing the heat of battle.



I only have two shigs now, both nakiris, one KU and one kitaeji. The KU gets used fairly regularly and the kitaeji is safely tucked away.


----------



## Godslayer

tjangula said:


> I know a number of members have done that, the wait times have increased significantly in the past year or so. You can actually match the kitaeji pattern on some knives in Hiroyuki's blog to pics here
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I only have two shigs now, both nakiris, one KU and one kitaeji. The KU gets used fairly regularly and the kitaeji is safely tucked away.



Poor guy. Set him free. A shig is a horrible thing to waste.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

I set the 240 workhorse free, not sure if I'll do that with my shig


----------



## chinacats

tjangula said:


> I only have two shigs now, both nakiris, one KU and one kitaeji. The KU gets used fairly regularly and the kitaeji is safely tucked away.



Tucking away shigs is disgusting...and the reason prices have skyrocketed...you should be ashamed...


----------



## aboynamedsuita

No shame for setting aside one knife for future use, maybe I have no conscience


----------



## ynot1985

I need that kitaeji Nakiri Tanner!!!


----------



## Marek07

ynot1985 said:


> I need that kitaeji Nakiri Tanner!!!


Whatchya talkin' 'bout Willis? (or Tony)
You just said you had 13 Shigs... and that was already nine days ago. Who knows how many you've bought since. Why would you need a Kitaeji Nakiri?!? Play nice!


----------



## ynot1985

Marek07 said:


> Whatchya talkin' 'bout Willis? (or Tony)
> You just said you had 13 Shigs... and that was already nine days ago. Who knows how many you've bought since. Why would you need a Kitaeji Nakiri?!? Play nice!



Nakiris are my knife of choice and I only have the KU ones..

Hence why I have been chasing this for a while and Mike sold his to smurf and Tanner


----------



## aboynamedsuita

T I thought you only went after KU shigs?


----------



## ynot1985

nah, i still have kasumis and kitaeji stuff but I'm only actively acquiring unusual KUs and one kitaeji nakiri (still waiting for Mike to get more kitaeji nakiris)



tjangula said:


> T I thought you only went after KU shigs?


----------



## easy13

chinacats said:


> Tucking away shigs is disgusting...and the reason prices have skyrocketed...you should be ashamed...



I'd say this thread is 87% responsible for the prices of Shigs skyrocketing


----------



## Marek07

ynot1985 said:


> Nakiris are my knife of choice and I only have the KU ones..


Now hang on just a minute there... I believe you used the plural when referring to KU nakiris. So I have to ask, got any spares? :hungry:
Perhaps a trade for a kasumi petty/sujihiki? Hmmm... ??? 
PM me if tempted.


----------



## ynot1985

kasumi petty/sujihiki...i say keep them, kasumi pettys are rare 

I have KU 210mm nakiri, 165mm nakiri and a 150mm sushihiki (?) that was sold to me as a nakiri.

but yeah, not looking for pettys or suji. Already have 2 shig KUs (single and double bevel) and also have one kato petty and one kato suji on order


----------



## KimBronnum

Shigs are like drugs. At the beginning you may try one. The more you get the more you need them...


----------



## tgfencer

copperJon said:


> Tg you must have been on it! My order is time stamped 4 minutes after the original post haha.



Yeah I guess so. Stumbled into two Shigs in one day. My wallet is crying..


----------



## Godslayer

So bad news no shig now. Good news when the next batch comes in I have first dibs on them  complaining it solves all the world's issues.


----------



## TheCaptain

You guys know you sound like junkies, right? :laugh:

I've got so much enjoyment out of reading this thread just for entertainments sake. 

In other news...DH said I could get a Shig for a xmas gift. I figure my name will come up on the wait list in 2-3 years...

I have to see what all the hype is about, yea...:knife:


----------



## Mucho Bocho

This Kasumi gyuto been available for a week or so? They have a 165 santoku, several deba's even usuba list too. 

http://www.japanwoodworker.com/Prod...yuto-Hocho-Double-Bevel--Tokifusa-Iizuka.aspx


----------



## Bloum

Maksim's strike again with 2 Shige's gyuto, one kitaeji's and one kasumi's finish...


----------



## Omega

That 240 kasumi vanished suuuuper quick


----------



## Bloum

Omega said:


> That 240 kasumi vanished suuuuper quick



Those last times, you was the guy who use to vanished things quickly


----------



## Omega

Bloum said:


> Those last times, you was the guy who use to vanished things quickly



Haha I HAVE been really lucky on BST lately. Though when I cruise back through the pages, you've definitely picked up some gems yourself


----------



## Kristoff

Both shigs are gone already..... Wonder how much was the kitaeji


----------



## Omega

I didn't see the Kasumi, but the Kitaeji was like $890


----------



## ynot1985

the kasumi was 696 AUD, the kitaeji was like 1130 AUD

I found them available before i even read the emails but I didn't need them so I passed on it



Kristoff said:


> Both shigs are gone already..... Wonder how much was the kitaeji


----------



## DamageInc

Lasted longer than I thought. Both were available around 12 minutes or so after I got the mail.


----------



## malexthekid

I managed to see them pop up... If I didn't have two customs on the run I would have been tempted to jump on one to see what the hype is.. plus you know, you aren't a knife nut in Oz if you don't own a Shig supposedly.


----------



## Kristoff

ynot1985 said:


> the kasumi was 696 AUD, the kitaeji was like 1130 AUD
> 
> I found them available before i even read the emails but I didn't need them so I passed on it



Wow that's actually not too bad. Would love to get that 210mm kitaeji cause the 240mm is actually too big/tall for my liking. Unfortunately it's a drawer queen for me atm.


----------



## SuperSharp

There's a used ku nakiri with custom handle on eBay right now.


----------



## TheCaptain

I emailed the guy. No box no invoice doesn't know who made the handle. I'm on the fence as I don't know if there are fakes but it wouldn't be too hard. Looks real but...


----------



## ynot1985

You mean the box is fake or the knife?


----------



## Vancouverguy

I can't seem to find the shig on ebay .. is it sold already ?


----------



## TheCaptain

I mean he doesn't have a box or invoice. Lots of knockoffs on ebay. At least here you know the sellers.


----------



## TheCaptain

I really want that knife but I've been ripped off twice now on ebay.


----------



## ynot1985

Really? There's knock off shigefusas?


----------



## TheCaptain

I didn't know there were knockoffs of scandisk memory cards but I bought one. If something becomes hard to get the odds of it being counterfeited goes up. I prefer to buy from trusted sources or someone I know.


----------



## ynot1985

Ok yeah.. bucket loads of fake computer gear from china.. knives are a lot less mainstream than computer parts and most ppl won't spend the kind of money we do on knives..


----------



## Godslayer

ynot1985 said:


> Really? There's knock off shigefusas?



Very very doubtful. Knock off shuns id believe. No one knows what shigefusa is besides us.


----------



## TheCaptain

Not helping! Just kidding. I'm really on the fence. Seriously you guys think it's legit?


----------



## chinacats

TheCaptain said:


> Not helping! Just kidding. I'm really on the fence. Seriously you guys think it's legit?



It's legit...looks beat up (looks to have been thinned rather haphazardly) and the price is rather high for what it is...handle looks nice...scratching pretty on the ku...not in stock but Maxim had them @ 271 last time in stock...


----------



## tgfencer

Yeah I agree with CC about the price. Seems a high, despite the custom handle.


----------



## ynot1985

If you are after shig KU Nakiri, let me know .. I know a few places that has them in stock


----------



## chinacats

...and if you haven't tried a stock handle Shig, you owe it to yourself...


----------



## Godslayer

I saw it, if the blade was in new or near new condition I'd of seriously considered it, unfortunately it isn't if I see it drop to 300ish id take a swing at her, for what its worth the handle looks amazing and is probably worth 120-150 of that price tag.


----------



## Marek07

ynot1985 said:


> If you are after shig KU Nakiri, let me know .. I know a few places that has them in stock


Do tell! Post or PM.


----------



## Vancouverguy

Marek07 said:


> Do tell! Post or PM.



I believe Dictum has two . https://www.dictum.com/en/knives/ja...-vegetable-knife?ftr=shigefusa_3_2_97_1_12_12


----------



## Marek07

Vancouverguy said:


> I believe Dictum has two . https://www.dictum.com/en/knives/ja...-vegetable-knife?ftr=shigefusa_3_2_97_1_12_12


Thanks!


----------



## krx927

There us also one Miroshi deba available in France. This one is there already for ages:

http://lapassiondescouteaux.fr/cout...3-shigefusa-kitae-ji-mioroshi-deba-damas.html


----------



## ynot1985

krx927 said:


> There us also one Miroshi deba available in France. This one is there already for ages:
> 
> http://lapassiondescouteaux.fr/cout...3-shigefusa-kitae-ji-mioroshi-deba-damas.html



165mm is already short for a deba, let alone a mioroshi


----------



## TheCaptain

ok so I may have dodged a bullet here. I went back and fourth with the seller on ebay a few times and was about to finalize something close to what was said to be FMV here when the knife "sold" at full listed price.

Ok - I'm happy for him - he got the price he wanted.

Then I get a listing for a "new" knife similar to what I was negotiating. Exact.same.listing. The dude had made me a counter that I was going to accept, apparently got sellers remorse and faked a "sale".

Douche move. I'm glad I'm not getting this knife. Thanks to a PM have a new blade on order for a much cheaper price.

So now I begin my hunt for a Kato.


----------



## nutmeg

the Shigefusa's prices have increased to at least 50% these öast two years.
Do you guys think their price could increase again that much?


----------



## ynot1985

Depends on a number of things..

Like all things collectible.. it's worth however much someone is willing to pay for it... even at current price points, they are still flying out the door.

supply is another issue, all depends on how much he can keep up with demand


----------



## Von blewitt

With the way Shig prices are rising i've been considering selling my 240 western Gyuto, I pulled it out today and used it to make dinner, it's staying put for now


----------



## schanop

Von blewitt said:


> With the way Shig prices are rising i've been considering selling my 240 western Gyuto, I pulled it out today and used it to make dinner, it's staying put for now



Glad to hear you still like that little gem ;-)


----------



## Vancouverguy

Sooo who took Maxim's Petty's? .. Anyone catch the price? Why did it go straight to my junk box. :scratchhead:


----------



## ynot1985

it went to my junk box too..

luckily I don't need one or else I would be annoyed


Vancouverguy said:


> Sooo who took Maxim's Petty's? .. Anyone catch the price? Why did it go straight to my junk box. :scratchhead:


----------



## aboynamedsuita

I woke up about an hour after the email came in and I clicked the link when it was still available I think it was around $280 USD / $380 CAD bit it was first thing in the AM so I could be imagining.


----------



## Omega

KU Pettys were 1500 DKK, or about $219~


----------



## Vancouverguy

Omega said:


> KU Pettys were 1500 DKK, or about $219~



Did you manage to get one!? You seem to always beat me to everything


----------



## Omega

@VancouverGuy hehe I HAVE been getting really lucky lately.. I just happened to be working on my computer when it came across- was able to snag one this time.


----------



## tgfencer

Omega said:


> @VancouverGuy hehe I HAVE been getting really lucky lately.. I just happened to be working on my computer when it came across- was able to snag one this time.



The force is strong with this one...


----------



## LucasFur

Omega has his game on for some serious scores.


----------



## daveb

Just think of all the working knives that could have been bought with that Shig money.. Ha!

:running:


----------



## tgfencer

daveb said:


> Just think of all the working knives that could have been bought with that Shig money.. Ha!



Lots! I use my two however since otherwise its a total waste of money. At least for me. Though I do wonder sometimes how many Shigs and Katos just sit around in drawers, but no judgment!


----------



## Godslayer

tgfencer said:


> Lots! I use my two however since otherwise its a total waste of money. At least for me. Though I do wonder sometimes how many Shigs and Katos just sit around in drawers, but no judgment!



I judge them. Filthy savages. Knives are tools, in not using them you are disrespecting their makers, and the ancient samurai way. :knife: of cooking badass dishes.


----------



## nutmeg

Vancouverguy said:


> Sooo who took Maxim's Petty's? .. Anyone catch the price? Why did it go straight to my junk box. :scratchhead:



I got one!


----------



## Kristoff

Godslayer said:


> I judge them. Filthy savages. Knives are tools, in not using them you are disrespecting their makers, and the ancient samurai way. :knife: of cooking badass dishes.



I have a kitaeji nakiri and usuba sitting in the boxes still haha


----------



## tgfencer

Godslayer said:


> I judge them. Filthy savages. Knives are tools, in not using them you are disrespecting their makers, and the ancient samurai way. :knife: of cooking badass dishes.



Haha okay, maybe there is a little judgment. And shouts of dishonor, disrepect, and no small amount of jealousy...so just the usual then!


----------



## Vancouverguy

Sooo... an Australian guy decided to sell their 180mm on Ebay http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Shigefusa-Ka...026985?hash=item3f6ff156a9:g:iwIAAOSwj85YNlaV This looks like it might have been for profit? Who knows!


----------



## Marek07

Vancouverguy said:


> Sooo... an Australian guy decided to sell their 180mm on Ebay http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Shigefusa-Ka...026985?hash=item3f6ff156a9:g:iwIAAOSwj85YNlaV This looks like it might have been for profit? Who knows!


I think you're right. The 188mm gyuto from Japanese Woodworker cost $425 (AUD$563). If this is the same knife, this person's looking for ~20% more. For profit? Quite likely.


----------



## Mute-on

Holy Cow! My 240 with saya was less than what he got for the 180. 

Prices have certainly moved on over the last few years ...


----------



## Zweber12

Wow, today I learned that, once I sell my collection, I will do this on eBay, not KKF.. :running:


----------



## Omega

Zweber12 said:


> Wow, today I learned that, once I sell my collection, I will do this on eBay, not KKF.. :running:



Psshh, you wouldn't have to go to eBay to get more than what you paid for your Shigs. Just PM me ;D


----------



## Kristoff

Marek07 said:


> I think you're right. The 188mm gyuto from Japanese Woodworker cost $425 (AUD$563). If this is the same knife, this person's looking for ~20% more. For profit? Quite likely.



And someone actually bought that knife!


----------



## nutmeg

Kristoff said:


> I have a kitaeji nakiri and usuba sitting in the boxes still haha



Got a nakiri kitaeji today..it looks like it's a very, very, very good candidate for finger stones..


----------



## Badgertooth

Vancouverguy said:


> Sooo... an Australian guy decided to sell their 180mm on Ebay http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Shigefusa-Ka...026985?hash=item3f6ff156a9:g:iwIAAOSwj85YNlaV This looks like it might have been for profit? Who knows!



Anybody called Australian immigration to let them know that this guy loses permanent residence and faces possible deportation?


----------



## tgfencer

For someone who wants to qualify for an Australian visa...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Shigefusa-K...143274?hash=item3f6ff31cea:g:cS0AAOSwHMJYNoZM


----------



## nutmeg

tgfencer said:


> For someone who wants to qualify for an Australian visa...
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/Shigefusa-K...143274?hash=item3f6ff31cea:g:cS0AAOSwHMJYNoZM



The blade isn't is top condition. 
It looks like a KU that has been polished.


----------



## tgfencer

nutmeg said:


> The blade isn't is top condition.
> It looks like a KU that has been polished.



I agree its not in top condition. What makes you think it is a stripped KU? I honestly didn't look too carefully at the photos since I had no interest in it, but I don't want to be responsible for someone buying a misleading product.


----------



## nutmeg

Maybe it's just a crunchy kasumi but the little holes on the blade are reminding me the surface I got removing a KU finish with sand paper.


----------



## Timthebeaver

210mm kurouchi Shig = rare as hen's teeth. Don't be silly.

Seems like we have reached the point where those interested in hoarding Shigs know very little about their provenance.


----------



## chinacats

Timthebeaver said:


> 210mm kurouchi Shig = rare as hen's teeth. Don't be silly.
> 
> Seems like we have reached the point where those interested in hoarding Shigs know very little about their provenance.



LOL, yep...


----------



## ynot1985

I have requested them through various channels to make a KU gyuto for me .. they have refused every time.. I have only seen one in existence


----------



## tgfencer

Timthebeaver said:


> 210mm kurouchi Shig = rare as hen's teeth. Don't be silly.



Haha, okay so its not just me because I was just about to say I don't think I've ever seen a KU gyuto so I was skeptical of it being stripped.


----------



## Timthebeaver

Maksim had a 210 made by Masayuki a while back. Don't recall seeing another.


----------



## Seth

Timthebeaver said:


> Maksim had a 210 made by Masayuki a while back. Don't recall seeing another.



...and is one of my favorite knives. He had one a few years back which I didn't buy and I think I waited another three years till I saw another one.


----------



## Mute-on

It's in safe hands ...


----------



## Vancouverguy

I spy a shig on ebay... http://www.ebay.ca/itm/SHIGEFUSA-KI...e-/152338029938?&_trksid=p2056016.m2516.l5255


----------



## Godslayer

Lmao that price. $1900 usd to buy it now for a 300 yanagi


----------



## Vancouverguy

Godslayer said:


> Lmao that price. $1900 usd to buy it now for a 300 yanagi



I did not really want to comment on the price on it.. but Yeah quite the hefty price..


----------



## Zweber12

Godslayer said:


> Lmao that price. $1900 usd to buy it now for a 300 yanagi



try this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/SHIGEFUSA-K...970801?hash=item2377fdb431:g:IEEAAOSwA3dYPPoL


----------



## Eloh

I have to ask the experts: is $500 a good Deal on a 210mm kasumi gyuto These days?


----------



## panda

no


----------



## ynot1985

500 for a 210 is not a bargain.. more like acceptable for the current market. Japan tools sold one recently with box for 800-900 usd


----------



## krx927

my thought is the following: 500$ for kasumi guyto if you can get it right away and it is new is OK, based on the fact that you cannot get this knife new anywhere at the moment.


----------



## preizzo

To much in my opinion


----------



## Godslayer

Zweber12 said:


> try this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/SHIGEFUSA-K...970801?hash=item2377fdb431:g:IEEAAOSwA3dYPPoL



Lmao what a douchemuffin


----------



## Godslayer

ynot1985 said:


> 500 for a 210 is not a bargain.. more like acceptable for the current market. Japan tools sold one recently with box for 800-900 usd



I think that was a 240/270 didn't know a kiri box costs $300 lol


----------



## ynot1985

It was 84000 yen with saya and box.. I remember Jww had them the same time last year for 390 and you can also use 15% coupon for ot


----------



## Vancouverguy

Isnt the Shig in the B/S/T Forum wayy better deal? The deba for $400. Looks like it's almost in new condition + You know the person who used it before! By far this is a better deal. 
http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/showthread.php/30073-Shig-180-deba


----------



## Vancouverguy

Eloh said:


> I have to ask the experts: is $500 a good Deal on a 210mm kasumi gyuto These days?



I think in the current market, and demand, JWW's price on the gyuto is " fair" with $480usd for a brand new 210.


----------



## nutmeg

Vancouverguy said:


> I spy a shig on ebay... http://www.ebay.ca/itm/SHIGEFUSA-KI...e-/152338029938?&_trksid=p2056016.m2516.l5255



very beautiful blade!


----------



## Omega

ynot1985 said:


> It was 84000 yen with saya and box.. I remember Jww had them the same time last year for 390 and you can also use 15% coupon for ot



Daaaamn dude. Wish I had started collecting knives a couple years ago :S Prices have gone up a minimum of 20% everywhere, huh..


----------



## krx927

Even more, but that was explained in the middle of the year (or a bit earlier) by Jon.


----------



## DamageInc

210mm shig kitaeji gyuto at JNS right now


----------



## Kristoff

DamageInc said:


> 210mm shig kitaeji gyuto at JNS right now



The page is gone tho...not sure if it's deleted or already sold out


----------



## jimmy_d

Those went fast...


----------



## gaijin

The mail said that three knives were available. I hesitated a few seconds too long.


----------



## cgul629

Same here. I fumbled a little with the checkout and knife was gone between add to cart and completion of checkout. Are Shigs popular or something? :justkidding:


----------



## Omega

Haha yeah, if you waited / missed the email by even two minutes, you missed the three Shigs. People are really on top of it


----------



## ynot1985

I dont get it. recently all my jns emails go straight to junk folder


----------



## Marek07

ynot1985 said:


> I dont get it. recently all my jns emails go straight to junk folder


Perhaps the universe is suggesting that you slow down... ?
:wink:


----------



## ynot1985

The irony is.. I'm not even looking for Shigs.. Haven't seen any new and unique KU shigs in ages ......sigh ... but I am after a dammy Kato to finish off my set of one of each gyuto finishes




Marek07 said:


> Perhaps the universe is suggesting that you slow down... ?
> :wink:


----------



## Omega

ynot1985 said:


> The irony is.. I'm not even looking for Shigs.. Haven't seen any new and unique KU shigs in ages ......sigh ... but I am after a dammy Kato to finish off my set of one of each gyuto finishes



You have Kikuryu?


----------



## ynot1985

Omega said:


> You have Kikuryu?



nope.. Kiruryu is basically a damascus with work horse specs


----------



## Omega

ynot1985 said:


> nope.. Kiruryu is basically a damascus with work horse specs



Ahhh, okay. I wish that would dissuade me from wanting one so bad ;P


----------



## ynot1985

There's a used shigefusa udon Kiri on the Japanese yahoo auction site ...


----------



## Vancouverguy

ynot1985 said:


> There's a used shigefusa udon Kiri on the Japanese yahoo auction site ...



That condition though... Currently at $400YUSD too


----------



## ynot1985

300 odd usd at the moment, you also get the 3 large rolling pins with it.. definitely unique and not often seen.. but I consider this and unagi knives as too specialised for any other purposes.


----------



## Vancouverguy

Looks like Japanese Woodworker has a Shig 188mm in stock...


----------



## Omega

165mm KU Santoku available on eBay. Buy now is $225


----------



## Moooza

A 210mm Kitaeji on Japan-tools and a 240mm Kasumi. Crazy prices though
http://www.japan-tool.com/zc/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=30_32


----------



## Marek07

At almost $800 for a 240mm kasumi gyuto and $1,050 for a 210mm kitaeji gyuto, "crazy" doesn't actually describe it adequately, does it?
Perhaps the saya and box are from endangered tree species... :wink:


----------



## Chicagohawkie

Good lord! Thank god I bought my knives years ago! I never would have considered these knives at current pricing.


----------



## y32dsm

SHIGEFUSA Garasuki Kitaeji 180mm single bevel showed up aframestokyo...


----------



## Badgertooth

That's a bit of a unicorn. Surprised it's still there


----------



## ynot1985

Kitaeji one def is.. considered buying it as it was available when I checked but can't justify the coat


----------



## cenc

Definitely had to snag that kitaeji garasuki. I realized it would be more expensive anywhere else online. Plus it comes with a magnolia saya! Awesome.


----------



## Vancouverguy

I know that aframes allows more than 1 person to buy their stuff and reinburses them afterwards...


----------



## chinacats

LOL, unicorn garasuki...you guys crack me up.


----------



## schanop

chinacats said:


> LOL, unicorn garasuki...you guys crack me up.



Did you mean to say unicornsuki? :lol2:


----------



## cenc

Vancouverguy said:


> I know that aframes allows more than 1 person to buy their stuff and reinburses them afterwards...



Stop scaring me, guy!

It hasn't shipped yet..


----------



## seryk20

Japan-tool got 240mm gyuto in stock


----------



## lans8939

It's been there for a bit. Probably due to price.


----------



## jacko9

The Shig 240 Kasumi at $784 USD is way out of my price range - at that price point I guess they will become a lot more available.


----------



## Vancouverguy

Just to let you guys know that tosho will have some shigs in stock in the up comming month. Usuba 210mm nos old stock kitaeji, 300mm yanagi and 270mm kitaeji, 270mm and 300mm kasumi yanagi. Prices are too steep for my likings... but hey supply and demand right..


----------



## chinacats

jacko9 said:


> The Shig 240 Kasumi at $784 USD is way out of my price range - at that price point I guess they will become a lot more available.



that's insane, Shigs are decent blades but nothing but a rip-off at that price point...lowest bang for buck ever?


----------



## Brucewml

I just feel all the custom knife and those famous smith knives prices jumped up so high.


----------



## jacko9

I suppose that supply and demand will level out the market eventually or new suppliers will grab a share at lower price.


----------



## s0real

Found a kitaeji gyuto and a kasumi gyuto on a french site. Not sure if it's okay to post here.


----------



## Kingkor

@s0real what are the prices on them?


----------



## F-Flash

http://lapassiondescouteaux.fr/rech...ay=desc&search_query=Shigefusa&submit_search=

Been there for while now. Yanagi sold few weeks ago.


----------



## s0real

Yeah that's the one. Have been having a difficult time communicating with them trying to get it shipped to oz but they finally did include oz as shipping choice. VAT is included though for buyer outside europe.


----------



## Moooza

Anyone ever been able to buy from hamono.ocnk.net?


----------



## Moooza

310mm tako Kitaeji on eBay. Fairly expensive though


----------



## inzite

please tell me my order of that western 240 suji kitaeji made it ! :S!


----------



## tgfencer

Kato and Shig up on JNS. Probably already gone.


----------



## inzite

the 240 dammy went first, then i put in order for the 240 suji then the petty went then the 210 dammy went as well.


----------



## alterwisser

I had the 240 Kato in the cart but by the time I did checkout it was already gone....


----------



## inzite

alterwisser said:


> I had the 240 Kato in the cart but by the time I did checkout it was already gone....



there was one kato 240 (non dammy workhorse) that lasted a bit longer, the 240 dammy i never saw in a state it was available even when the site loaded split secs after the email popped up on my comp. lol.


----------



## SuperSharp

There's still a KU nakiri up.


----------



## alterwisser

inzite said:


> there was one kato 240 (non dammy workhorse) that lasted a bit longer, the 240 dammy i never saw in a state it was available even when the site loaded split secs after the email popped up on my comp. lol.



Yeah, that was the one I had in my cart.... those two seconds it took me to checkout with PayPal (figured it's the fastest) it was gone...


----------



## inzite

alterwisser said:


> Yeah, that was the one I had in my cart.... those two seconds it took me to checkout with PayPal (figured it's the fastest) it was gone...



see pm.


----------



## TheCaptain

I am NEVER going to get in on one of these. Between mails going to my trash box and work blocking access to sites flagged as "weapons"...

Ugg.


----------



## Omega

Yeah- that's been happening to a number of people lately; the emails going straight to Junk for some reason. No idea what's causing it. 

That said, I was basically sitting and hitting refresh every minute from 1am on.. and I STILL almost missed it.. Kato and Shigs from JNS are crazy hard to snatch.


----------



## bkultra

TheCaptain said:


> I am NEVER going to get in on one of these. Between mails going to my trash box and work blocking access to sites flagged as "weapons"...
> 
> Ugg.




See if your work will allow you to to install a VPN connection to your home computer. Claim it's to access files on your home PC (work related of course). Then just VPN into your home PC and Web surf from there. All the information will be encrypted so they won't know what you're looking at or doing.


----------



## aboynamedsuita

Omega said:


> Yeah- that's been happening to a number of people lately; the emails going straight to Junk for some reason. No idea what's causing it.
> 
> That said, I was basically sitting and hitting refresh every minute from 1am on.. and I STILL *almost* missed it.. Kato and Shigs from JNS are crazy hard to snatch.



So... what'd you get?


----------



## gaijin

Why is the nakiri not sold?


----------



## TheCaptain

Ku finish is comparatively easy to track down. Heck even I have one and for about 80% less.


----------



## ynot1985

Only KU Nakiris and santokus are easy to find.. the rest of the KU range are still quite hard to find


----------



## WildBoar

That Shig 240 western dammy was a grail...


----------



## TheCaptain

bkultra said:


> See if your work will allow you to to install a VPN connection to your home computer. Claim it's to access files on your home PC (work related of course). Then just VPN into your home PC and Web surf from there. All the information will be encrypted so they won't know what you're looking at or doing.



Yea...nope. We're already remote hosted via wyse devices and I can get into the network from anywhere. No vpn needed. In a way it's nice but there are limitations.


----------



## akafat

Moooza said:


> Anyone ever been able to buy from hamono.ocnk.net?



Sadly no, they only deal domestic sales in Japan.


----------



## Omega

aboynamedsuita said:


> So... what'd you get?



Picked up a Munetoshi Butcher, and I'm HOPING I was fast enough to snatch a 210 WH. We'll see though.. until I get that "Shipped" notification, I try not to get my hopes up.


----------



## nevin

There's Shigefusa Santoku in Japan Rakuten


----------



## Marek07

nevin said:


> There's Shigefusa Santoku in Japan Rakuten


Japan Woodworker recently said they were about to fulfil back-ordered nakiris & santokus. Don't know if they'll have any surplus knives on their shelves but it is possible.


----------



## Godslayer

I got an email from aoko at aframes letting me know shigs are coming in Monday or tuesday, several 240mm kasumi gyuto.


----------



## s0real

210 and 240 gyutoa online now at aframes


----------



## Ivang

Not anymore


----------



## derek1ee

Well that was quick.


----------



## SuperSharp

There are a pile for sale on Amazon now from the same seller, but you'll need a second mortgage to pay for them.


----------



## tgfencer

SuperSharp said:


> There are a pile for sale on Amazon now from the same seller, but you'll need a second mortgage to pay for them.



I have no time for such obvious profiteering. You can pretty much bet your kidney that none of the extra profit got passed onto the smiths themselves.


----------



## Vancouverguy

Some new style shigs are available at tosho. 2x Yanagibas last time I checked. The front side is stamped kanji, and the back side is hand chiseled according to tosho.


----------



## nkbitsch

The 270 and the 300 are still available, and at some very reasonable prices! I feel a bit tempted, but I don't have good experiences with import from Canada to Denmark.


----------



## Badgertooth

What is a new style Shig?


----------



## Vancouverguy

Badgertooth said:


> What is a new style Shig?



The shig kanji on the front according to the person i have emailed said it's stamed and the one on the ura side is hand chisled.. but what do I know. Probably a new style they are doing with their single beveled knives. I wonder if anyone could shed some light onto this.


----------



## rick_english

SuperSharp said:


> There are a pile for sale on Amazon now from the same seller, but you'll need a second mortgage to pay for them.



One guy is selling a 210 kitaeji for $2,200. The picture shows a kurouchi santoku. Breathtaking greed and stupidity.

Edit: Did some research on the seller, Table Top King. He's using photos lifted from Japan Woodworker. He may be buying JW Shigs and doubling or tripling the price. What a *********.


----------



## Moooza

The photos for that Amazon seller don't much the description. Seems a bit dodgy really.


----------



## Badgertooth

Looks like I practically gave mine away. Ah well. I'd rather see a forum member get fair value.


----------



## Chicagohawkie

rick_english said:


> One guy is selling a 210 kitaeji for $2,200. The picture shows a kurouchi santoku. Breathtaking greed and stupidity.
> 
> Edit: Did some research on the seller, Table Top King. He's using photos lifted from Japan Woodworker. He may be buying JW Shigs and doubling or tripling the price. What a *********.



Go look at his eBay auctions! An absolute joke. His feedback shows he never sells anything, guess he's just waiting a sucker to come along.


----------



## nevin

Vancouverguy said:


> The shig kanji on the front according to the person i have emailed said it's stamed and the one on the ura side is hand chisled.. but what do I know. Probably a new style they are doing with their single beveled knives. I wonder if anyone could shed some light onto this.



As far as I know, these are new old stocks from Munemasa Cutlery (&#23447;&#27491;&#24344;&#37325 who made by Shigefusa. So in the front it has the &#23447;&#27491;&#24344;&#37325; Kanji while on the back you see Shigefusa's.


----------



## Vancouverguy

nevin said:


> As far as I know, these are new old stocks from Munemasa Cutlery (&#23447;&#27491;&#24344;&#37325 who made by Shigefusa. So in the front it has the &#23447;&#27491;&#24344;&#37325; Kanji while on the back you see Shigefusa's.



Ahh thanks for letting me know!  Was curious, and Tosho couldn't accurately tell me why.


----------



## nevin

Vancouverguy said:


> Ahh thanks for letting me know!  Was curious, and Tosho couldn't accurately tell me why.



I guess these are not that "current" nowadays, so it's pretty normal to find out what they are. :wink:


----------



## Timthebeaver

Noted that the price of a 210 kasumi gyuto just broke the 500GBP barrier. Madness.


----------



## Mute-on

Timthebeaver said:


> Noted that the price of a 210 kasumi gyuto just broke the 500GBP barrier. Madness.



Only if EU tax is included?


----------



## Omega

180 KU Nakiri, 180 KU Santoku, 165 Kitaeji Santoku and 150 Kasumi Deba all on eBay. Might have to look at eBay International for a couple. All are buy it now price, and seem at least reasonable.


----------



## Zweber12

That Santoku on eBay is nearly double the price for what I paid for mine less then 18 month ago..


----------



## Omega

Zweber12 said:


> That Santoku on eBay is nearly double the price for what I paid for mine less then 18 month ago..



...damn... I guess I was just comparing it to the prices I've seen on JNS, which looked to be within $100.

Dear Zweber, please take me back in time to buy knives when you did ;(


----------



## Anton

I've paid $300, maybe even less for a 240 kasumi, just about 3 years ago.. just sayin


----------



## Anton

I do wonder what monies, if any, are the Shigefusa smith's seeing for this market price.


----------



## Omega

A couple at JNS. Get 'em quick


----------



## nkbitsch

Damn! Just had a 10min break at work away from the computer.


----------



## WildBoar

They seemed to all already be gone when I saw the email about 15 minutes ago.


----------



## nkbitsch

Did anyone see the price level on this batch?


----------



## TheCaptain

Roughly $512 USD.

I _may_ have scored one. Won't count my chickens until I get shipping notification.


----------



## nevin

I wonder who grabbed the Kitaeji.... and for how much...


----------



## nkbitsch

I would really like to know the price of the Kitaeji as well. I could only dream of such a gyuto these days.


----------



## pjotr

Kitaeji was 915 usd


----------



## fujiyama

I finally found the email list. This is both good and bad. :laugh:


----------



## lagrangeL2

I'm about to backorder a Kitaeji Gyuto on JapanWoodworker. Per chance, does anyone know the reputation of that site (Currently - I've not bought from them since...2012?)?

Also, does anyone have a list of which Shigs Maksim posted this morning?


----------



## valgard

Shigefusa Kitaeji 240 mm Wa Gyuto 

Shigefusa Kasumi 240 mm Wa Gyuto 

Shigefusa Kurouchi 165 mm Wa Santoku


----------



## lagrangeL2

Thanks! Now I feel your pain. :sad0:


----------



## ynot1985

lagrangeL2 said:


> I'm about to backorder a Kitaeji Gyuto on JapanWoodworker. Per chance, does anyone know the reputation of that site (Currently - I've not bought from them since...2012?)?
> 
> Also, does anyone have a list of which Shigs Maksim posted this morning?



Japan wood worker are reputable as they have a very long relationship with shigefusa but their ETA are highly unreliable


----------



## lagrangeL2

I've heard its gotten worse, that the couple who ran it retired, and the new owners use a wholesaler. So they can only place bulk orders, I guess.


----------



## tgfencer

Tosho has got some new Shigs in, including some damascus.


----------



## Dirt

I may just know where a couple late 90s shigs just landed in the us


----------



## lagrangeL2

I'm intrigued. Show us the way Dirt!


----------



## nkbitsch

Not cheap, but custom handle. Seems like an OK price to me, based on recent shig prices.

https://www.etsy.com/dk-en/listing/...burl-shigefusa-custom?ref=shop_home_active_24


----------



## lagrangeL2

Think I saw some pics of a Shig Kiritsuke and Yanagi on JNS's instagram, but not sure if they are up for sale yet.


----------



## ynot1985

both the 210mm and 240mm Yanagi are sold now .. is it just me or they seem expensive for the length.. i could have brought them but I didnt see any value at these length vs price


----------



## Eitan78

Maxim (jns) just posted 2 shigefusa yanagiba kasumi 210 and 240

hope its still there


----------



## lagrangeL2

I agree ynot1985, those were more expensive than Tosho for the length.


----------



## Eitan78

One Shigefusa Damascus Deba still for sale at Tosho, i wonder why it is still there?


https://www.toshoknifearts.com/collections/shigefusa-1/products/shigefusa-damascus-br-210mm-deba-1

wish i had the money


----------



## Omega

Sigh... Sat for days waiting for the Kiritsuke to pop up. Of COURSE it doesn't.


----------



## Troy G

I actually got to see the knives still for sale this time. &#128522;


----------



## lagrangeL2

To be fair, maxim probably had to deal with overflow from the 15% off sale....I think posting those pics so early might have thrown some peoples off.



@ Omega

(edited for @ Omega)


----------



## Omega

@lagrangeL2 Oh, yeah it's no problem the lull between the IG posts and the items being offered. Just hate when we see things on IG that are ancient custom orders finally coming in. Like the Kitaeji 210 yo-gyuto we saw a couple months back on IG (the same time as the Kitaeji 240 yo-Suji) that never made it to the site.


----------



## ynot1985

that kiritsuke could most likely be a custom order.. I know he doesn't take custom orders anymore but I know people who have either placed orders with him years ago or customers that go way back with Maksim get Shigs there were never placed on the site.

I would suspect the kiritsuke to be one of these as they are as rare as a hen's tooth. I think only Taro has one from what I remember


----------



## labor of love

240mm kasumi instock-would've bought it but it's only 49mm tall.


----------



## ecrphoto

Looks like there was "much" less interest than in the Katos from that same email, lasted approx 10000x as long! Nothing else still avail after 90 seconds but that Kasumi...


----------



## Eitan78

Did anyone get approval for any order made yesterday,
I have and order number but no emails came in yet,
not for payment approval from PayPal and also not from JNS
Confirming order nor canceling one, in the past those two emails used to show up after 2-3 minutes after the order was in.
I'm assuming JNS system is very busy after yesterday's "WAR" 

anyone else experiencing the same thing?


----------



## inzite

Eitan78 said:


> Did anyone get approval for any order made yesterday,
> I have and order number but no emails came in yet,
> not for payment approval from PayPal and also not from JNS
> Confirming order nor canceling one, in the past those two emails used to show up after 2-3 minutes after the order was in.
> I'm assuming JNS system is very busy after yesterday's "WAR"
> 
> anyone else experiencing the same thing?



probably just maxim busy hehe, my 240 dammy is just waiting for shipping.


----------



## Eitan78

inzite said:


> probably just maxim busy hehe, my 240 dammy is just waiting for shipping.



Congrats on your 240!

the anticipation is killing me:knife:

I went for the 240 gyuto Kasumi


----------



## inzite

Eitan78 said:


> Congrats on your 240!
> 
> the anticipation is killing me:knife:
> 
> I went for the 240 gyuto Kasumi



 i thought u had enough shigs?  you can try reaching out to maxim to confirm  i know the wait is painful haha


----------



## Eitan78

inzite said:


> i thought u had enough shigs?  you can try reaching out to maxim to confirm  i know the wait is painful haha



Enough shigs?
What is that?:hungry: i need a 240!


----------



## inzite

Eitan78 said:


> Enough shigs?
> What is that?:hungry: i need a 240!



LOLZ! better than me, i need a ku 240 kato, a kasumi 240 kato and a dammy 240 kato


----------



## Eitan78

inzite said:


> LOLZ! better than me, i need a ku 240 kato, a kasumi 240 kato and a dammy 240 kato



No luck on the 240 .... maxim wrote back&#128533;


----------



## inzite

Eitan78 said:


> No luck on the 240 .... maxim wrote back&#128533;



next time i guess!


----------



## lobby

I think i scored the 240. I got an awaiting shipping email.  :knife:


----------



## lobby

arrived in the mail today :doublethumbsup:. my first shig !


----------



## Moooza

It's a beauty


----------



## labor of love

Looks nice!


----------



## Sporks

Lovely knife - congrats!


----------



## Sporks

Japan Woodworker has some 170mm ku santokus in stock online for anyone who may be interested.


----------



## Sporks

Looks like they added a couple 210mm kitaeji gyutos too. 210 is a little smaller than I personally like, but I'm struggling not to snatch one of those up. :bigeek:


----------



## loopback

210 kitaeji gyuto errors as unavailable once added to the cart.


----------



## Sporks

loopback said:


> 210 kitaeji gyuto errors as unavailable once added to the cart.



Yeah, it now says "out of stock" on the listing. When I posted that, it said "only a few left", so I guess they got sold.

Oh well, at least it saved me from going back and buying a knife that was 30mm shorter than I really wanted. :lol2:


----------



## loopback

I ended up trying again, and the order went through, but a confirmation e-mail claims it is now backordered, with a delivery date of January 1st, 2018. Has anyone else had this experience with Japan Woodworker? Is this vendor reliable in their estimated ship dates, and/or reputable in general?


----------



## jacko9

Japan Woodworker was bought out by "Woodcraft" a few years ago and under that corporate umbrella they are still a reliable supplier. Japan Woodworker had a very good relationship with Shigefusa for a lot of years but, after the Woodcraft buyout it seems like the Shig. selection has been dwindling. I haven't seen anything on their web site except the KU Santoku lately. I have been buying supplies from Japan Woodworker for over 35 years.


----------



## Badgertooth

loopback said:


> I ended up trying again, and the order went through, but a confirmation e-mail claims it is now backordered, with a delivery date of January 1st, 2018. Has anyone else had this experience with Japan Woodworker? Is this vendor reliable in their estimated ship dates, and/or reputable in general?



It'll get pushed out and pushed out. The delivery date for the 180mm gyuto got pushed out for more than a year. It's completely disingenuous. They're only really worthwhile for items in stock and if you're based in the states as shipping is close to a $100 overseas


----------



## Sporks

jacko9 said:


> Japan Woodworker was bought out by "Woodcraft" a few years ago and under that corporate umbrella they are still a reliable supplier. Japan Woodworker had a very good relationship with Shigefusa for a lot of years but, after the Woodcraft buyout it seems like the Shig. selection has been dwindling. I haven't seen anything on their web site except the KU Santoku lately. I have been buying supplies from Japan Woodworker for over 35 years.



It seems they've been putting small amounts of different Shigs up lately, but only one or two types at a time. I got a kitaeji deba from them last week, and i saw they had kasumi debas listed a couple weeks before that, but it definitely seems like there's no rhyme or reason to when or what amount of product they list.


----------



## Aleque

loopback said:


> I ended up trying again, and the order went through, but a confirmation e-mail claims it is now backordered, with a delivery date of January 1st, 2018. Has anyone else had this experience with Japan Woodworker? Is this vendor reliable in their estimated ship dates, and/or reputable in general?



I would take the estimated delivery date more as a placeholder than anything. I purchased a Shig from them but after the date was pushed out 5 times I called and cancelled the order. I ended up getting a different one they had in stock. Be prepared to wait.


----------



## daddy yo yo

Sporks said:


> Looks like they added a couple 210mm kitaeji gyutos too. 210 is a little smaller than I personally like, but I'm struggling not to snatch one of those up. :bigeek:



How much did these sell for?


----------



## tgfencer

$810 USD if I recall correctly, though someone can correct me if I'm wrong.


----------



## wind88

It was showing around $12xx CAD for me when I browsed the cached page. sticker shock:scared4:


----------



## mikedtran

Just wanted to post to say hi! Man I remember the days when I checked this thread and contributed to this thread on a regular basis - very nostalgic.


----------



## loopback

I called Japan Woodworker, and was told that they had one available, but that two orders were submitted. There is a delay between their ordering system and the website, so my order went through after the first order had already been placed (not sure on the timing, but I was second).

To make a long story short, I canceled my order, and they provided this information after they investigated the availability and upcoming order that was expected in January:


> After looking into this we no longer have any of the item available.
> 
> The ones coming in January were already spoken for from my understanding and the item is no longer available now.


----------



## Marcelo Amaral

mikedtran said:


> Just wanted to post to say hi! Man I remember the days when I checked this thread and contributed to this thread on a regular basis - very nostalgic.



Nice to have you back. How's is your collection of Shigs going? Any new additions? I have recently traveled to your neck of the woods. Nice little shop Bernal has in San Francisco.


----------



## mikedtran

Marcelo Amaral said:


> Nice to have you back. How's is your collection of Shigs going? Any new additions? I have recently traveled to your neck of the woods. Nice little shop Bernal has in San Francisco.



I love Bernal Cutlery, awesome guys there!

Nothing new - currently looking to let everything go besides the yo's and the 240 suji =)


----------



## Sporks

daddy yo yo said:


> How much did these sell for?



I don't remember exactly, but I think tgfencer is either right or very close at $810.


----------



## schanop

mikedtran said:


> I love Bernal Cutlery, awesome guys there!
> 
> Nothing new - currently looking to let everything go besides the yo's and the 240 suji =)



For everyday cooking, the yo's are what get used \^_^/


----------



## Omega

mikedtran said:


> Just wanted to post to say hi! Man I remember the days when I checked this thread and contributed to this thread on a regular basis - very nostalgic.



Wish it worked for you to be around more ;( Miss you around here man.


----------



## mikedtran

Omega said:


> Wish it worked for you to be around more ;( Miss you around here man.



Appreciate that man! I think I might be around a bit more, I definitely miss it. Finally have the buying impulse under control *hahahah*


----------



## lagrangeL2

Holy christ....a shig kitaeji gyuto 180 western for 1286$...it'll be over 1400$ with the handle. Given that 180 westerns were going for 700-750$ not so long ago...fellas, we've created a monster!


----------



## Choppin

When I got to the site (~1min after receiving the e-mail), the gyuto was sold out but Nakiri and Santoku were still available... Apparently the price didn't trigger any hesitation!


----------



## Zweber12

lagrangeL2 said:


> Holy christ....a shig kitaeji gyuto 180 western for 1286$...it'll be over 1400$ with the handle. Given that 180 westerns were going for 700-750$ not so long ago...fellas, we've created a monster!



No sure when this was.. kitaeji westerns, especially 180's are very, very rare. Last one i have seen available was sold mid 2016. Most were sold during the 2013-2015 period on KKF. Nine yo handled shigefusa gyutos were sold in this period, 2 of which were kitaeji and those two sold for an average price of 1050 USD.


----------



## mikedtran

Zweber12 said:


> No sure when this was.. kitaeji westerns, especially 180's are very, very rare. Last one i have seen available was sold mid 2016. Most were sold during the 2013-2015 period on KKF. Nine yo handled shigefusa gyutos were sold in this period, 2 of which were kitaeji and those two sold for an average price of 1050 USD.



With the stats!

I would put fair market price just from looking on a 180mm Kasumi Yo-handle at ~$750-$800 and with the Kitaeji multiplier being x1.5-1.6 - $1280 for a Kitaeji seems right at fair market. Honestly I think you could get more from some collectors considering rarity.


----------



## Anton

Also feel 180 is a hot size these days... 

Crazy numbers tho, based on where these started but big picture not unreasonable for the type of construction


----------



## jimbob

Yep I agree, Maxie baby has good prices!


----------



## Troy G

Who got the Shig 270 Gyuto this morning. I got an email went and checked my phone and the knife was gone. &#9786;&#65039;


----------



## mikedtran

Good price on the 270 this morning, for those who like kitchen swords =)


----------



## MastrAndre

I had it in the basket, but at the end of the day I decided to don't pull the trigger


----------



## Choppin

Good price indeed... I was really tempted by the Nakiri


----------



## inzite

Troy G said:


> Who got the Shig 270 Gyuto this morning. I got an email went and checked my phone and the knife was gone. &#9786;&#65039;



i did. one of em i think.


----------



## ynot1985

Damn inzite.. your hit rate with all those instant sales are amazing


----------



## Troy G

inzite said:


> i did. one of em i think.


Nice!


----------



## jimbob

I had a 270 kitaeji shig once. It's a lot of knife!


----------



## Badgertooth

It's the favourite of the ones I've owned.


----------



## tgfencer

Yeah I think you'll enjoy it Inzite. It has a definitive sword feel to it, more than any other 270 I've used.


----------



## inzite

jimbob said:


> I had a 270 kitaeji shig once. It's a lot of knife!





Badgertooth said:


> It's the favourite of the ones I've owned.





tgfencer said:


> Yeah I think you'll enjoy it Inzite. It has a definitive sword feel to it, more than any other 270 I've used.



lol thanks guys, i could only wish I had a 270 kitaeji... haha


----------



## inzite

ynot1985 said:


> Damn inzite.. your hit rate with all those instant sales are amazing



lol dude ur hit rate in person is beyond amazing lol


----------



## ynot1985

inzite said:


> lol dude ur hit rate in person is beyond amazing lol



Well, I don't disagree with you but I don't go to Japan often


----------



## tgfencer

ynot1985 said:


> Well, I don't disagree with you but I don't go to Japan often


----------



## Omega

Ugh.. that wait to see if you actually got it vs are going to get an email saying you were too late is torture..

That said, I guess I can confirm there was at least more than one of each, as I was able to snag one both too.


----------



## inzite

Omega said:


> Ugh.. that wait to see if you actually got it vs are going to get an email saying you were too late is torture..
> 
> That said, I guess I can confirm there was at least more than one of each, as I was able to snag one both too.



that makes it 3 shig 270 kasumi  I got one and i know of someone else with 1 as well.


----------



## DanHumphrey

Wait, you can't even get the 210 gyuto from JWW now?


----------



## James

aframes has two 270 mm gyuto available


----------



## Simonsimon

http://www.epicureanedge.com/shopexd.asp?id=2163


----------



## F-Flash

http://www.kochmesserkunst.ch/home.html

Just found this site. Anyone bought from there or contacted them?


----------



## inzite

F-Flash said:


> http://www.kochmesserkunst.ch/home.html
> 
> Just found this site. Anyone bought from there or contacted them?



looks like all the shigs are in stock!


----------



## brooksie967

Shigs are too common these days.


----------



## Choppin

Are they prepared for an incomming KKF raid?


----------



## fatboylim

It's a Switzerland based company so expect VAT hares on top. That said, some decent items there.


----------



## Anton

brooksie967 said:


> Shigs are too common these days.



agreed


----------



## jacko9

What currency are they listed in FR? Does anybody know how 949 FR relates to the USD?


----------



## Choppin

jacko9 said:


> What currency are they listed in FR? Does anybody know how 949 FR relates to the USD?



Swiss franc I believe. 1 franc = 1.04 USD according to google


----------



## tommybig

Swiss franc (CHF) 

1 CHF = 1,035518 USD (according to Google)


----------



## jacko9

tommybig said:


> Swiss franc (CHF)
> 
> 1 CHF = 1,035518 USD (according to Google)



Thank you


----------



## inzite

Anton said:


> agreed



we need those masahira kato single bevels!


----------



## labor of love

brooksie967 said:


> Shigs are too common these days.



Man I hope so. I'm very casually shopping for the "right for me" 240mm kasumi gyuto.


----------



## Omega

Found them about a 8-9 months ago. Tried to purchase, and nothing really happens. Reached out to them over email a few times, two months went by with no response.

Spoke to another store in the EU that I had purchased a few knives from, offering to pay a commission on every knife they helped me get. They called and got a hold of the owner. I was told that the website hasn't been updated, but that as of speaking with them (December-ish) they did not have any Shigefusa stock, and didn't have an idea when they might get any. 

So.. not the best prognosis.. But still worth a shot. Maybe they got something in in that time.


----------



## limpet

Cleancut just got some Shigs.

http://cleancut.se/butik/knivserier/shigefusa


----------



## Omega

Ugh. Wish those Kitaeji yo's weren't reserved.


----------



## lagrangeL2

I don't know if I did the conversion right, but is that...852$ for a shig 210?

http://cleancut.se/butik/knivserier/shigefusa


----------



## parbaked

That's the price....


----------



## limpet

According to Google 5395 Swedish kronor = 665.079415 U.S. dollars but that price includes Swedish VAT so if you live outside EU then divide the price by 1.25.


----------



## lagrangeL2

That makes more sense, thanks Limp.


----------



## jacko9

Limp - Do you know if the Swedish store charges for shipping to the USA and do they automatically take off the VAT?


----------



## limpet

@jacko9: You need to contact the store on e-mail info(a)cleancut.se and they will tell you the total price including shipping and send you an invoice. I know they ship international, but the webstore interface doesn't handle international orders.


----------



## jacko9

limpet said:


> @jacko9: You need to contact the store on e-mail info(a)cleancut.se and they will tell you the total price including shipping and send you an invoice. I know they ship international, but the webstore interface doesn't handle international orders.



Thanks Limp


----------



## milkbaby

Which one of y'all reserved the yo handled petty/suji set?


----------



## s0real

&#128513;&#128513;&#128513;


----------



## Choppin

s0real said:


> &#128513;&#128513;&#128513;



Congrats!

Did anyone get a gyuto?


----------



## JaVa

One 240 is headed this way. &#128578;


----------



## Eitan78

JaVa said:


> One 240 is headed this way. &#128578;



same here :doublethumbsup:


----------



## Choppin

Well done guys. Did the order process went smoothly for you? I was making an order by email for a 210 and I got up to the point where they had all my info and were about to send me the PayPal money request... then they stopped answering. Then today I got a "sorry we sold out" email...


----------



## fujiyama

If I may, which store is this? 

That yo set sounds epic.


----------



## ynot1985

fujiyama said:


> If I may, which store is this?
> 
> That yo set sounds epic.



cleancut.se


----------



## limpet

@Choppin: Can't answer your direct question, but I'm sure the guys at Cleancut do the best they can to synchronize orders. Simultaneously taking orders via e-mail + the Swedish webshop + two physical stores where the customers buy the knives directly over counter... some glitches may occur. Especially for such hot items as Shigefusa knives.


----------



## Choppin

limpet said:


> @Choppin: Can't answer your direct question, but I'm sure the guys at Cleancut do the best they can to synchronize orders. Simultaneously taking orders via e-mail + the Swedish webshop + two physical stores where the customers buy the knives directly over counter... some glitches may occur. Especially for such hot items as Shigefusa knives.



Makes sense, they told me the same thing. They actually seemed surprised by the ammount of orders coming in - I think they haven't experienced a "Shig alert" triggered KKF raid in a while...


----------



## 905870477

finnally I found it...


----------



## fatboylim

Some nice Shigefusa westerns came and went from JNS. any idea how much they went for?


----------



## ynot1985

Rough conversion from when I saw it last

135 kitaeji petty 850 usd
270 kasumi suji 1020 Usd
270 kitaeji suji 1500 usd


----------



## lagrangeL2

Quick question about the westerns. Is there (or has anyone noticed) a difference in the bolster/tang between the Shig Kitaeji westerns, and Kasumi westerns?

I haven't seen the Kitaeji westerns yet, but someone's gotta have an idea of it.


----------



## Zweber12

lagrangeL2 said:


> Quick question about the westerns. Is there (or has anyone noticed) a difference in the bolster/tang between the Shig Kitaeji westerns, and Kasumi westerns?
> 
> I haven't seen the Kitaeji westerns yet, but someone's gotta have an idea of it.



In which way? Below a detail shot of kitaeji and kasumi 240 yo; bolsters and tang are in my opinion similar for both knives; full length; only the kitaeji pattern is found in the bolster as well:

*Kitaeji:*







*Kasumi:*






However, there are very rare examples like the one below, no bolster, full tang:


----------



## Choppin

I checked 2min after receiving the email and they were gone.


----------



## Anton

Choppin said:


> I checked 2min after receiving the email and they were gone.



The email comes out a bit after the actual posting, need to set up different feeds so you can get these faster and even then...


----------



## Choppin

Anton said:


> The email comes out a bit after the actual posting, need to set up different feeds so you can get these faster and even then...



Thank's, good to know


----------



## lagrangeL2

Ahh, thanks Zweber12. 

I was looking to see if the bolsters are the same size, and whether they are integrals or forge welded (figured integrals, but wanted to make sure). Lastly I wanted to see how wide the Kitaeji bolsters are.

Looks like it's all good. :doublethumbsup:


----------



## Lazarus

I had the petty and Kasumi dead to rights, but changed my mind and removed the petty from my cart last second. And lost both. Lol


----------



## Anton

Lazarus said:


> I had the petty and Kasumi dead to rights, but changed my mind and removed the petty from my cart last second. And lost both. Lol



Rookie... 

Haha


----------



## lagrangeL2

another quick question, does dan pahlberg still do the handles, or does maxim send these things handle-less?


----------



## Anton

lagrangeL2 said:


> another quick question, does dan pahlberg still do the handles, or does maxim send these things handle-less?



Bit of both 
Dan's handles for shigs are the best


----------



## SuperSharp

Not as exciting as yo shigs, but there's 185mm KU santokus on Japan Wood Worker right now.


----------



## ynot1985

SuperSharp said:


> Not as exciting as yo shigs, but there's 185mm KU santokus on Japan Wood Worker right now.



Did anyone buy this?

Description said single bevel.. can anyone confirm that it is?


----------



## TheCaptain

I confess I couldn't resist. It's shipping today.

When I wrote up my not so positive review on the Shig Nakiri I picked up, a few forum members pm'd me to advise Shig single bevels are where they really shine. Curiosity got the better of me and since I'm giving single bevels a try I figured why not?

I'll let you know.


----------



## ynot1985

I'm just curious as in their older listings, I ask about one of their 'single bevel santoku', only to be be told that it was a double bevel.. I hope they didn't screw up the listing again

But if it is single bevel and u don't like it, let me know.. I don't have that for my KU collection


----------



## TheCaptain

Ynot - you will be the first to know if it's a single bevel and I don't care for it. :thumbsup:


----------



## Mucho Bocho

As posted I have the knife and it biuble bevel. I've never heard of a single bevel santoku either.


----------



## ynot1985

Mucho Bocho said:


> As posted I have the knife and it biuble bevel. I've never heard of a single bevel santoku either.



They do exist.. Shigefusa used to make them . I didn't believe it until I saw one in person before


----------



## FoRdLaz

ynot1985 said:


> Did anyone buy this?
> 
> Description said single bevel.. can anyone confirm that it is?



Also have one on the way. Haven't received the shipping notice yet but I'm hoping its gonna be soon


----------



## FoRdLaz

ynot1985 said:


> I'm just curious as in their older listings, I ask about one of their 'single bevel santoku', only to be be told that it was a double bevel.. I hope they didn't screw up the listing again
> 
> But if it is single bevel and u don't like it, let me know.. I don't have that for my KU collection



Hoping/praying it's a single bevel cos that's the only reason I decided to go for it!!


----------



## TheCaptain

Ok folks update. I just realized I didn't get a shipping notification yet so I called Japan Woodworker.

Turns out their site had not been updated and I'm told the knives are on backorder with an expected shipping date of Jan, 2018. Before I cancelled my order I took a breath and asked if they could confirm if the knives were single bevel.

The lady did take some time to check with their inventory person on that and did come back and confirm it is supposed to be a single bevel knife. So I kept my order in place.

We'll see what happens about 4 months from know. I'm slightly miffed I had to follow up with them and that they didn't seem to have a mechanism in place to let the buyer know things were on backorder. 

FoRdLaz - I'd be curious as to what your experience is...


----------



## ynot1985

TheCaptain said:


> Ok folks update. I just realized I didn't get a shipping notification yet so I called Japan Woodworker.
> 
> Turns out their site had not been updated and I'm told the knives are on backorder with an expected shipping date of Jan, 2018. Before I cancelled my order I took a breath and asked if they could confirm if the knives were single bevel.
> 
> The lady did take some time to check with their inventory person on that and did come back and confirm it is supposed to be a single bevel knife. So I kept my order in place.
> 
> We'll see what happens about 4 months from know. I'm slightly miffed I had to follow up with them and that they didn't seem to have a mechanism in place to let the buyer know things were on backorder.
> 
> FoRdLaz - I'd be curious as to what your experience is...



Yep.. jww does have a rep for 'great' customer service. Btw, they also have a rep with ETA of BO dragging out forever.. I am not saying this to scare you.. happened to a few of us on this site


----------



## Badgertooth

TheCaptain said:


> Ok folks update. I just realized I didn't get a shipping notification yet so I called Japan Woodworker.
> 
> Turns out their site had not been updated and I'm told the knives are on backorder with an expected shipping date of Jan, 2018. Before I cancelled my order I took a breath and asked if they could confirm if the knives were single bevel.
> 
> The lady did take some time to check with their inventory person on that and did come back and confirm it is supposed to be a single bevel knife. So I kept my order in place.
> 
> We'll see what happens about 4 months from know. I'm slightly miffed I had to follow up with them and that they didn't seem to have a mechanism in place to let the buyer know things were on backorder.
> 
> FoRdLaz - I'd be curious as to what your experience is...



Jan becomes March, March becomes October etc


----------



## Anton

11 month wait for me ...


----------



## FoRdLaz

TheCaptain said:


> Ok folks update. I just realized I didn't get a shipping notification yet so I called Japan Woodworker.
> 
> Turns out their site had not been updated and I'm told the knives are on backorder with an expected shipping date of Jan, 2018. Before I cancelled my order I took a breath and asked if they could confirm if the knives were single bevel.
> 
> The lady did take some time to check with their inventory person on that and did come back and confirm it is supposed to be a single bevel knife. So I kept my order in place.
> 
> We'll see what happens about 4 months from know. I'm slightly miffed I had to follow up with them and that they didn't seem to have a mechanism in place to let the buyer know things were on backorder.
> 
> FoRdLaz - I'd be curious as to what your experience is...



I called them a couple of days ago because it seemed they had mixed up shipping addresses. Turns out the address I was seeing was the courier company's. I didn't specifically ask about the knife cos I wasn't expecting any issues with that. They certainly do things in a strange way - first time I've ever seen courier address instead of mine!

I will call them tomorrow and ask. I don't have confidence in these types of expected delivery dates. I'm guessing it will keep getting dragged out indefinitely - especially considering the paucity of shigs coming out of Japan lately.

But I'm still intrigued by the single bevel - just don't know if i want to get strung along for months without any delivery.

Really not impressed with Japan Woodworker if this is true. We can start a website full of Shigs and Katos and Honyakis and sell them, not deliver and tell those who call the items are on backorder! Total BS from Japan Woodworker


----------



## Brady686

Just got my santoku in from JWW. Knife looks and feels great. Lucky to have picked one up


----------



## Mucho Bocho

and it's double beveled right?


----------



## Brady686

Yeah, website says single bevel... One thing i notice though is that the back side is much more flat, the bevel blends in much more so than the side with kanji.


----------



## Mucho Bocho

Brady, as are most Japanese knives. It's a keeper though careful that cladding rust almost immediately.


----------



## Brady686

More so than the knives that I own O.O


----------



## HRC_64

Brady686 said:


> More so than the knives that I own O.O



Any pics of the other side?


----------



## Brady686

Trying to capture it as best as I can.


----------



## Brady686




----------



## Brady686




----------



## FoRdLaz

TheCaptain said:


> Ok folks update. I just realized I didn't get a shipping notification yet so I called Japan Woodworker.
> 
> Turns out their site had not been updated and I'm told the knives are on backorder with an expected shipping date of Jan, 2018. Before I cancelled my order I took a breath and asked if they could confirm if the knives were single bevel.
> 
> The lady did take some time to check with their inventory person on that and did come back and confirm it is supposed to be a single bevel knife. So I kept my order in place.
> 
> We'll see what happens about 4 months from know. I'm slightly miffed I had to follow up with them and that they didn't seem to have a mechanism in place to let the buyer know things were on backorder.
> 
> FoRdLaz - I'd be curious as to what your experience is...



So I called JWW and I'm told that the item has shipped out today.

Lady I spoke to could not confirm if it is double or single bevel but from all the posts above it sounds very much like it has been incorrectly described as a single bevel.


----------



## Timthebeaver

Based on what I have handled:

Watanabe > Shig > Kato


----------



## FoRdLaz

Got the Shig email from JNS. Maksim got some Shigs in but I was obviously too late! Got online 15mins after the email came through! If any KKF members got one congrats and send pics!! Was a proper selection too!:

Shigefusa Kitaeji 210 mm Wa Gyuto

Shigefusa Kitaeji 270 mm Wa Gyuto


----------



## SuperSharp

As much as I want to, I can't justify this knife. Been sitting here with my clicker finger quivering on "pay now" but I just can't do it right now. Spendy 300mm kitaeji yanagiba at Japan Tool here:

http://www.japan-tool.com/zc/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=754


----------



## ynot1985

It's been a good few days for shigs in shops.. seen about 7 now .. all sold within a day


----------



## Anton

Is that 300 uber expensive or is that the going price these days?


----------



## SuperSharp

Anton said:


> Is that 300 uber expensive or is that the going price these days?



That's what kept me from it. Compared to other vendors, it's the highest listed price. It's pretty and all, but $1400 enters the realm of some pretty amazing knives that can be bought.


----------



## SuperSharp

There's an old stock kasumi 210mm usuba at carbonknifeco for $720 too.


----------



## ynot1985

Anton said:


> Is that 300 uber expensive or is that the going price these days?



JT is always known to be ultra expensive.. his margin is insane ...the fact that people have jumped at 3 of the 4 he had says a lot about how desperate people are at the moment


----------



## FoRdLaz

FoRdLaz said:


> So I called JWW and I'm told that the item has shipped out today.
> 
> Lady I spoke to could not confirm if it is double or single bevel but from all the posts above it sounds very much like it has been incorrectly described as a single bevel.



So turns out Japan Woodworker essentially straight out lied about the knife being shipped. I sent an email now questioning what the situation was on my order and I got the reply that the item was on back order expected Jan 2018. 

I cancelled my order : no sense waiting for a knife that's probably never gonna arrive in the next year. Let alone paying for it now. I'll rather use that money on BST or elsewhere for a knife that I will definitely see...

Really crap service from JWW I must say. I'd much rather buy from someone like Maksim that I know will deliver or notify me if there's an issue. They won't see my business again even if that have a unicorn of unicorns on sale for a song.


----------



## Marek07

My take on Japan Woodworker... 

Originally, I got a short Shigefusa kasumi gyuto that was listed at a reasonable price. It was ordered in November '16 and I received follow up emails keeping me up-to-date. I received it in 8 days. Buoyed by this, I then placed an order for a Shigefusa kurouchi santoku on 12th Nov '16. There was a string of emails over the next few months about my item being back-ordered and various expected shipping dates. I queried their estimates and asked for a realistic date. All they offered was uncertainty and even offered to cancel the order. I decided to stay with them. It was finally shipped on 30th June and I got it on the 7th July.

To be fair, I *think *that my credit card was not debited till it was in stock but I can't be sure. I also think the price was reasonable and that is why I persisted. I can totally understand why people would not put up with this type of run-around. It was only my desire to try the Shig santoku that kept me going. If I were to to buy another Shig nakiri or santoku again, I probably wouldn't use them. I've had good transactions with Dictum - good customer service and reasonable prices: www.dictum.com.


----------



## ynot1985

Marek07 said:


> My take on Japan Woodworker...
> 
> Originally, I got a short Shigefusa kasumi gyuto that was listed at a reasonable price. It was ordered in November '16 and I received follow up emails keeping me up-to-date. I received it in 8 days. Buoyed by this, I then placed an order for a Shigefusa kurouchi santoku on 12th Nov '16. There was a string of emails over the next few months about my item being back-ordered and various expected shipping dates. I queried their estimates and asked for a realistic date. All they offered was uncertainty and even offered to cancel the order. I decided to stay with them. It was finally shipped on 30th June and I got it on the 7th July.
> 
> To be fair, I *think *that my credit card was not debited till it was in stock but I can't be sure. I also think the price was reasonable and that is why I persisted. I can totally understand why people would not put up with this type of run-around. It was only my desire to try the Shig santoku that kept me going. If I were to to buy another Shig nakiri or santoku again, I probably wouldn't use them. I've had good transactions with Dictum - good customer service and reasonable prices: www.dictum.com.



I rather they just say indefinite wait on BO like dictum. Don't give out an ETA when you have no idea when it will arrive cause the customer will be anchored by that date


----------



## Simonsimon

Shigs are up on dictum right now!


----------



## SuperSharp

Despite the last round, Japan Woodworker is showing the 185mm KU santoku in stock again if anyone is feeling lucky.


----------



## ynot1985

some one must have gotten lucky and brought the 188mm gyuto for 425 which is a good price

but im still not convinced the single bevel Ku snatoku is a single bevel


----------



## labor of love

Why the hell are there so many damn shig santokus???!!! Lol


----------



## ynot1985

labor of love said:


> Why the hell are there so many damn shig santokus???!!! Lol



KU nakiri and Santoku are the most common shigs out there.. they are everywhere


----------



## Marek07

ynot1985 said:


> some one must have gotten lucky and brought the 188mm gyuto for 425 which is a good price
> 
> but im still not convinced the single bevel Ku snatoku is a single bevel


The 188 gyuto is the same price (posted) they had at the end of last year - good to see.
Their KU santoku is *not *a single bevel. Took 7 months for me to be sure but definitely a santoku not an usuba.


----------



## Mucho Bocho

Right? Someone started this roomer that they had single bevel santoku's. Evidently he did make them, but obviously a purple unicorn. Either way, the Santoku sample I have is very flat, not quite Nakiri but not Bunka either. But its totally rockable too. Its also a hefty little bugger, which I like. 

Keeping mine. 

Nothing to see here

Keep moving...



Marek07 said:


> The 188 gyuto is the same price (posted) they had at the end of last year - good to see.
> Their KU santoku is *not *a single bevel. Took 7 months for me to be sure but definitely a santoku not an usuba.


----------



## FoRdLaz

wouldn't waste my time with Japan woodworker. Probability is they being slightly disingenuous about their "in stock" situation


----------



## labor of love

ynot1985 said:


> KU nakiri and Santoku are the most common shigs out there.. they are everywhere



Can we start an online petition? Too many shig santokus and nakiris on the market!!! From now on only produce single bevels and 210-270mm gyutos.


----------



## ynot1985

Mucho Bocho said:


> Right? Someone started this roomer that they had single bevel santoku's. Evidently he did make them, but obviously a purple unicorn. Either way, the Santoku sample I have is very flat, not quite Nakiri but not Bunka either. But its totally rockable too. Its also a hefty little bugger, which I like.
> 
> Keeping mine.
> 
> Nothing to see here
> 
> Keep moving...



It wasn't a rumour.. on the description for their listing, it clearly states 'single bevel' and when you ask them to clarify, they tell you it's single bevel . I tried to enquire further as I was rather skeptical and asked for a photo (not the generic stock photo) but they got angry at me


----------



## pete84

Alert!

Anyone in the market for a 300 Kasumi Yanagi (w/ custom handle) and/or 240mm Kitaeji Wa-Gyuto? Been considering selling.

Dropped both of these off at JKI a few days before Jon's Japan trip and he said they will be worked on after he returns (roughly late Oct./early Nov.) (Sorry no pics at the moment.)

The Yanagi is going to be "opened" and the gyuto will be "re-finished". Yanagi has a stunning custom octagonal handle made of African Blackwood and silver spacers by Marko Tsourkan.

The Gyuto has seen light use. Measures just about 50mm at the heel. IIRC it is between 240-245mm in edge length. Friction fit Ho saya and D-Ho handle

New owner(s) can definitely give their input and additional requests and I can forward them to JKI. The services already ordered will be paid by me, anything additional will be buyer responsibility. 

A friend is selling a supercharger kit that my MX-5 desperately "needs", and at an unbelievably good price. Tried to resist. Cannot much longer. :surrendar: 

Please PM with any interest, thanks!


----------



## Panamapeet

pete84 said:


> Alert!
> 
> Anyone in the market for a 300 Kasumi Yanagi (w/ custom handle) and/or 240mm Kitaeji Wa-Gyuto? Been considering selling.
> 
> Dropped both of these off at JKI a few days before Jon's Japan trip and he said they will be worked on after he returns (roughly late Oct./early Nov.) (Sorry no pics at the moment.)
> 
> The Yanagi is going to be "opened" and the gyuto will be "re-finished". Yanagi has a stunning custom octagonal handle made of African Blackwood and silver spacers by Marko Tsourkan.
> 
> The Gyuto has seen light use. Measures just about 50mm at the heel. IIRC it is between 240-245mm in edge length. Friction fit Ho saya and D-Ho handle
> 
> New owner(s) can definitely give their input and additional requests and I can forward them to JKI. The services already ordered will be paid by me, anything additional will be buyer responsibility.
> 
> A friend is selling a supercharger kit that my MX-5 desperately "needs", and at an unbelievably good price. Tried to resist. Cannot much longer. :surrendar:
> 
> Please PM with any interest, thanks!



And here's me thinking we have a sub-forum for sales, with rules and everything...


----------



## pete84

Spipet said:


> And here's me thinking we have a sub-forum for sales, with rules and everything...



FWIW, they are no longer for sale. Got where I wanted to be without having to, thanks. And thanks everyone for your interest.

Appreciate you not seeking more details about the outcome and not remembering reading the part where it says "Been considering selling". It was a way to "test the waters" and see what they could reasonably sell for. 

What I thought was a fair price was higher than some people were willing to pay; others were more than willing to pay that very price without hesitation. It resembles a free market, and supply/demand dynamics determine value. Now, whether you can agree with that underlying dynamic or not is a different matter altogether.

Spipet, why do you get so upset/worked-up/vocal whenever there are personal items made available on KKF for sale that you don't like the price of (or even the pricing of)? It seems to be the only time you are heard over the din of normal conversation. 

So you don't like a price or don't agree with the seller's pricing; I can see that happening as it happens to me sometimes too. But what bothers me is how you go on to publicly criticize and complain afterwards. 

For example, not only did you feel the need to crap in a recent BST thread where an item was being sold, you also felt the need to create a "discussion" thread thereafter where you clearly make an oblique criticism of the very person and sale thread you crapped on in the first place. 

In case you didn't understand what was going on there, it was a _personal_ sale thread of a _personal_ item wherein the seller had every right to set a price however they saw fit. Either someone else agrees to buy it for that price or nobody does. Sometimes, prices gets adjusted until someone buys the item or the item is withdrawn for sale. And thats it. No part of that entire process requires or requests your opinions or your attempts to "police" and moderate something you find disagreeable. Frankly, if your intent is to help the KKF community why not become a supporting member and show you care instead of putting on a badge as the new Sheriff of BST?

What strikes me as odd, with your apparent "holier-than-thou" crusade to moderate personal sales and pricing on KKF, is that you were amongst the first people who PM'd me with strong interest for a knife that I was "considering selling" here in my earlier post, and only refused to purchase when you didn't like the approximate valuation I gave. And instead of a "No, thank you" response, your reply included a complaint and criticism of my valuation. You actively participated in the very thing you criticize when there existed an opportunity to benefit yourself; when the benefit became unattainable, everyone gets to hear your cries of injustice. 

Let me know if you need a Kleenex.


----------



## malexthekid

pete84 said:


> FWIW, they are no longer for sale. Got where I wanted to be without having to, thanks. And thanks everyone for your interest.
> 
> Appreciate you not seeking more details about the outcome and not remembering reading the part where it says "Been considering selling". It was a way to "test the waters" and see what they could reasonably sell for.
> 
> What I thought was a fair price was higher than some people were willing to pay; others were more than willing to pay that very price without hesitation. It resembles a free market, and supply/demand dynamics determine value. Now, whether you can agree with that underlying dynamic or not is a different matter altogether.
> 
> Spipet, why do you get so upset/worked-up/vocal whenever there are personal items made available on KKF for sale that you don't like the price of (or even the pricing of)? It seems to be the only time you are heard over the din of normal conversation.
> 
> So you don't like a price or don't agree with the seller's pricing; I can see that happening as it happens to me sometimes too. But what bothers me is how you go on to publicly criticize and complain afterwards.
> 
> For example, not only did you feel the need to crap in a recent BST thread where an item was being sold, you also felt the need to create a "discussion" thread thereafter where you clearly make an oblique criticism of the very person and sale thread you crapped on in the first place.
> 
> In case you didn't understand what was going on there, it was a _personal_ sale thread of a _personal_ item wherein the seller had every right to set a price however they saw fit. Either someone else agrees to buy it for that price or nobody does. Sometimes, prices gets adjusted until someone buys the item or the item is withdrawn for sale. And thats it. No part of that entire process requires or requests your opinions or your attempts to "police" and moderate something you find disagreeable. Frankly, if your intent is to help the KKF community why not become a supporting member and show you care instead of putting on a badge as the new Sheriff of BST?
> 
> What strikes me as odd, with your apparent "holier-than-thou" crusade to moderate personal sales and pricing on KKF, is that you were amongst the first people who PM'd me with strong interest for a knife that I was "considering selling" here in my earlier post, and only refused to purchase when you didn't like the approximate valuation I gave. And instead of a "No, thank you" response, your reply included a complaint and criticism of my valuation. You actively participated in the very thing you criticize when there existed an opportunity to benefit yourself; when the benefit became unattainable, everyone gets to hear your cries of injustice.
> 
> Let me know if you need a Kleenex.


Well said


----------



## ynot1985

as far as I'm concern, my expectation of this thread was the alert of Shigs for sale from external sales.

I have seen people refer to the sale of Shigs on KKF B/S/T which I don't have an issue with but your post seems to be advertising your sale on this thread and this thread only

Your post seems to be fishing for a buyer for your knife. I have no interest in however much you wish to sell your knife but I thought the purpose of the BST was for buy/sell and trade of items.

I would say it would be more appropriate if you posted there instead as people who may be looking for Shigs may not even know your post in this thread exist as most people look to buy knives on the BST, not the general thread area.

Wasn't that the reason we have the BST section on this forum?



pete84 said:


> FWIW, they are no longer for sale. Got where I wanted to be without having to, thanks. And thanks everyone for your interest.
> 
> Appreciate you not seeking more details about the outcome and not remembering reading the part where it says "Been considering selling". It was a way to "test the waters" and see what they could reasonably sell for.
> 
> What I thought was a fair price was higher than some people were willing to pay; others were more than willing to pay that very price without hesitation. It resembles a free market, and supply/demand dynamics determine value. Now, whether you can agree with that underlying dynamic or not is a different matter altogether.
> 
> Spipet, why do you get so upset/worked-up/vocal whenever there are personal items made available on KKF for sale that you don't like the price of (or even the pricing of)? It seems to be the only time you are heard over the din of normal conversation.
> 
> So you don't like a price or don't agree with the seller's pricing; I can see that happening as it happens to me sometimes too. But what bothers me is how you go on to publicly criticize and complain afterwards.
> 
> For example, not only did you feel the need to crap in a recent BST thread where an item was being sold, you also felt the need to create a "discussion" thread thereafter where you clearly make an oblique criticism of the very person and sale thread you crapped on in the first place.
> 
> In case you didn't understand what was going on there, it was a _personal_ sale thread of a _personal_ item wherein the seller had every right to set a price however they saw fit. Either someone else agrees to buy it for that price or nobody does. Sometimes, prices gets adjusted until someone buys the item or the item is withdrawn for sale. And thats it. No part of that entire process requires or requests your opinions or your attempts to "police" and moderate something you find disagreeable. Frankly, if your intent is to help the KKF community why not become a supporting member and show you care instead of putting on a badge as the new Sheriff of BST?
> 
> What strikes me as odd, with your apparent "holier-than-thou" crusade to moderate personal sales and pricing on KKF, is that you were amongst the first people who PM'd me with strong interest for a knife that I was "considering selling" here in my earlier post, and only refused to purchase when you didn't like the approximate valuation I gave. And instead of a "No, thank you" response, your reply included a complaint and criticism of my valuation. You actively participated in the very thing you criticize when there existed an opportunity to benefit yourself; when the benefit became unattainable, everyone gets to hear your cries of injustice.
> 
> Let me know if you need a Kleenex.


----------



## Panamapeet

pete84 said:


> FWIW, they are no longer for sale. Got where I wanted to be without having to, thanks. And thanks everyone for your interest.
> 
> Appreciate you not seeking more details about the outcome and not remembering reading the part where it says "Been considering selling". It was a way to "test the waters" and see what they could reasonably sell for.
> 
> What I thought was a fair price was higher than some people were willing to pay; others were more than willing to pay that very price without hesitation. It resembles a free market, and supply/demand dynamics determine value. Now, whether you can agree with that underlying dynamic or not is a different matter altogether.
> 
> Spipet, why do you get so upset/worked-up/vocal whenever there are personal items made available on KKF for sale that you don't like the price of (or even the pricing of)? It seems to be the only time you are heard over the din of normal conversation.
> 
> So you don't like a price or don't agree with the seller's pricing; I can see that happening as it happens to me sometimes too. But what bothers me is how you go on to publicly criticize and complain afterwards.
> 
> For example, not only did you feel the need to crap in a recent BST thread where an item was being sold, you also felt the need to create a "discussion" thread thereafter where you clearly make an oblique criticism of the very person and sale thread you crapped on in the first place.
> 
> In case you didn't understand what was going on there, it was a _personal_ sale thread of a _personal_ item wherein the seller had every right to set a price however they saw fit. Either someone else agrees to buy it for that price or nobody does. Sometimes, prices gets adjusted until someone buys the item or the item is withdrawn for sale. And thats it. No part of that entire process requires or requests your opinions or your attempts to "police" and moderate something you find disagreeable. Frankly, if your intent is to help the KKF community why not become a supporting member and show you care instead of putting on a badge as the new Sheriff of BST?
> 
> What strikes me as odd, with your apparent "holier-than-thou" crusade to moderate personal sales and pricing on KKF, is that you were amongst the first people who PM'd me with strong interest for a knife that I was "considering selling" here in my earlier post, and only refused to purchase when you didn't like the approximate valuation I gave. And instead of a "No, thank you" response, your reply included a complaint and criticism of my valuation. You actively participated in the very thing you criticize when there existed an opportunity to benefit yourself; when the benefit became unattainable, everyone gets to hear your cries of injustice.
> 
> Let me know if you need a Kleenex.



Glad you and your boyfriend aren't getting too worked up about this :justkidding:

Do feel free to send me some Kleenex, or are those $1250 a piece as well :rofl2:


----------



## malexthekid

Spipet said:


> Glad you and your boyfriend aren't getting too worked up about this :justkidding:
> 
> Do feel free to send me some Kleenex, or are those $1250 a piece as well :rofl2:


Seriously *** is your problem mate? You seem to cry foul when someone calls you out in what you deem "unacceptable" language but yet come out with rubbish like that.


----------



## jkao

+1, in both threads had the sellers clearly stated the price in its own BST thread instead of soliciting for PMs we probably could have avoided all this.



ynot1985 said:


> as far as I'm concern, my expectation of this thread was the alert of Shigs for sale from external sales.
> 
> I have seen people refer to the sale of Shigs on KKF B/S/T which I don't have an issue with but your post seems to be advertising your sale on this thread and this thread only
> 
> Your post seems to be fishing for a buyer for your knife. I have no interest in however much you wish to sell your knife but I thought the purpose of the BST was for buy/sell and trade of items.
> 
> I would say it would be more appropriate if you posted there instead as people who may be looking for Shigs may not even know your post in this thread exist as most people look to buy knives on the BST, not the general thread area.
> 
> Wasn't that the reason we have the BST section on this forum?


----------



## FoRdLaz

pete84 said:


> FWIW, they are no longer for sale. Got where I wanted to be without having to, thanks. And thanks everyone for your interest.
> 
> Appreciate you not seeking more details about the outcome and not remembering reading the part where it says "Been considering selling". It was a way to "test the waters" and see what they could reasonably sell for.



Pete as one of the (I'm sure many) people who PM'd you about these knives I think the very least is to have sent a PM back to say the above. 

I actually think you've been a little "cheeky" and rude in the way you've "advertised" your wares: definitely you punted them in a way more than testing the waters. 

I'm not a disgruntled buyer btw - I just think you could have handled yourself a bit better.

Not trying to start a war here so as far as I'm concerned for me this matter is closed for further discussion.


----------



## pete84

ynot1985 said:


> as far as I'm concern, my expectation of this thread was the alert of Shigs for sale from external sales.
> 
> I have seen people refer to the sale of Shigs on KKF B/S/T which I don't have an issue with but your post seems to be advertising your sale on this thread and this thread only
> 
> Your post seems to be fishing for a buyer for your knife. I have no interest in however much you wish to sell your knife but I thought the purpose of the BST was for buy/sell and trade of items.
> 
> I would say it would be more appropriate if you posted there instead as people who may be looking for Shigs may not even know your post in this thread exist as most people look to buy knives on the BST, not the general thread area.
> 
> Wasn't that the reason we have the BST section on this forum?



Yes, your expectation. If I missed the part of the forum rules or thread rules where it says only non-KKF sourced Shigs can be made known here in "Shig Alert", please accept my apologies.

If and when the decision to sell was made, they would have been posted in BST. I've sold many knives in said manner, am well aware how it works around here. Was on the fence and decided not to sell. Sold some 3 piece wheels instead. I wondering if the knives were worth enough to supply funds for my car project. Having no need to sell they were evaluated them as I saw fit, around $1100-1200 for the gyuto and 700-800 for the yanagi. There were folks were willing to buy both at that.

Can "Been considering selling" be any clearer? Yes, I could have been more clear by putting in explicit terms that this was a feeler/evaluation and not a sale - my mistake. Hindsight is 20/20.

There are no rules regarding feeler threads or "Testing the waters" threads in BST. Maybe there should be a rule about that. My personal opinion is that it muddies the waters and if a "hot" knife, if posted and then withdrawn, it is a bigger waste of time and hope for everyone involved than seeing if someone already in the market for Shigs might have some interest or agree with what I think they are worth.



Spipet said:


> Glad you and your boyfriend aren't getting too worked up about this :justkidding:
> 
> Do feel free to send me some Kleenex, or are those $1250 a piece as well :rofl2:



As just stated, they were never evaluated @ $1250/piece. And Kleenex should be available in your local grocery store, next to your Pampers.

Are you trying to be funny or imply that I am female or homosexual? Because you aren't funny. And I am neither female or homosexual. Please get your facts in order before mouthing off in public.



FoRdLaz said:


> Pete as one of the (I'm sure many) people who PM'd you about these knives I think the very least is to have sent a PM back to say the above.
> 
> I actually think you've been a little "cheeky" and rude in the way you've "advertised" your wares: definitely you punted them in a way more than testing the waters.
> 
> I'm not a disgruntled buyer btw - I just think you could have handled yourself a bit better.
> 
> Not trying to start a war here so as far as I'm concerned for me this matter is closed for further discussion.



That all PM's have not been replied to yet is regrettable, I am in the process of doing so and going down the list.

The "punting them in a way more than testing waters" is a mis-characterization. You were one of two people extremely keen to buy both knives as a package. However, you requested pictures and only committed to placing a "security deposit". I haven't responded because I hadn't decided. 

Last night I got the supercharger and we were at the shop doing the install. Got home late (around 2am) and was going to post the knives were not going to be made available and start sending PMs to let people know.... that is when I came across Spipet's words of wisdom. Responded and went to bed after.

Could I have worded my first post better? Yes. Handled myself "a bit better"? Couldn't agree less. I've been open, honest and transparent from the start of this. Sorry the deal didn't go through for you.


Any input regarding my posts and thread(s) are welcomed and I agree that things could have been better presented or communicated from my end in this case. 

What I firmly reject is when people find the need to openly criticize and complain on something they have no right to speak publicly on. Especially when those negative comments are a direct violation of BST rules and appears systemic to the manner in which a person decides to speak. 

Or when a person makes offensive jokes regarding another member's sexual orientation. Unacceptable.


----------



## brooksie967

Are the knives still available?


----------



## chinacats

I think we need a  alert thread...


----------



## Eitan78

brooksie967 said:


> Are the knives still available?



Same question here.
are the knives available?

also, is there enough popcorn left?


----------



## TheCaptain

pete84 said:


> Yes, your expectation. If I missed the part of the forum rules or thread rules where it says only non-KKF sourced Shigs can be made known here in "Shig Alert", please accept my apologies.
> 
> If and when the decision to sell was made, they would have been posted in BST. I've sold many knives in said manner, am well aware how it works around here. Was on the fence and decided not to sell. Sold some 3 piece wheels instead. I wondering if the knives were worth enough to supply funds for my car project. Having no need to sell they were evaluated them as I saw fit, around $1100-1200 for the gyuto and 700-800 for the yanagi. There were folks were willing to buy both at that.
> 
> Can "Been considering selling" be any clearer? Yes, I could have been more clear by putting in explicit terms that this was a feeler/evaluation and not a sale - my mistake. Hindsight is 20/20.
> 
> There are no rules regarding feeler threads or "Testing the waters" threads in BST. Maybe there should be a rule about that. My personal opinion is that it muddies the waters and if a "hot" knife, if posted and then withdrawn, it is a bigger waste of time and hope for everyone involved than seeing if someone already in the market for Shigs might have some interest or agree with what I think they are worth.
> 
> 
> 
> As just stated, they were never evaluated @ $1250/piece. And Kleenex should be available in your local grocery store, next to your Pampers.
> 
> Are you trying to be funny or imply that I am female or homosexual? Because you aren't funny. And I am neither female or homosexual. Please get your facts in order before mouthing off in public.
> 
> 
> 
> That all PM's have not been replied to yet is regrettable, I am in the process of doing so and going down the list.
> 
> The "punting them in a way more than testing waters" is a mis-characterization. You were one of two people extremely keen to buy both knives as a package. However, you requested pictures and only committed to placing a "security deposit". I haven't responded because I hadn't decided.
> 
> Last night I got the supercharger and we were at the shop doing the install. Got home late (around 2am) and was going to post the knives were not going to be made available and start sending PMs to let people know.... that is when I came across Spipet's words of wisdom. Responded and went to bed after.
> 
> Could I have worded my first post better? Yes. Handled myself "a bit better"? Couldn't agree less. I've been open, honest and transparent from the start of this. Sorry the deal didn't go through for you.
> 
> 
> Any input regarding my posts and thread(s) are welcomed and I agree that things could have been better presented or communicated from my end in this case.
> 
> What I firmly reject is when people find the need to openly criticize and complain on something they have no right to speak publicly on. Especially when those negative comments are a direct violation of BST rules and appears systemic to the manner in which a person decides to speak.
> 
> Or when a person makes offensive jokes regarding another member's sexual orientation. Unacceptable.



Using a gender or sexual orientation implication as an insult is a dic$ move in any event. Boo to the op.

If you can't take the heat...


----------



## malexthekid

TheCaptain said:


> If you can't take the heat...



Move to Alaska?

Sorry couldn't help it.


----------



## MontezumaBoy

Everyone needs to take a 'chill pill' to use an old vernacular ... IMO - Pete84 is one of the most down to earth / up front / KKF'r that I have EVER had the fortune to work with / buy & sell ... the "Shig Or Nothing" crowd has helped to create this "what is it currently worth" issue and I don't see anything wrong with his putting a 'toe in the H2O' since he has better things to do with his time then track the "Shig Futures" Market hungry but of course I have other knife "joneses" then the shig o' ramas. Whatever ... please can't we all just get along ... 

But if it makes anyone here feel any better I do have this Shig (aka "bridge") that I want to sell to anyone Cheap Cheap ... :justkiddingfor all those Shig addicts ...)


----------



## Anton

MontezumaBoy said:


> Everyone needs to take a 'chill pill' to use an old vernacular ... IMO - Pete84 is one of the most down to earth / up front / KKF'r that I have EVER had the fortune to work with / buy & sell ... the "Shig Or Nothing" crowd has helped to create this "what is it currently worth" issue and I don't see anything wrong with his putting a 'toe in the H2O' since he has better things to do with his time then track the "Shig Futures" Market hungry but of course I have other knife "joneses" then the shig o' ramas. Whatever ... please can't we all just get along ...
> 
> But if it makes anyone here feel any better I do have this Shig (aka "bridge") that I want to sell to anyone Cheap Cheap ... :justkiddingfor all those Shig addicts ...)



I support this message


----------



## niwaki-boy

MontezumaBoy said:


> But if it makes anyone here feel any better I do have this Shig (aka "bridge") that I want to sell to anyone Cheap Cheap ... :justkiddingfor all those Shig addicts ...)



PMd... Ive always wanted a bridge from Shigefusa Construction Ltd. division of Shigefusa Heavy Industries. Hoping its the kitaeji one... this would be a true unicorn &#129412; crossing imo 

And well played sir!


----------



## YG420

Ive dealt with pete face to face a few times now and can second montezumaboys sentiment, nothing but good things to say about the guy.


----------



## JayGee

TheCaptain said:


> Using a gender or sexual orientation implication as an insult is a dic$ move in any event. Boo to the op.
> 
> If you can't take the heat...



+1 Captain.


----------



## JayGee

gays like knives too...


----------



## pete84

Thank you everyone. Some of the best people I've ever been fortunate enough to get to know and meet have been a part of this amazing community.

Again, my apologies to anyone who may of been offended or upset because of all this.

If these or any other Shigs go up for sale in the future, it will be in a BST thread (with an alert post here as well as a follow-up :thumbsup


----------



## StonedEdge

It's a little hot in here


----------



## SuperSharp

Deba and usuba up at Japan Woodworker.


----------



## TheCaptain

TheCaptain said:


> Ok folks update. I just realized I didn't get a shipping notification yet so I called Japan Woodworker.
> 
> Turns out their site had not been updated and I'm told the knives are on backorder with an expected shipping date of Jan, 2018. Before I cancelled my order I took a breath and asked if they could confirm if the knives were single bevel.
> 
> The lady did take some time to check with their inventory person on that and did come back and confirm it is supposed to be a single bevel knife. So I kept my order in place.
> 
> We'll see what happens about 4 months from know. I'm slightly miffed I had to follow up with them and that they didn't seem to have a mechanism in place to let the buyer know things were on backorder.
> 
> FoRdLaz - I'd be curious as to what your experience is...




FWIW I got a shipping notification on this today. We'll all know in a few days if it's a single or double bevel.


----------



## brooksie967

Custom handled available in bst again!


----------



## TheCaptain

OK. As I'm writing this I'm kinda sick to my stomach. I ordered the supposed single bevel and an usuba from Japan Woodworker (I know, I know) and both shipped the same day.

Both show as being delivered yesterday at different times. But when I got home, only one box. I've gone to the post office and the supervisor is going to run a trace on the GPS on the truck on the off chance it went to the wrong address.

Now the more expensive knife (the usuba) is the one I have in hand. The possible unicorn is the one missing.

What I find a bit curious is that no signature was required for either.


----------



## Yet-Another-Dave

Good luck! Sometimes packages do get misplaced and turn up.



TheCaptain said:


> ... from Japan Woodworker (I know, I know) ....



I can't add how unimpressed I am. I didn't use them back in the day, but it seems to me most of their reputation was from when it was a small owner run business. Since the original owners retired and sold to Woodcraft it certainly hasn't lived up to the reputation. They've screwed up every order of the few I've placed, and yet I don't learn. I ordered a cheapie rustic petty on sale because I was curious. It's shown in stock on their website for over a month, but customer service swears they don't have any and they'll ship as soon as it comes in. (And yet, they can't update the website!?!!)

Sorry for your situation (& for venting!)


----------



## danemonji

Found an interesting shop online which seems to have a lot of shigs up for sale. I wrote them in order to order one and they said that they only deliver in switzerland. The links is : http://www.kochmesserkunst.ch/shigefusa_suminagashi.html
Has anybody bought anything from here?


----------



## niwaki-boy

Yet-Another-Dave said:


> Good luck! Sometimes packages do get misplaced and turn up.
> 
> 
> 
> I can't add how unimpressed I am. I didn't use them back in the day, but it seems to me most of their reputation was from when it was a small owner run business. Since the original owners retired and sold to Woodcraft it certainly hasn't lived up to the reputation. They've screwed up every order of the few I've placed, and yet I don't learn. I ordered a cheapie rustic petty on sale because I was curious. It's shown in stock on their website for over a month, but customer service swears they don't have any and they'll ship as soon as it comes in. (And yet, they can't update the website!?!!)
> 
> Sorry for your situation (& for venting!)



Your experience is not un-normal for those guys. They took the the airplane Fred was flying and drove it into ground!


----------



## TheCaptain

Ok. Good news and bad news.

USPA found and delivered it today. 

It is a 180mm double bevel. That being said, it is one of the sexiest shorties I've ever handles. The grind is just...

Can't wait to play with it.


----------



## Mucho Bocho

Captain its a great knife with a unique shape for a Santoku. Long flat spot and dropped tip but she still rocks. Its got a little weight at the spine for momentum through chops too.


----------



## Marek07

JNS has a 165mm KU nakiri and a 300mm kasumi yanagiba.


----------



## F-Flash

http://lapassiondescouteaux.fr/cout...usa-kazumi-wa-gyuto-210-mm-fourreau-bois.html

Who is the fastest? irate1:


----------



## Lazarus

F-Flash said:


> http://lapassiondescouteaux.fr/cout...usa-kazumi-wa-gyuto-210-mm-fourreau-bois.html
> 
> Who is the fastest? irate1:



For 600 bucks? pass.


----------



## F-Flash

Outside Europe you probably get the vat off.


----------



## Anton

these things are so expensive now


----------



## Timthebeaver

Anton said:


> these things are nowhere near worth the asking prices now



Fixed your post.


----------



## Inonot

Odd post.. i think its been mentioned prior but shigs (like anything) are worth every penny of what someone is willing to pay.. i think baseball cards are worth zero.. others pay millions for them. Different strokes


----------



## chinacats

Timthebeaver said:


> Fixed your post.



I believe the problem to be two-fold...cost had gone up dramatically and I don't believe the newer ones have as sweet a geometry as earlier models...jmo. I personally would make the exact same argument with Kato.


----------



## ynot1985

chinacats said:


> I believe the problem to be two-fold...cost had gone up dramatically and I don't believe the newer ones have as sweet a geometry as earlier models...jmo. I personally would make the exact same argument with Kato.



The cost hasn't gone up by that much .. it's the reseller and profits from those selling on the secondary market that has raised dramatically (it's basically a bubble. too many people have personal interest in shig/kato to admit there's a problem) 

most of the shigs/katos weren't ordered yesterday.. the prices direct from the makers were from 1+ years ago when prices were still relatively low


----------



## chinacats

Last Shig I bought new was a kasumi 240 for ~440...I felt it was overpriced. What does a new one cost nowadays?


----------



## ynot1985

chinacats said:


> Last Shig I bought new was a kasumi 240 for ~440...I felt it was overpriced. What does a new one cost nowadays?



depends on where you buy it from... Japan or outside of Japan or BST/2nd market.. 3 different prices


----------



## Inonot

I own 2 shigs.. one bought like 6 years ago.. probably could get 5 times what i paid for it now..so thats what its worth.. if interest fades and nobody wants shigs anymore and price goes down to $50.. then it's worth $50. Shrug.. its worth whatever a buyer is willing to pay. Opinions on "over valued" or not are meaningless


----------



## chinacats

ynot1985 said:


> depends on where you buy it from... Japan or outside of Japan or BST/2nd market.. 3 different prices



I bought that one from Maxim...

I certainly understand supply and demand but nonetheless these are overvalued as far as performance/quality period.

As to people selling them here for more than they paid, **** those people...it's a big part of the reason people lose interest in hanging out around here...jmo.


----------



## Von blewitt

ynot1985 said:


> The cost hasn't gone up by that much .. it's the reseller and profits from those selling on the secondary market that has raised dramatically (it's basically a bubble. too many people have personal interest in shig/kato to admit there's a problem)
> 
> most of the shigs/katos weren't ordered yesterday.. the prices direct from the makers were from 1+ years ago when prices were still relatively low



I am getting a 240 Kitaeji Yo-Gyuto this week it was less than $1200US including saya & kiri box, it's more than I was quoted 5 years ago when I ordered it, but not substantially more.


----------



## ynot1985

Von blewitt said:


> I am getting a 240 Kitaeji Yo-Gyuto this week it was less than $1200US including saya & kiri box, it's more than I was quoted 5 years ago when I ordered it, but not substantially more.



ah.. so you got the yo 240.. the price the seller paid was probably the price the shig maker quote him 5 years ago 

I got the other half of your shipment.. 

I know for a fact that that he gives us special prices as compared to all the other ones he has sold


----------



## dreamwalker

Fuxxking agree with you dude, fxxck those people!




chinacats said:


> I bought that one from Maxim...
> 
> I certainly understand supply and demand but nonetheless these are overvalued as far as performance/quality period.
> 
> As to people selling them here for more than they paid, **** those people...it's a big part of the reason people lose interest in hanging out around here...jmo.


----------



## fatboylim

chinacats said:


> I bought that one from Maxim...
> 
> I certainly understand supply and demand but nonetheless these are overvalued as far as performance/quality period.
> 
> As to people selling them here for more than they paid, **** those people...it's a big part of the reason people lose interest in hanging out around here...jmo.


+1

This forum is dying because of people making rediculous profits to unknowledgable folks...

Profits I have no issue with, profiteering like crazy... Plain stupid...

I love this forum. I hate the profiteers...

I'm drunk... so sue me.


----------



## ramenlegend

Good to see that people are speaking up and getting angry. I really love shigs, my first "real" japanese knife was a 150mm ku petty, still have it. But, the prices are destroying my interest in them. The same thing happened with KD's. They were great knives and rare, but they still shouldn't go for anywhere near the prices they go for.


----------



## Timthebeaver

Shigs have always been well finished, solid performers, but the (relatively recent) madness is just a bunch of neophytes driving and stoking the fires of a hype train. Add in the profiteering and dare I say it it's becoming tiring around here. Certainly doesn't do the general vibe on the forums any favours either.


----------



## Chicagohawkie

Such ridiculous arguments...... the market will always drive price.


----------



## Inonot

Ive replied above but I'll try again. If you use cars as an analogy.. ferrari has actually cut production while experiencing growth in Demand. This is an explicit effort to boost price and resale exclusivity.. now if you compare it to the competitors in terms of performance ferraris are over priced because neophyte idiots just "want" a ferrari. Cheaper cars have the same or better performance on every single measurable metric. The point is it Doesnt Matter. People are willing to pay the forced inflated value because they WANT a Ferrari...so its worth what perople are buying it for. Period.. you can say shigs are not worth their current price but reality says different.. the price could plummet as flavor if the month changes.. then they are still worth whatever people are willing to pay


----------



## Timthebeaver

People can do whatever they want. It doesn't make Shigs unbeatable performers or the constant fawning over them any less dull.


----------



## pete84

I've sold Shigs for the same price I bought them for. I've sold Shigs for more than I bought them for. And I've sold Shigs for less than I bought them for.

In all 3 of those scenarios, someone was willing to make the deal to take it home. 

It is an individual's choice to buy, and that is the end of that as far as I'm concerned. 

I've "lost" way more $$ on Shigs (and knives in general) than has ever been "made" from them. Im sure most, if not all, of us whom have seen this hobby morph into an obsession have invested a fair bit of coin into our collections. What doesn't make sense is why people publicly lament over market bubbles or price gouging (however you want to see it) if the market has buyers at that price. 

Hell, a Kramer was a reasonably affordable and "buy-able" high-end knife in the 90's. Now you need a second mortgage or a rich relative to die before you can get one. That is IF you can even find one for sale.

Also, if you look at BST threads where items are obviously overpriced or marked up, those items tend not to sell.

As an example, without specifying the seller or item, there is a gyuto on BST RIGHT NOW that I sold earlier this year. It is in the same condition as when I sold it. Yet the seller wants a LOT MORE than it sold it for (to the tune of 50% more...it hasn't sold yet as I type this). Could some people think thats messed up? Yes. Do I care? No. Because I'm not going to buy it.

The market speaks for itself.

Yes, Shigs aren't the best knives in the world. Yes, they are overpriced. Yes, some people choose to behave like profiteers. 

Clearly people are upset, as some may feel this is f**ked up - but really, should people publicly whine and complain about it? Whats the use of doing so?


(IMHO - its Shig envy. This behavior by resellers makes an already elusive knife even harder to acquire by inflating prices. Jealousy fuels fires. Haters gonna hate.)


----------



## pete84

And none of the "complaint" posts in this thread has ANYTHING to do with alerting people to Shigs.

So can ya'll cut it out? Or start a new thread so the rest of us don't have to read about how upset you are?

TIA.


----------



## barramonday

Well said @pete84


----------



## Chicagohawkie

pete84 said:


> And none of the "complaint" posts in this thread has ANYTHING to do with alerting people to Shigs.
> 
> So can ya'll cut it out? Or start a new thread so the rest of us don't have to read about how upset you are?
> 
> TIA.



Right on Pete! I for one, am tired of hearing this over and over and over!


----------



## chinacats

Chicagohawkie said:


> Right on Pete! I for one, am tired of hearing this over and over and over!



Then don't listen...or respond. 

If you want to sell your knives for a big profit please list them on ebay. As to Shig envy, lmfao.


----------



## labor of love

For anyone that wants a shig but is also frustrated with the scarcity I would suggest talking with Heiji. I was able to order the custom weight, height, blade road height, custom profile with friction fit saya for almost half as much as a rare 240mm shig gyuto on bst would cost. Same steel as shigafusa.


----------



## pete84

chinacats said:


> Then don't listen...or respond.
> 
> If you want to sell your knives for a big profit please list them on ebay. As to Shig envy, lmfao.



Jim, we've interacted at times over the years and I've bought knives/stones from you in the past and you have always been a gentleman. Seeing how aggravated/upset you are about this topic shows how deeply you care about this community and hobby and your desire to defend a certain "ethic" when it comes to sales here in the BST secondary market. It was an unspoken ethic that went for years and years around here and only recently has it started... degrading. For a long time, ever since I joined, it was a taboo to mark up a knife on BST higher than what it was bought for. Even if that very knife could easily sell for more than listed.

If you are upset or find yourself at odds with the recent goings-on regarding secondary sales of certain knives by certain makers, that is understandable and respectable. I can see how the actions of those who "gouge" prices or have the sole intent to garner a quick profit, may be viewed as unsavory. By no means am I a fan of said behavior, as it undermines the community spirit of sharing and caring that makes KKF so great.

However, that doesn't change the basic fact that purchasing choices of non-essential items (like luxury kitchen knives) are personal decisions made by a buyer when appraising a particular item that is for sale at a given price. Now, if we were talking about drinking water after a natural disaster (like in Houston or Miami), or medicine for the sick and needy (Martin Shkreli) - then yes, that type of behavior is truly deplorable and disgusting.

But if some wealthy jackass buys a car or a painting or a property for $500,000 and a while later it appraises for $750,000 and someone decides they will buy it for that price - what right does anyone outside the transaction itself have to protest the dealings of two competent and willing individuals making a private transaction? What difference does it make where those individuals list, meet or make contact? Does KKF have a stipulation that all BST sales must follow the unspoken code of conduct of sharing and caring? 

If I buy a condo for $200,000 in a Los Angeles suburb and a few years later the real estate market heats up and someone offers me $300,000 - does that mean its wrong for me to sell the condo at the price the buyer is willing to pay? Because if that is the case, there are a lot of innocent wrongdoers out there in the world.

Your response to Chicagohawkie is quite cheeky and doesn't take into consideration that this is the "Shig alert" thread, not the "BST Complaint Dept." or "F**k Shig Price Gouging/Profiteers" thread. 

Its funny that quite a few of the complainants in this thread against the recent price "bubble" also take the effort to not only degrade the actions of the unsavory sellers, but to also criticize Shigefusa knives themselves (i.e. not the best knife in the world, the old ones were better than the new, too expensive, nothing but hype, etc etc). Which led me to my opinion that a lot of the contempt is fueled by Shig envy, not just the rejection of unsavory sales practices in BST.

Also, my opinion is just that - my opinion. You may find it laughable or ridiculous or stupid or whatever, but your degrading my opinion as laughable without any reason why you think so - that takes it from a discussion/argument to an insult.


----------



## milkbaby

labor of love said:


> For anyone that wants a shig but is also frustrated with the scarcity I would suggest talking with Heiji. I was able to order the custom weight, height, blade road height, custom profile with friction fit saya for almost half as much as a rare 240mm shig gyuto on bst would cost. Same steel as shigafusa.



Semi-off topic, but DAMMMM that's HOT. Thanks for sharing... :doublethumbsup:

I still want a yo handled Shig eventually tho.


----------



## chinacats

pete84 said:


> Jim, we've interacted at times over the years and I've bought knives/stones from you in the past and you have always been a gentleman. Seeing how aggravated/upset you are about this topic shows how deeply you care about this community and hobby and your desire to defend a certain "ethic" when it comes to sales here in the BST secondary market. It was an unspoken ethic that went for years and years around here and only recently has it started... degrading. For a long time, ever since I joined, it was a taboo to mark up a knife on BST higher than what it was bought for. Even if that very knife could easily sell for more than listed.
> 
> If you are upset or find yourself at odds with the recent goings-on regarding secondary sales of certain knives by certain makers, that is understandable and respectable. I can see how the actions of those who "gouge" prices or have the sole intent to garner a quick profit, may be viewed as unsavory. By no means am I a fan of said behavior, as it undermines the community spirit of sharing and caring that makes KKF so great.
> 
> However, that doesn't change the basic fact that purchasing choices of non-essential items (like luxury kitchen knives) are personal decisions made by a buyer when appraising a particular item that is for sale at a given price. Now, if we were talking about drinking water after a natural disaster (like in Houston or Miami), or medicine for the sick and needy (Martin Shkreli) - then yes, that type of behavior is truly deplorable and disgusting.
> 
> But if some wealthy jackass buys a car or a painting or a property for $500,000 and a while later it appraises for $750,000 and someone decides they will buy it for that price - what right does anyone outside the transaction itself have to protest the dealings of two competent and willing individuals making a private transaction? What difference does it make where those individuals list, meet or make contact? Does KKF have a stipulation that all BST sales must follow the unspoken code of conduct of sharing and caring?
> 
> If I buy a condo for $200,000 in a Los Angeles suburb and a few years later the real estate market heats up and someone offers me $300,000 - does that mean its wrong for me to sell the condo at the price the buyer is willing to pay? Because if that is the case, there are a lot of innocent wrongdoers out there in the world.
> 
> Your response to Chicagohawkie is quite cheeky and doesn't take into consideration that this is the "Shig alert" thread, not the "BST Complaint Dept." or "F**k Shig Price Gouging/Profiteers" thread.
> 
> Its funny that quite a few of the complainants in this thread against the recent price "bubble" also take the effort to not only degrade the actions of the unsavory sellers, but to also criticize Shigefusa knives themselves (i.e. not the best knife in the world, the old ones were better than the new, too expensive, nothing but hype, etc etc). Which led me to my opinion that a lot of the contempt is fueled by Shig envy, not just the rejection of unsavory sales practices in BST.
> 
> Also, my opinion is just that - my opinion. You may find it laughable or ridiculous or stupid or whatever, but your degrading my opinion as laughable without any reason why you think so - that takes it from a discussion/argument to an insult.



Pete, I have total respect for you and nothing was meant personally...not even my comment to Chicagohawkie

My only dispute with what you're saying is that the comparison of real estate on the 'open market' is an apples to oranges comparison to a community of like minded individuals. Other than that I'd just say fair enough to everything else you've said...as to my comments about the quality of the knives themselves, I'm with Craig, I'd personally prefer Heiji as you can 'customize' vs the randomness of Shigs which I truly enjoyed more when they were more substantial--just my experience/opinion.

My comments truly are more directly related to the community aspect vs Shig themselves. They're fine knives but just not my cup of tea even as much as I'd truly like them to be

Last comment from me in this thread in this thread for a bit...

Cheers


----------



## inzite

labor of love said:


> For anyone that wants a shig but is also frustrated with the scarcity I would suggest talking with Heiji. I was able to order the custom weight, height, blade road height, custom profile with friction fit saya for almost half as much as a rare 240mm shig gyuto on bst would cost. Same steel as shigafusa.



looks wonderful, choil shots? maybe we need to open a heiji thread since its not shig and dont belong in here.


----------



## labor of love

inzite said:


> looks wonderful, choil shots? maybe we need to open a heiji thread since its not shig and dont belong in here.



Same steel as Shig, so shig related. &#128526;


----------



## Inonot

Thanks pete84.. your a well spoken voice of reason here.. and i know we are all a little guilty of spamming a thread regarding the availabilty of shigs but imho there are like 2000 posts to this thread and anyone following it is at least a partial shig voyeur and probably is interested in the banter.. even if its a bit off topic


----------



## inzite

labor of love said:


> Same steel as Shig, so shig related. &#128526;



haha can you show us a choil?


----------



## Eitan78

speaking of Heji 

one is available:

""
Shigefusa, Tsukasa-san or Kato-san's Yanagis can only par the overall quality of this knife. Iwasaki instructed forging technique shines especially on difficult knives like this.""

http://www.japan-tool.com/zc/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=30_34&products_id=521


----------



## pete84

chinacats said:


> Pete, I have total respect for you and nothing was meant personally...not even my comment to Chicagohawkie
> 
> My only dispute with what you're saying is that the comparison of real estate on the 'open market' is an apples to oranges comparison to a community of like minded individuals. Other than that I'd just say fair enough to everything else you've said...as to my comments about the quality of the knives themselves, I'm with Craig, I'd personally prefer Heiji as you can 'customize' vs the randomness of Shigs which I truly enjoyed more when they were more substantial--just my experience/opinion.
> 
> My comments truly are more directly related to the community aspect vs Shig themselves. They're fine knives but just not my cup of tea even as much as I'd truly like them to be
> 
> Last comment from me in this thread in this thread for a bit...
> 
> Cheers



Didn't mean to get so worked up on my end, thanks for understanding Jim.

Whether it be real estate or cars or paintings or kitchen knives or antique Bavarian cuckoo clocks - l feel that in the end, its a personal choice. Nobody needs these things. And nobody is being forced at gunpoint to buy or sell either (I hope! :bat

Craig is right - Heiji gives you all the goodness of that wonderful spicy Swedish steel, with none of the crazy prices or ridiculousness surrounding Shigefusa these days.

Heres to hoping the fervor fades and the community comes together again. 

Cheers!

-Pete


----------



## labor of love

inzite said:


> haha can you show us a choil?



Oh, now who's getting off topic? Haha. I'll share in a second, I'm also legendarily bad at choil shots as my phone is very much outdated.


----------



## labor of love




----------



## labor of love

I have a few more I can upload that are equally crappy in quality.


----------



## inzite

labor of love said:


> Oh, now who's getting off topic? Haha. I'll share in a second, I'm also legendarily bad at choil shots as my phone is very much outdated.



thought ill drag u also to off topic haha, looks good. choil shot can be done easier against a white backdrop.


----------



## fujiyama

Camera quality isn't the secret. Just lay the knife on the handle (if it's octagonal) , rather than holding it with your hand. Then lay your phone flat on the table, aligning the camera with the blade. This way the blade and phone are stabilized. 

This takes a lot of the the error out of a choil shot, without the need of a tripod (which can found at ali express fpr a few dollars). Your timer may help as well.

That Heji is sexy!

I need a Japanese translator to help me purchase from some foreign websites..


----------



## labor of love

fujiyama said:


> Camera quality isn't the secret. Just lay the knife on the handle (if it's octagonal) , rather than holding it with your hand. Then lay your phone flat on the table, aligning the camera with the blade. This way the blade and phone are stabilized.
> 
> This takes a lot of the the error out of a choil shot, without the need of a tripod (which can found at ali express fpr a few dollars). Your timer may help as well.
> 
> That Heji is sexy!
> 
> I need a Japanese translator to help me purchase from some foreign websites..



Mind blown.


----------



## fujiyama




----------



## labor of love

Heh, frankly I'm embarrassed I didn't know something that was probably common knowledge.


----------



## panda

heiji uses same steel as shig but the heat treat i think is better. it doesnt feel as sexy on the stones but the edge doesnt degrade after an hour and doesnt have nearly as reactive cladding. plus his burnt chestnut handles are awesome.


----------



## labor of love

panda said:


> heiji uses same steel as shig but the heat treat i think is better. it doesnt feel as sexy on the stones but the edge doesnt degrade after an hour and doesnt have nearly as reactive cladding. plus his burnt chestnut handles are awesome.



Facts. BTW KU finish is real nice. Shig dorks should make it rain on Nakaya.


----------



## ramenlegend

jacko9 said:


> The seller mentioned sharpening 15 times or so but, nothing about thinning. I would tend to go with a known quantity of a new knife (or one not used very much).





labor of love said:


> Facts. BTW KU finish is real nice. Shig dorks should make it rain on Nakaya.



I ordered a small petty many years ago and was very happy with it, I don't know why I never ordered something larger. Also, that KU looks sick


----------



## panda

yea, both my heijis are migaki, i will def get a KU on my next order.


----------



## Chicagohawkie

chinacats said:


> Then don't listen...or respond.
> 
> If you want to sell your knives for a big profit please list them on ebay. As to Shig envy, lmfao.[/QUOTE
> 
> Retracted!
> 
> I have nothing to sell, just making a rational observance.


----------



## fatboylim

Simply put there are people willing to share and make or lose a little bit here or there. And there are others who are profiteering cnuts...

Most of us are in the former. There are a few here who are in the latter... And killing this forum's sharing intent.


----------



## Vladimir

Nakiri Shigefusa in stock $236
https://global.rakuten.com/en/store/nzshinkai/item/265207/?scid=wi_ich_item_rgm_link_en


----------



## DamageInc

be fast


----------



## Anton

DamageInc said:


> be fast



gone


----------



## ashy2classy

Clicked the email as it was coming in. Got there fast enough to actually see the listing this time but it was gone... :curse:


----------



## TheCaptain

Ok, we are now up to $560USD retail on a shig 210 kasumi?

Wow is all I can say.


----------



## valgard

TheCaptain said:


> Ok, we are now up to $560USD retail on a shig 210 kasumi?
> 
> Wow is all I can say.



And there's only one way from here...


----------



## Barmoley

Still gone in a few seconds, so clearly the price is too low....:scratchhead:


----------



## TheCaptain

Yea, I get the laws of supply and demand, being an accountant and all.  It's just interesting to note that the retail of that knife has increased by about 25% just in the past 7 months.

From a personal perspective, though - I will say that at that price point, there are several other makers who would move up my list in terms of *my individual* perception of cost to value.


----------



## DamageInc

TheCaptain said:


> Yea, I get the laws of supply and demand, being an accountant and all.  It's just interesting to note that the retail of that knife has increased by about 25% just in the past 7 months.
> 
> From a personal perspective, though - I will say that at that price point, there are several other makers who would move up my list in terms of *my individual* perception of cost to value.



I'd take a Catcheside any day of the week over a Shig at these prices.


----------



## Anton

has anyone sat and thought that perhaps, prior to these increases, we've been getting a great deal on some really good knives? and this is just natural market adjustment? I know you'll say that the maker/craftman is not getting the benefit and only the middle man, but I'm of the opinion that is for the maker to figure out and adjust.


----------



## Barmoley

That could be a possibility and since the value is what someone is willing to pay for it, this is a valid argument. All I can say is that those of you who bought early made a great investment. For the rest of us, fortunately there are many other great alternatives to play with.


----------



## labor of love

Id still pull the trigger on a $540-560 shig 240mm brand new. If the opportunity ever existed for more than a split second.


----------



## labor of love

DamageInc said:


> I'd take a Catcheside any day of the week over a Shig at these prices.



Catchside knives look nice, Im curious why youd prefer one over a shig at this $520ish price.


----------



## YG420

@labor, i agree with damage. Ive had a few 240 gyuto shigs in kasumi and kitaeji, and had one catcheside forged catchy blue. The catcheside held a sharper edge for much, much longer than the shigs. Food realease was bette than the shigs, and never had a problem with wedging on the catcheside, while the shigs would wedge on alot of things. I regret selling the catcheside so i jumped on wills list again lol. Id also like to give shig another shot in a 210 version, but with the current prices, i dont think thats gona happen.


----------



## DamageInc

labor of love said:


> Catchside knives look nice, Im curious why youd prefer one over a shig at this $520ish price.



Catcheside has better grind than the shigs I've tried, and holds an edge for longer. Less reactive as well. And you get a handle that is a bit nicer than ho-wood.

If you've never tried a Catcheside, I'd recommend it.


----------



## labor of love

DamageInc said:


> Catcheside has better grind than the shigs I've tried, and holds an edge for longer. Less reactive as well. And you get a handle that is a bit nicer than ho-wood.
> 
> If you've never tried a Catcheside, I'd recommend it.



Cool.


----------



## Chicagohawkie

labor of love said:


> Id still pull the trigger on a $540-560 shig 240mm brand new. If the opportunity ever existed for more than a split second.



Im sure the 240s are gonna be in the 650-700 range.


----------



## labor of love

Chicagohawkie said:


> Im sure the 240s are gonna be in the 650-700 range.



I wouldnt know. But I do know JNS sold a 240mm in may for $540.


----------



## gic

Even in Japan shigs have gotten pricey when you can find them. A store like Kiya which almost always has Shigs of some sort for sale is *very* high end in a very fancy neighborhood. I got a 135 petty kasumi and it cost me slightly more than 40,000 yen to get it to me in the US.


----------



## Chicagohawkie

labor of love said:


> I wouldnt know. But I do know JNS sold a 240mm in may for $540.



Yup, I hear ya. A 210 kasumi at JWW was 410 shipped last year. The price you pay for a storied smith with 50 years under his belt.


----------



## Anton

Chicagohawkie said:


> Yup, I hear ya. A 210 kasumi at JWW was 410 shipped last year. The price you pay for a storied smith with 50 years under his belt.



Thats my point 
I think Shigs and Katos are where the market is now for custom or semi custom 

I mean, there is huge value on these Japanese smiths experience, frankly and respectfully over and above new makers, perhaps weve grown to better understand and know different grinds and better steels but Im a bigger fan of traditional makers hence why I find that shigs are at their right value and Im fortunate to have acquired some a few years ago


----------



## MastrAndre

Chicagohawkie said:


> Yup, I hear ya. A 210 kasumi at JWW was 410 shipped last year. The price you pay for a storied smith with 50 years under his belt.



I dont think the good old man has anything from this price increase...

Just bought a 180mm Shig ku Nakiri, and paid way less then the JNS price for a 165...


----------



## FoRdLaz

MastrAndre said:


> I dont think the good old man has anything from this price increase...



Im with you on that. Unfortunately I dont think these Japanese masters see anything near what their knives are going for especially in the West. Saddens me actually


----------



## labor of love

Haha that 165 Nakiri has been instock for hours! Stop making Nakiris! For the love of god, more gyutos!


----------



## krx927

ha ha, and that has been the case also previously.
1+


----------



## Choppin

Shigs in BST


----------



## Chicagohawkie

That 210 Damascus was gone in one second!


----------



## maxim

MastrAndre said:


> I dont think the good old man has anything from this price increase...


Not true at all, i base my prices on current prices direct from Shigefusa 
you can still find older ordered Shigefusas that he still take old prices for witch it was agreed on


----------



## labor of love

Thanks for correcting one of several conspiracy theories floating around here. Maxim, is it true that Elvis Presley helps in handle design and production on the Shigafusa western handles?


----------



## labor of love

Let the record show that Maxim couldnt deny my claims. I knew the king was somehow involved.


----------



## Choppin

I thought it was Eitan that had this role...


----------



## Eitan78

labor of love said:


> Haha that 165 Nakiri has been instock for hours! Stop making Nakiris! For the love of god, more gyutos!



Someone will get that one for Christmas


----------



## Chicagohawkie

As for pricing, I find it interesting that direct order manufacturers havent increased much if any at all, TF, Moritaka and others. Perhaps they have better product distributors and use more effective channeling!


----------



## labor of love

Watanabe prices just went up in October I believe. Heijis direct cost more than it used to.


----------



## Chicagohawkie

labor of love said:


> Watanabe prices just went up in October I believe. Heijis direct cost more than it used to.



Hard to make sense out of..... how is a Tanaka blue 2 Damascus 240 with a killer handle at K&S under 200 bucks and a Watanabe blue 2 KU Damascus with a generic handle 800 bucks...... material costs the same....... I know which one Id buy.


----------



## labor of love

What exactly is your argument?


----------



## Chicagohawkie

Observation, no argument.


----------



## Eitan78

labor of love said:


> Haha that 165 Nakiri has been instock for hours! Stop making Nakiris! For the love of god, more gyutos!



Dont stop making nakiri, just make them 180mm long


----------



## Choppin

Eitan78 said:


> Dont stop making nakiri, just make them 180mm long



This!


----------



## Eloh

Chicagohawkie said:


> Observation, no argument.



Maybe Watanabe makes his own damascus cladding, and doesnt use pre laminted material like 99% of other makers? just a guess though...

+1 on the 180mm Nakiri


----------



## geoff_nocon

Eloh said:


> Maybe Watanabe makes his own damascus cladding, and doesnt use pre laminted material like 99% of other makers? just a guess though...
> 
> +1 on the 180mm Nakiri



indeed he does according to him hence why the price of the KU damascus


----------



## tripleq

geoff_nocon said:


> indeed he does according to him hence why the price of the KU damascus



Not only that. His Damascus is highly regarded in Japan and he supplies it wholesale to other makers who dont fabricate their own. I think that speaks well enough to the quality and desirability of the product.


----------



## deskjockey

Some of this almost sounds like buying a blade blank, putting some scales on the tang and, then comparing it to an original handmade shop knife.

I can buy a knife using Devin Thomas Damascus cheaper than I can buy a Devin Thomas knife. Skill and respect are earned and don't come cheap so, I won't compare prices of an ABS MasterSmith to a newly minted JourneySmith. The same can be said of the Japanese artisans who learned their craft over decades of apprentiship with their fathers and grandfathers.


----------



## HRC_64

Rationality in a Shig Alert thread? 
not to be expected


----------



## Valkyrae

Being the only apprentice of Iwasaki that makes knives is kind of a big deal, I'd think.


----------



## Moooza

I thought Hinoura Tsukasa was an apprentice of Iwasaki too? It's silly to compare their exceptional work, but I prefer Hinoura's white no. 2 in the cloud dragon over Shigefusa's


----------



## ynot1985

Heiji too


----------



## ashy2classy

Shigs available on the 'bay...


----------



## FoRdLaz

ashy2classy said:


> Shigs available on the 'bay...



eBay?


----------



## Eitan78

FoRdLaz said:


> eBay?



yup


----------



## Anton

Someone is cashing out


----------



## Eitan78

Anton said:


> Someone is cashing out



looks like someone who got both kitaeji from last JNS sale, could it be?


----------



## Anton

All but one are gone on the bay


----------



## Simonsimon

Shigefusa is up on cleancut.se


----------



## Simonsimon

2 kitaeji still there


----------



## Simonsimon

Shigs are up on jns


----------



## Simonsimon

Wake up guys!


----------



## daveb

My puter made it's email noise and I clicked over to JNS, 1st time was in time to see them all still up. But.


----------



## FoRdLaz

Cleancut still has a Kitaeji up. If I didnt blow my entire knife budget for the next 6 months on a few customs it would so be mine! Good luck whoever gets it!!


----------



## Viggetorr

The nakiri on JNS is very reasonably priced for a Shigefusa. Are there any major differences in performance between the kasumi/kitaeji and the kurouchis, or is it just appearance? The kitaejis are crazy expensive in comparison.


----------



## labor of love

Its 2018 and were still talking about shigafusas? &#128512;


----------



## panda

and katos and ks


----------



## Anton

panda said:


> and katos and ks



Yup
I should get rid off all my Kato's


----------



## panda

i wouldnt'd be opposed to trying a standard kato 240 if the prices weren't so stupid, profile looks so much better than WH which look equally stupid as the price .


----------



## chinacats

Viggetorr said:


> The nakiri on JNS is very reasonably priced for a Shigefusa. Are there any major differences in performance between the kasumi/kitaeji and the kurouchis, or is it just appearance? The kitaejis are crazy expensive in comparison.



If you're interested in performance, buy a Watanabe... if you want looks get him to make it out of his damascus... you'll save $ and have a much better cutter...


----------



## Viggetorr

chinacats said:


> If you're interested in performance, buy a Watanabe... if you want looks get him to make it out of his damascus... you'll save $ and have a much better cutter...



Not really looking for a nakiri, but if I was Watanabe would be first in line. Just fascinated by the differences in price between knives by the same maker (and between Shigs and "reasonably" priced knives, for that matter).


----------



## Inonot

You really think makers should price all their lines the same? Think of a car like jeep wrangler. A brand new wrangler sport with a 6 cylinder engine and stock everything else will set you back like $34k. A brand new jeep wrangler Rubicon with leather seats and high end stereo $52k..almost double.. both have the same engine and 4 wheels..some performance difference and some just cosmetic... made by the same brand...is it "worth" it to pay double for something? To many buyers yes.. to many no


----------



## Mucho Bocho

panda said:


> i wouldnt'd be opposed to trying a standard kato 240 if the prices weren't so stupid, profile looks so much better than WH which look equally stupid as the price .



Shig perhaps but my Katos have a special juju. Agreed this fever over the KS is surprising.


----------



## valgard

My 240 standard Kato just gets better every time I sharpen it (I only use Jnats but I it behind the edge just the same every time). It's a badass knife even with the poor edge retention (I don't care much about that since I love to use my stones). I need to try a 240 or 270 Shig kasumi and get that itch out.


----------



## Anton

valgard said:


> My 240 standard Kato just gets better every time I sharpen it (I only use Jnats but I it behind the edge just the same every time). It's a badass knife even with the poor edge retention (I don't care much about that since I love to use my stones). I need to try a 240 or 270 Shig kasumi and get that itch out.


If you weren't so darn far I'll send you mine so you can scratch that itch


----------



## valgard

Anton said:


> If you weren't so darn far I'll send you mine so you can scratch that itch



[emoji20] far and cold [emoji28]


----------



## Gregmega

labor of love said:


> Its 2018 and were still talking about shigafusas? [emoji3]



Hahahaha hahahaha so true


----------



## Godslayer

valgard said:


> [emoji20] far and cold [emoji28]



loving the snow, suppose to get 35 centimeters tonight, I honestly can't believe shigs are still so hyped, like their good but they arent even close to best in class for their price tag. Honestly workhorse katos are kindof weird, some guys love them and some hate them, I didn't like mine but anton loves it, I remember two years ago I turned down a 330 shig kasumi for $325 usd, should of bought it in hindsight, probably could of got a dammy kramer in trade the way pricing is going.


----------



## dmourati

Godslayer said:


> ...I honestly can't believe shigs are still so hyped, like their good but they arent even close to best in class for their price tag.



Curious which knives you'd say *are* close to best in class for their price tags.

Thanks.


----------



## valgard

Godslayer said:


> loving the snow, suppose to get 35 centimeters tonight, I honestly can't believe shigs are still so hyped, like their good but they arent even close to best in class for their price tag. Honestly workhorse katos are kindof weird, some guys love them and some hate them, I didn't like mine but anton loves it, I remember two years ago I turned down a 330 shig kasumi for $325 usd, should of bought it in hindsight, probably could of got a dammy kramer in trade the way pricing is going.


Weather is ******* nuts this Winter. roads will be an absolute chaos tomorrow. 
I really like my WH 210 for how good it cuts and the balance but the profile isn't my favourite. And I just wanna use the hell out of a darn big Shig gyuto to decide for myself if it's worth the hype or not :viking:. 
Kato 240 std is totally worth the hype for me tho.


----------



## barramonday

For the very keen!
So (Japan tool ) has a couple of usuba listed .


----------



## labor of love

dmourati said:


> Curious which knives you'd say *are* close to best in class for their price tags.
> 
> Thanks.



Id say any Sakai honyaki of good reputation that can be found for $700-$1200(basically shig gyuto price) would be a better buy for the same funds. Ofcourse, if you can score a Shig from maxim for south of $600 then you won the lottery.


----------



## panda

mazaki > shig @ 1/3 of the current market price


----------



## Nemo

panda said:


> mazaki > shig @ 1/3 of the current market price


Do you mean that:
1) You'd prefer Mazaki even if the price was the same, or
2) At the current pricing differential, you'd buy a Mazaki, or
3) Something else?


----------



## Brucewml

Really curious mazaki ginsan. Lol


----------



## bkultra

Keep in mind a lot of the Shigefusa price comes from the F&F (along with rarity). The Mazaki is all about function over form (also easy to get). I believe the point he was making is from a performance standpoint the Mazaki is a bargain.


----------



## panda

i mean i think mazaki is a better knife regardless of price


----------



## labor of love

panda said:


> i mean i think mazaki is a better knife regardless of price



People dont buy shigs to cut food though &#128526;
That being said I still want one haha


----------



## panda

yeah they're all about the clouds. cant be having it touch food cause it turns diarrhea brown so quick.
if there is one shig i would actually use, it would be a suji. S grind is great for slicer duty.


----------



## bkultra

panda said:


> yeah they're all about the clouds. cant be having it touch food cause it turns diarrhea brown so quick.
> if there is one shig i would actually use, it would be a suji. S grind is great for slicer duty.



Don't want the Honyaki, let me send you my Shig. Sure it's a fancy kitaeji (that I keep polished)... It's also has a custom handle and saya (I know you love bling). I would love to see your honest feedback.


----------



## panda

i had a 240 kasumi before, is the kitaeji really different?


----------



## Nemo

FWIW, the one which I borrowed/used (240mm kasumi gyuoto) was actually quite a good cutter. Very similar in performance to my Gengetsu. From memory, it came with a mild patina and was not really very reactive (which surprised me).


----------



## Nemo

panda said:


> i mean i think mazaki is a better knife regardless of price


Damn, now I'm gonna have to buy a Mazaki


----------



## bkultra

panda said:


> i had a 240 kasumi before, is the kitaeji really different?



Not from a performance standpoint


----------



## labor of love

It just occurred to me that it would probably be pointless to own a shig again because Im left handed.


----------



## brainsausage

Anybody who complains about Shig cladding doesnt have the patience to build a proper patina. Its no worse than most other clads Ive used. Ive been saying this for years, julienne a $hitload of onions for caramelizing, soup, pickles whatever, and wipe the blade a bunch. Portioning hot proteins and running the blade under hot water helps speed things up too.


----------



## Choppin

I recently got a 220 suji and 180 gyuto (Shigs) and both are f****ing incredible cutters. Kasumi of course


----------



## bkultra

brainsausage said:


> Anybody who complains about Shig cladding doesnt have the patience to build a proper patina. Its no worse than most other clads Ive used. Ive been saying this for years, julienne a $hitload of onions for caramelizing, soup, pickles whatever, and wipe the blade a bunch. Portioning hot proteins and running the blade under hot water helps speed things up too.



I think most of the differences people see in reactivity (in regards to iron cladding) comes from the differences in finishes/polish. Iron is reactive, grass is green, and women have secrets.


----------



## Choppin

brainsausage said:


> Anybody who complains about Shig cladding doesnt have the patience to build a proper patina. Its no worse than most other clads Ive used. Ive been saying this for years, julienne a $hitload of onions for caramelizing, soup, pickles whatever, and wipe the blade a bunch. Portioning hot proteins and running the blade under hot water helps speed things up too.



+1. Not different than Kato or Toyama, at least in my experience. 

Mazaki seems less reactive for some reason... Maybe the polishing that Maksim does?


----------



## brainsausage

bkultra said:


> I think most of the differences people see in reactivity (in regards to iron cladding) comes from the differences in finishes/polish. Iron is reactive, grass is green, and women have secrets.



Finnish does make a difference. Oh wait- you meant Polish right?


----------



## Gregmega

brainsausage said:


> Anybody who complains about Shig cladding doesnt have the patience to build a proper patina. Its no worse than most other clads Ive used. Ive been saying this for years, julienne a $hitload of onions for caramelizing, soup, pickles whatever, and wipe the blade a bunch. Portioning hot proteins and running the blade under hot water helps speed things up too.



Couldn't agree more. Every knife needs to be 'opened up' so to speak. And in a pro kitchen, this can be done in an afternoon of work. I do it basically the same way- by washing it down in hot (scalding) water, slicing a warm roasted chicken breast and spreading the juices around it, rinse and repeat. Then send it into prep hell and see how far you can push it. If you buy a carbon knife and not give it the love it needs to really live its full potential, you'd maybe move into ginsan rather than disparage a knife for its reactive cladding. Especially a Shig, which I'm pretty sure wasn't made to cut paper towels when it was forged.


----------



## Gregmega

Choppin said:


> I recently got a 220 suji and 180 gyuto (Shigs) and both are f****ing incredible cutters. Kasumi of course



Oh the one that got away[emoji24][emoji24][emoji24]


----------



## Anton

So wait 
Are Shig popular again?


----------



## labor of love

Anton said:


> So wait
> Are Shig popular again?



Nah. Just fans defending their purchases. Which is totally understandable.


----------



## HRC_64

labor of love said:


> Nah. Just fans defending their purchases.



I think this is called protecting their investment... :rofl:


----------



## Luftmensch

Viggetorr said:


> The nakiri on JNS is very reasonably priced for a Shigefusa. Are there any major differences in performance between the kasumi/kitaeji and the kurouchis, or is it just appearance? The kitaejis are crazy expensive in comparison.



Short answer: No.

The only appreciable difference is aesthetic. You wont notice a difference in cutting. All are a joy to sharpen.

Long answer:

Do you consider maintaining the finish a component of 'performance'??



brainsausage said:


> Anybody who complains about Shig cladding doesnt have the patience to build a proper patina. Its no worse than most other clads Ive used. Ive been saying this for years, julienne a $hitload of onions for caramelizing, soup, pickles whatever, and wipe the blade a bunch. Portioning hot proteins and running the blade under hot water helps speed things up too.



1000 times this ^^

Really. The most reactive thing about Shifefusa knives are peoples opinions on their 'value'. Just use the dang knife. A patina will form and reactivity becomes no big deal. In that sense it is much like cooking with cast iron.



The kitaeji knives are part knife, part art. Surely one of the reasons for getting one is to enjoy the pattern welding - in this case developing a patina might be an impediment to that. Or it might not. It depends on your point of view.

Personally, I think patina on kitaeji knives can get a bit busy. The patterns compete for attention. The kasumi finish is a great blank canvas for chronicling your cooking habits. I think patina can be more beautiful than the pattern welding! It is very personal and changes as you use your knife. There is something intimate about that - and in the wabi-sabi spirit.

And then there is the black sheep of the family. For some reason people don't get excited by the kurouchi knives? They are the most rustic but the level of fit and finish is still high. The oxide and surface are nicely textured. The bonus about kurouchi knives is that the black oxide is not reactive. It is also more rust resistant. In that sense, these knives require the least attention.



Back to 'performance' and why you might want a Shigefusa...

If you want a Shigefusa for the art and are neurotic or precious about the finish then the maintenance requirements might be a point of frustration. If you are happy to let the knife patina and 'age' any will do but I think the Kasumi knives are good candidates. If you want a working tool, the kurouchi models are the best value. Yet... you might not have a choice! Not all knives are made in all finishes!


----------



## Jville

Is there any differences in the grinds between higher models? Ive heard the kasumi and damascus have more of an s grind.


----------



## Luftmensch

Jville said:


> Is there any differences in the grinds between higher models? Ive heard the kasumi and damascus have more of an s grind.



Probably not. But I couldn't say?? :dontknow:

I am not a collector. I do not own the same knife in different finishes. A vendor might know. What I can say is; the kurouchi santoku does _not_ have an S-grind but the kitaeji gyuto _does_. That should be of no surprise. How ya'll gonna keep that black oxide if you scrape/grind a concave into the surface? 

But then... That observation is not apples and apples. A kitaeji santoku may not have an S-grind either! In fact.... In Maxim's video you can see a kurouchi turn into a kasumi. Looks like a Santoku to me... If Kasumi versions of those exist, I aint seen 'em. With more polish it might end up a kitaeji...


----------



## Simonsimon

Shigefusa leftie is up on jns!!!!!


----------



## Seth

I think it is coming to the point where jns is doing an unfair approach to his stock because it is all gone within minutes. I wonder if a programer out there has an auto purchase order programed into their commuter.


----------



## tgfencer

To be fair that lefty was actually up for a decent amount of time. Well, 10-15min at least anyway.


----------



## Jovidah

Seth said:


> I think it is coming to the point where jns is doing an unfair approach to his stock because it is all gone within minutes. I wonder if a programer out there has an auto purchase order programed into their commuter.



You can ask him to crank up the price even more to make the knives last longer?


----------



## krx927

Jovidah said:


> You can ask him to crank up the price even more to make the knives last longer?



Good one!


----------



## Seth

Ha ha I was thinking more like a waiting list but he likes his system.


----------



## jacko9

I noticed that JNS offers his Kato and Shig's at different times to let people in different time zones have an opportunity to buy. Yes you have to be fast but I did manage to buy a Kato and I had the opportunity to get a Shig but I waited too long deciding weather or not to spend the money!

You need to be prepared to buy "immediately".


----------



## Aaroncini

Hi guys, may have been mentioned here already but there are a couple of shigs on ebay at the moment - nakiri and santoku, in australia and seem reasonably priced? already have a couple so cant really justify it but otherwise they seem interesting


----------



## rebornhj

I was very lucky to purchase left handed shigefusa yanagiba this time.
As soon as I received the alert from JNS, it was before 7am and I grabbed the credit card and bought it.
Really good knife.


----------



## labor of love

rebornhj said:


> I was very lucky to purchase left handed shigefusa yanagiba this time.
> As soon as I received the alert from JNS, it was before 7am and I grabbed the credit card and bought it.
> Really good knife.



Wow. Was that today?


----------



## rebornhj

It was last week. 
I received the knife today though


----------



## labor of love

Awesome. Congrats from a fellow lefty.


----------



## rebornhj

Thanks!


----------



## DamageInc

right now


----------



## DamageInc

and it's gone


----------



## niwaki-boy

DamageInc said:


> and it's gone


Thanks for posting that damage.. I can never see how much theyre going for anymore, they move so fast. Seems like an odd time of day for these to go up


----------



## labor of love

Literally sold while it was in my cart...I guess checking out via PayPal takes too long


----------



## nkbitsch

I had it in my cart as well.. After entering card details... Gone!


----------



## labor of love

Guess I need to start shaving seconds off my time.


----------



## nkbitsch

It's crazy.. I would almost have sworn that I couldn't have done the entire process faster, but apparently we need to practice out checkout skills [emoji23].


----------



## panda

meh


----------



## Barmoley

That's insane for a $730 knife, prices need to go uputtahere:


----------



## niwaki-boy

Ive been there before  
Gotta use one touch PayPal, be logged in at jns, have a super fast opticfiber connection in front of a shrine to almighty shig god (pro tip .. dont waste time lighting the candles... gotta have'm going 24/7)


----------



## panda

maxim is not a dirt bag, he's not going to jack the prices up just because the non retail market is irrationally skewed. so long as he makes his markup he's all good. probably finds it amusing the people trying so hard to land one.


----------



## chinacats

Don't worry, it'll be up on b/s/t next week for 1k.


----------



## Barmoley

So true. 

Yes, Maxim said he won't raise prices, good on him, since he could.

So when is the checkout training camp opening up.......I don't even try anymore, by the time I get an email it is gone even if I go right away. Thanks for posting the price though, didn't know what these go for from Maxim.


----------



## sac36555

Dardeau said:


> There is a 270mm kasumi Shigefusa yanagiba for sale on A Frames. Heads up yall.



What is A Frames?


----------



## labor of love

Aframestokyo.com


----------



## tgfencer

If you can stomach the price, there is this:

https://www.aframestokyo.com/used-s...i-180mm-swedish-pure-carbon-steel-kn1802.html


----------



## Andreu

tgfencer said:


> If you can stomach the price, there is this:
> 
> https://www.aframestokyo.com/used-s...i-180mm-swedish-pure-carbon-steel-kn1802.html



This was already sold and verified by Takeshi this past Friday. His website is not in real-time unfortunately.


----------



## tgfencer

Andreu said:


> This was already sold and verified by Takeshi this past Friday. His website is not in real-time unfortunately.



Ah, whoops, nevermind then.


----------



## Midsummer

Used SHIGEFUSA Nakiri Kitaeji 180mm Swedish pure carbon steel Knife
Item: used-shigefusa-nakiri-kitaeji-180mm-swedish-pure-carbon-steel-kn1802
Regular Price: $920.00
Price: $890.00

A-frames right now


----------



## HRC_64

Midsummer said:


> Used SHIGEFUSA Nakiri Kitaeji 180mm Swedish pure carbon steel Knife
> Item: used-shigefusa-nakiri-kitaeji-180mm-swedish-pure-carbon-steel-kn1802
> Regular Price: $920.00
> Price: $890.00
> 
> A-frames right now





Andreu said:


> This was already sold and verified by Takeshi this past Friday. His website is not in real-time unfortunately.



I think these two posts are related


----------



## Midsummer

HRC_64 said:


> I think these two posts are related



May well be; I thought I had checked that link earlier... The link that tg supplied does take you to the same knife I note in my post. I hopefully have not raised too many hopes. Sorry if so.


----------



## cenc

Dunno what all this talk over the past 6 days was about. I was able to purchase that 180 kitaeji nakiri on Sunday. Yesssss... dream knife.


----------



## Neko

Santoku on Aframes now

https://www.aframestokyo.com/shigef...mm-swedish-pure-carbon-steel-blade-kn165.html


----------



## DamageInc

now


----------



## DamageInc

gone


----------



## S-Line

Jesus, $640 for a 210. Is it just me or did it get a lot more expensive recently.


----------



## brainsausage

Well, considering that I paid less than 400 for a brand new 240 gyuto 4 years ago, I would say yes, yes there has been a ridiculous jump in price&#128513;


----------



## Chicagohawkie

For perspective, less than 2 years ago I got a 210 Kasumi for 390 bucks. Not much you can do, one of the last remaining masters.


----------



## Godslayer

For retrospective you can easily buy a honyaki from a master for that price. I stick with shigs and katos your paying more for Provence then anything. I prefered my 240mm Tanaka b#2 to a 240mm kato workhorse. One was $150 the other $700. I honestly have never understood the two brands hype, I mean they are good knives but there's stuff out there that can perform as well or better for a fraction of the cost.


----------



## S-Line

Used 210mm shig nakiri kitaeji on aframes

https://www.aframestokyo.com/used-shigefusa-nakiri-kitaeji-210mm-swedish-pure-carbon-st2101.html


----------



## ashy2classy

A 210 and 240 kasumi are for sale on the 'bay. Someone trying to cash in...


----------



## Simonsimon

Shig is up on jns!


----------



## Mjdavid

Simonsimon said:


> Shig is up on jns!


Don’t bother I already got it.


----------



## Anton

Mjdavid said:


> Don’t bother I already got it.


good for you..


----------



## Simonsimon

I think there is more than one


----------



## khashy

How much were the Kitaeji yanagis?


----------



## F-Flash

http://lapassiondescouteaux.fr/rech...ay=desc&search_query=Shigefusa&submit_search=

Ku Nakiris, kasumi yanagiba and maybe some kitaeji santokus (10?!?)


----------



## parbaked

Ce produit n'est plus en stock...


----------



## DamageInc

right now


----------



## DamageInc

only the 210mm left now


----------



## DamageInc

both gone now


----------



## ashy2classy

DamageInc said:


> right now



Unreal how fast they go. Tried to buy the 240 at 9:44 EST and it was gone.


----------



## David M

I was literally on my computer and had an alert set for the page. I had all my info prepared to paste into the form. No way it took me more than 30 seconds to complete the form, and it was gone. Seems the bots have taken over. I feel Captcha is in order...


----------



## DamageInc

David M said:


> I was literally on my computer and had an alert set for the page. I had all my info prepared to paste into the form. No way it took me more than 30 seconds to complete the form, and it was gone. Seems the bots have taken over. I feel Captcha is in order...


You need to have an account. Then you can check out in just three clicks with all of your info autofilled.


----------



## David M

DamageInc said:


> You need to have an account. Then you can check out in just three clicks with all of your info autofilled.


Good point, but still... i was lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time (which never happens), and it still wasn't enough. Pretty bonkers.


----------



## DamageInc

David M said:


> Good point, but still... i was lucky enough to be at the right place at the right time (which never happens), and it still wasn't enough. Pretty bonkers.


It's not bonkers at all. The people who buy these knives have accounts and can check out without having to put in any info at all, just click a few times. You are handicapping yourself if you don't make an account.


----------



## ashy2classy

DamageInc said:


> It's not bonkers at all. The people who buy these knives have accounts and can check out without having to put in any info at all, just click a few times. You are handicapping yourself if you don't make an account.


I have an account but still need to input CC info or login to PP. JNS won't store your CC info, otherwise it would go faster.


----------



## DamageInc

ashy2classy said:


> I have an account but still need to input CC info or login to PP. JNS won't store your CC info, otherwise it would go faster.


No, you don't have to input credit card info or log into paypal. Choose bank transfer option. That's the fastest way to check out. Your order is immediately registered.


----------



## marcvnguyen

Do you need to preset up the bank transfer option with banking info?


----------



## DamageInc

marcvnguyen said:


> Do you need to preset up the bank transfer option with banking info?


It's been a while since I used the function, but when I used it I didn't have to set anything up. The order just gets completed and then you send the money afterwards. Fastest way you can check out.


----------



## Mucho Bocho

My approach is to gain recon through an international spy situated close to the server. This covert spy is one hell of a cook too.


----------



## DamageInc

Mucho Bocho said:


> My approach is to gain recon through an international spy situated close to the server. This covert spy is one hell of a cook too.


I imagine he's really handsome as well.


----------



## ashy2classy

Shig kasumi 240 gyuto on eBay. Hope nobody's dumb enough to buy it for that price...


----------



## tgfencer

There are some kitaeji at Aframes. Been there a while, usuba and deba I believe.


----------



## echou

Maksim has some new single bevel kitas up - yanagis and usubas


----------



## Dxtreme

Crickets ?


----------



## Bert2368

Dxtreme said:


> Crickets ?


Yes, if they're fried krispy with a nice dipping sauce, thanks.


----------



## labor of love

There’s a kiya branded shig 270mm yanagiba on the bay right now for what I think is a decent price. If you can live without the bad ass shig kanji it might be worth it for someone here.


----------



## Viggetorr

210 shig gyuto available at CC:

https://www.cleancut.se/butik/knivserier/shigefusa/shigefusa_gyuto-210-detail


----------



## WPerry

Viggetorr said:


> 210 shig gyuto available at CC:
> 
> https://www.cleancut.se/butik/knivserier/shigefusa/shigefusa_gyuto-210-detail



By the time they made an announcement on Instagram, they said that 2 of the 3 that they'd gotten were sold. Doesn't look like it took much longer for that third to pop.


----------



## echou

Shig Western Kita gyuto 180mm at JNS: http://www.japanesenaturalstones.com/shigefusa-kitaeji-180-mm-gyuto-western-no-handle/


----------



## Corradobrit1

echou said:


> Shig Western Kita gyuto 180mm at JNS: http://www.japanesenaturalstones.com/shigefusa-kitaeji-180-mm-gyuto-western-no-handle/


long gone


----------



## bahamaroot

echou said:


> Shig Western Kita gyuto 180mm at JNS: http://www.japanesenaturalstones.com/shigefusa-kitaeji-180-mm-gyuto-western-no-handle/


I think Maxim has gone into the flipping business...


----------



## Anton

bahamaroot said:


> I think Maxim has gone into the flipping business...


well deserved IMO - better him than the street.


----------



## Keat

I just happened to be on the JNS website when both were available this morning, and took a look. I was mostly astonished by the price. They have been more than I want to pay for a long time. . . but have they gone up in price recently?


----------



## bm11

I saw it this morning. The price converts to $2425 USD (with VAT included) for those interested.


----------



## labor of love

A lot of what he’s getting from shig and kato he’s selling directly to people he knows. Not even going on the website anymore.


----------



## Corradobrit1

labor of love said:


> A lot of what he’s getting from shig and kato he’s selling directly to people he knows. Not even going on the website anymore.


Maybe true but what evidence do you have? Know people who have got their paws on knives like that?


----------



## Corradobrit1

Keat said:


> I just happened to be on the JNS website when both were available this morning, and took a look. I was mostly astonished by the price. They have been more than I want to pay for a long time. . . but have they gone up in price recently?


When I saw the asking price I remember experiencing an involuntary sharp intake of breath. Def flipper pricing.


----------



## labor of love

Corradobrit1 said:


> Maybe true but what evidence do you have? Know people who have got their paws on knives like that?


He mentioned it himself a couple weeks back. Some of what he post via social media doesn’t go up on the site just straight to customers.
I don’t know the details.


----------



## Matus

Those must be some very special customers. Because he stopped taking any kind of reservations (let alone preorders) few years ago.


----------



## labor of love

edit


----------



## labor of love

Read Maxims comment on this thread.

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz-n8MFnWQl/?igshid=18enbpbasfcdz

Sounds like he gives his regular/return customers favoritism.
I don’t have a problem with it, but it is what it is.


----------



## Corradobrit1

labor of love said:


> Read Maxims comment on this thread.
> 
> https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz-n8MFnWQl/?igshid=18enbpbasfcdz
> 
> Sounds like he gives his regular/return customers favoritism.
> I don’t have a problem with it, but it is what it is.



I guess it's open to be interpreted that way. If thats the case then I wonder what level of 'more' opens up the order book?


----------



## bahamaroot

labor of love said:


> ...Sounds like he gives his regular/return customers favoritism.
> I don’t have a problem with it, but it is what it is.


Doesn't every retailer out there play favoritism to their best customers? Though some wouldn't admit it...


----------



## labor of love

Yeah it’s just frequent flyer miles. But for knives.


----------



## Barclid

Corradobrit1 said:


> I guess it's open to be interpreted that way. If thats the case then I wonder what level of 'more' opens up the order book?


Open to be interpreted that way? I mean if you wanna softball it. No judgment here, he can do what he wants.. but that's pretty explicit as far as that stuff goes.


----------



## McMan

I wonder how many Toyama just flew off the shelves in the last few hours by people trying to get on the VIP list?


----------



## valgard

McMan said:


> I wonder how many Toyama just flew off the shelves in the last few hours by people trying to get on the VIP list?


LMAO


----------



## Gregmega

labor of love said:


> Read Maxims comment on this thread.
> 
> https://www.instagram.com/p/Bz-n8MFnWQl/?igshid=18enbpbasfcdz
> 
> Sounds like he gives his regular/return customers favoritism.
> I don’t have a problem with it, but it is what it is.



I suppose if you’re one of the guys that spent thousands over the years (which I am not), it makes sense. People who’ve supported my businesses always get a little extra caviar to be sure.


----------



## krx927

Nothing wrong with that! Quite logical that you give something extra to regular guests/buyers, just like Greg mentioned.


----------



## labor of love

Haha no one said there was anything wrong with it.


----------



## Von blewitt

https://www.aframestokyo.com/used-shigefusa-wa-gyuto-210mm-kasumi-swedish-steel-blade-kn210.html


----------



## daddy yo yo

Von blewitt said:


> https://www.aframestokyo.com/used-shigefusa-wa-gyuto-210mm-kasumi-swedish-steel-blade-kn210.html


Seriously, they sell a used 210 Kasumi for 980$?!??


----------



## CiderBear

daddy yo yo said:


> Seriously, they sell a used 210 Kasumi for 980$?!??



Is that good or bad?


----------



## Elliot

CiderBear said:


> Is that good or bad?



Well, I suppose supply and demand ultimately makes these decisions, but that is over “market,” in my opinion.


----------



## labor of love

In used condition I think you could score a shig 240mm kasumi for like $900. Kinda depends.


----------



## bahamaroot

daddy yo yo said:


> Seriously, they sell a used 210 Kasumi for 980$?!??


I'll never buy there again, damn flippers!


----------



## Anton

240 Shig kasumi used to trade for $300 -450


----------



## Corradobrit1

And vintage Rolex watches could be picked up for peanuts 10-20 years ago. Markets change. Its up to the buyer to do their homework.


----------



## Barmoley

Air cooled Porsche anyone? What about first gen Acura NSX? Or how about E30 M3. For those who are not car enthusiasts, all these cost significantly more than they did when new. They did not become better cars with age, they are also not better than modern cars regardless of what the purests say about soul this soul that.

We don't need to protect adults from themselves.


----------



## Corradobrit1

Barmoley said:


> Air cooled Porsche anyone , they are also not better than modern cars regardless of what the purests say about soul this soul that.
> .


'Better' is subjective. Some people just hanker for that old school air cooled Porsche experience. I've driven both and own a 993 so I can tell you there is a visceral difference to a modern equivalent.


----------



## Barmoley

There is a difference, but better is not subjective, in any measure a car can be measured by your 993 is a better car. Having air cooled Porsche as a toy is nice for that visceral difference, but if a person who drives a lot had to pick a single car to drive for the rest of his life, and the only choices were air cooled Porsche or 993 as an example most would pick 993.

To keep on topic it is similar to these knives that are so expensive now, these knives are not better than they used to be they are also not the be all and end all of knives. There is a certain difference in using them, but you don't see people sell all their knives and just keep one shig as soon as they get one. All this doesn't matter though, as long as there are people willing to pay the high prices there will be people willing to sell.


----------



## HRC_64

daddy yo yo said:


> Seriously, they sell a used 210 Kasumi for 980$?!??



If you read the fine-print, its "for sale on consignement..."


----------



## Supraunleaded

Keeping in line with the aframes shig train:

300mm yanagiba: https://www.aframestokyo.com/used-shigefusa-yanagiba-300mm-kitaeji-swedish-steel-blade-kn300.html

255 mm yanagiba: https://www.aframestokyo.com/sdf.html


----------



## daddy yo yo

Given those prices, I find myself considering selling my Shigs.


----------



## krx927

daddy yo yo said:


> Given those prices, I find myself considering selling my Shigs.



Wait a few years


----------



## Mute-on

Anton said:


> 240 Shig kasumi used to trade for $300 -450



True ... in about 2013!


----------



## Supraunleaded

A rare sighting available at JNS. An actual shig not bought by bots yet! 

https://www.japanesenaturalstones.com/shigefusa-kasumi-unagisaki-210-mm/


----------



## Corradobrit1

Supraunleaded said:


> A rare sighting available at JNS. An actual shig not bought by bots yet!
> 
> https://www.japanesenaturalstones.com/shigefusa-kasumi-unagisaki-210-mm/


Prob because its so specialized


----------



## HRC_64

Corradobrit1 said:


> Prob because its so specialized



Doesn't it make you want to nail an eel to your cutting board?


----------



## Corradobrit1

HRC_64 said:


> Doesn't it make you want to nail an eel to your cutting board?


Urm...... no


----------



## jaeysehn

180 Shig Kasumi deba at bernal
http://bernal-cutlery.shoplightspeed.com/shigefusa-180mm-deba-kasumi-w-saya.html


----------



## jaeysehn

there was also a western Kasumi that sold out instantly.


----------



## parbaked

jaeysehn said:


> there was also a western Kasumi that sold out instantly.



Worth referencing that the Western Shig sold for $985 with saya and a small scratch...just in case it shows up on BST.
http://bernal-cutlery.shoplightspeed.com/shigefusa-210mm-gyuto-western-handle-w-saya.html


----------



## Andrew

parbaked said:


> Worth referencing the Western Shig in sold for $985 with saya and a small scratch...just in case it shows up on BST.
> http://bernal-cutlery.shoplightspeed.com/shigefusa-210mm-gyuto-western-handle-w-saya.html


I didn't try for this knife, but man the price strikes me as very fair. I'm a fan of bernal already, but pricing like this elevates them in my mind to the absolute top of the knife game.


----------



## Andrew

Just saw on the gram that Portland Knife House has a second hand 180mm Shig Kitaeji wa gyuto for sale. They say Portland sale only for the first week, then online. Priced at $900, not sure what the board thinks of that as a value...


----------



## inferno

I'm wondering if the shigs are "better" than other top shelf knives. and if yes, how so? i mean 900bux its gotta be really kick ass then right. or?


----------



## labor of love

inferno said:


> I'm wondering if the shigs are "better" than other top shelf knives. and if yes, how so? i mean 900bux its gotta be really kick ass then right. or?


Sorta, it’s complicated 

I wouldn’t mind another one. Somehow I think I’m okay for $800-900 for simple kasumi 240mm wa gyuto.


----------



## Andrew

inferno said:


> I'm wondering if the shigs are "better" than other top shelf knives. and if yes, how so? i mean 900bux its gotta be really kick ass then right. or?


I don't know how to quantify better, but will share that my 240 wa-gyuto is the most enjoyable knife I own to sharpen... I love the feeling on stones.


----------



## parbaked

I think the Western Ships are special and worth up to $1K, if I were collecting...


----------



## Keat

The 180mm Shig Kitaeji wa gyuto is still in Portland. I’m in town this weekend and stopped by Portland Knife House and took a look. That’s an awesome knife shop.


----------



## Corradobrit1

Keat said:


> The 180mm Shig Kitaeji wa gyuto is still in Portland. I’m in town this weekend and stopped by Portland Knife House and took a look. That’s an awesome knife shop.


How did it look in person? Some have expressed concerns with the extent of remedial work, albeit based solely on IG photos.


----------



## Keat

My impression was that it could benefit from refinishing by one of the better polishers on here, for example, in my mind the depth wasn’t nearly as good as what Eithan has had on BST recently. Take that with a grain of salt because this is the only Shig Kitaeji that I’ve seen in person. Overall everything looked fine other than the heel looked like it was repaired. I didn’t inspect it carefully, was distracted by other great stuff there. 

The thing I thought was most interesting was the extra kanji.


----------



## Corradobrit1

Looks rough and abused. Hardly a 'beautiful example'. Poor Shig.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Shigefusa-...544348?hash=item3b395e2f9c:g:DtsAAOSwCeNdhRx1


----------



## Supraunleaded

Corradobrit1 said:


> Looks rough and abused. Hardly a 'beautiful example'. Poor Shig.
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/Shigefusa-...544348?hash=item3b395e2f9c:g:DtsAAOSwCeNdhRx1


I hope that knife was used and not just left untouched and became discolored


----------



## Corradobrit1

Supraunleaded said:


> I hope that knife was used and not just left untouched and became discolored


Tip looks weird and there's a pretty big chip along the edge, plus all the other issues


----------



## HRC_64

> They were purchased new, none have ever been sharpened, a couple of them were briefly used.



Tip is completely rounded over, maybe this is from storage fails or abuse in shipping...? 
tho I'm sure it could be worse ... either way its too bad to see a knife neglected


----------



## Supraunleaded

Corradobrit1 said:


> Tip looks weird and there's a pretty big chip along the edge, plus all the other issues


Just saw the pics again, didn’t notice on cellphone, wow that thing is crying to be restored. What a shame


----------



## Codered

There is an interesting kasumi gyuto old stock rare colectable(so they say) shigefusa Iizuka on an auction site. Is this real ? The markings don't resemble the shigefusa signature


----------



## Eitan78

that is a shigefusa knife indeed, it has a KIYA store kanji, the shigefusa stamp is on the back


----------



## ynot1985

Codered said:


> There is an interesting kasumi gyuto old stock rare colectable(so they say) shigefusa Iizuka on an auction site. Is this real ? The markings don't resemble the shigefusa signature
> View attachment 64426



Not old stock .. KIYA has them in stock when I visited their store last month. This knife was 52000 yen before tax


----------



## inferno

https://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/threads/shigefusa-santoku-165mm.44025/

or is this knife simply too pedestrian for you aficionados?


----------



## krx927

Who is buying santokus anyway?


----------



## labor of love

Haha there’s way too many shig santokus in the world and not enough gyutos.


----------



## inferno

krx927 said:


> Who is buying santokus anyway?



i do. almost all my knives are santokus. i have a 240 hinoura in white that i will shortly cut down to 200 at most, with my angle grinder. its simply too big. but it has good height at 55mm or so (thats why i bought it). so it will be a very good santoku imo. maybe even the bestest evah santoku in the entire universe  

if you cant make it with a santoku, then you probably cant make it...


----------



## krx927

inferno said:


> ...
> 
> if you cant make it with a santoku, then you probably cant make it...



In New York?


----------



## inferno

never been there, never will.
home use i guess  

my philosophy is that if its sharp enough you can do almost everthing with only a 150mm blade if you want.
amirite? 

i used a spyderco folder as my only kitchen knife for like 6 months. i was abroad and could only take 1 bag.


----------



## krx927

You surely have a point about the hight of santokus. I am just missing the curve towards the tip.


----------



## Gregmega

inferno said:


> i do. almost all my knives are santokus. i have a 240 hinoura in white that i will shortly cut down to 200 at most, with my angle grinder. its simply too big. but it has good height at 55mm or so (thats why i bought it). so it will be a very good santoku imo. maybe even the bestest evah santoku in the entire universe
> 
> if you cant make it with a santoku, then you probably cant make it...



I did the same thing to my river jump. Who needed that 20mm anyway.


----------



## Corradobrit1

Gregmega said:


> I did the same thing to my river jump. Who needed that 20mm anyway.


Now it's a stream jump


----------



## Gregmega

Hahahahaha yasss. I also edited about 5 minutes out of Goodfellas. Such a superior movie now.


----------



## inferno

Gregmega said:


> I did the same thing to my river jump. Who needed that 20mm anyway.



while you might have lost money doing so, i wont. because i have a "mass produced" hinoura.
and on top of that i dont really care. i will be using the knife so i think i am the most qualified about how long it should be. no?

but yeah angle grinders are the best grinders for fast results imo. i like the blue bosch ones myself.


----------



## inferno

wroom wroom! i made a whole sword with this muddafukkah so its good for knives too, especially 240ies. it eats 240ies for breakfast.


----------



## Barclid

inferno said:


> i do. almost all my knives are santokus. i have a 240 hinoura in white that i will shortly cut down to 200 at most, with my angle grinder. its simply too big. but it has good height at 55mm or so (thats why i bought it). so it will be a very good santoku imo. maybe even the bestest evah santoku in the entire universe
> 
> if you cant make it with a santoku, then you probably cant make it...



Certainly spoken like a home cook with too much time on their hands.


----------



## inferno




----------



## inferno

i am willing to chop down/santokify any shigefusa you have. 210s, 240ies, 270ies, 300eds, 330ies and so on, you name it, i'll chop it. no problem. if you send in 10 at a time i can give a discount.
you can specify 3m cubitron 2 or würth cutoff discs and flapdiscs. result is the same either way.


----------



## lemeneid

Takedas are practically giant-ass santokus


----------



## wind88

lemeneid said:


> Takedas are practically giant-ass santokus


can confirm. I have a 240 x 68 with a low tip, which essentially makes it an oversized santoku


----------



## labor of love

Heiji makes a nice looking santoku. I’ve debated maybe getting a custom 240mm one, but I’m not sure how useful it would be.


----------



## valgard

labor of love said:


> Heiji makes a nice looking santoku. I’ve debated maybe getting a custom 240mm one, but I’m not sure how useful it would be.


I feel like the weight distribution might make it a little clumsy/unwieldy.


----------



## labor of love

valgard said:


> I feel like the weight distribution might make it a little clumsy/unwieldy.


Right. Looks cool but might be impractical.


----------



## Eitan78

wind88 said:


> can confirm. I have a 240 x 68 with a low tip, which essentially makes it an oversized santoku



I have a 300mm western handle Santoku


----------



## Luftmensch

Eitan78 said:


> I have a 300mm western handle Santoku



You could grind that down to a nice 180mm!


----------



## Eitan78

Luftmensch said:


> You could grind that down to a nice 180mm!



I was thinking maybe horizontal grind to make it a sujihiki


----------



## Corradobrit1

Luftmensch said:


> You could grind that down to a nice 180mm!


Scallop the edge and Eitan would have a killer bread knife.


----------



## Luftmensch

Could do both and make a petty?


----------



## inferno

Luftmensch said:


> You could grind that down to a nice 180mm!



I can do it for him! 
It will only take 2 minutes.


----------



## jimmy_d

inferno said:


> I can do it for him!
> It will only take 2 minutes.
> View attachment 65017


ouch!


----------



## inferno

chopchop...


----------



## Luftmensch

inferno said:


> chopchop...



Keep the tip!


----------



## Hassanbensober

Shig 300 Kasumi Yanagiba on Jns now with Suita. Someone please buy this!


----------



## Gregmega

Eitan78 said:


> I was thinking maybe horizontal grind to make it a sujihiki



I’d go for the serrated edge on the spine. Make it a Rambo knife.


----------



## Eitan78

Gregmega said:


> I’d go for the serrated edge on the spine. Make it a Rambo knife.


----------



## inferno

Gregmega said:


> I’d go for the serrated edge on the spine. Make it a Rambo knife.



thats quite doable imo. i also suggest going for the integrated bottle opener cut then.


----------



## JBsmoove

Well, this thread really took a turn...

Shigefusas coming to East to West Shoppe sometime soon.


----------



## Eitan78

Regular shigs or serrated ones?


----------



## JBsmoove

Eitan78 said:


> Regular shigs or serrated ones?


Serrated, but only the Kitaeji ones.


----------



## Luftmensch

JBsmoove said:


> Serrated, but only the Kitaeji ones.



Damn... I only use the kuro ones...


----------



## Geigs

Expensive unicorn.

https://www.japanesenaturalstones.com/yoshiaki-fujiwara-365mm-tamahagene-watetsu-sakimaru-takobiki/


----------



## valgard

Geigs said:


> Expensive unicorn.
> 
> https://www.japanesenaturalstones.com/yoshiaki-fujiwara-365mm-tamahagene-watetsu-sakimaru-takobiki/


That ain't a Shig [emoji23]


----------



## Corradobrit1

valgard said:


> That ain't a Shig [emoji23]


Makes this 'Shig' quite the bargain
https://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/threads/kato-takohiki-sakimaru-300mm-bnib.44415/#post-655015


----------



## Corradobrit1

What a bargain. Bonus pitting, but 'edge in exc shape'
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Shigefusa-215mm-Gyuto/223779195989?hash=item341a478c55:g:FrYAAOSwRS9d5tgr


----------



## valgard

Corradobrit1 said:


> What a bargain. Bonus pitting, but 'edge in exc shape'
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/Shigefusa-215mm-Gyuto/223779195989?hash=item341a478c55:g:FrYAAOSwRS9d5tgr


lol


----------



## slickmamba

Corradobrit1 said:


> What a bargain. Bonus pitting, but 'edge in exc shape'
> https://www.ebay.com/itm/Shigefusa-215mm-Gyuto/223779195989?hash=item341a478c55:g:FrYAAOSwRS9d5tgr


lol


----------



## Corradobrit1

valgard said:


> lol


10 crummy pics and all of the kanji side. I'm afraid to ask for a pic of the other side.


----------



## Gregmega

Corradobrit1 said:


> Makes this 'Shig' quite the bargain
> https://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/threads/kato-takohiki-sakimaru-300mm-bnib.44415/#post-655015



For 1250 we’d hope you could afford a better camera & lighting situation.


----------



## Corradobrit1

Gregmega said:


> For 1250 we’d hope you could afford a better camera & lighting situation.


?


----------



## Gregmega

Corradobrit1 said:


> ?



The guy. Selling the knife. I’m having an imaginary convo with that guy


----------



## Gregmega

Oh sorry- I realized I quoted the wrong one. Was talking about the guy selling the shig for 1250 opening bid


----------



## Corradobrit1

If its the one I posted starting bid is $1500. BIN $1950 LOL
And don't forget the sales tax on top of that....


----------



## Gregmega

Sounds legit [emoji854]


----------



## danemonji

Bernal cutlery will have some old stock Shigs for sale today. Check their IG post


----------



## WPerry

danemonji said:


> Bernal cutlery will have some old stock Shigs for sale today. Check their IG post



Just saw their IG, too, and came here to make sure it was mentioned.


----------



## Geigs

Sold out from what I can see


----------



## ian

labor of love said:


> Right. Looks cool but might be impractical.



Didn’t you already own a 240 Ittetsu?

edit: sorry, necroquote.


----------



## labor of love

2 ittetsus. What can help you with?


----------



## ian

labor of love said:


> 2 ittetsus. What can help you with?



Oh, nothing, just commenting on your desire a month ago for a giant-*** santoku from Heiji. I’ve been coveting the Ittetsu for while, but I think I’ve got to go on a knife buying hiatus for a few months. Someday. 

I think I’m reaching a kit I’ll be satisfied with for a while, though. (Like, at least for a week.) Gotta a couple short Heiji sujis on order, and when they arrive, I’ll be complete.


----------



## labor of love

Some gyutos just happen to have cool Santoku like shapes while not being actual Santokus. My apprehension about ordering an actual Santoku 240mm is that I have no idea if I’d like it. Ittetsu threaded the needle perfectly. Very cool profile and nose. Here’s my old one in the middle.


----------



## ian

Nice! Think I recognize the knife on the right, too. 

what’s the other one?


----------



## labor of love

Yeah that should be the akebono that was eventually passed to you. The other one is a worn takeda that had a profile that didn’t suck.


----------



## drsmp

Hi Guys , I got this yanagiba in a group deal. It measures 225 on the edge and has a KU finish. The seller said unused, the KU looks fine but lots of sharpening(?) marks on the polished part of the blade ( not sure if that’s how they come) I couldn’t find any info on this knife in BST archives or internet searches, can you give a ballpark current value? Thanks! Steve


----------



## Geigs

that Kanji looks weird, almost looks more stamped than chiseled. Used 225 shig maybe 5-600?


----------



## Corradobrit1

drsmp said:


> View attachment 66964
> View attachment 66965
> Hi Guys , I got this yanagiba in a group deal. It measures 225 on the edge and has a KU finish. The seller said unused, the KU looks fine but lots of sharpening(?) marks on the polished part of the blade ( not sure if that’s how they come) I couldn’t find any info on this knife in BST archives or internet searches, can you give a ballpark current value? Thanks! Steve



This thread might prove informative. The kanji does indeed appear stamped.
https://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/threads/shigefusa-kanji-no-longer-hand-hammered.38443/


----------



## valgard

Kanji is stamped but that's normal for kasumi. 

That being said, that blade doesn't look new at all, can we see the ura?


----------



## Corradobrit1

valgard said:


> Kanji is stamped but that's normal for kasumi.
> 
> That being said, that blade doesn't look new at all, can we see the ura?


Correct. kitaeji single bevels are chiseled. Guess there's a limit to the number of blades a 5 year old can chisel.


----------



## drsmp

Pretty sure it’s KU. The seller described this as an unused Shigefusa 240 kitaeji so looks like the Shig part was accurate His pics were really dark and I thought Kasumi , didn’t know there were KU yanagiba versions


----------



## ma_sha1

According to this website, you might have gotten a fake Shig. Unfortunately:
http://www.kitaeji.com/articles/04_Shigefusa_Fakes/index.html

Shigefusa kanji always includes a third character 作. This knife appears to be missing that 3rd character.


----------



## valgard

drsmp said:


> View attachment 66969
> View attachment 66970
> Pretty sure it’s KU. The seller described this as an unused Shigefusa 240 kitaeji so looks like the Shig part was accurate His pics were really dark and I thought Kasumi , didn’t know there were KU yanagiba versions


Ura looks in great shape, but the bevel looks scratched.


----------



## ynot1985

drsmp said:


> View attachment 66969
> View attachment 66970
> Pretty sure it’s KU. The seller described this as an unused Shigefusa 240 kitaeji so looks like the Shig part was accurate His pics were really dark and I thought Kasumi , didn’t know there were KU yanagiba versions



Do you have better photos of the KU part?

I have a KU yanagiba and this looked nothing like it ( the KU part)


----------



## drsmp

If it’s a fake the seller says he’ll refund so I should be good.


----------



## ynot1985

drsmp said:


> View attachment 66988
> View attachment 66989
> If it’s a fake the seller says he’ll refund so I should be good.



Looks legit to me but seems like a lot of the KU layer has been polished/ removed.

I collect KU shigs. Unused KU should be way darker if new


----------



## ynot1985

ma_sha1 said:


> According to this website, you might have gotten a fake Shig. Unfortunately:
> http://www.kitaeji.com/articles/04_Shigefusa_Fakes/index.html
> 
> Shigefusa kanji always includes a third character 作. This knife appears to be missing that 3rd character.



You probably only see the 3rd kanji on single bevel kitaeji Shigefusas .


----------



## tchan001

Shigefusa Kitaeji Yanagiba 240mm


Selected Japanese natural sharpening stones Toishi, Handmade by Best Blade smiths Japanese Knives, Razors and Tools




www.japanesenaturalstones.com


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

I was able to go to the checkout step, but when I tried to pay it says the inventory level doesn't support blah blah. I wasn't fast enough.


----------



## AFKitchenknivesguy

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> I was able to go to the checkout step, but when I tried to pay it says the inventory level doesn't support blah blah. I wasn't fast enough.


My apologies, it was me.


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

AFKitchenknivesguy said:


> My apologies, it was me.


Why would you need another Shig?


----------



## AFKitchenknivesguy

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> Why would you need another Shig?


I passed the "need" phase in this hobby 12 years ago.


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

AFKitchenknivesguy said:


> I passed the "need" phase in this hobby 12 years ago.


And most importantly you learnt how to checkout fast. haha. Congrats. I believe there must be a shig meant to be mine. I'll see when it finds its way home.


----------



## AFKitchenknivesguy

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> And most importantly you learnt how to checkout fast. haha. Congrats. I believe there must be a shig meant to be mine. I'll see when it finds its way home.


Don't worry ill remember you in case I need to sell any.


----------



## labor of love

That 240mm shig kasumi has a $954 price tag 

edit: still would've bought it if I had the chance.


----------



## Twigg

Are there any performance differences between the Kitaeji and the Kasumi versions?


----------



## labor of love

Twigg said:


> Are there any performance differences between the Kitaeji and the Kasumi versions?


Shig lords will often tell you the performance difference is between western and wa shigs not so much kitaeji and kasumi.
My wallet won’t let me explore though.


----------



## AFKitchenknivesguy

Twigg said:


> Are there any performance differences between the Kitaeji and the Kasumi versions?


In my experience, no. I'm just a paper pusher, not much professional help.


----------



## Southpaw

Ugh I’ve just accepted that I’ll never get to experience the beauty of a shig single bevel...


----------



## Corradobrit1

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> And most importantly you learnt how to checkout fast. haha. Congrats. I believe there must be a shig meant to be mine. I'll see when it finds its way home.


Its an outlook like that that eventually landed me a Kato Ku 210WH. Perseverance is key


----------



## Corradobrit1

I thought this was interesting for any Shig lovers. Nice pics of the people involved and workshop too




__





Shigefusa - The Iizuka family secret - cleancut.se


Shigefusa is a kitchen knife brand like no other. We met the Iizuka family for tea in their workshop in Sanjo, Japan.



www.cleancut.eu


----------



## MarcelNL

Why not just use this for a look into the workshop, the talking movies were invented well over a decade ago ;-)


----------



## M1k3

MarcelNL said:


> Why not just use this for a look into the workshop, the talking movies were invented well over a decade ago ;-)



Why go to a concert when you can stream it?


----------



## MarcelNL

exactly, concerts are so pre COVID


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> And most importantly you learnt how to checkout fast. haha. Congrats. I believe there must be a shig meant to be mine. I'll see when it finds its way home.


Update: I bought the 210 Kitaeji that showed up on JNS this morning. Seems finally my shig is coming home.


----------



## tchan001

Shigefusa kasumi 240mm wa-gyuto


Shigefusa is a small forge in Sanjo, Japan run by the Iizuka family. Their elegant knives are mainly made using hand tools (except for the mechanical forging hammers). To grind their knives and establish geometry, a hand tool called "sen" is used to 'scrape' off some millimeters of metal; In...




zahocho.com


----------



## Jville

tchan001 said:


> Shigefusa kasumi 240mm wa-gyuto
> 
> 
> Shigefusa is a small forge in Sanjo, Japan run by the Iizuka family. Their elegant knives are mainly made using hand tools (except for the mechanical forging hammers). To grind their knives and establish geometry, a hand tool called "sen" is used to 'scrape' off some millimeters of metal; In...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> zahocho.com


You ever buy from here?


----------



## tchan001

yes, but they only ship EMS so you have to make sure EMS delivers to you.




__





Just a few good friends of tchan001


Yanick 270mm x 61mm 135Cr3 sanmai wrought iron gyuto with violet wood handle. Water quenched. Thickness: 4.9mm to 1.4mm Weight: 254 grams The wrought iron pattern is very subtle. https://yanick-knives.com/produit/gyuto-san-mai-wrought-iron-135cr3-handle-on-violet-wood/




www.kitchenknifeforums.com


----------



## jacko9

$952 seems a bit pricy for a 240mm Shig Kasumi Gyuto. I purchased one a few months ago for $703 with free shipping to California.


----------



## tchan001

Wish I found one at your price but too late now.


----------



## syinx

jfc that's a pricey kasumi 240


----------



## RockyBasel

Still there - I have it already- so no need for another one, well there is never a “need”


----------



## drsmp

Looks like won’t ship to USA as EMS suspended


----------



## AFKitchenknivesguy

__





Shigefusa Kitaeji Mioroshi Deba 240 mm


Selected Japanese natural sharpening stones Toishi, Handmade by Best Blade smiths Japanese Knives, Razors and Tools




www.japanesenaturalstones.com


----------



## Runner_up

^^ Tempted as it's still there, but really don't have a use for it.


----------



## CTHT

^^I guess there was more than one 

(Looking at insta, it seems that there were at least 2).


----------



## AFKitchenknivesguy

CTHT said:


> ^^I guess there was more than one
> 
> (Looking at insta, it seems that there were at least 2).


As someone thats been watching all morning, noticed randomly, yes there was two of each I believe.


----------



## rmrf

First time I've seen one that wasn't out of stock.


----------



## mmiinngg

rmrf said:


> First time I've seen one that wasn't out of stock.



But still, you have still haven't "seen" it yet


----------



## daddy yo yo

I wish I lived near the sea to have a justification for a 240 Deba. Or a 210 Deba. Or a Deba in general! 

Not playing the Shig game anymore, prices have gone crazy. I can remember times where Shigs have sold for half of their current prices. HALF!!!


----------



## krx927

daddy yo yo said:


> I wish I lived near the sea to have a justification for a 240 Deba. Or a 210 Deba. Or a Deba in general!
> 
> Not playing the Shig game anymore, prices have gone crazy. I can remember times where Shigs have sold for half of their current prices. HALF!!!



HALF; just like any other knife, almost...


----------



## krx927

But speaking of Shig prices, I know who is running the prices up! It must be that Zweber guy! He must be buying every one that is on the market.

 hope you see the joke, no insult intended!


----------



## Zweber12

krx927 said:


> But speaking of Shig prices, I know who is running the prices up! It must be that Zweber guy! He must be buying every one that is on the market.
> 
> hope you see the joke, no insult intended!



I wish. Though if you have a question about Shigs prices, you can always ask me, I keep track of them.


----------



## Southpaw

Just pointing out this thread starts with a Shig for 375.

some people would use a time machine to kill hitler... I’d use to order from Maksim.

Priorities people!


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

I would use it to buy bitcoin. Just saying.


----------



## krx927

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> I would use it to buy bitcoin. Just saying.


----------



## Nagakin

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> I would use it to buy bitcoin. Just saying.


I know someone who won 500 in a poker tournament back in the early days and sold them for $1500. Whelp...


----------



## Stefan83

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> I would use it to buy bitcoin. Just saying.


Yep


----------



## jacko9

Shig available now at JNS


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

The kasumi 210 has been there for 2+ hours I think.


----------



## jacko9

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> The kasumi 210 has been there for 2+ hours I think.



I think that the price might be catching up with the demand. I purchased a 240 version a few months ago for a several hundred US dollars less and I just don't need another knife right now. I really thought it would be gone while I was on that page.


----------



## daddy yo yo

Ridiculous... I’d never pay that for a 210 Kasumi, but hey, who am I to judge!??


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

daddy yo yo said:


> Ridiculous... I’d never pay that for a 210 Kasumi


Unless it's a kato??


----------



## ModRQC

Want it. Can't justify it. Sad story. Nice to see one stock for a change.


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

I think it's sold a minute ago, so about 3 hours after it's posted.


----------



## daddy yo yo

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> Unless it's a kato??


Even less for a Kato. Kato WH never clicked with me...


----------



## AFKitchenknivesguy

Is it a lot? Yeah, especially for people like me that have been in the hobby for a long time. When I started, Shig was in demand (always has been), and this particular knife could be bought for a couple hundred US dollars. Time, demand, inflation, etc. are what leads us to today. I never thought it would get this high either, what about 10, 20 years from now?


----------



## daddy yo yo

AFKitchenknivesguy said:


> Is it a lot? Yeah, especially for people like me that have been in the hobby for a long time. When I started, Shig was in demand (always has been), and this particular knife could be bought for a couple hundred US dollars. Time, demand, inflation, etc. are what leads us to today. I never thought it would get this high either, what about 10, 20 years from now?


In 10 or 20 years I’ll sell mine if prices keep going up like they did the past few years!


----------



## AFKitchenknivesguy

daddy yo yo said:


> In 10 or 20 years I’ll sell mine if prices keep going up like they did the past few years!


I don't know what the next 10 to 20 years will bring, but I hope to keep. Anything food is really my big passion. A year ago I almost died, if something like that comes up again at least I have some form of certain money.


----------



## nakiriknaifuwaifu

Shig tongue depressors dropping on JNS if you want to check your throat out in style #COVID19


----------



## AFKitchenknivesguy

nakiriknaifuwaifu said:


> Shig tongue depressors dropping on JNS if you want to check your throat out in style #COVID19
> 
> View attachment 105188


Think that was sold.









Shigefusa Kitaeji Kiridashi 210mm


Selected Japanese natural sharpening stones Toishi, Handmade by Best Blade smiths Japanese Knives, Razors and Tools




www.japanesenaturalstones.com


----------



## Midsummer

What do I know, but I believe we maybe are beginning to see the end of the bull market.

The semi-luxury market may not be maintained without significant positive changes to the world economy.

Chefs and cooks are not the only folks who buy fine kitchen cutlery. But when the restaurant business booms so does the fine knife market.

That is my sense of things. I am nothing but an armchair economist/fool anyway.

I am sure that there are a number of people who have a vested interest in maintaining the current pricing and inflation. They will become vocal I am sure. But they are going to have a hard time convincing a broke cook to shell out for this type of extravagance. There are too many knives at 1/3 to 1/5th the price that function as well.

It is a small market and maybe people like Maxine can sit on stock until the market returns. He must have made a boatload of $ by now.


----------



## AFKitchenknivesguy

Midsummer said:


> What do I know, but I believe we maybe are beginning to see the end of the bull market.
> 
> The semi-luxury market may not be maintained without significant positive changes to the world economy.
> 
> Chefs and cooks are not the only folks who buy fine kitchen cutlery. But when the restaurant business booms so does the fine knife market.
> 
> That is my sense of things. I am nothing but an armchair economist/fool anyway.
> 
> I am sure that there are a number of people who have a vested interest in maintaining the current pricing and inflation. They will become vocal I am sure. But they are going to have a hard time convincing a broke cook to shell out for this type of extravagance. There are too many knives at 1/3 to 1/5th the price that function as well.
> 
> It is a small market and maybe people like Maxine can sit on stock until the market returns. He must have made a boatload of $ by now.


Oh I agree, the market can only sustain so long. I'm looking for the Shig market to take a dip, regardless of my knives current "worth"; they have always been in demand and priced high, I look forward to buying them cheaper IF they take a dip.


----------



## Corradobrit1

AFKitchenknivesguy said:


> Think that was sold.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Shigefusa Kitaeji Kiridashi 210mm
> 
> 
> Selected Japanese natural sharpening stones Toishi, Handmade by Best Blade smiths Japanese Knives, Razors and Tools
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.japanesenaturalstones.com


That was sold when I checked early this morning


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

I agree the shrinking dining business will affect the demand, but I think we are also seeing more home cooks and those who are interested in fine knives. And the supply side might go down as old masters age, so it's hard to tell what we will end up seeing I think.


----------



## AFKitchenknivesguy

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> I agree the shrinking dining business will affect the demand, but I think we are also seeing more home cooks and those who are interested in fine knives. And the supply side might go down as old masters age, so it's hard to tell what we will end up seeing I think.


What's interesting, home cooks and/or non-chefs were the majority since the beginning of this forum and the last. It wasn't until the last few years more pros came.


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

Haha. I will buy more shig and kato as well if the market takes a dip, unless the stock market crashes.


----------



## nakiriknaifuwaifu

Man if we could just go back to prices in 2000, I would dump my entire portfolio into knives and have 0 regrets.

I tried using the time capsule to visit websites in the mid 00s to purchase knives at those prices 
needless to say it was not successful


----------



## Corradobrit1

nakiriknaifuwaifu said:


> Man if we could just go back to prices in 2000, I would dump my entire portfolio into knives and have 0 regrets.
> 
> I tried using the time capsule to visit websites in the mid 00s to purchase knives at those prices
> needless to say it was not successful


I imagine the knife scene would have looked very different back then. Would many of the offerings we covert now even have been available 20 years ago.


----------



## Midsummer

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> I agree the shrinking dining business will affect the demand, but I think we are also seeing more home cooks and those who are interested in fine knives. And the supply side might go down as old masters age, so it's hard to tell what we will end up seeing I think.




The head smith at Shig looks to be like 35. But he is Asian so maybe 50?


----------



## AFKitchenknivesguy

Corradobrit1 said:


> I imagine the knife scene would have looked very different back then. Would many of the offerings we covert now even have been available 20 years ago.


Since this is a Shig thread, yup. Kramers were available, Doi's, and a few others. Seems every few years a maker is hot but loses steam, but there are a few that last.


----------



## Midsummer

__





Shigefusa - The Iizuka family secret - cleancut.se


Shigefusa is a kitchen knife brand like no other. We met the Iizuka family for tea in their workshop in Sanjo, Japan.



www.cleancut.eu


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

Midsummer said:


> The head smith at Shig looks to be like 35. But he is Asian so maybe 50?


I was speaking in general. For Shig, Tokifusa Iizukayea is 78 so his two sons might be 45-55? Not sure though. We will have some time to appreciate their work.


----------



## Corradobrit1

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> I was speaking in general. For Shig, Tokifusa Iizukayea is 78 so his two sons might be 45-55? Not sure though. We will have some time to appreciate their work.



If the two sons are the ones to the right in the group shot than 45-55 sounds about right. And if prices keep going up at the rate we're seeing now, they may retire early.........
Very clean shop compared to say Kiyoshi Kato's or Tanaka btw


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

I blame Mazaki damascus for Shig price increase. Am I insane?


----------



## ModRQC

I blame KKF for the bulk of price increases, since its inception, or at least since there are so many members that are so willingly persuaded within one month of membership to trade their Wusthof Grand Prix for 2500$ worth of J-knives.

I am NOT insane.


----------



## AFKitchenknivesguy

Prices are primarily the fault of the secondary market.

I.e. Shig family is not getting rich.


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

ModRQC said:


> I blame KKF for the bulk of price increases, since its inception, or at least since they are so many members that are so willingly persuaded within one month of membership to trade their Wusthof Grand Prix for 2500$ worth of J-knives.
> 
> I am NOT insane.


So true. Mazaki price just reflects how good the wholesalers/vendors are at understanding the market.


----------



## ModRQC

AFKitchenknivesguy said:


> Prices are primarily the fault of the secondary market.
> 
> I.e. Shig family is not getting rich.



If you're right, primary market you should also blame. They did follow suit, instead of keeping a rational price. Why would THEY pocket high amounts of money, and not the maker. And why would it make sense that they can? I am guessing, Shig family might not be getting rich, but they're still getting a whole lot more dough than they used to, apparently.


----------



## AFKitchenknivesguy

I'm sorry if this sounds judgmental, no insult meaning, but economics 101. Where the opportunity lies, fulfill it, all around.


----------



## Corradobrit1

ModRQC said:


> I blame KKF for the bulk of price increases, since its inception, or at least since there are so many members that are so willingly persuaded within one month of membership to trade their Wusthof Grand Prix for 2500$ worth of J-knives.
> 
> I am NOT insane.


So true, I thought I was pushing the boat out with $50 Sabs. Then I stumbled on the rabbit hole that is KKF


----------



## ModRQC

AFKitchenknivesguy said:


> I'm sorry if this sounds judgmental, no insult meaning, but economics 101. Where the opportunity lies, fulfill it, all around.



No I get the logic. But the same logic applies with the maker first hand. At least if it doesn't, then I'm sorry to say, not judgmentally, that they are even more of the fool than the modern buyer...


----------



## Corradobrit1

AFKitchenknivesguy said:


> Prices are primarily the fault of the secondary market.
> 
> I.e. Shig family is not getting rich.


Not sure I agree. Look at TF. These guys know the market and will adjust pricing accordingly


----------



## ModRQC

Corradobrit1 said:


> So true, I thought I was pushing the boat out with $50 Sabs. Then I stumbled on the rabbit hole that is KKF



Anyone not agreeing should look at this thread carefully. 5 years and a half, going on a 71th page of "Shig Alert"... meaning you folks spend more than 10 pages of posts a year just focusing and commenting the availability of ONE maker.

EDIT: If I was said maker, long time ago I would become member here, triple my cost, and sell direct - no need to expand coverage, we can produce enough knives to meet demand, and we're getting rich not having to deal with 10 vendors....


----------



## AFKitchenknivesguy

Corradobrit1 said:


> Not sure I agree. Look at TF. These guys know the market and will adjust pricing accordingly


My only intended post is they are not getting rich, and retiring early. Not poor either in case someone interprets that.


----------



## AFKitchenknivesguy

ModRQC said:


> Anyone not agreeing should look at this thread carefully. 5 years and a half, going on a 71th page of "Shig Alert"... meaning you folks spend more than 10 pages of posts a year just focusing and commenting the availability of ONE maker.
> 
> EDIT: If I was said maker, long time ago I would become member here, triple my cost, and sell direct - no need to expand coverage, we can produce enough knives to meet demand, and we're getting rich not having to deal with 10 vendors....


Been that way since the beginning.


----------



## Corradobrit1

The only caveat being that many of these makers are fulfilling contracts that could be many years old (maybe 5+ for the likes of Kato and Ashi Hamono). Unless they renegotiated the pricing to current market they would be getting the short end of the stick financially .


----------



## nakiriknaifuwaifu

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> I was speaking in general. For Shig, Tokifusa Iizukayea is 78 so his two sons might be 45-55? Not sure though. We will have some time to appreciate their work.



Exactly why I bought my shig (albeit a KU, cuz that's all I got) now. When Izuka Sr. passes, I think the value of shigs - especially the higher end shigs (kitaeji, single bevels, etc) - will drop.


----------



## Southpaw

nakiriknaifuwaifu said:


> Exactly why I bought my shig (albeit a KU, cuz that's all I got) now. When Izuka Sr. passes, I think the value of shigs - especially the higher end shigs (kitaeji, single bevels, etc) - will drop.


U say this but... 
a lot of evidence shows that most of the leg work is done by the two sons nowadays. Unless their standards completely drop once old man Iizuka goes I don’t see it. The quality won’t drop one iota. Maybe the kanji will change a little on the single bevels. 

either way I’m pissed I missed that 210 (although I would’ve had to dip in my joint account with my wife which would’ve led to me being a victim of homicide.). The kitaeji are starting to get priced out but the kasumi are still doable. From what I hear it’s only an aesthetic difference. Hell one of the biggest Shig collectors in the world told me his go to is the 180 KU Santoku.

I think once Mr Iizuka passes the kitaeji will become one of the rarest knives out there. I’m glad I’m lucky enough to have gotten a petty when I did (and wasn’t completely gouged either)


----------



## nakiriknaifuwaifu

Southpaw said:


> U say this but...
> a lot of evidence shows that most of the leg work is done by the two sons nowadays. Unless their standards completely drop once old man Iizuka goes I don’t see it. The quality won’t drop one iota. Maybe the kanji will change a little on the single bevels.
> 
> either way I’m pissed I missed that 210 (although I would’ve had to dip in my joint account with my wife which would’ve led to me being a victim of homicide.). The kitaeji are starting to get priced out but the kasumi are still doable. From what I hear it’s only an aesthetic difference. Hell one of the biggest Shig collectors in the world told me his go to is the 180 KU Santoku.
> 
> I think once Mr Iizuka passes the kitaeji will become one of the rarest knives out there. I’m glad I’m lucky enough to have gotten a petty when I did (and wasn’t completely gouged either)



I realize that Izuka Sr is likely not cranking out KU nakiris and petties, but having him oversee the steel and the chance that he looked at the knife or was in same forge as the knife is enough for me.

That's why I said that the value of the higher end shigs are going to be most impacted.

However, I think there will be a distinction among Izuka and Post-Izuka knives at all levels.


----------



## Southpaw

nakiriknaifuwaifu said:


> I realize that Izuka Sr is likely not cranking out KU nakiris and petties, but having him oversee the steel and the chance that he looked at the knife or was in same forge as the knife is enough for me.
> 
> That's why I said that the value of the higher end shigs are going to be most impacted.
> 
> However, I think there will be a distinction among Izuka and Post-Izuka knives at all levels.


U think? How long have his sons been doing this? It’s not like they’re in their 20s. They’re middle aged. I’d expect to see some differences down the line, but not immediately. U look at Mazaki, he’s relatively young compared to them... his knives seem to adjust in every batch. Iizuka-San’s sons (glad I didn’t have to say that out loud) have made their bones since Mazaki was in short pants!


----------



## nakiriknaifuwaifu

Southpaw said:


> U think? How long have his sons been doing this? It’s not like they’re in their 20s. They’re middle aged. I’d expect to see some differences down the line, but not immediately. U look at Mazaki, he’s relatively young compared to them... his knives seem to adjust in every batch. Iizuka-San’s sons (glad I didn’t have to say that out loud) have made their bones since Mazaki was in short pants!



I'm not saying the knives would or wouldn't change, I'm talking about price and collectability.

A knife - especially a kitaeji and/or single bevel - that was made when Izuka was in the shop will fetch more than the same knife made after Izuka retires.


----------



## Southpaw

nakiriknaifuwaifu said:


> I'm not saying the knives would or wouldn't change, I'm talking about price and collectability.
> 
> A knife - especially a kitaeji and/or single bevel - that was made when Izuka was in the shop will fetch more than the same knife made after Izuka retires.


Oh! Then yes I 1,000% agree with u!

so here’s a question:

should/do you want Shigefusa kanji to change after Izuka’s passing?


----------



## tcmx3

I for one believe am a student of the school of manufacturers raising the price until there's stuff in stock at least half the days of the year.

Id rather see higher primary market prices than secondary, but that's just me.

The fact that one lasted for a couple of hours at 900 suggests we're at least close to the correct price. 

That being said it's up to each individual to look at all the available options at any given price and decide if they want this or that.


----------



## Twigg

Southpaw said:


> Oh! Then yes I 1,000% agree with u!
> 
> so here’s a question:
> 
> should/do you want Shigefusa kanji to change after Izuka’s passing?


Kanji should not be diminished in any way. He trained them and if they are deserving, they should inherit it. Maybe they could add to it to differentiate the changing of the guard. I know that Nao Yamamoto inherited the right to use the Asai name and he wasn't the son.


----------



## AFKitchenknivesguy

tcmx3 said:


> I for one believe am a student of the school of manufacturers raising the price until there's stuff in stock at least half the days of the year.
> 
> Id rather see higher primary market prices than secondary, but that's just me.
> 
> The fact that one lasted for a couple of hours at 900 suggests we're at least close to the correct price.
> 
> That being said it's up to each individual to look at all the available options at any given price and decide if they want this or that.


Yeah, kinda right. For most industries that's correct, but the artisinal/essentially art market is different. Add in the fact there is a potential global depression from Covid, that means the market can only go up. Considering they've gone so fast during the lock down, means there is potential for upward trends. We shall see with time.


----------



## tcmx3

AFKitchenknivesguy said:


> Yeah, kinda right. For most industries that's correct, but the artisinal/essentially art market is different. Add in the fact there is a potential global depression from Covid, that means the market can only go up. Considering they've gone so fast during the lock down, means there is potential for upward trends. We shall see with time.



I assure you that the second you start to say things like "can only go up" you will be proven wrong.

The SP500 is strong, high end products are riding high as a result. Were that to crash, all this imaginary value in illiquid assets is gonna get a serious shock just like last time. I collected books before 2008 that market still hasnt 100% recovered.


----------



## ModRQC

Southpaw said:


> either way I’m pissed I missed that 210 (although I would’ve had to dip in my joint account with my wife which would’ve led to me being a victim of homicide.).



Aaaah Americans and their simplicity... far worse than victim of homicide, and more probable, is victim of insidious form of emasculation...


----------



## Corradobrit1

tcmx3 said:


> I assure you that the second you start to say things like "can only go up" you will be proven wrong.
> 
> The SP500 is strong, high end products are riding high as a result. Were that to crash, all this imaginary value in illiquid assets is gonna get a serious shock just like last time. I collected books before 2008 that market still hasnt 100% recovered.


Its only as matter of time. Stock markets are way overpriced.


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

The US M2 supply has went up from 15 trillion to 19 trillion in 10 months, and the interest rate is 0. The stock market does seem overpriced but I don’t know when it will crash.


----------



## Twigg

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> The US M2 supply has went up from 15 trillion to 19 trillion in 10 months, and the interest rate is 0. The stock market does seem overpriced but I don’t know when it will crash.


Don't worry, our brilliant leaders will inflate our way out of it.


----------



## Corradobrit1

They will just keep printing money


----------



## Twigg

Corradobrit1 said:


> They will just keep printing money


Exactly


----------



## AFKitchenknivesguy

tcmx3 said:


> I assure you that the second you start to say things like "can only go up" you will be proven wrong.
> 
> The SP500 is strong, high end products are riding high as a result. Were that to crash, all this imaginary value in illiquid assets is gonna get a serious shock just like last time. I collected books before 2008 that market still hasnt 100% recovered.


Not sure where I wrote "can only go up". Both you and I are just making opinions, considering this is a global hobby with global customers. I was in this hobby in 2008 and had issues getting Shigs, the same as now. I lived in Guam then, close to Japan, so I relied on the internet. Like I wrote before, we shall see.


----------



## tcmx3

Twigg said:


> Don't worry, our brilliant leaders will inflate our way out of it.



no offense but you might want to check your facts before saying stuff like that:






2% inflation is usually the target, and without some inflation the economy can't stay at full employment.

no amount of QE has succeed in inflating the dollar to any significant effect lately.

not politics. fact.


----------



## tcmx3

AFKitchenknivesguy said:


> *Not sure where I wrote "can only go up"*. Both you and I are just making opinions, considering this is a global hobby with global customers. I was in this hobby in 2008 and had issues getting Shigs, the same as now. I lived in Guam then, close to Japan, so I relied on the internet. Like I wrote before, we shall see.



indicated in yellow


----------



## AFKitchenknivesguy

tcmx3 said:


> indicated in yellow
> 
> View attachment 105225


My apologies, i did write that. Even so, I stand by my Shigefusa specific expectation.


----------



## Twigg

tcmx3 said:


> no offense but you might want to check your facts before saying stuff like that:
> View attachment 105223
> 
> 
> 2% inflation is usually the target, and without some inflation the economy can't stay at full employment.
> 
> no amount of QE has succeed in inflating the dollar to any significant effect lately.
> 
> not politics. fact.


QE has nothing to do with it. It is a simple matter of owing USD and being the sole authority that can print USD. Remember, its not pegged to anything and is only based on the faith in the US.


----------



## tcmx3

Twigg said:


> QE has nothing to do with it. It is a simple matter of owing USD and being the sole authority that can print USD. Remember, its not pegged to anything and is only based on the faith in the US.



they must have forgotten to mention that in grad school.

glad to know it's just a simple matter and that I can safely ignore the econometric evidence.


----------



## Twigg

tcmx3 said:


> they must have forgotten to mention that in grad school.
> 
> glad to know it's just a simple matter and that I can safely ignore the econometric evidence.


Actually, I did learn it in grad school. You are conflating fiscal policy principals with the statement I made regarding inflating out of debt.


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

It is the asset price that has been inflating. Look at the stock market. Fed committed to a 2% annual inflation rate (for goods and services), but it barely intervened when the stock market is too hot. Instead, it committed to save the market when there is a risk. Even house price has been going up in many areas.

And a weakening dollar is making other countries’ US debt worth less.


----------



## tcmx3

Twigg said:


> Actually, I did learn it in grad school. You are conflating fiscal policy principals with the statement I made regarding inflating out of debt.



oh mate, Im so sorry.

Im sure you think you got me, but you might want to go review your textbooks because QE is monetary policy, not fiscal policy. if you did learn "it" in grad school, you might be a few years too many removed.

anyway Im out I presented the actual inflation values people are free to believe them or Twigg idc.


----------



## CiderBear

Oh no, I clicked on the thread for Shig alerts and saw mentions of QE and econometric.
Must. escape. Must. not. let. life. leak. into. hobby.


----------



## Jville

CiderBear said:


> Oh no, I clicked on the thread for Shig alerts and saw mentions of QE and econometric.
> Must. escape. Must. not. let. life. leak. into. hobby.


LOL, Im out too. Can you guys and gals let me know when there is a shig 240 Kasumi.


----------



## Luftmensch

CiderBear said:


> I clicked on the thread for Shig alerts and saw mentions of QE



Quantitative easing? Shigefusa? Did the Iizuka's get worried about low inflation on their prices? Did they start buying up steel and dumping knives on the market?


----------



## ModRQC

Jville said:


> LOL, Im out too. Can you guys and gals let me know when there is a shig 240 Kasumi.



They'll sure let you know when they've bought it instead. Start an "Anti-Shig" Shig alert thread and ask THESE guys to put an eye out for you, is just as much a process bound to fail than asking this in this very thread.


----------



## Jville

ModRQC said:


> They'll sure let you know when they've bought it instead. Start an "Anti-Shig" Shig alert thread and ask THESE guys to put an eye out for you, is just as much a process bound to fail than asking this in this very thread.


Haha, I was just messing around. But I mean... it's kind of... like a shig... thread. You can only really count on the guys who already have enough to let you know.


----------



## Gregmega

AFKitchenknivesguy said:


> Is it a lot? Yeah, especially for people like me that have been in the hobby for a long time. When I started, Shig was in demand (always has been), and this particular knife could be bought for a couple hundred US dollars. Time, demand, inflation, etc. are what leads us to today. I never thought it would get this high either, what about 10, 20 years from now?


I have a feeling his sons are going to keep the brand alive.


----------



## AFKitchenknivesguy

Jville said:


> Haha, I was just messing around. But I mean... it's kind of... like a shig... thread. You can only really count on the guys who already have enough to let you know.


True statement. If you are looking for a 240mm kitaeji gyuto, gonna have to wait till I get mine. After that, set your notify flags to my posts.


----------



## Luftmensch

Corradobrit1 said:


> And if prices keep going up at the rate we're seeing now, they may retire early.....



Not necessarily so - I am flagging a potential cultural assumption here. While I don't want to mythologise Japanese craftsmanship, if you listen to interviews of these blacksmiths (I have Tsukasa in mind), they talk about perfecting their skills and striving for excellence. Money is surely one aspect of their life... but not necessarily the reason they continue to be a blacksmith well beyond western retirement age (and in a very physical job). Suffice to say... their views on retirement might be different. 




Southpaw said:


> most of the leg work is done by the two sons nowadays.



This is my understanding.



Southpaw said:


> I think once Mr Iizuka passes the kitaeji will become one of the rarest knives out there. I’m glad I’m lucky enough to have gotten a petty when I did (and wasn’t completely gouged either)



I disagree. Shigefusa is _already_ post Tokifusa. Let me qualify that. 

"Shigefusa" is basically the name of the forge. A brand if you will. Established by Tokifusa Iizuka with the two sons Masayuki Iizuka and Yoshihide Iizuka apprenticing and learning the family trade. By now the sons are just as much a part of Shigefusa as Tokifusa-san. 

As noted above, there is reasonable speculation (internet chat) that the sons are now doing the bulk of the work. You could turn that around and ask "just how much has Tokifusa done in the past few years?". I am not trying to diminish Tokifusa-san. The point is, if you enjoy Shigefusa for what it is, you should expect no difference from Masayuki and Yoshihide. Kitaeji included.

But also keep in mind, Shigefusa produces for Kiya. It is said this is how Shigefusa got famous. Kiya is a large retailer and would expect continuity in their product lines (within reason for handmade knives). Producing consistent output is already one of Shigefusa's competencies (regardless of who made the knife... father or sons).



nakiriknaifuwaifu said:


> However, I think there will be a distinction among Izuka and Post-Izuka knives at all levels.



Minor correction... Iizuka is the family name. _Tokifusa_ is the father/founder.

Again, I disagree. Like I say, I think we are are already post-Tokifusa. There are older instances of Shigefusa knives out there. They share the same 'sugata' and spirit but you can see some evolution. There are ones that have different kanji sytles (same name). There is some older kitaeji out there that has fatter bands. It is also possible that their older kasumi knives had more distinct 'clouds' (I'll admit that this one is my own _speculation_).

If anybody really cares about Tokifusa and post-Tokifusa (and they shouldn't), they have already missed the boat. It has probably been years (a couple of decades???) since Tokifusa was the sole blacksmith. That has been a slow gradient with the sons no-doubt becoming an increasing component of the output.

Now... will there be a distinction between 'Tokifusa' and 'post-Tokifusa' knives? Probably...  but I think that will mostly be internet mythology. Those who know a lot about Shigefusa will know and wont care... and those who only know a little wont even know!




Southpaw said:


> should/do you want Shigefusa kanji to change after Izuka’s passing?



No? Why _wouldnt_ the sons continue the brand?

Unless the sons have a argument over the business and split. Or perhaps they feel obliged into their fathers work and once he passes they'll put down the hammers and chase their real dreams?


----------



## ModRQC

Jville said:


> Haha, I was just messing around. But I mean... it's kind of... like a shig... thread. You can only really count on the guys who already have enough to let you know.



Didn’t mean to be harsh sorry if I was. Just messing too. You can indeed count on some to let... everyone... know.


----------



## alterwisser

Twigg said:


> QE has nothing to do with it. It is a simple matter of owing USD and being the sole authority that can print USD. Remember, its not pegged to anything and is only based on the faith in the US.



inflation is tied to the faith in the dollar? Hmmm....

What you mean - I think - is the general idea of how a Fiat currency works. It’s the same for Bitcoin btw, and even Gold. Gold has almost no industrial value, it only has value because we people say it does.

the USD at least is backed by the ability of the government to tax its citizens.

QE does not necessarily lead to inflation, that is true. It’s like saying making a fire in your backyard will lead to large scale forest Fires.

QE, the money in circulation ... that all CAN increase inflation, but I doesn’t have to. Japan has been trying for decades to increase inflation and it has failed.

Deflation is the much bigger evil and anyone who thinks we can’t have deflation as a result of this pandemic has absolutely no understanding of economics. Yes, it’s not a given we get deflation, but it’s a very real chance.

no one talks about that in non economic circles because most regular people don’t understand deflation and it’s risks. They think: prices go down, good for me.

inflation is easy to understand and scary if you break it down: “I can’t buy a loaf of bread for the money I could have gotten a Shig for 3 months ago. I will be poor.”

In a nutshell.


----------



## Jville

ModRQC said:


> Didn’t mean to be harsh sorry if I was. Just messing too. You can indeed count on some to let... everyone... know.


Yeah, no worries. I knew you were joking.


----------



## Twigg

alterwisser said:


> inflation is tied to the faith in the dollar? Hmmm....
> 
> What you mean - I think - is the general idea of how a Fiat currency works. It’s the same for Bitcoin btw, and even Gold. Gold has almost no industrial value, it only has value because we people say it does.
> 
> the USD at least is backed by the ability of the government to tax its citizens.
> 
> QE does not necessarily lead to inflation, that is true. It’s like saying making a fire in your backyard will lead to large scale forest Fires.
> 
> QE, the money in circulation ... that all CAN increase inflation, but I doesn’t have to. Japan has been trying for decades to increase inflation and it has failed.
> 
> Deflation is the much bigger evil and anyone who thinks we can’t have deflation as a result of this pandemic has absolutely no understanding of economics. Yes, it’s not a given we get deflation, but it’s a very real chance.
> 
> no one talks about that in non economic circles because most regular people don’t understand deflation and it’s risks. They think: prices go down, good for me.
> 
> inflation is easy to understand and scary if you break it down: “I can’t buy a loaf of bread for the money I could have gotten a Shig for 3 months ago. I will be poor.”
> 
> In a nutshell.


I guess I wasn't being clear enough last night. The dollar is backed by faith in the US government. If the government decides to print enough money to pay off its debts, this will trigger a lot of inflation. It would dwarf the effects of any prior QE actions. The US has the unique position (currently) of having its denomination as the world's top currency. This would be a catastrophic economic event, but it could happen. 

I do not see where I wrote inflation is tied to faith though. That wouldn't make any sense. 

Also, @tcmx was correct, I should have used the term monetary policy instead of fiscal policy.


----------



## RockyBasel

AFKitchenknivesguy said:


> True statement. If you are looking for a 240mm kitaeji gyuto, gonna have to wait till I get mine. After that, set your notify flags to my posts.


Yesterday there was a 270 Kitaeji Gyuto for sale on JNS and a 210 Kasumi. I have the 270 Kitaeji from when they were on sale at JNS 2-3 weeks ago, so I got a kiridashi instead. Really “needed” that


----------



## RockyBasel

Ummm...supply<demand = rising prices = inflationary pressure. Let’s see some contradict that! Let’s forget about deflation for bit

QE and fiscal policy both affect spending ability directly and indirectly, through consumer or capital markets. 

either through monetary effects -banks offer more liquidity due to low interest rates or on the fiscal side govt spending on projects to drive wages to drive spending to boost demand that affects prices!

Ha! Full circle

And yes, I did I learn “it” in grad school - but memory is hazy due to excessive focus on Shigs


----------



## hijackn

I'll be posting a Shigefusa nakiri for sale in the near future, to return momentarily to the theme of Shig alerts.


----------



## M1k3




----------



## IsoJ

Needle from the haystack...


----------



## M1k3

Pearls before swine.


----------



## alterwisser

I’ve heard that after the big reset the “New Dollar” will be tied to the Shig Standard...


----------



## Leo Barr

Zweber12 said:


> I wish. Though if you have a question about Shigs prices, you can always ask me, I keep track of them.


Do you sell them as well? Or are you just a keen collector- admired your collection on Instagram


----------



## Leo Barr

My one


----------



## Corradobrit1

I want my Happy Time.


----------



## AFKitchenknivesguy

For those dying for a Shig, here are a few available. I posted this earlier, the first site is an offshoot of aframestokyo:



Select Kitchen Knives











Shigefusa 240mm Kitaeji Yanagiba Wa Handle







easttowestshoppe.com


----------



## Corradobrit1

AFKitchenknivesguy said:


> For those dying for a Shig, here are a few available. I posted this earlier, the first site is an offshoot of aframestokyo:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Shigefusa 240mm Kitaeji Yanagiba Wa Handle
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> easttowestshoppe.com


Crappiest T&C's for a retail store I have seen. Errrm No thanks.

*Once, it leaves the US, it's out of my hands and control. I will provide the tracking number but the buyer will have to take it from there.

All SALES ARE FINAL, no exchange, return or cancellation accepted. Buyer can ask for more photos if needed but I will not be responsible for damages or lost after the item has shipped. This is why I will insure and need a recipient signature for delivery. Thank you for understanding. *


----------



## AFKitchenknivesguy

Corradobrit1 said:


> Errrm No thanks
> *Once, it leaves the US, it's out of my hands and control. I will provide the tracking number but the buyer will have to take it from there.
> 
> All SALES ARE FINAL, no exchange, return or cancellation accepted. Buyer can ask for more photos if needed but I will not be responsible for damages or lost after the item has shipped. This is why I will insure and need a recipient signature for delivery. Thank you for understanding. *


Yeah, you pointed that out before.


----------



## RockyBasel

JNS has Shigs and Kato regularly available - in the last 4-5 months, I got the following from JNS
2 Shig Kitaeji - 210 and 270
2 Shig Kasumi - 240 and 270
2 Kato WH K tip 240 and 210

Just follow his Instagram and you will land one I assure you.


----------



## alterwisser

RockyBasel said:


> JNS has Shigs and Kato regularly available - in the last 4-5 months, I got the following from JNS
> 2 Shig Kitaeji - 210 and 270
> 2 Shig Kasumi - 240 and 270
> 2 Kato WH K tip 240 and 210
> 
> Just follow his Instagram and you will land one I assure you.



you’re a determined man!


----------



## Zweber12

Leo Barr said:


> Do you sell them as well? Or are you just a keen collector- admired your collection on Instagram



Both


----------



## Corradobrit1

AFKitchenknivesguy said:


> Yeah, you pointed that out before.


So did you


----------



## AFKitchenknivesguy

Corradobrit1 said:


> So did you


Duh, my post was a POSITIVE and helpful post, thats why I repeated it.


----------



## RockyBasel

AFKitchenknivesguy said:


> Duh, my post was a POSITIVE and helpful post, thats why I repeated it.


And this is a positive remark too


----------



## ModRQC

SOLD - 270mm Shige kasumi gyuto; 265mm Yanick 135Cr3 wrought Iron gyuto; 240mm KU Watanabe gyuto


Listed below are 3 knives I am putting up for sale. All sales are CONUS only. First come first served. Photos will come tonight. This is a last minute decision for a cash run to prepare for the holiday, not interested in trades. 1. 270mm Shigefusa kasumi gyuto Steel: Swedish Carbon Length...




www.kitchenknifeforums.com


----------



## Jaszer13

Shig restock at JNS


----------



## CTHT

Do I need a fuguhiki? Maybe not... Wish those gyuto were kitaeji.


----------



## Runner_up

Eye watering price for a 180mm gyuto...


----------



## jacko9

Runner_up said:


> Eye watering price for a 180mm gyuto...


Supply and Demand. I'm kinda glad that I picked up my 240mm gyuto several months back for $702 USD.


----------



## MarcelNL

holy C$%#, I actually was able to add a SHig Kasumi Gyoto in 210 to my cart...only to delete it as I got lucky with the Massdrop Dalman Honyaki and could never convince anyone (including myself) that I need 3 different 210 Gyoto's


----------



## Runner_up

jacko9 said:


> Supply and Demand. I'm kinda glad that I picked up my 240mm gyuto several months back for $702 USD.



Or lots of hype. Glad I got my Shig's for the price I did too.. I just find it funny folks complain about TF prices, but have no problems with an $800 180mm gyuto lol


----------



## wsides91

Thanks. Snagged the yanagi


----------



## j22582536

CTHT said:


> Do I need a fuguhiki? Maybe not... Wish those gyuto were kitaeji.


I actually want a 300mm+ Kitaeji fuguhiki, too bad it’s a 270...


----------



## JaVa

Wow, it took over 20 minutes for them to get sold and the 210 was the last one to go.


----------



## Markcg

Damn- missed em! Why'd he have to put them up at 1am Japan time hehe.


----------



## Corradobrit1

Runner_up said:


> Or lots of hype. Glad I got my Shig's for the price I did too.. I just find it funny folks complain about TF prices, but have no problems with an $800 180mm gyuto lol


And its not even a kitaeji


----------



## RockyBasel

I got my 210 and 270 Kitaeji earlier this year.

But always tempted when I see Shigs nonetheless


----------



## tcmx3

Corradobrit1 said:


> And its not even a kitaeji



yeah but at least a Shig has a level of fit and finish that's acceptable at its price point. granted it's not exactly a deal, but it's at least in the realm of "yeah ok".

Shigefusa might be expensive but they are overall well sorted. I have, though, always thought it was a shame that you tend to see ho wood handles on them. Sort of like cheap tires on a Ferrari, IMO

Maxim should source some burnt chestnut instead, again only IMO. Good impact resistance and grip while wet, and looks so much nicer.


----------



## Corradobrit1

tcmx3 said:


> yeah but at least a Shig has a level of fit and finish that's acceptable at its price point. granted it's not exactly a deal, but it's at least in the realm of "yeah ok".
> 
> Shigefusa might be expensive but they are overall well sorted. I have, though, always thought it was a shame that you tend to see ho wood handles on them. Sort of like cheap tires on a Ferrari, IMO
> 
> Maxim should source some burnt chestnut instead, again only IMO. Good impact resistance and grip while wet, and looks so much nicer.


From what I hear his supplier of chestnut handles is the problem. He has an open order. I hear mixed things about Shig grinds, with Ku needing as much work as a poor TF. The Kasumi also having its issues. Kitaeji and Yo handled Shigs seem to be a safer bet.


----------



## MarcelNL

FWIW, my Shig KU Santoku was sharp as it gets straight out of the box, no over or undergrinds.


----------



## esoo

The Shig KU santoku I had was so thick it was ridiculous.


----------



## RockyBasel

My Kasumis- 240 and 270 were flawless. Not a scratch, dent, or grind issue.


----------



## jacko9

esoo said:


> The Shig KU santoku I had was so thick it was ridiculous.


I agree with you but, it's a great cutter and holds a fantastic edge. I used it once and lost the very tip chopping onions so I need to fix that and then I'll put it up for sale or give it to one of the family. I have a 180mm Watanabe Pro Nakiri that's much more suitable for chopping. The KU Santoku is nothing like my Shig Gyuto.


----------



## esoo

jacko9 said:


> I agree with you but, it's a great cutter and holds a fantastic edge. I used it once and lost the very tip chopping onions so I need to fix that and then I'll put it up for sale or give it to one of the family. I have a 180mm Watanabe Pro Nakiri that's much more suitable for chopping. The KU Santoku is nothing like my Shig Gyuto.



I used it for two preps before selling. The edge was beautifully sharp, and the overall fit and finish was top notch. Nicely convex up to the shinogi, with a hollow above to aid in release. The problem is that at the shinogi it is as thick as at the spine - mine was 2.1mm. It's just too thick to make it move through food nicely. If you thin it the amount it needs, you'll lose the convex and the hollow above it. 

I would say that the KU Santoku is a wonderful execution on a flawed design. It tells me that if I could find a non-KU that I could afford that it would be worth it.


----------



## Southpaw

I love my Ku Nakiri. It’s my best cutter, holds its edge forever and has great food release. I’m sorry u guys got mediocre ones but I’m still in love with mine.
Only trouble is it’s too short. 165mm is just not big enough to favor it over others. If I ever get a ku santoku, it’ll def be a 180 if I can find it.

that being said I do have a Kitaeji petty that blows me away... hell it even has the best ho wood handle I’ve ever used. Everything about it is stunning and cuts like crazy. So I can see why ppl would be bummed with a Ku compared to a Kitaeji, but the price point kinda reflects it.


----------



## ynot1985

I collect KU shigs, it’s always going to be inferior to kasumi or kiteaji in all aspects including both cutting and aesthetics. I call KU a poor man’s shig 

btw, did anyone here buy the ajikiri Kitaeji thatjns had for sale recently?


----------



## wsides91

Maybe


----------



## ynot1985

M


wsides91 said:


> Maybe


Maybe as in?


----------



## Shay

Shigefusa Kurouchi 165 
Up on JNS !!!


----------



## LAB

G o n e


----------



## JaVa

Wow.
Now this is new.




__





Auctions - cleancut.se


Knives from Japan! We sell chef knives and whetstones. Our specialty is hand forged kitchen knives in stainless and carbon steel.



www.cleancut.eu


----------



## Corradobrit1

Interesting marketing model for a retailer


----------



## LAB

Thats pretty aggressive.... considering its 7 days, it wont stay at 1k


----------



## JaVa

LAB said:


> Thats pretty aggressive.... considering its 7 days, it wont stay at 1k


They started today. When I posted this before it had gone from 100€ to 400€ and since then in a few hours to 1000€. 
Grab the popcorn. This is going to be interesting.


----------



## big_adventure

LAB said:


> Thats pretty aggressive.... considering its 7 days, it wont stay at 1k



Indeed. I didn't read it clearly at first and thought it said 7 hours. I chucked on a bid for 650 because why not? That was upped to 900 in seconds, and then I realized that it had _7 days_ left. That thing is going to go for immaculate Kitaeji prices, and it's not that.


----------



## JayS20

People are dumb, they always try to rally themselves up and prices get laughable. Really wouldn't surprise me if this goes way beyond 1500€. I don't mind auctions if they are for a good cause but else...
Welp, it's their money but overall I don't like this **** for the market.


----------



## big_adventure

JayS20 said:


> People are dumb, they always try to rally themselves up and prices get laughable. Really wouldn't surprise me if this goes way beyond 1500€. I don't mind auctions if they are for a good cause but else...
> Welp, it's their money but overall I don't like this **** for the market.



I agree - this adds artificial inflation onto a product that REALLY doesn't need it, plus, none of that money is going to whoever made the blade. Cleancut is going to pocket all of it. I've bought twice from them, and they have been great, but... yeah. Not a fan.


----------



## andrewsa

Corradobrit1 said:


> Interesting marketing model for a retailer


Auctioning...what a way to capitalise on the market unless its for a good cause. 

They are free to do what they want but imo I think its a bad practice. Where do the profits go if it sells more than retail price?


----------



## Corradobrit1

andrewsa said:


> Auctioning...what a way to capitalise on the market unless its for a good cause.
> 
> They are free to do what they want but imo I think its a bad practice. Where do the profits go if it sells more than retail price?


Unfortunately we are complicit by giving it oxygen. I would never have known about the auction had it not been mentioned here.


----------



## Southpaw

Hoping this isn’t a trend... ugh my dreams of owning one of these someday seems harder and harder to realize.

it kinda makes me mad that it’s NOT a Kitaeji. Is anyone else bothered that a kasumi is up for auction?


----------



## MarcelNL

I gave up my want for a Shig due to the silly prices, perhaps they come down or I stumble across a 'bargain' we'll see but for now I'm looking elsewhere.


----------



## Boatboy

This looks either crazy or artificially inflated. It’s not a bad return on investment to pay inflated price on one Kasumi if you are long/ loaded with Shigs...


----------



## daveb

They don't mention anywhere if it comes with the box  

Part of me likes that the retailer makes the bucks on this instead of flippers.


----------



## andrewsa

daveb said:


> Part of me likes that the retailer makes the bucks on this instead of flippers.



I guess at the end of the day it's something that's gonna keep a retailer in business...


----------



## big_adventure

Southpaw said:


> Hoping this isn’t a trend... ugh my dreams of owning one of these someday seems harder and harder to realize.
> 
> it kinda makes me mad that it’s NOT a Kitaeji. Is anyone else bothered that a kasumi is up for auction?



I admit I verified twice that it wasn't a Kitaeji.


----------



## LAB

Is Kitaeji that much different than say a kuro? To justify the price difference? Sorry I am not that familiar with shigs...


----------



## krx927

Don't worry so much about kitaeiji, in my experience kasumi is better cutter than kitaeiji 
But with hand made knives you never know.


----------



## big_adventure

LAB said:


> Is Kitaeji that much different than say a kuro? To justify the price difference? Sorry I am not that familiar with shigs...



It's just that they are extremely rare and have become unicorns to some extent. Shigs are beautiful, exquisitely made knives, which has certainly contributed to making them collectibles. The Kitaejis are the (entirely subjectively) most beautiful, most rare and most desirable _as collectibles_. Many people at this point buy Shigs and stick them in a drawer or on a wall. If you had bought 50 5 years ago, you'd be able to easily double or triple your money on them today.

That said, like most things where a huge amount of the value is scarcity-driven, it's hard to make the argument that it's _objectively _worth 1500 or 2 grand or whatever for a workhorse gyuto that does... what a gyuto does.

I just received a kurouchi Shig nakiri, and I really like it. The fit and finish are, as expected, phenomenal. I used it for prep, discovered that it had a wide (4mm), shallow rough spot near the tip on the blade and also discovered that the OOB edge is as worthless as most OOB edges, so to the stones it went - like literally every knife on my mag strip except for, oddly, my Yu Kurosakis, which have flawless edges and refuse to get dull. 

OK, end digression, the Shig is an even better knife now, and I intend to use it well. I'm also not at all unhappy that this is a 350 euro knife and not a 1000 euro knife. It's not _objectively _superior to my much cheaper AS Moritaka nakiri. It is definitely a whole different level of fit and finish: they might as well not have been made by the same species, but both make short work of piles of veggies, and the Mori arguably does it better. I said it. Flame shield engaged.


----------



## LAB

big_adventure said:


> It's just that they are extremely rare and have become unicorns to some extent. Shigs are beautiful, exquisitely made knives, which has certainly contributed to making them collectibles. The Kitaejis are the (entirely subjectively) most beautiful, most rare and most desirable _as collectibles_. Many people at this point buy Shigs and stick them in a drawer or on a wall. If you had bought 50 5 years ago, you'd be able to easily double or triple your money on them today.
> 
> That said, like most things where a huge amount of the value is scarcity-driven, it's hard to make the argument that it's _objectively _worth 1500 or 2 grand or whatever for a workhorse gyuto that does... what a gyuto does.
> 
> I just received a kurouchi Shig nakiri, and I really like it. The fit and finish are, as expected, phenomenal. I used it for prep, discovered that it had a wide (4mm), shallow rough spot near the tip on the blade and also discovered that the OOB edge is as worthless as most OOB edges, so to the stones it went - like literally every knife on my mag strip except for, oddly, my Yu Kurosakis, which have flawless edges and refuse to get dull.
> 
> OK, end digression, the Shig is an even better knife now, and I intend to use it well. I'm also not at all unhappy that this is a 350 euro knife and not a 1000 euro knife. It's not _objectively _superior to my much cheaper AS Moritaka nakiri. It is definitely a whole different level of fit and finish: they might as well not have been made by the same species, but both make short work of piles of veggies, and the Mori arguably does it better. I said it. Flame shield engaged.



Thanks, I understand all that. Although I am new to knives, I have been collecting other stuff. Essentially, above a certain point, performance starts becoming besides the point and aesthetics, emotions, collectability, scarcity etc comes into play. Totally agree with your points.

I guess what I was trying to ask is how is a keitaeji different from Kuro (besides black finish)? Why do people see it as better, or more expensive? is it just more scarce? Same steel? In more cynical terms, what is the marketing behind it lol.


----------



## big_adventure

LAB said:


> Thanks, I understand all that. Although I am new to knives, I have been collecting other stuff. Essentially, above a certain point, performance starts becoming besides the point and aesthetics, emotions, collectability, scarcity etc comes into play. Totally agree with your points.
> 
> I guess what I was trying to ask is how is a keitaeji different from Kuro (besides black finish)? Why do people see it as better, or more expensive? is it just more scarce? Same steel? In more cynical terms, what is the marketing behind it lol.



The core is the same in all of them, from what I understand. It's some Uddenholm steel that Shig uses and doesn't expressly announce.

The Kitaeji is a damascus cladding, the kasumi is single-layer clad and the ku is, well, ku. From what I understand, the Kitaeji and kasumi lines are a bit thinner and lighter than the ku, but none of them are lasers in the slightest.

I would imagine that the performance between the Kitaeji and the kasumi are pretty close to identical. They are meant to be the same core, same HT, same grind, etc. The ku will be a bit different because of the extra girth. Other people on the board who have juggled the three will be much better placed to identify any functional differences than I am.


----------



## LAB

Ahhh Damascus cladding ... ok makes sense now! thanks


----------



## Hassanbensober

248 seems like a oddball size. Will likely draw some extra attention. My 240 is 240 on the nose and same for my 270. Sujihiki I’ve noticed run longer than listed. I wouldn’t report any noticeable difference in performance between Kasumi and Kitaeji. Definitely a cool knife


----------



## big_adventure

Well, it's up to 1080 with 5 and a half days to go. This could get mental by the end.


----------



## MarcelNL

the speed of the increase is slowing down though...usually I'd expect folks to save their bid to last so it all may also just be a temporary 'flattening of the curve'.


----------



## big_adventure

MarcelNL said:


> the speed of the increase is slowing down though...usually I'd expect folks to save their bid to last so it all may also just be a temporary 'flattening of the curve'.



Oh definitely - it went from 400 to 1000 in no time flat. It's only gone up 80 since then. But I figure there will keep being little increments like this, then a final piranha swarm feed in the last little bit, and it'll go for... 1600? 1700? I expect buyers remorse at that point.


----------



## Helicon

big_adventure said:


> Oh definitely - it went from 400 to 1000 in no time flat. It's only gone up 80 since then. But I figure there will keep being little increments like this, then a final piranha swarm feed in the last little bit, and it'll go for... 1600? 1700? I expect buyers remorse at that point.


Spot on. There's no way this ends well for the buyer. In fact, I wouldn't be terribly surprised if the winner refused payment and they had to start the auction over again.


----------



## drsmp

210 Kasumi Gyuto on eBay


----------



## big_adventure

drsmp said:


> 210 Kasumi Gyuto on eBay



935 buy it now sounds like a bargain, given what's happening with the 240 on cleancut. I'd almost pull the trigger buuuuuuut I may have spent more than that already today.


----------



## Corradobrit1

big_adventure said:


> 935 buy it now sounds like a bargain, given what's happening with the 240 on cleancut. I'd almost pull the trigger buuuuuuut I may have spent more than that already today.


You're forgetting the sales tax Ebay adds taking it to about $1K


----------



## big_adventure

Corradobrit1 said:


> You're forgetting the sales tax Ebay adds taking it to about $1K



I haven't bought anything off of eBay since woolly mammoths wandered the ice fields. Back then, I don't believe that did that. Does eBay base the sales tax on the state the item comes from, or your state?


----------



## luuogle

Ebay puts sales tax on the item from the state/city where you are located and adds that on the cost of the item.


----------



## MarcelNL

luuogle said:


> Ebay puts sales tax on the item from the state/city where you are located and adds that on the cost of the item.


WHAT 
Hopefully only when the seller is a business, right?


----------



## Twigg

No, it adds to tax where it can. I just sold something last month and the buyer had to pay tax. I am not a business.


----------



## parbaked

eBay is compelled by certain States to collect sales tax on their behalf regardless if the seller is a business or if the item is new or used.
It depends on where the item is shipped to.
Something like 44 states require it now....





Security Measure







www.ebay.com


----------



## big_adventure

To be fair, the fact that it was NOT charged before was definitely dancing with the law. 

Something that almost no individual realizes, but accountants and certainly businesses generally DO realize is that usage tax generally applies when sales tax doesn't. When you buy something through the mail (when that was a thing), by telephone or over the internet from another state, the vendor isn't required to charge you sales tax in your state if they don't actually have premises in your state. However, for almost every state, you are, and always have legally been, required to pay usage tax on the purchase price of the item - and that tax is the same as sales tax. So back in the day when you'd order things (this has mostly been addressed by the various states), you "wouldn't have to pay sales tax." The vendors would happily let you think that. But you were always required to pay the same thing to the state on your own. Yes, it was almost impossible to enforce against individuals, but it did and still does exist.


----------



## waxy

Twigg said:


> No, it adds to tax where it can. I just sold something last month and the buyer had to pay tax. I am not a business.



Made a purchase for a 3090 Strix and tax appeared on it, I was surprised to see it from the seller who only sells 3 items a year - He obviously wasn't a business.
There's a shortage so they're much harder to find in stores now, ended up paying a premium


----------



## waxy

Watching this video, I fear he may retire soon - I wonder how things will change when this happens.


----------



## j22582536

waxy said:


> Watching this video, I fear he may retire soon - I wonder how things will change when this happens.



He already retired few years ago, now it’s just his two sons doing all the work.


----------



## waxy

j22582536 said:


> He already retired few years ago, now it’s just his two sons doing all the work.



That's news to me, must be a helicopter parent then


----------



## MarcelNL

big_adventure said:


> To be fair, the fact that it was NOT charged before was definitely dancing with the law.
> 
> Something that almost no individual realizes, but accountants and certainly businesses generally DO realize is that usage tax generally applies when sales tax doesn't. When you buy something through the mail (when that was a thing), by telephone or over the internet from another state, the vendor isn't required to charge you sales tax in your state if they don't actually have premises in your state. However, for almost every state, you are, and always have legally been, required to pay usage tax on the purchase price of the item - and that tax is the same as sales tax. So back in the day when you'd order things (this has mostly been addressed by the various states), you "wouldn't have to pay sales tax." The vendors would happily let you think that. But you were always required to pay the same thing to the state on your own. Yes, it was almost impossible to enforce against individuals, but it did and still does exist.



I understand, yet ....there is however a considerable part of the world outside the US where all of this does not apply.


----------



## big_adventure

MarcelNL said:


> I understand, yet ....there is however a considerable part of the world outside the US where all of this does not apply.



True, but this was talking about US eBay. I haven't lived in the states for 18 years, so it's not a personal concern for me either.


----------



## LAB

I have been picking up KUs here for a fraction of the price...
I think I will go enjoy my KUs first....


----------



## big_adventure

LAB said:


> I have been picking up KUs here for a fraction of the price...
> I think I will go enjoy my KUs first....



Probably a really good plan. I'm using and testing my ku nakiri and it's a lovely tool. Plus, once the ku starts to flake off, I can turn it into a kasumi with just a half a day of sanding!


----------



## LAB

1100 on the auction!


----------



## LAB

I don't have a lot of experience with KUs... does it all eventually flake off?
Is that an issue for Food Prep?
I did notice that my very first cut with my Yu kurosaki Ku left a lot of grey lines on the Potatoes.. I just cut it away and tossed the small sliver.
No issues since then..

Knowing the Japanese, I doubt this is a serious issue, but always good to know more.


----------



## LAB

nevermind... dug through the forum for some older posts... I think I will let my knives progress naturally... If it fades, it fades...


----------



## Jville

LAB said:


> I don't have a lot of experience with KUs... does it all eventually flake off?
> Is that an issue for Food Prep?
> I did notice that my very first cut with my Yu kurosaki Ku left a lot of grey lines on the Potatoes.. I just cut it away and tossed the small sliver.
> No issues since then..
> 
> Knowing the Japanese, I doubt this is a serious issue, but always good to know more.


The gray is most likely a reaction from the fresh carbon blade that hasn't formed a patina yet, rather than, the ku. After the first use it probably formed and thats why you didnt have any other issues.


----------



## LAB

Thanks! Good to know... i guess although its not obvious to naked eye, but the knife might have started a little platina then.. keeping it clean and dry... rather let it form naturally than force a platina


----------



## big_adventure

LAB said:


> nevermind... dug through the forum for some older posts... I think I will let my knives progress naturally... If it fades, it fades...



Exactly - it's almost 100% sure that it's harmless to you (meaning, some tiny fragment of people have some intolerances to some metals, but it's very rare and not iron anyway - humans intolerant to iron are dead humans), and any that flakes off will flake in such minuscule amounts that it won't really show up.


----------



## JaVa

LAB said:


> 1100 on the auction!


Isn't that still with in reason?
Also outside EU buyers get 20% VAT reduction so
still pretty decent for them?

Two days to go.
The final rush for the price at the last minute is probably be going something.


----------



## LAB

880, while the ku is about 60% the price...

Please fix me up with a ku gyuto anytime.


----------



## JaVa

LAB said:


> 880, while the ku is about 60% the price...
> 
> Please fix me up with a ku gyuto anytime.


I Compared to what they usually go for at retail. It's not horrible (yet)?
Wasn't compering it to KU.


----------



## LAB

I guess at this point, finding one is troublesome enough


----------



## big_adventure

JaVa said:


> Isn't that still with in reason?
> Also outside EU buyers get 20% VAT reduction so
> still pretty decent for them?
> 
> Two days to go.
> The final rush for the price at the last minute is probably be going something.



Yeah, but outside the EU, you'll wind up paying customs and stuff and it'll likely be more.


----------



## drsmp

@LAB I’ve never seen a KU Shig gyuto. If they exist I’m sure much more expensive than Kasumi probably even more than Kitaeji. KU Katos are quite pricey.


----------



## waxy

drsmp said:


> @LAB I’ve never seen a KU Shig gyuto. If they exist I’m sure much more expensive than Kasumi probably even more than Kitaeji. KU Katos are quite pricey.



I own several Ku's - Never seen the Shig Ku Gyuto. I believe one of his sons make the Ku Gyuto, identified by their own Kanji.
Said the same thing about the Ku Yanagiba, but it's in my Collection - to this day I still think it's a Chinese knock off LOL


----------



## LAB

Lol ok ... lots to learn


----------



## LAB

drsmp said:


> @LAB I’ve never seen a KU Shig gyuto. If they exist I’m sure much more expensive than Kasumi probably even more than Kitaeji. KU Katos are quite pricey.



You mean 240mms right? There are shorter ones right?


----------



## drsmp

Definitely KU yanagiba, petty and single edge petty. If KU gyuto exist they will be super expensive


----------



## Corradobrit1

Ku gyuto do exist but they are on the shorter side. I've seen them for $325-375 so not super expensive for a Shig. Never seen a 240+ though





Shig anonymous


Well, show me what you got. :)




www.kitchenknifeforums.com


----------



## Jville

drsmp said:


> @LAB I’ve never seen a KU Shig gyuto. If they exist I’m sure much more expensive than Kasumi probably even more than Kitaeji. KU Katos are quite pricey.


I knew someone that had one on the way. I dont know if they ever got it.


----------



## EM-L

Jville said:


> I knew someone that had one on the way. I dont know if they ever got it.


I have only seen Kurouchi Santoku and Nakiri. Do you have a link?


----------



## drsmp

@Corradobrit1 Have you seen a KU Gyuto for sale in the last few years since the big run up in Shig/Kato prices? The linked picture was from 2015.


----------



## Corradobrit1

There was one available recently on Yahoo Japan. If I remember it was an OEM brand


----------



## JaVa

big_adventure said:


> Yeah, but outside the EU, you'll wind up paying customs and stuff and it'll likely be more.


Sure, but doesn't it depend on the country?
I've always thought that to US there is an advantage?
Usually CC takes off the full 25% VAT (on the Shig it's only 20%. probably just to get their profits up).
That is a huge discount if the custom charges and taxes are lower.

I could be wrong though?


----------



## AFKitchenknivesguy

While maybe not relevant, here is a KU santuku in Europe. 









Shigefusa Schmiede






www.japan-messer-shop.de


----------



## EM-L

JaVa said:


> Sure, but doesn't it depend on the country?
> I've always thought that to US there is an advantage?
> Usually CC takes off the full 25% VAT (on the Shig it's only 20%. probably just to get their profits up).
> That is a huge discount if the custom charges and taxes are lower.
> 
> I could be wrong though?


You add 25% you deduct 20%: 100 plus 25% VAT =125 minus 20% VAT =100


----------



## JaVa

EM-L said:


> You add 25% you deduct 20%: 100 plus 25% VAT =125 minus 20% VAT =100


Yep!  
That's what you get for hanging here too late.


----------



## ynot1985

T


waxy said:


> I own several Ku's - Never seen the Shig Ku Gyuto. I believe one of his sons make the Ku Gyuto, identified by their own Kanji.
> Said the same thing about the Ku Yanagiba, but it's in my Collection - to this day I still think it's a Chinese knock off LOL


They aren’t fake.. I have a few myself . How long is your yanagiba?


----------



## ynot1985

EM-L said:


> I have only seen Kurouchi Santoku and Nakiri. Do you have a link?



Shigefusa made all sorts of stuff in KU.

I collect KU shigs so I have an interest in this.

Gyutos under son’s brand and OEM. I have been trying to order a KU gyuto for years. They simply refuse.

I have only seen 1 OEM deba and maybe a Usaba

They also made Yanagiba, petty, Ajikiri, santoku, Nakiri and Cleaver in KU.


----------



## LAB

Technically there is no customs duties in hong kong... i can get this 20% cheaper than most guys... but for that money.... i would probably want something much more... there are so many beautiful and awesome knives at this price point onwards


----------



## EM-L

JaVa said:


> Yep!
> That's what you get for hanging here too late.



 Profit! 0=0


----------



## waxy

ynot1985 said:


> They aren’t fake.. I have a few myself . How long is your yanagiba?



My Ku Yanagiba is 210mm, it's nice and petite like a large petty.
Side by side with my 135mm Petty, they look like a great team!


----------



## waxy

LAB said:


> Technically there is no customs duties in hong kong... i can get this 20% cheaper than most guys... but for that money.... i would probably want something much more... there are so many beautiful and awesome knives at this price point onwards


The addiction is real, don't crawl too deep or you'll end up in the JNAT hole too


----------



## Jville

EM-L said:


> I have only seen Kurouchi Santoku and Nakiri. Do you have a link?


 To the gyuto, no. I was just saying someone I knew was expecting one a while back. They had been waiting a couple of years on it.


----------



## LAB

waxy said:


> The addiction is real, don't crawl too deep or you'll end up in the JNAT hole too


Too late.... anyway it wont be my first addiction


----------



## LAB

waxy said:


> My Ku Yanagiba is 210mm, it's nice and petite like a large petty.
> Side by side with my 135mm Petty, they look like a great team!


Arrrghh the two types that i am most likely to use the most!!!


----------



## waxy

LAB said:


> Arrrghh the two types that i am most likely to use the most!!!



As mentioned above, the Ku Ajikiri, Cleaver and Yanagiba are quite rare, expect to pay a premium for those - Petty I've seen show up once in a while.


----------



## ynot1985

waxy said:


> As mentioned above, the Ku Ajikiri, Cleaver and Yanagiba are quite rare, expect to pay a premium for those - Petty I've seen show up once in a while.



is your petty 135mm KU as well? Double or single bevel?

I need that

I have 2 x 210 mm yanagiba and 1 x 240mm yanagiba. Still trying to hunt for the 270mm ku


----------



## waxy

ynot1985 said:


> is your petty 135mm KU as well? Double or single bevel?
> 
> I need that
> 
> I have 2 x 210 mm yanagiba and 1 x 240mm yanagiba. Still trying to hunt for the 270mm ku



It was sold to me as a 210mm/8 inch Single Bevel, the dual bevels are an option as well, not going to lie but it feels great in my hand.
I can see this working well for small sashimi tasks. I'd love to buy additional sizes if they're available anywhere.
I've also considered trading my Kitaeji Yanagiba's for one - As someone mentioned above, given their rarity it'll likely be in the Kitaeji price range.

I have issues using knives I buy unless I have another one, I'm OCD to that extent.
On that note, if I use any knife, you can rest assure I have the exact same one locked up elsewhere


----------



## daveb

LAB said:


> Arrrghh the two types that i am most likely to use the most!!!



You're not supposed to use Shigs......


----------



## Barry's Knives

Shigefusa 240mm Kitaeji Yanagiba Wa Handle







easttowestshoppe.com


----------



## Corradobrit1

Barry's Knives said:


> Shigefusa 240mm Kitaeji Yanagiba Wa Handle
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> easttowestshoppe.com


Not again


----------



## fatsumie

Corradobrit1 said:


> Not again



what do you mean, not again?

Im surprised this is still available. 

Also there is a 320mm Kitaeji Yanagiba on auction on Yahoo. 2 days to go. Sitting at 1.3k atm


----------



## ynot1985

fatsumie said:


> what do you mean, not again?
> 
> Im surprised this is still available.
> 
> Also there is a 320mm Kitaeji Yanagiba on auction on Yahoo. 2 days to go. Sitting at 1.3k atm



That's a rare OEM piece. only has shig kanji on the Ura. no OEM brand kanji on the knife face. Just on the kiri box


----------



## LAB

waxy said:


> It was sold to me as a 210mm/8 inch Single Bevel, the dual bevels are an option as well, not going to lie but it feels great in my hand.
> I can see this working well for small sashimi tasks. I'd love to buy additional sizes if they're available anywhere.
> I've also considered trading my Kitaeji Yanagiba's for one - As someone mentioned above, given their rarity it'll likely be in the Kitaeji price range.
> 
> I have issues using knives I buy unless I have another one, I'm OCD to that extent.
> On that note, if I use any knife, you can rest assure I have the exact same one locked up elsewhere



IKR... I just bought an Extra Ku Nakiri, cause the first one is BNIB....


----------



## waxy

LAB said:


> IKR... I just bought an Extra Ku Nakiri, cause the first one is BNIB....



Hahaha see I knew I wasn't the only one.


----------



## LAB

Its pretty common behaviour actually... same for my whiskies... One to drink one to keep


----------



## big_adventure

LAB said:


> Its pretty common behaviour actually... same for my whiskies... One to drink one to keep



Or, one for each hand!


----------



## JaVa

Did anyone catch the final price of the Cleancut Shigefusa auction? The last I saw 1140€. I planned to, but forgot to check it in the end.


----------



## luuogle

I wonder what the final price of the Cleancut Shigefusa action was. Does anybody know what the end result was?


----------



## big_adventure

Last I saw was 1140 also. Sucks that we can't check it.


----------



## Sdo

It was 1150.

Cheers.


----------



## big_adventure

I expected significantly worse, I admit. I wouldn't call that cheap by any means but it's not really all that crazy for the market I suppose. It's not like you can buy one elsewhere for less or anything.


----------



## daddy yo yo

big_adventure said:


> I expected significantly worse, I admit. I wouldn't call that cheap by any means but it's not really all that crazy for the market I suppose. It's not like you can buy one elsewhere for less or anything.


Objection, your Honor! I find more than 800 for a Kasumi crazy. That’s what Kitaejis retailed for back in the good old times...


----------



## big_adventure

daddy yo yo said:


> Objection, your Honor! I find more than 800 for a Kasumi crazy. That’s what Kitaejis retailed for back in the good old times...



You aren't wrong as far as what I'd pay for it. You can get an exceptional honyaki or custom for less, and I know where I'd rather drop my money personally. I'm just saying that scarcity has blown up this market.


----------



## JaVa

daddy yo yo said:


> Objection, your Honor! I find more than 800 for a Kasumi crazy. That’s what Kitaejis retailed for back in the good old times...


Over ruled.








Shigefusa Kasumi 240 mm Wa Gyuto


Selected Japanese natural sharpening stones Toishi, Handmade by Best Blade smiths Japanese Knives, Razors and Tools




www.japanesenaturalstones.com





I mean I agree too. I wouldn't pay that, but the market disagrees. In the current climate It wasn't horrible and still US buyer for example is getting a 20% vat reduction. 

I was sure some would get over excited and it would've go for 1300-1400€. Because for once it wasn't a competition of speed and everyone got to participate.


----------



## daddy yo yo

JaVa said:


> Over ruled.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Shigefusa Kasumi 240 mm Wa Gyuto
> 
> 
> Selected Japanese natural sharpening stones Toishi, Handmade by Best Blade smiths Japanese Knives, Razors and Tools
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.japanesenaturalstones.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I mean I agree too. I wouldn't pay that, but the market disagrees. In the current climate It wasn't horrible and still US buyer for example is getting a 20% vat reduction.
> 
> I was sure some would get over excited and it would've go for 1300-1400€. Because for once it wasn't a competition of speed and everyone got to participate.


I know these prices, I mean I have seen them. Not a fan though. I'd never buy a Kasumi or also a Kitaeji at current prices... But who am I to judge?!


----------



## big_adventure

JaVa said:


> Over ruled.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Shigefusa Kasumi 240 mm Wa Gyuto
> 
> 
> Selected Japanese natural sharpening stones Toishi, Handmade by Best Blade smiths Japanese Knives, Razors and Tools
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.japanesenaturalstones.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I mean I agree too. I wouldn't pay that, but the market disagrees. In the current climate It wasn't horrible and still US buyer for example is getting a 20% vat reduction.
> 
> I was sure some would get over excited and it would've go for 1300-1400€. Because for once it wasn't a competition of speed and everyone got to participate.



The US buyer is going to get the VAT removed, but he or she will get bent over by customs and import fees. 802 euros is 972 dollars in today's spot rate. Once you add whatever fees the buyer probably will pay, or the bad exchange rate they are likely to get, it'll be 1000, now add whatever JNS charges on shipments to the states, plus import and customs on this - you're probably talking 1300. For a kasumi Shig. Yeah, I can see why someone decides not to use that knife.


----------



## Jville

I wish the market would push back on these shig prices. Auction .


----------



## DavidPF

Jville said:


> I wish the market would push back on these shig prices. Auction .


You are the market - so don't buy, I guess.


----------



## Corradobrit1

big_adventure said:


> The US buyer is going to get the VAT removed, but he or she will get bent over by customs and import fees. 802 euros is 972 dollars in today's spot rate. Once you add whatever fees the buyer probably will pay, or the bad exchange rate they are likely to get, it'll be 1000, now add whatever JNS charges on shipments to the states, plus import and customs on this - you're probably talking 1300. For a kasumi Shig. Yeah, I can see why someone decides not to use that knife.


DHL will tack on about $60 in import and broker fees.


----------



## waxy

Corradobrit1 said:


> DHL will tack on about $60 in import and broker fees.



The dreaded broker fees and import duties - FedEx is notorious for that, UPS shows up at your door with the package telling you to pay up or they go back home with the package.


----------



## Panamapeet

big_adventure said:


> The US buyer is going to get the VAT removed, but he or she will get bent over by customs and import fees. 802 euros is 972 dollars in today's spot rate. Once you add whatever fees the buyer probably will pay, or the bad exchange rate they are likely to get, it'll be 1000, now add whatever JNS charges on shipments to the states, plus import and customs on this - you're probably talking 1300. For a kasumi Shig. Yeah, I can see why someone decides not to use that knife.


TBH I’ve never heard about import duties when selling to the States, and I dont think JNS would charge something extra (for what would that be?)? Your ‘calculation’ sounds like it would be a bit high to be honest


----------



## Corradobrit1

Panamapeet said:


> TBH I’ve never heard about import duties when selling to the States, and I dont think JNS would charge something extra (for what would that be?)? Your ‘calculation’ sounds like it would be a bit high to be honest


JNS doesn't charge extra. Its DHL that determines the fees if the declared value is over $800.


----------



## big_adventure

waxy said:


> The dreaded broker fees and import duties - FedEx is notorious for that, UPS shows up at your door with the package telling you to pay up or they go back home with the package.



Oh yeah, I've had FedEx packages en route, then just stop for days, with no information available. Then a letter arrives in the mail, asking me to pay duties, and only after that is paid does the package continue to me.

Here in France, and I assume in the US now, they mostly have this on a website now: you get an email or a text asking you to pay up or your **** goes back where it came from. I've had this from DHL and FedEx. I've also seen at least two scam messages doing this. So as always, be careful.


----------



## big_adventure

Panamapeet said:


> TBH I’ve never heard about import duties when selling to the States, and I dont think JNS would charge something extra (for what would that be?)? Your ‘calculation’ sounds like it would be a bit high to be honest



As pointed out, it's not JNS' responsibility. It's the transporter who will collect it.


----------



## Barry's Knives

This has to do with import duty though. Which is more about what your government has decided with regard to trade deals with other countries. This is why brexit is such a nightmare because it used to be free to import most items from Europe to the UK under free trade. Now its far more complicated. FedEx and DHL have to comply with whatever the regulations are.


----------



## big_adventure

Barry's Knives said:


> This has to do with import duty though. Which is more about what your government has decided with regard to trade deals with other countries. This is why brexit is such a nightmare because it used to be free to import most items from Europe to the UK under free trade. Now its far more complicated. FedEx and DHL have to comply with whatever the regulations are.



Of course - i tried to explain this above. Basically, something made in the UK can be exported to the EU for no duties in most cases since Brexit, but Japanese knives are not made in the UK, so they can't be. This has crippled all kinds of trade between the UK and the EU, because things that are partly made in the UK may or may not apply. Marks & Spencer in Paris is empty because they didn't figure this stuff out in advance and now realize that they are completely incapable of supplying mediocre english sausage and bacon and stuff to english ex-pats. I have a group of english friends here and you'd think we were suffering world war 2 food rationing.


----------



## Corradobrit1

big_adventure said:


> now realize that they are completely incapable of supplying mediocre english sausage and bacon and stuff to english ex-pats. I have a group of english friends here and you'd think we were suffering world war 2 food rationing.


Sacre bleu. How will they survive in that culinary wasteland called France?


----------



## big_adventure

Corradobrit1 said:


> Sacre bleu. How will they survive in that culinary wasteland called France?



I know right? I told them I would make fun of them but also defend their right to procure mediocre sausages and bacon to my dying breath. They have chat groups where they describe the availability of certain products in certain shops. They go down to the expiration dates on the labels and such.


----------



## nakiriknaifuwaifu

Yeah, I have been trying to figure out the most efficient way to get around this for the massdrop importing 10k USD of knives.


----------



## big_adventure

nakiriknaifuwaifu said:


> Yeah, I have been trying to figure out the most efficient way to get around this for the massdrop importing 10k USD of knives.



Weeeelllllllll one can always label the parcel "return of repaired item" and hope, or lie on the value.


----------



## nakiriknaifuwaifu

big_adventure said:


> Weeeelllllllll one can always label the parcel "return of repaired item" and hope, or lie on the value.



Haha, now that's a thought!

Value needs to be accurate because package will be insured for the true cost. I'll be damned if they end up in the bottom of the ocean with nothing to show for it.


----------



## Corradobrit1

Wait for EMS to resume


----------



## big_adventure

nakiriknaifuwaifu said:


> Haha, now that's a thought!
> 
> Value needs to be accurate because package will be insured for the true cost. I'll be damned if they end up in the bottom of the ocean with nothing to show for it.



You could try to have it sent as "repairs" - you can still declare the true value but it won't trigger an automatic customs charge. 

It's not technically legal - but the very worst that could happen is that they decide to charge you.


----------



## waxy

big_adventure said:


> Oh yeah, I've had FedEx packages en route, then just stop for days, with no information available. Then a letter arrives in the mail, asking me to pay duties, and only after that is paid does the package continue to me.
> 
> Here in France, and I assume in the US now, they mostly have this on a website now: you get an email or a text asking you to pay up or your **** goes back where it came from. I've had this from DHL and FedEx. I've also seen at least two scam messages doing this. So as always, be careful.



You left out the option "Abandon Package" lol yea, I'll abandon the package that I paid a grip for.


----------



## waxy

Corradobrit1 said:


> Wait for EMS to resume



This is a terrible delivery service and should be purged from the planet, status updates are idle for weeks on end.
Perhaps it was due to the pandemic but I've lost several packages, funny thing is for some, a few appeared months later.


----------



## MarcelNL

declaring lower value or repair ain't gonna work much longer in the EU, prepare for beefed up checking as the EU has implemented a new system where almost everything imported gets VAT added, likely an attempt to keep Jack Ma in check. Foreign shops get the 'opportunity' to register for VAT in any EU country and have customers pay VAt on check-out and the shop will pay the tax man in whatever country they picked (I don't think the VAT range is wider than a couple of % across the EU), EU countries will sort the VAT payments out with one another


----------



## JaVa

nakiriknaifuwaifu said:


> Yeah, I have been trying to figure out the most efficient way to get around this for the massdrop importing 10k USD of knives.


Just fly there to pick them up and put them in your carry on.


----------



## Jville

DavidPF said:


> You are the market - so don't buy, I guess.


I am a very, very, very, very small part of the market. It takes alot more than me.


----------



## DavidPF

Jville said:


> I am a very, very, very, very small part of the market. It takes alot more than me.


There's one part of the market you're in control of though


----------



## nakiriknaifuwaifu

schanop said:


> 375 only, cheap cheap.



Price for a 270 Kasumi Yanagiba, July 2015.


----------



## EM-L

A question! Maybe of topic. This deba is still unsold:


Select Kitchen Knives


Is it the price, model or something else?


----------



## ynot1985

EM-L said:


> A question! Maybe of topic. This deba is still unsold:
> 
> 
> Select Kitchen Knives
> 
> 
> Is it the price, model or something else?


It’s a 130mm ajikiri/kodeba. Good for small things like mackerel.

Would be too small for any thing bigger than that.

kasumi ajikiri are not very common but it isn’t cheap either. You can find kasumi 150-180mm deba in this price range too from shigefusa


----------



## outofgamut

big_adventure said:


> Of course - i tried to explain this above. Basically, something made in the UK can be exported to the EU for no duties in most cases since Brexit, but Japanese knives are not made in the UK, so they can't be. This has crippled all kinds of trade between the UK and the EU, because things that are partly made in the UK may or may not apply. Marks & Spencer in Paris is empty because they didn't figure this stuff out in advance and now realize that they are completely incapable of supplying mediocre english sausage and bacon and stuff to english ex-pats. I have a group of english friends here and you'd think we were suffering world war 2 food rationing.


Time for them to wake up to the plethora of food that the nirvana that is Paris has to offer.


----------



## Southpaw

Did Zahocho drop some willows?


----------



## Jville

DavidPF said:


> There's one part of the market you're in control of though


Yeah, im not spending super big bucks on them, but my point is that not enough to bring them down. Now if the market as a whole was rejecting it, then prices would be more reasonable. I really like them and would like to have more. Im not crying about it, just my 2 cents.


----------



## Southpaw

Anyone see how long they lasted on JNS today?


----------



## RockyBasel

They lasted 10 minutes, and then a 210 was up. I do love the Shig Kanji - it makes me want to get one every single time


----------



## Midsummer

I had the 210 in my basket and then PayPal makes me change passwords twice. By the time I got back it was out of my basket....grrrrrr


----------



## RockyBasel

Actually they were available only for 5 min I think


----------



## Dan E

how is it even possible to hit this 5 mins window without pure luck to be browsing the page... I got an IG up but that was like 20 mins later and everything was sold (as always). sad!


----------



## Corradobrit1

Dan E said:


> how is it even possible to hit this 5 mins window without pure luck to be browsing the page... I got an IG up but that was like 20 mins later and everything was sold (as always). sad!


Some people have nothing better to do than sit in front of their  pummeling F5 or refresh.


----------



## Dan E

Corradobrit1 said:


> Some people have nothing better to do than sit in front of their screen pummeling F5 or refresh.



the persistence shall be rewarded then!


----------



## Jville

How much did they go for today?


----------



## Midsummer

The 210 was around 880 without VAT plus or minus.


----------



## LAB

Sheesh this is pretty ridiculous... lol whats the point of a Alert thread... All it does is to make me turn green with jealousy....


----------



## Boatboy

300mm Shig Yanagi available on Hocho


----------



## AFKitchenknivesguy

Boatboy said:


> 300mm Shig Yanagi available on Hocho











Shigefusa kitaeji 300mm yanagiba


Enter "ZKT-PJ6" for free shipping.Video: Brand/ maker: ShigefusaLocation: Sanjo, Niigata, JapanKnife type: yanagiba (with saya) Series: kitaeji Steel category: carbon steelSteel type: Swedish carbon (proprietary)Total length: 446mmBlade length: 284mmBlade height at heel: 31.5mmSpine thickness at...




zahocho.com


----------



## big_adventure

Looks like it's still available. If I had any use for another yanagiba...


----------



## Boatboy

Yes, I wonder if this is specific to Yanagi or whether someone is brave enough to call this the top of the market...


----------



## Moooza

Aussie taxes/import duties probably account for the 20% price premium.


----------



## EM-L

Le spécialiste du couteau de cuisine Japonais


Le spécialiste des couteaux de cuisine japonais en France. Découvrez les gammes de couteaux des plus grands couteliers japonais en stock. Couteaux Tojiro, Couteaux Chroma, Couteaux Kai, accessoires d'affûtage Le plus grand choix de couteaux de cuisine japonais, au meilleur prix. .



www.couteaujaponais.com


----------



## big_adventure

EM-L said:


> Le spécialiste du couteau de cuisine Japonais
> 
> 
> Le spécialiste des couteaux de cuisine japonais en France. Découvrez les gammes de couteaux des plus grands couteliers japonais en stock. Couteaux Tojiro, Couteaux Chroma, Couteaux Kai, accessoires d'affûtage Le plus grand choix de couteaux de cuisine japonais, au meilleur prix. .
> 
> 
> 
> www.couteaujaponais.com



It say Kasumi but means KU. Fair price... if you would own a santoku.


----------



## Geigs

My number has popped up for a kasumi 240. anyone interested, don't really have $$ for more knives currently but can catch and release. Although with 2 x shipping etc might not be worth it. Keep an eye on munemasa.


----------



## Pie

Did I do this right?


----------



## McMan

big_adventure said:


> It say Kasumi but means KU. Fair price... if you would own a santoku.


$420usd for a 165mm Shig KU Santoku is steep.


----------



## Corradobrit1

Pie said:


> View attachment 121897
> 
> 
> Did I do this right?


Thats not a Yo handle


----------



## EM-L

Shigefusa Iizuka Santoku Houcyo 165mm | Japanese Cutlery Pro Store






www.japanese-cutlery.com


----------



## Pie

Corradobrit1 said:


> Thats not a Yo handle



i saw it said shig for sale, that’s all I know


----------



## Southpaw

Pie said:


> i saw it said shig for sale, that’s all I know


Ya dude u did fine


----------



## Corradobrit1

Pie said:


> i saw it said shig for sale, that’s all I know


Wasn't a criticism of you. Keep them coming.......


----------



## Southpaw

@Pie the criticism isn’t towards you but the insta post itself. It claims to be a yo handle Shig Kitaeji instead of a wa handle which it is.


----------



## Jville

Geigs said:


> My number has popped up for a kasumi 240. anyone interested, don't really have $$ for more knives currently but can catch and release. Although with 2 x shipping etc might not be worth it. Keep an eye on munemasa.


If its a shig kasumi 240, i would definetely be interested. Please PM me.


----------



## Pie

Corradobrit1 said:


> Wasn't a criticism of you. Keep them coming.......


All good . Out of curiousity, what is a knife like that worth, ballpark?


----------



## big_adventure

McMan said:


> $420usd for a 165mm Shig KU Santoku is steep.



Eh, in Europe these days, that's pretty much the price: 330 to 350 euros.


----------



## EM-L

big_adventure said:


> Eh, in Europe these days, that's pretty much the price: 330 to 350 euros.


They will probaly deduct the VAT when you buy outside EU.


----------



## big_adventure

EM-L said:


> They will probaly deduct the VAT when you buy outside EU.



Almost certainly. But of course then your risk is getting slapped with import duties and taxes and such. Oh, plus handling fees! Which will likely be more...


----------



## Aidan

I got mine for €249. Definitely worth it. 








Shigefusa Hocho Kasumi, Santoku, All-purpose Knife | Traditional hocho | Dictum


Shigefusa Hocho Kasumi, Santoku, All-purpose Knife | Traditional hocho | Dictum




www.dictum.com


----------



## RockyBasel

JNS Shig Kasumi 240 mm Wa available online this very second


----------



## RockyBasel

Gone - but keep watching the site - Maksim has more than one sometimes, so he may put another one up. I love the 240 Kasumi - flawless knife


----------



## Jville

RockyBasel said:


> Gone - but keep watching the site - Maksim has more than one sometimes, so he may put another one up. I love the 240 Kasumi - flawless knife


Dang


----------



## daddy yo yo

How much was it? 1200? The last 210 sold for 919.88€ incl. tax... And the auction for a 240 went over 1,000, right?


----------



## Corradobrit1

daddy yo yo said:


> How much was it? 1200? The last 210 sold for 919.88€ incl. tax... And the auction for a 240 went over 1,000, right?


About $970 excl tax ($1215 incl tax). I saw it but was too rich for me.


----------



## RockyBasel

It’s a bit rich indeed - but there are a lot of over 1,000 knives out there today, and this one will. It only keep its value, but the grind, fit snd finish are truly artisanal quality


----------



## Southpaw

RockyBasel said:


> It’s a bit rich indeed - but there are a lot of over 1,000 knives out there today, and this one will. It only keep its value, but the grind, fit snd finish are truly artisanal quality


In my experience there’s a big diminish in your return for your money over $400. Like the $300 difference between 100–400 is way bigger than from 400-700


----------



## RockyBasel

Hmmmm....Maybe, but then again, maybe not.


----------



## MarcelNL

the law of diminishing returns applies almost everywhere, IMO the big question is if the additional cost is worth it to you.


----------



## RockyBasel

Well, people are buying 3,500 Ashi Honyaki and 10,000 kramers.

For me, the law of should theoretically apply. but we had 70 orders for a 1.100 Xerses - more than even the 600 Dalman - boggles the mind


----------



## Mlan

https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/v784356538?conversionType=search_suggest



I'll just slowly put this down here just incase someone has recently acquired a reasonably sized inheritance


----------



## RockyBasel

Thanks - I have yet to find my inheritance- so I will pass on these gorgeous beauties - but who makes these three knives?


----------



## Corradobrit1

Mlan said:


> https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/v784356538?conversionType=search_suggest
> 
> 
> 
> I'll just slowly put this down here just incase someone has recently acquired a reasonably sized inheritance


Someone confusing Shigefusa with Ashi Hamono


----------



## MarcelNL

still, it takes more than just having the inheritance...you need the motivation and the means to buy something as expensive and specialist as this.

someone with more money than taste or wisdom could easily spend this much without any other motivation than 'I want that one', but why? to be able to show off?


----------



## Mlan

MarcelNL said:


> still, it takes more than just having the inheritance...you need the motivation and the means to buy something as expensive and specialist as this.
> 
> someone with more money than taste or wisdom could easily spend this much without any other motivation than 'I want that one', but why? to be able to show off?


Agreed, but thats just how it goes with shigs, katos, and ashis. You are either buyer #1 that gets it because the grind, ht, f&f, etc... and now has to pay inflated prices for it because here comes buyer #2 who buys it so they can post a few sweet pics with it and then uses it to portion their lasagna once a month.


----------



## Jville

Mlan said:


> Agreed, but thats just how it goes with shigs, katos, and ashis. You are either buyer #1 that gets it because the grind, ht, f&f, etc... and now has to pay inflated prices for it because here comes buyer #2 who buys it so they can post a few sweet pics with it and then uses it to portion their lasagna once a month.


Sounds like we need a Lasagna cutting thread.


----------



## EM-L

Shigefusa Hocho Kasumi, Santoku, All-purpose Knife | Traditional hocho | Dictum


Shigefusa Hocho Kasumi, Santoku, All-purpose Knife | Traditional hocho | Dictum




www.dictum.com


----------



## esoo

EM-L said:


> Shigefusa Hocho Kasumi, Santoku, All-purpose Knife | Traditional hocho | Dictum
> 
> 
> Shigefusa Hocho Kasumi, Santoku, All-purpose Knife | Traditional hocho | Dictum
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.dictum.com



They say kasumi, but you'd be getting a kuroichi knife


----------



## EM-L

esoo said:


> They say kasumi, but you'd be getting a kuroichi knife


Yes! But the price is ok.


----------



## 0x0x

2x Shig





Knives - Shigefusa - Japanese Natural Stones







www.japanesenaturalstones.com


----------



## Jville

0x0x said:


> 2x Shig
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Knives - Shigefusa - Japanese Natural Stones
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.japanesenaturalstones.com


I missed them. We’re they KU santokus?


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## xxxclx

Jville said:


> I missed them. We’re they KU santokus?



It was a 300mm yanagiba and a KU santoku


----------



## Logan A.

Check the munemasa Japanese site. They’ve got a shig nakiri and santoku. This English site also had the same ones, but I don’t know if they’re both still available there.



https://www.japanese-cutlery.com/








作家 - ARTISAN | 飯塚重房 − Shigefusa Iiduka | 和式鍛造ナイフ専門店 宗正刃物ナイフ包丁特選


作家 - ARTISAN,飯塚重房 − Shigefusa Iiduka 宗正刃物の商品一覧ページ。和式鍛造ナイフ、和式刃物、鍛造刃物、うち刃物、鉈など正統物を多数取り揃え。




www.munemasa.co.jp





you can order from the Japanese site even if you don’t live in Japan. Just email the site owners and they’ll help you out.


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## Logan A.

I posted a shig if anyone wants it. Figured I might as well let everyone on here know.


----------



## 0x0x

Shigefusa Kasumi 270 mm Wa Gyuto


Selected Japanese natural sharpening stones Toishi, Handmade by Best Blade smiths Japanese Knives, Razors and Tools




www.japanesenaturalstones.com





Wanted to buy it first but seemed to expensive


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## Mute-on

Corradobrit1 said:


> Ku gyuto do exist but they are on the shorter side. I've seen them for $325-375 so not super expensive for a Shig. Never seen a 240+ though
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Shig anonymous
> 
> 
> Well, show me what you got. :)
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.kitchenknifeforums.com


I have a Masayuki 210 Ku Gyuto, purchased in 2013. I haven’t seen another since. I’m curious to know where and when you’ve seen any for that kind of price, since that’s about what I paid back then.


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## jacko9

RockyBasel said:


> Gone - but keep watching the site - Maksim has more than one sometimes, so he may put another one up. I love the 240 Kasumi - flawless knife


I agree with you I picked up a 240 Kasumi from Knifewear last year and it is excellent.


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## Hz_zzzzzz

jacko9 said:


> I agree with you I picked up a 240 Kasumi from Knifewear last year and it is excellent.


I'm jealous. Knifewear price for Shig is great but the availability is miracle.


----------



## jacko9

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> I'm jealous. Knifewear price for Shig is great but the availability is miracle.


Yes I agree they don't become available too often. I just filled out a product availability request and acted on it as soon as I got the email. I think I got very lucky.


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## RockyBasel

jacko9 said:


> Yes I agree they don't become available too often. I just filled out a product availability request and acted on it as soon as I got the email. I think I got very lucky.


Very lucky indeed! Great knife


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## RockyBasel

Shig Santuko available on JNS - for $334 without VAT


----------



## knifeknight

Shigefusa Kitaeji Usuba 195mm


Selected Japanese natural sharpening stones Toishi, Handmade by Best Blade smiths Japanese Knives, Razors and Tools




www.japanesenaturalstones.com


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## big_adventure

knifeknight said:


> Shigefusa Kitaeji Usuba 195mm
> 
> 
> Selected Japanese natural sharpening stones Toishi, Handmade by Best Blade smiths Japanese Knives, Razors and Tools
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.japanesenaturalstones.com



OMFG it's still there after 48 minutes.


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## esoo

big_adventure said:


> OMFG it's still there after 48 minutes.



It's an Usuba.... not the cachet of a gyuto. Lower on the resale interest.


----------



## big_adventure

esoo said:


> It's an Usuba.... not the cachet of a gyuto. Lower on the resale interest.



I know - it was tongue in cheek.


----------



## EM-L

big_adventure said:


> I know - it was tongue in cheek.


They probably have more than One!


----------



## Vancouverguy

Ridiculous prices these days. Just got back into this hobby and I think I'm going to steer away from these. Just got myself a shig kurochi nakiri the other day from AZCK, man that edge is brittle .... but it's turning very nicely blue  
I occasionally monitor these markets to find some knives... . Let me know if you want a private DM of random shig prices I find. Another note from translating some of the sellers descriptions is that it states its very popular in the western hemisphere... so they know to jack up the prices 

Shig kitaeji yanagi 210? with box under the new name 217,800 yen not including shipping 


https://item.rakuten.co.jp/akiba-r/195519-5/



Shig Kurochi 165mm Nakiri . Interesting to see that the signed kanji is much smaller and the handle color is different. 41k YEN


https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/x1028938895?conversionType=service_page_search


Kurochi 150mm Petty . Again interesting handle choice. 41.5K YEN


https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/x1025702579?conversionType=service_page_search



Kitaeji Deba $180k YEN


https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/g1018598394?conversionType=search_suggest_history



Kitaeji Deba + Usuba + Yanagi w/box 600k YEN


https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/v784356538?conversionType=search_suggest_history



Kasumi 240mm USED 63.5k YEN


https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/n1020021899?conversionType=search_suggest_history



Kitaeji Yanagi 300MM 185K YEN


https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/m1028409183?conversionType=search_suggest_history



Kiyoshi Kato for 120K Yen 180mm Gyuto w/ box 








【希少 】藤原良明 作 (加藤清志) 和牛刀 180mm ... - ヤフオク!


ご覧頂きありがとうございます。大変希少な保管品藤原良明作 和牛刀の出品です。防錆紙に包んで保管をしておりました。全長:約345mm刃渡り:約185mm※素人採寸のため誤差はご了承ください。付属品・桐箱長期保管に伴う傷や汚れがございますが、比較的美品かと思います。必ず写真を確認頂き、ご納得のうえご入札ください。刃・柄の材質など詳細は分かりかねる場合がございます。予めご理解下さい。◆落札日より4日間以内のお取引完了できる方の入札をお願いしております。4日間を経過しました場合には、落札者様都合にて削除させて頂きま



page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp


----------



## danemonji

Vancouverguy said:


> Ridiculous prices these days. Just got back into this hobby and I think I'm going to steer away from these. Just got myself a shig kurochi nakiri the other day from AZCK, man that edge is brittle .... but it's turning very nicely blue
> I occasionally monitor these markets to find some knives... . Let me know if you want a private DM of random shig prices I find. Another note from translating some of the sellers descriptions is that it states its very popular in the western hemisphere... so they know to jack up the prices
> 
> Shig kitaeji yanagi 210? with box under the new name 217,800 yen not including shipping
> 
> 
> https://item.rakuten.co.jp/akiba-r/195519-5/
> 
> 
> 
> Shig Kurochi 165mm Nakiri . Interesting to see that the signed kanji is much smaller and the handle color is different. 41k YEN
> 
> 
> https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/x1028938895?conversionType=service_page_search
> 
> 
> Kurochi 150mm Petty . Again interesting handle choice. 41.5K YEN
> 
> 
> https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/x1025702579?conversionType=service_page_search
> 
> 
> 
> Kitaeji Deba $180k YEN
> 
> 
> https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/g1018598394?conversionType=search_suggest_history
> 
> 
> 
> Kitaeji Deba + Usuba + Yanagi w/box 600k YEN
> 
> 
> https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/v784356538?conversionType=search_suggest_history
> 
> 
> 
> Kasumi 240mm USED 63.5k YEN
> 
> 
> https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/n1020021899?conversionType=search_suggest_history
> 
> 
> 
> Kitaeji Yanagi 300MM 185K YEN
> 
> 
> https://buyee.jp/item/yahoo/auction/m1028409183?conversionType=search_suggest_history
> 
> 
> 
> Kiyoshi Kato for 120K Yen 180mm Gyuto w/ box
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 【希少 】藤原良明 作 (加藤清志) 和牛刀 180mm ... - ヤフオク!
> 
> 
> ご覧頂きありがとうございます。大変希少な保管品藤原良明作 和牛刀の出品です。防錆紙に包んで保管をしておりました。全長:約345mm刃渡り:約185mm※素人採寸のため誤差はご了承ください。付属品・桐箱長期保管に伴う傷や汚れがございますが、比較的美品かと思います。必ず写真を確認頂き、ご納得のうえご入札ください。刃・柄の材質など詳細は分かりかねる場合がございます。予めご理解下さい。◆落札日より4日間以内のお取引完了できる方の入札をお願いしております。4日間を経過しました場合には、落札者様都合にて削除させて頂きま
> 
> 
> 
> page.auctions.yahoo.co.jp


are we alowed to post ongoing auctions?


----------



## Vancouverguy

No clue but most if these are buy now.


----------



## Iggy

165 Kurouchi Santokus at Dictum for a good price:









Shigefusa Hocho Kasumi, Santoku, Allzweckmesser | Traditionelle Japanmesser (Hocho) | Dictum


Shigefusa Hocho Kasumi, Santoku, Allzweckmesser | Traditionelle Japanmesser (Hocho) | Dictum




www.dictum.com


----------



## Southpaw

Iggy said:


> 165 Kurouchi Santokus at Dictum for a good price:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Shigefusa Hocho Kasumi, Santoku, Allzweckmesser | Traditionelle Japanmesser (Hocho) | Dictum
> 
> 
> Shigefusa Hocho Kasumi, Santoku, Allzweckmesser | Traditionelle Japanmesser (Hocho) | Dictum
> 
> 
> 
> 
> www.dictum.com


Always a good price if u want to experience their steel


----------



## Vancouverguy

nevermind ignore this post. talked to the shiglord himself @ Zweber12. ... 

This is shigefusa from aizu shigenobu lineage that died off vs shigefusa who makes iwasakis who we're chasing after ??


----------



## ynot1985

Vancouverguy said:


> nevermind ignore this post. talked to the shiglord himself @ Zweber12. ...
> 
> This is shigefusa from aizu shigenobu lineage that died off vs shigefusa who makes iwasakis who we're chasing after ??



Aizu shigenobu are just as revered as Shigefusa in Japan. They go for a mint normally


----------



## gabdo

Kitaeji usuba and yanagiba here: East to West Shoppe (not exactly cheap, but…)


----------



## Patinated

gabdo said:


> Kitaeji usuba and yanagiba here: East to West Shoppe (not exactly cheap, but…)


Thanks for sharing!!!


----------



## Southpaw

I’d kill for a lefty Kitaeji Yanagiba


----------



## Loam

Santoku KU available on Dictum.


----------



## Repjapsteel

Bernal Cutlery with 2 shigs that will be available tomorrow morning at 10:10am PST


----------



## bsfsu

Any one looking at getting this one?


----------



## Hz_zzzzzz

JNS got a 300mm yanagiba and it seems like the price has been doubled!


Edit: my bad. It’s a fuguhiki which is always expensive.


----------



## Logan A.

Hz_zzzzzz said:


> JNS got a 300mm yanagiba and it seems like the price has been doubled!


Whoa! Big jump.


----------



## gabdo

Shig KU santoku available on this French site: Couteau artisanal Shigefusa Kasumi - couteau santoku 16,5 cm
little advice: ask for good package or bigger box, the tip of mine was very close to the cardboard and as a result the knife arrived a liiiiittle bit shortened

(reposted from the other thread, didn't realize that this forum had TWO shig alert threads ;-)


----------



## Choppin

bsfsu said:


> Any one looking at getting this one?
> View attachment 181058
> View attachment 181059




whaaaaat!?


----------



## RockyBasel

Shig Kitaeji fugihiki 270 mm on JNS - available right now


----------



## Bensonhai

That's one rare Shigefusa


----------



## RockyBasel

Bensonhai said:


> That's one rare Shigefusa


Figuhiki

I know - still sitting there - for $2,760 only


----------



## Bensonhai

RockyBasel said:


> Figuhiki
> 
> I know - still sitting there - for $2,760 only



I could sell a 300mm Yanagiba Kitaeji and only pay for half of it...yikes...lol


----------



## RockyBasel

Maybe that’s why it’s still sitting there


----------



## Jaszer13

RockyBasel said:


> Shig Kitaeji fugihiki 270 mm on JNS - available right now


Should be posted in the flipper thread instead


----------



## RockyBasel

knife is still there!

It’s a high inflation environment, less disposable income, perhaps Shigs are not moving like they were during Covid


----------



## superworrier

TBH high-end knives are still selling fast enough for me to not get them. The price is just a bit too insane + it's a fuguhiki


----------



## ynot1985

The Fugu has always been the most expensive standard offering from Shigefusa. You really need to hold one to see how amazing it is.

its as light as a feather.


----------



## RockyBasel

It is now gone! Lasted a few hours


----------



## Hassanbensober

Strange times. Seriously dickered yo shig went through the roof today. I am curious about the character kanji though if anyone knows what it means? Heavy price for a fixer upper.


----------



## Gregmega

Hassanbensober said:


> Strange times. Seriously dickered yo shig went through the roof today. I am curious about the character kanji though if anyone knows what it means? Heavy price for a fixer upper.


That’s a super early Yo Shig. Those are rare as hen’s teeth my man. Only ever seen one other.


----------



## Barclid

Hassanbensober said:


> Strange times. Seriously dickered yo shig went through the roof today. I am curious about the character kanji though if anyone knows what it means? Heavy price for a fixer upper.





Gregmega said:


> That’s a super early Yo Shig. Those are rare as hen’s teeth my man. Only ever seen one other.



It's also 30cm blade length and Kitaeji. They don't show the left side of it, but it is likely one of the heavily asymmetric gyuto without cladding on the other face. No urasuki but otherwise having the appearance of being single bevel - like the one Eitan got a few years ago.

Shigefusa Kitaeji Gyuto, 300mm, Yo - 牛刀 Like this one.


----------



## Barclid

Also, the last one I saw was the one Eitan got and it maxed the Buyee limit at the time (don't know if it's since changed) at 300k JPY.


----------



## Gregmega

Barclid said:


> It's also 30cm blade length and Kitaeji. They don't show the left side of it, but it is likely one of the heavily asymmetric gyuto without cladding on the other face. No urasuki but otherwise having the appearance of being single bevel - like the one Eitan got a few years ago.
> 
> Shigefusa Kitaeji Gyuto, 300mm, Yo - 牛刀 Like this one.


Yup. The one and the same. Absolute fkn beast.


----------



## Barclid

Gregmega said:


> Yup. The one and the same. Absolute fkn beast.



Honestly, the best cutting Shig I've ever used. Bar none.


----------



## Gregmega

Barclid said:


> Honestly, the best cutting Shig I've ever used. Bar none.


I can actually say that knife was one of only 3 knives that ever scared me. And Eitan wielded it like fkn Zoro. Wild times man.


----------



## Barclid

Gregmega said:


> I can actually say that knife was one of only 3 knives that ever scared me. And Eitan wielded it like fkn Zoro. Wild times man.










Some videos of it I have kicking around.


----------



## Luftmensch

Barclid said:


> Some videos of it I have kicking around.



Wow! It found a worthy home at least!





Hassanbensober said:


> I am curious about the character kanji though if anyone knows what it means?



Total guess... so dont take this too seriously... probably the previous owners name??


----------



## Greasylake

Luftmensch said:


> Total guess... so dont take this too seriously... probably the previous owners name??


Looks like 小池 (Koike) which is a Japanese surname so you're probably right on the money


----------



## RockyBasel

How much did this sell for?


----------



## Zweber12

RockyBasel said:


> How much did this sell for?


559K Yen


----------



## Homechef

Did maxim just sell this today?


----------



## Patinated

Homechef said:


> Did maxim just sell this today?



I dont think so. Not yet. Generally he posts once they go online.


----------



## EM-L

Still One Yanagiba 270mm








Shigefusa Kitaeji Yanagiba 270mm


Selected Japanese natural sharpening stones Toishi, Handmade by Best Blade smiths Japanese Knives, Razors and Tools




www.japanesenaturalstones.com


----------



## Dull_Apex

Incorrect handed 300mm Kitaeji Yanagiba 









飯塚重房作　鍛治 柳刃 300㎜・片刃


飯塚重房作　鍛治 柳刃 300㎜・片刃 鍛冶師：飯塚重房 地金：重房秘蔵鍛地 鋼種：重房秘蔵炭素鋼 重房秘蔵炭素鋼 刀身だけの販売は致しません。 柄鞘は、別途　注文制作にてセット販売致します。




shoujapan001.stores.jp


----------



## gabdo

And if anybody is on a hunt for a KU Santoku 165:








Le spécialiste du couteau de cuisine Japonais


Le spécialiste des couteaux de cuisine japonais en France. Découvrez les gammes de couteaux des plus grands couteliers japonais en stock. Couteaux Tojiro, Couteaux Chroma, Couteaux Kai, accessoires d'affûtage Le plus grand choix de couteaux de cuisine japonais, au meilleur prix. .



www.couteaujaponais.com


----------

