# Kato Hunter



## Linusx (Jul 10, 2016)

Can you possibly identify who the blacksmith behind this is? It's marked Kato and think it's a japanese blacksmith. Does anyone recognize this work? Thanks for any help.


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## Von blewitt (Jul 10, 2016)

This Bowie on Japan-tool has a similar mark mad by Kiyoshi Kato
http://www.japan-tool.com/zc/index.php?main_page=popup_image_additional&pID=495&pic=3&products_image_large_additional=images/Kato1-4.JPG

I remember seeing similar on some small hunting knives Maksim stocked


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## DamageInc (Jul 11, 2016)

Looks to be a Kiyoshi Kato if real. Though I must say, if you compare the stamp depth and width of characters, the stamp in the one you posted looks particularly shallow and narrow. Also, if that leather saya in the background is for the knife, it doesn't look like any of Kiyoshi Kato's other sayas both in terms of leather and stitching.

Photos from JNS.


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## YG420 (Jul 11, 2016)

To me it looks legit Kiyoshi Kato. I wouldnt question if its real or not based on the depth of the engraving. My two 240 kikuryus have different depths, damascus patterns on each of them, but theyre both legit. Are knives counterfeited? Just curious.


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## DamageInc (Jul 12, 2016)

I'm not throwing accusations around, just my initial thoughts. It's most probably real. Couldn't imagine someone going through the trouble to counterfeit a Kato hunting knife with horn and all.


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## DeepCSweede (Jul 12, 2016)

Chris Reeves knives are copied and sold quite a bit - even with fake paperwork. It's kept me from pulling the trigger on what appears to be a good deal on more than one occasion. I have no working knowledge of Kato hunters so I have no opinion on this knife.


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## Mucho Bocho (Jul 12, 2016)

Theirs probably only one man that could answer this question definitively. But Kiyoshi might want to see it in person.

The Kanji on my two workhorse's (210/240) are very close in terms of depth, size and character formation.


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