# Mark’s Little Collection



## Markcg

Thought I’d start posting some of my knives here. Thanks KKF for throwing me headfirst down the rabbit hole, and to all the members who’ve been so generous with their time and advice- you guys are seriously awesome!

I’ll start with my three amigos, a trio of Kato 240 KU Gyutos. Left and right are the standard B2s (right has the kao kanji, originally from Morihei). Middle was bought used, with the handle replaced. Profile is less tall and longer than the newer B2s, and was originally purchased from Kikuhide Ginza as a white steel. Haven’t used the BNIB ones, but love how the middle cuts. I prefer beefier profiles on my gyuto


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## Markcg

My first Mazaki piece, a 300mm Blue#1 Damascus clad Yanagiba.


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## Markcg

Here’s a pic of my daily drivers for non-fish meals. Mizuno Suminagashi 240mm blue#1 and a Jiro 150mm petty.


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## chefwp

Markcg said:


> Here’s a pic of my daily drivers for non-fish meals. Mizuno Suminagashi 240mm blue#1 and a Jiro 150mm petty.


That is a cool looking handle on the Jiro.


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## 9fingeredknife

Glad the jiro is getting good use!


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## Markcg

chefwp said:


> That is a cool looking handle on the Jiro.


It’s stock, but yeah they they do good work


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## Markcg

9fingeredknife said:


> Glad the jiro is getting good use!


Thank you again


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## Markcg

So tempting to break this one in. Kato 330mm Kasumi Yanagiba.


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## Joao lourenco

Markcg said:


> So tempting to break this one in. Kato 330mm Kasumi Yanagiba.
> 
> View attachment 117831



Wow!!!from Maksim?300mm or actually 330mm?


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## Checkpure

Markcg said:


> So tempting to break this one in. Kato 330mm Kasumi Yanagiba.
> 
> View attachment 117831


No way I would be able to resist using that. Not a chance.


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## Markcg

Joao lourenco said:


> Wow!!!from Maksim?300mm or actually 330mm?



Yep, from Maksim. Got lucky and the 330 popped up!


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## Joao lourenco

Markcg said:


> Yep, from Maksim. Got lucky and the 330 popped up!



Lucky you!!!330 is quite rare!!!!


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## Markcg

This Shigefusa Kitaeji 270 Fuguhiki has such a delicate blade. My only Kitaeji but hope to add more some day.


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## Markcg

Thought I’d follow the trend with a 3 amigos post! I’ll post more photos later- just sent the honyaki off for a custom handle. 

315 Tamahagane Honyaki Yanagiba 
365 Watetsu Clad Tamahagane Takohiki Sakimaru
330 Blue2 Kasumi Yanagiba

Ps: anyone want to sell me a dammy/kikuryu single bevel?


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## Joao lourenco

Markcg said:


> Thought I’d follow the trend with a 3 amigos post! I’ll post more photos later- just sent the honyaki off for a custom handle.
> 
> 315 Tamahagane Honyaki Yanagiba
> 365 Watetsu Clad Tamahagane Takohiki Sakimaru
> 330 Blue2 Kasumi Yanagiba
> 
> Ps: anyone want to sell me a dammy/kikuryu single bevel?
> 
> 
> View attachment 119586



Wowwwww
Holy trinity!!!!


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## Markcg

Some recent additions! From left to right, an Anryu 170mm bunka in AS, Jiro gyuto 240mm (#43) and nakiri 180mm (#148), and a Konosuke Fujiyama FM gyuto 210mm in white#1.


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## Matt Zilliox

Love the jiro nakiri! Nice collection!


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## Markcg

My Jiro nakiri with his smaller siblings. 150mm Kato and 165mm Shigefusa.


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## waxy

That Kato Nakiri is such a cutie, beautiful profile!


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## Mrchainsaw

Joao lourenco said:


> Wowwwww
> Holy trinity!!!!



so I’m new to this and want to know what makes these three special? The maker? Steel? Why refer to as the holy trinity?


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## Markcg

Mrchainsaw said:


> so I’m new to this and want to know what makes these three special? The maker? Steel? Why refer to as the holy trinity?



The two on the left are definitely special, and the one in the right is less rare. The tamahagane and watetsu Kato Kiyoshi uses is from his family’s collection, some of which is generations old, making the two on the left special in terms of material and rarity. The one on the right is his standard blue steel Yanagiba at a rarer length. Lots of information on Kato on the forums, and his process is his highly regarded, whether you agree with the current pricing or not. If I could find a Damascus or kikuryu single bevel, it would truly be the holy trinity.


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## Mrchainsaw

So the knives in the left are generations old? I’m sorry for my ignorance. I don’t know anything about Japanese knife makers. It’s amazing to me people instant recognize a steel or maker etc. it’s all Greek to me.


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## Corradobrit1

Mrchainsaw said:


> So the knives in the left are generations old? I’m sorry for my ignorance. I don’t know anything about Japanese knife makers. It’s amazing to me people instant recognize a steel or maker etc. it’s all Greek to me.


No the core steel and Watetsu iron is ancestral stock, stated to be 100 years old. The knives themselves are recent manufacture.


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## Mrchainsaw

Corradobrit1 said:


> No the core and Watetsu steel is ancestral stock, stated to be 100 years old. The knives themselves are recent manufacture.


Thanks for the clarification. Cool. I like the history


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## Markcg

Mrchainsaw said:


> So the knives in the left are generations old? I’m sorry for my ignorance. I don’t know anything about Japanese knife makers. It’s amazing to me people instant recognize a steel or maker etc. it’s all Greek to me.



The steel and iron used to make the knives on the left are old, smelted from a tarara (traditional Japanese furnace) where iron sand is combined into tamahagane and watetsu. This is how steel and iron is and has been produced for the forging of Japanese swords. Kato is a licensed sword smith, as was his father, and the steel from his family’s collection, one would hope, reflects this. Many outfits claim sword smith lineage, but most are generations removed from actual production. Family records in Japan are very well kept, so being the 7th generation of so and so isn’t as meaningful as it might be in other contexts.

So through the steel and iron were smelted a long time ago, the knives are new. Kato engraves the forge dates on the tangs of his single bevels, and the honyaki on the left was forged just two months ago (as was the knife on the right). The sakimaru in the middle is from a few years ago.


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## Markcg

Just got these Mazaki 240mm hon-sanmai gyutos from K&S the other day. One blue2 and the other white2. These were advertised as forge welded, and have the extra kanji.


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## Markcg

Updated family photo of my JNats.

From top left counter clockwise: 
Ohira shiro suita
Ohira kiiro sunashi suita
Nakayama karasu suita
Shoubudani sunashi suita
Natsuya
Blue aoto
Aizu
Uchigomori
Ozuku
Ohira tomae
Shoubudani

My faves right now are the sunashi suitas- so forgiving to my amateur polishing skills.


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## Markcg

Some Ashi Honyaki Western standards. 120, 210, 240 and 270.


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## Runner_up

Geeze this thread is just full of win @Markcg


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## phoka

Wow, stunning collection!


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## Markcg

Runner_up said:


> Geeze this thread is just full of win @Markcg






phoka said:


> Wow, stunning collection!



Thanks guys!


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## AT5760

Definitely some real gems. The jiro nakiri and 270 Ashi are especially sweet!


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## Markcg

AT5760 said:


> Definitely some real gems. The jiro nakiri and 270 Ashi are especially sweet!



Thank you! Will upload more stuff when I can.


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## julestools

This is LUSH with gems a stunning collection!


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## mk4pi

Markcg said:


> Some Ashi Honyaki Western standards. 120, 210, 240 and 270.
> 
> View attachment 131710
> View attachment 131711


this is the most beautiful pattern I've ever seen! What a collection you have there.


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## Markcg

Thanks for the kind words everyone! Some other pieces I’ve gotten over the last few months.

240 Denka


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## Markcg

One of my dream knives checked off the list. 270mm Ashi Honyaki stag


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## andrewsa

Markcg said:


> Thanks for the kind words everyone! Some other pieces I’ve gotten over the last few months.
> 
> 240 Denka
> 
> View attachment 131955
> View attachment 131956
> View attachment 131958
> View attachment 131957
> View attachment 131959



What's going on with that yellow stuff ahead of the kanji? Thanks for sharing btw.


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## Markcg

andrewsa said:


> What's going on with that yellow stuff ahead of the kanji? Thanks for sharing btw.



It's gold on the fuller. I wrote about the knives in detail on this thread.






My Application to the TF Fan Club


So two weeks ago, I finally had the chance to visit TF’s workshop in Tokyo. I’d like to thank @Corradobrit1 for the recommendation- he was adamant it was must visit for anyone living in the area. I now pass this imperative on to anyone visiting Japan: visit TF! The workshop/store is in a...




www.kitchenknifeforums.com


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## Markcg

330mm Ashi Honyaki K-tip Yanagiba. A lucky find


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## Markcg

165mm Tamahagane (watetsu clad) Unryumon style Santoku by Tsukasa Hinoura.


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## mise_en_place

Markcg said:


> 330mm Ashi Honyaki K-tip Yanagiba. A lucky find



I didn't realize there was such a thing as damascus honyaki. You have some crazy knives, my friend.


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## Markcg

mise_en_place said:


> I didn't realize there was such a thing as damascus honyaki. You have some crazy knives, my friend.



Thank you sir, loving the alloy banding on the ktip. Might be my best example yet~


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