# Love your lamination? Show your line!



## Luftmensch (Apr 17, 2019)

Got a lamination you find interesting? Post it here....

I'll get the ball rolling. This is a section of a Masamoto Sohonten yanagiba restoration project I am crawling through


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## pd7077 (Apr 17, 2019)

Here are a pair of Hiromoto AS gyutos that I did for some friends. I’ve always thought that these knives had some of the wildest lamination lines. 





Here’s another Hiromoto AS that I used a different etchant on:





The newer Konosuke Fujiyama FT B#2 lamination line is pretty outrageous too. I haven’t done any work on this one; it’s the stock finish from Kono.





Kanechika/Keiichi stainless clad W#1 doesn’t have the craziest lamination line, but the carbon migration shows nicely and I was able to bring out some cool banding patterns in the cladding:





One of my watetsu clad AS kiridashi has a pretty cool wavy lamination line that came out great after hitting it with some Jnats


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## Luftmensch (Apr 18, 2019)

You got some polishing and photography skills there @pd7077.

Those Hiromotos do have wild lamination lines!


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## slickmamba (Apr 18, 2019)

ahh crap, never took a picture of my ikazuchi when I had a blue and purple patina on the core steel.


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## Luftmensch (Apr 18, 2019)

slickmamba said:


> ahh crap, never took a picture of my ikazuchi when I had a blue and purple patina on the core steel.



Thats ok! Patina comes and goes. There will be a 'next time'.


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## Luftmensch (Apr 18, 2019)

Just to clarify; I do not intent for this thread to compete with the patina thread or general knife porn.

I thought it might be fun to elevate the aesthetic of the lamination line. Images in that theme are encouraged!


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## inferno (Apr 18, 2019)

pd7077 said:


> Here are a pair of Hiromoto AS gyutos that I did for some friends. I’ve always thought that these knives had some of the wildest lamination lines.



GODDAMN!!


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## MattM82 (Sep 21, 2019)

Coming to the party a little late but I do love this shot!


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## M1k3 (Sep 22, 2019)

Ikazuchi 240mm Gyuto after some light thinning and use.


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## Alwayzbakin (Sep 23, 2019)

Yeah, I know there’s some patina involved too but I think 90% of the character comes from the cladding line


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## Corradobrit1 (Sep 23, 2019)

Impressed with this Comet. Hand forged from Trey's first in house billet. W2 core, 1095 cladding.


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## Carl Kotte (Sep 23, 2019)

There were too many good looking knives here. Had to make a contribution to even things out a bit.


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## stringer (Sep 24, 2019)

Watanabe with a nice healthy patina.


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## OnionSlicer (Sep 24, 2019)

Don't know if I'm more impressed by the knives or the photography skills in some of these!


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## OnionSlicer (Sep 24, 2019)

Here's my artsy contribution.


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## Xenif (Sep 24, 2019)

I really like my Munetoshi clad line


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## Carl Kotte (Sep 24, 2019)

Xenif said:


> I really like my Munetoshi clad lineView attachment 61719



And so do I! [emoji16]


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## Carl Kotte (Sep 24, 2019)

stringer said:


> Watanabe with a nice healthy patina.
> 
> View attachment 61707



Healthy indeed! [emoji16][emoji1303]


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## ian (Sep 24, 2019)

Xenif said:


> I really like my Munetoshi clad lineView attachment 61719



Omg... you know you’ve spent way too much time on KKF when you look at this picture and you know @Xenif posted it, not because you saw his name, but because you know what the view out his window looks like by now.


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## childermass (Sep 25, 2019)

Masakage Yuki right off the stones:



(unfortunately the details are lost a little compared to reality)


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## CiderBear (Sep 26, 2019)

Not mine, because I'm poor, but if I only cared for knives that look cool this would be my holy grail https://www.instagram.com/p/B2SFeMJAIIm/?igshid=gdmjdvtm4eq

@Xenif that's a really nice kasumi you got going. May I ask what you used?


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## SilverSwarfer (Sep 26, 2019)

CiderBear said:


> Not mine, because I'm poor, but if I only cared for knives that look cool this would be my holy grail https://www.instagram.com/p/B2SFeMJAIIm/?igshid=gdmjdvtm4eq
> 
> @Xenif that's a really nice kasumi you got going. May I ask what you used?


Oh my. That is stunning. Thanks for sharing!


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## alanhuth (Sep 26, 2019)

I would love to bring out the lamination in some of my knives, but I don't know how to do it. Is there a thread or website that shows the technique, including stones on the whole bevel, how to handle dips and potholes, etching, etc.?


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## Xenif (Sep 26, 2019)

CiderBear said:


> Not mine, because I'm poor, but if I only cared for knives that look cool this would be my holy grail https://www.instagram.com/p/B2SFeMJAIIm/?igshid=gdmjdvtm4eq
> 
> @Xenif that's a really nice kasumi you got going. May I ask what you used?


Damn I had to go back to my polishing notebook for this .... King 300, SP1k, SP2K, soft Aka-pin, med soft Aiiwatani Kitta, med Mizukihara kumori suita, Kouzaki aoto (yes i said aoto), and then 2kinds of uchigumori figerstones.


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## Xenif (Sep 26, 2019)

alanhuth said:


> I would love to bring out the lamination in some of my knives, but I don't know how to do it. Is there a thread or website that shows the technique, including stones on the whole bevel, how to handle dips and potholes, etching, etc.?


https://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/index.php?threads/41394/

A recent one that may help. Honstly it just take some patience and the understanding that if you dont like the way it looks you can always drop back and rework it until you do. However, I do recommend a wide bevel iron clad knife (aka easier to polish) thats not too expensive for a first time.


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## Luftmensch (Sep 27, 2019)

alanhuth said:


> I would love to bring out the lamination in some of my knives, but I don't know how to do it. Is there a thread or website that shows the technique, including stones on the whole bevel, how to handle dips and potholes, etching, etc.?



There are some insane skills in KKF. Checkout some of the work in:

https://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/threads/show-your-work-uchigumori-and-co.29820/

(For example - Nutmeg's work)



Xenif said:


> A recent one that may help. Honstly it just take some patience and the understanding that if you dont like the way it looks you can always drop back and rework it until you do. However, I do recommend a wide bevel iron clad knife (aka easier to polish) thats not too expensive for a first time.



Absolutely... patience is key.

And if you want to get deeper into it than you should... I suspect obsessive madness is a prerequisite as well. Getting all the scratches out - making the surfaces uniformly shaded... increasing the contrasts between steels... It seems sometimes you have to invoke the dark arts!


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## Luftmensch (Sep 27, 2019)

Alwayzbakin said:


> Yeah, I know there’s some patina involved too but I think 90% of the character comes from the cladding line



Lots of character there... it looks like there is banding in the core-steel in the last photo? If so... neat!


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## MattM82 (Sep 28, 2019)

A couple of Takefu steel San-Mai blades I did a while back. I make my own San-Mai now so I don’t use this stuff anymore but it certainly got my hooked on laminates!


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## Luftmensch (Sep 29, 2019)

MattM82 said:


> A couple of Takefu steel San-Mai blades I did a while back. I make my own San-Mai now so I don’t use this stuff anymore but it certainly got my hooked on laminates!



Extra props for the DIY!


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## mack (Sep 29, 2019)

Kamon 7 layer san mai:

















Mack.


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## Luftmensch (Sep 29, 2019)

mack said:


> Kamon 7 layer san mai



Thats quite distinctive!


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## 3200+++ (Sep 29, 2019)

Hello guys, these 2 are seeing heavy use, mousepad thinned a bit of both of em to remove a bit of clad and they see use everyday at work so a few thinings have been done. ill post better pics of the santoku i 've just redone. etching is made with hot white vinegar.


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## 3200+++ (Sep 29, 2019)

a Arthur Lapostat Knife that i repolished a bit and vinegar etched for a friend. i love the hamon on it.


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## hennyville (Oct 1, 2019)

"i love the hamon on it"
yeah, and thats the reason why this thread is called:
*Love your lamination? Show your line!*

*
Edit: This thread has been on topic for 30 posts, something of a record. Some nice looking blades here.*


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## 3200+++ (Oct 1, 2019)

hennyville said:


> "i love the hamon on it"
> yeah, and thats the reason why this thread is called:
> *Love your lamination? Show your line!*


oh you're right ill delete. have a nice day full of lamination lines 
edit i cant now ill try to ask a moderator.


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## Luftmensch (Oct 1, 2019)

hennyville said:


> "i love the hamon on it"
> yeah, and thats the reason why this thread is called:
> *Love your lamination? Show your line!*





A bit of poetic interpretation perhaps


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## suntravel (Oct 3, 2019)

Currently working on this, looks promising 

Böhler S290 SanMai.






Regards

Uwe


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## chefcomesback (Oct 3, 2019)

Just curious, is this thread for people showing their work or people sharing the images of the san mai knives they own ? Asking for a friend


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## suntravel (Oct 3, 2019)

Just a lamination show, does it matter who makes the knife?

Regards

Uwe


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## Luftmensch (Oct 3, 2019)

chefcomesback said:


> Just curious, is this thread for people showing their work or people sharing the images of the san mai knives they own ? Asking for a friend



Any of the above. If you find the lamination interesting... post a photo!


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## chefcomesback (Oct 3, 2019)

Kuro uchi iron clad 1.2442 
Second pic is iron clad blue 2 ,
My own san mai


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## Luftmensch (Oct 3, 2019)

chefcomesback said:


> My own san mai



Good for you! Love the grain/banding in the cladding of the first knife. Nice lamination on both!


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## MrHiggins (Oct 19, 2019)

Polished my Fujiyama 210 petty last night. Nice lamination line, I think.


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## HSC /// Knives (Oct 31, 2019)

a couple of recent ones


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## Michi (Nov 1, 2019)

suntravel said:


> Böhler S290 SanMai.


Stunning!


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## marc4pt0 (Nov 1, 2019)

Just saw this thread. 

Here's a couple:


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## marc4pt0 (Nov 3, 2019)

I seem to recall a thread here somewhere about makers that do their own lamination vs other makers who do not. However I’m having a difficult time finding it. Am I just imagining this thread or does it really exist and I just suck at searching for threads?


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## MrHiggins (Nov 3, 2019)

Wow, Mark. Love those TX. How is he as a maker to work with?


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## marc4pt0 (Nov 3, 2019)

MrHiggins said:


> Wow, Mark. Love those TX. How is he as a maker to work with?




One of the knives I won during his instagram give-away. Pretty freaking amazing That happened. The second one, with the stacked birch wood handle, was one that he had made to play around with. I saw it in the background on some of his ig pics and inquired. Managed to buy that one. I's also quite amazing.
Steffan, in my personal interactions, has been nothing shy of a kind, easy going gentleman. I'd certainly recommend him and his work any time.


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## Alwayzbakin (Aug 12, 2020)

So i know this thread has been quiet, lost in the back for a while 
And I know I’ve posted this same knife to this thread before,
But I haven’t seen enough pretty knife pictures lately and this had caught my eye so I’ll throw this up:


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## ma_sha1 (Aug 12, 2020)

Kurosaki AS Fujin comes with a pretty striking high contrast lamination line:


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## Matt Zilliox (Aug 12, 2020)

A couple i just polished


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## danemonji (Aug 12, 2020)

Tsukasa Hinoura.


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## ma_sha1 (Aug 12, 2020)

danemonji said:


> Tsukasa Hinoura.
> View attachment 90160



Amazing, never get tired of looking at the father Hinora’s master piece. And still can’t believe no one had cracked the code, not even the son.


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## parbaked (Aug 12, 2020)

Aogami 2 - Nickel - 1020 forged up by Jezz at Oblivion Blades


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## rocketman (Aug 12, 2020)

Here is one I recently finished. 125sc core, nickel , Argentina post tension cable exterior.
Magnolia handle.


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## Matt Jacobs (Aug 12, 2020)

MattM82 said:


> A couple of Takefu steel San-Mai blades I did a while back. I make my own San-Mai now so I don’t use this stuff anymore but it certainly got my hooked on laminates!


Wow!!!!


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## Kristoffer (Aug 12, 2020)

T-F Mab, when it was just back from Preizzo


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## ChefShramrock (Aug 12, 2020)

I love the lamination line on my 270 Kurosaki Fujin


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## Matt Zilliox (Aug 13, 2020)

Here's s pretty dramatic line...


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## DitmasPork (Aug 14, 2020)

Takada, Suiboku, blue1.


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## Repjapsteel (Aug 14, 2020)

Just discovered this thread and want to share as well. 
Halcyon Forge


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## Repjapsteel (Aug 14, 2020)

Takeda AS that revived a kasumi finish from the man himself, *********


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## Repjapsteel (Aug 14, 2020)

HSC III bunka


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## parbaked (Aug 14, 2020)

Hiromoto AS


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## plluke (Aug 17, 2020)

The first knife I was sure I would keep forever just for that line...


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## Luftmensch (Aug 17, 2020)

plluke said:


> The first knife I was sure I would keep forever just for that line...



wow... looks more like a patina!


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## plluke (Aug 17, 2020)

Luftmensch said:


> wow... looks more like a patina!


Just as amazing on the other side:


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## Jville (Aug 17, 2020)




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## Luftmensch (Aug 18, 2020)

plluke said:


> Just as amazing on the other side



There is quite a big difference in the amount of core steel exposed. No? Am I seeing it wrong? That must be quite an asymmetric grind?


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## plluke (Aug 18, 2020)

Luftmensch said:


> There is quite a big difference in the amount of core steel exposed. No? Am I seeing it wrong? That must be quite an asymmetric grind?


Yes, though I tend to like asymmetric amounts of cladding/core shown. Doesn’t always come from asymmetric grind though, as this FT looks fairly even on both side. I would guess that the san mai was just constructed that way but I don’t have a way to confirm.


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## Luftmensch (Aug 18, 2020)

plluke said:


> I would guess that the san mai was just constructed that way but I don’t have a way to confirm.



Could well be! The wall thickness on the left side (kanji) might be thinner.


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## doc (Sep 19, 2020)

Chef Knive San Mai with Juniper Handle from Martin Huber & Simon Krichbaum, Austria
www.messerschmied-huber.at/


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