Japanese web info list

[refcast]

Masahiro and Seki magoroku which is a brand under Kai contact out to makers across Japan, with various levels of price.

More uradashi or hammering theory

Small pock marks work for more control over the bending of the metal, as opposed to deeper chisel type marks. A deeper mark isn't necessary more effective than a lot of shallower marks. Carbide hammers are helpful to bend the hard steel in the front, to correct microbevels on the ura side of single bevel knives. Hammer where the microbevel would be on the other side, to move such that it just becomes part of a normal more planar ura. Check occasionally by sharpening the back. Very easy to chip... So light taps, and extremely light test taps to sense where to hit and not to hit..

When I tried to correct a microbevel by hammering the iron, it wasn't close enough to the microbevel to bend steel there -- it would just make the whole ura deeper, apexed where the hammer marks were made.

It is possible to bend steel without carbide, like with edge deformation.... Just less controlled

 

[refcast]

Addendum to hard steel

Some steels are chippy and have coarser grain or are very hard. They don't respond well to uradashi of hard steel and crack and chip lol

If steel chips easily or has a chipped tip... Yeah, it'll break

But most steel will bend

Also, just because it's a deba doesn't mean the steel will be softer or tougher . . .

 

[refcast]

https://note.stylestore.jp/detail/159100/

Japanese blacksmith forged iron frying pan

 

[simona]

Japanese Plane (Kanna) Competition - Mini Kezuroukai - Sanjo, Niigata, Japan - 15 Microns or Less​

Another film from this carpenter; some nice stones on show and some insight into carpenters ink pots.

 

[refcast]

Two knife maintenance things I thought of recently

Cardstock saya with the layers wood glued for strength and rigidity. Tight fit, easy to make compared to wood sayas.

Bending stick alternative: crescent automatic wrench in various sizes. Line jaw with something and you're good to go. My Sakai bending stick is 15 in long, so I guess the 15in would work

https://www.amazon.com/Crescent-C711H-11-Inch-Chrome-Plated-Adjustable/dp/B000KL1YQI?th=1&psc=1

@yummycrackers

 

[refcast]

https://www.suisin.co.jp/toku02/2010-05/index.htm

Masao vs yanagiba, slightly different shape but both yanagi

Masao is the left one, right is yanagiba. The masao is like a heavier, drop nose yanagiba.

 

[refcast]

31.5mm Jin yanagiba (not mine). The only normal shaped one I've ever seen

 

[refcast]

Also 315mm mioroshi deba jin with special YAMAGUCHI engraving (also not mine)

 

[refcast]

Honyaki yanagiba straightening with tagane by shotaro nomura, at 5:10

 

[Lurkernomore]

https://www.suisin.co.jp/toku02/2010-05/index.htm

Masao vs yanagiba, slightly different shape but both yanagi

Masao is the left one, right is yanagiba. The masao is like a heavier, drop nose yanagiba.

View attachment 320561

Masao is read Shōbu. It’s a Sakai thing, many yanagi you can buy from the old wholesalers are Shobu and it says so on the box as well.

 

[refcast]

Specially made toku sei
Toku Jo
Josaku
Hontanren
Custom made
Special steel
Specially selected
Honbadzuke

Stamps on the blade, or stickers, don't necessarily mean it's much better. . . Just some things I've read on blades. Even buffalo horn doesn't necessarily correlate with quality.

The best ones have been where it's just a nice chiseled engraving, or stamps with deep kurouchi. Good sharpening too. . .

@Lurkernomore
Yeah that's helpful, I've seen shobu translation before too, but just wrote whatever Google translate had. Still needing to memorize the kun and on readings of kanji, and kanji in general.

 

[refcast]

https://www.suisin.co.jp/Japanese/tokusyu/tokusyu.htm

It's maybe the third time I'm mentioning the suisin knife blog but it's pretty amazing

Here's a section where he wants to test forged vs unforged kitchen knives. There so much detail, haha

 

[refcast]

Tobacco knife

135mm x 122 tall
1.3mm thick
208g

Looks ni-mai. It's single bevel.

@BillHanna

Finally found a tobacco knife with handle attached. One of the historical things I've been interested in. Probably the thinnest single beve type knife I've seen from Japan

 

[JBroida]

https://www.suisin.co.jp/Japanese/tokusyu/tokusyu.htm

It's maybe the third time I'm mentioning the suisin knife blog but it's pretty amazing

Here's a section where he wants to test forged vs unforged kitchen knives. There so much detail, haha

View attachment 322723

tatsuya-san does a really great job with his blog and is a naturally curious person... unsung hero of the knife world for sure (and a super nice guy to boot)

 

[refcast]

Tsukiji aritsugu honbadzuke. They say the knife I'll look messier after it, but will be sharper. Anyhow, a common level of honbadzuke seen in Japan, which is way lower in "neatness" and "finish" than the polishes I see on the forum. It's streaky but looks like the high and low spots are evened out.

https://aritsugu.jp/よくあるご質問/

 

[Lurkernomore]

Many Japanese places use very hard finishers or stuff like naniwa super that don’t leave a kasumi finish. They also charge like 30 dollars, so you can’t really expect that much. The bevel will be flat and that’s it. Kasumi is for forum people basically, no pro gives a crap. Pretty much no one has natural stones and the king/naniwa red brick stones are the most used in the industry id say. Honestly most cooks can’t sharpen to save their lives in Japan. Same as everywhere.

 

[JBroida]

Tsukiji aritsugu honbadzuke. They say the knife I'll look messier after it, but will be sharper. Anyhow, a common level of honbadzuke seen in Japan, which is way lower in "neatness" and "finish" than the polishes I see on the forum. It's streaky but looks like the high and low spots are evened out.

https://aritsugu.jp/よくあるご質問/


View attachment 324946

yes.. this is honestly the norm... some of the guys make fun of me for the kind of effort we have to put into making things beautiful along with functional

 

[simona]

Tobacco knife

135mm x 122 tall
1.3mm thick
208g

Looks ni-mai. It's single bevel.

@BillHanna

Finally found a tobacco knife with handle attached. One of the historical things I've been interested in. Probably the thinnest single beve type knife I've seen from Japan


View attachment 324528View attachment 324529View attachment 324530View attachment 324531View attachment 324532View attachment 324533View attachment 324534View attachment 324535

They do not turn up very often - I have seen similar though very thick, perhaps leather knives?
Otherwise; https://www.jauce.com/auction/j1135508198