Just found a very nice looking...

[Mrleft8]

Japanese carving knife.... I'll take pictures and see if anyone can identify it for me...

[Mrleft8]

Looks like someone broke the tip off at some point, and reground it...
Waiting for the camera battery to charge up...

[goodbasil]

This is so exciting, waiting for a battery to charge.

[Paul Pless]

no ****, the suspense is killing me

[Mrleft8]

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[Mrleft8]

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[Paul Pless]

Japanese carving knife....

Is it for carving radishes?

[Steve McMahon]

Can you translate the writing on the blade?

[Paul Pless]

Can you translate the writing on the blade?

Good question!!!

[Mrleft8]

It's about 15" OA. No idea what the handle wood is yet, but the sheath looks like Brazilian Rosewood to me.... Maybe East Indian Rosewood.

[David G]

That dang thing is no good. Someone forgot to bevel the other edge.

You know the drill. Send it along... with my regular fee... and I'll dispose of it for ya. Sheeesh... I don't know why I keep bailing you out of these predicaments

[Steve McMahon]

Being that it is a right handed knife it will clearly be of no use to you. I suggest you send it to someone on the Right Coast, as far East as possible. I will PM you my address.

[SaltyD from BC]

hit it with the belt sander should clean up nice

[seanz]

hit it with the belt sander should clean up nice

Nah, this needs finesse......bench-grinder.

[Old Dryfoot]

No cool etched on hamon? That's what makes a good Japanese blade ya know...

[ChaseKenyon]

Sheath and knife were two different makers and not made at the same time. The knife is relatively crude in it's finish and the sheath is not. Two majorly different levels of craftsmanship. as to the blade it is not
+top level even with the writing. It appears to me to be a local ok but semi disposable knife maker. possible from one of the rarely visited out lying in the boonies villages. I say this because for over 600 years any knife maker of any renown even local would have at least hardened the cutting edge and most Japanese chef's knifes are folded steel and are hardened on the edge to Rockwell 63 or higher. THis blade shows no signs of threat level of skill in its manufacture.

just my two rupees worth.

[goodbasil]

That aren't a carving knife, it's a kitchen knife.
Handle is probably Japanese red oak.

I's gots one. Just under 11" overall. Sharpy part 6.25". Back is really thick.

Writing on mine is in Japanese too but it's on the starboard, (bevelled) side of the blade.
Translated it reads: "Don't press down when fingers are under sharp edge."

[ChaseKenyon]

Sheath and knife were two different makers and not made at the same time. The knife is relatively crude in it's finish and the sheath is not. Two majorly different levels of craftsmanship. as to the blade it is not
+top level even with the writing. It appears to me to be a local ok but semi disposable knife maker. possible from one of the rarely visited out lying in the boonies villages. I say this because for over 600 years any knife maker of any renown even local would have at least hardened the cutting edge and most Japanese chef's knifes are folded steel and are hardened on the edge to Rockwell 63 or higher. THis blade shows no signs of threat level of skill in its manufacture.

just my two rupees worth.

Just went up to mega magnification. On the top upper left the three hash marks that farthest left is interesting.

The lower side of the triangular hash mark has easily noticeable wavering from straight. Examine it carefully if it was cut or engraved as a maker with self pride would do (even modern 30$ knifes of this type are cut or engraved.) the cutting action towards the point would leave a straight line on the bottom of that "cut" the waver can not be made if cut or engraved by hand. The only way you can get that kind of a waver is if it is stamped using a well worn past it's time stamp. So It was a knife in the Japanese style . I probably was not made in Japan as they have strict rules about wood metal and all kinds of well paid craftsmanship.It was made to look like a Japanese knife adn stamped to look like a Japanese knife. Cutting and caving and engraving you mark is a required act of honor in Japan. You do your best all the time every time so you finish with hand carving, or engraving your mark on the item you have created.

[goodbasil]

Scroll down here.
http://www.japanesechefsknife.com/In...BladeType.html
Looks like a Deba to me.

[ChaseKenyon]

I have an extensive collection of kitchen knives Italian fish boning knife to my cherished eclectic set of Japanese and other Asian knives. I have carving and meat knives from my grandfather's store. All of them are kept in top tune and are razor sharp. a clean cut from a razor sharp knife will heal in a few days. oNE FROM THE AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD WIll LEAVE A JAGGED CUT (IF YOU LOOK AT IT UNDEr SERIOUS MAGNIFICATION) will take more than a week and even longer if it gets infected like many of them do.

[goodbasil]

Handle may be magnolia.
http://santoku-office.com/index.php?Santoku

I'd say that the sheath was made by the owner who probably needed it because he went camping with it or some such thing.

[Peerie Maa]

This is a Deba, it has not been reshaped. This image indicates where the carbon steel cutting edge materiel has been forge welded to the softer back.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deba_bocho

[Mrleft8]

The handle is definitely not Japanese Red Oak. Magnolia...... Maybe. I was thinking Paulownia, or Willow, but Magnolia might be it.... I think it's hand hammered, but the years of neglect are going to be time consuming to peel away.

[Paul Pless]

I have an extensive collection of kitchen knives. . .

S/A rules. . .

[Peerie Maa]

The handle is definitely not Japanese Red Oak. Magnolia...... Maybe. I was thinking Paulownia, or Willow, but Magnolia might be it.... I think it's hand hammered, but the years of neglect are going to be time consuming to peel away.

Magnolia is a common wood for knife handles, set with a horn ferrule. The blade looks as though it is hollow backed, will make honing easier if so. Have you scrubbed it up yet lefty? I'm thinking wire wool, then onto the wetstone to sharpen. It does not look too neglected, that patina is typical for a carbon steel blade, unless your camera lies.

[Mrleft8]

I haven't touched it in a day. I did take some steel wool to it to knock the worst of the rust off. If I get a chance I'll slap it on the belt sander later on today...
I think a few water stones should get the edge serviceable in short order if I can find a few minutes to spare....
I would like to know what it says.... Besides Chas. Bartlett, who on the forum can read Japanese? He seems to have disappeared.

[Peerie Maa]

I would like to know what it says.... Besides Chas. Bartlett, who on the forum can read Japanese? He seems to have disappeared.

I started searching through this lot, (scroll down the page) till I got bored. You can go for it http://home.earthlink.net/~steinrl/kanji/kanji1.htm

[Canoeyawl]

I have two of that type knife. One like yours shown, kind of wide and another longer and more slender. Both rather heavy (that is good), with an interesting balance nothing like a western kitchen knife. They are for slicing raw fish, and slicing vegatables. You can slice a piece of fish or a cucumber, thin enough to see through.
Most excellent, very hard (and brittle) steel at the edge. Usually laminated, I think the detail image shown shows a softer (probably wrought iron) tang welded onto the blade
To clean it and prepare it for sharpening the procedure (that comes translated in the box) is to use a paste of Bon-Ami or similar and polish the entire blade with that. Then the standard sharpening with a series of water stones. Finish with a liberal wipe of Camelia oil. Belt sander not so good. Some of these knives can have extremely high value.
( I know you can do this...)

And then hide it, it won't do well in a kitchen drawer, and it will be sharp enough to slice of the end of your finger without a show of blood for several seconds.

Video here. Pay particular attention to the cucumber.

[Syed]

I have got one like this ...


... and I like it.

[Mrleft8]

I think I'll take it to a Japanese restaurant and see if someone there can tell me what it says... I can't find those characters on the chart, but for all I know I'm looking at it upside down, or sideways.
I'll take a little time this weekend to clean it up a little if I have the chance.

[Canoez]

What will you be "Ginsu-ing" at the EBS with that?

[Mrleft8]

What will you be "Ginsu-ing" at the EBS with that?

I'll leave that up to Steven Bauer.... Hope he makes pot stickers again!

[Peerie Maa]

I think I'll take it to a Japanese restaurant and see if someone there can tell me what it says... I can't find those characters on the chart, but for all I know I'm looking at it upside down, or sideways.
I'll take a little time this weekend to clean it up a little if I have the chance.

I think that reading from the tip to the handle, the top/first character was sugi, then I gave up.

[Mrleft8]

Ah.... I was reading from handle to tip, and right to left.... No wonder I couldn't find anything...

[Mrleft8]

As you can see, it still needs some work, but those knicks will come out over the course of the next dozen honings or so. The area that was ground down to get past the 1/4" or so that was broken off the tip still has some scratches too, and the point is still a hair out of fair, but it'll get there. It takes a nice mirror polish fairly easily.
[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[IMG][/IMG]

[Peerie Maa]

Was I right that the flat side is hollow ground?
If so and the tip was lost then reshaped, would the hollow not run off one edge giving the effect of a twisted or bent tip?

[Mrleft8]

Was I right that the flat side is hollow ground?
If so and the tip was lost then reshaped, would the hollow not run off one edge giving the effect of a twisted or bent tip?

It is hollow ground, but the break was entirely on the flattened part. Much like a hollow ground Japanese chisel, as you hone the back, the hollow diminishes in size.

[Peerie Maa]

Who ever reshaped it did well, and took a lot of metal off to blend the curves back in. Well worth it though, as I think that it is a quality deba, much better than you can buy without taking out a mortgage these days.

[StevenBauer]

I wish I'd seen this thread before Sunday when I walked in on Lefty in his shop polishing that little beauty. The sheath was made by his godparents, Joyce and Edgar Anderson. The knife was given to Lefty's parents 50 or 60 years ago.


http://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/in...anderson-13240

http://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/in...anderson-12981

http://books.google.com/books?id=yfeCQ_MpE7cC&pg=PA11&lpg=PA11&dq=joyce+an d+edgar+anderson&source=bl&ots=5CFLqvWown&sig=DiD2 dvKaMzy_H7zG0GeSV72Rjeo&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Ba97T9zwNeHY 0QHV3OWIBg&ved=0CFcQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=joyce and edgar anderson&f=false

[Vince Brennan]

Lefty, I'm REALLY starting to hate you.

First you score Carter and now this.....

TANJ

[Mrleft8]

Who ever reshaped it did well, and took a lot of metal off to blend the curves back in. Well worth it though, as I think that it is a quality deba, much better than you can buy without taking out a mortgage these days.

I wish I'd seen this thread before Sunday when I walked in on Lefty in his shop polishing that little beauty. The sheath was made by his godparents, Joyce and Edgar Anderson. The knife was given to Lefty's parents 50 or 60 years ago.


http://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/in...anderson-13240

http://www.aaa.si.edu/collections/in...anderson-12981

http://books.google.com/books?id=yfeCQ_MpE7cC&pg=PA11&lpg=PA11&dq=joyce+an d+edgar+anderson&source=bl&ots=5CFLqvWown&sig=DiD2 dvKaMzy_H7zG0GeSV72Rjeo&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Ba97T9zwNeHY 0QHV3OWIBg&ved=0CFcQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=joyce and edgar anderson&f=false

Ah..... Yes...... Well..... Thanks to Steven for letting the cat out of the bag before the jig was up!
Indeed the knife that I found, I found in my parent's house last year while cleaning up the mess left behind by the renters. I remember the knife from my childhood, when I was absolutely forbidden to touch it. It was hidden away from sight and use mostly because my mother didn't like to use it. I did find it of course, as all things hidden from young boys will be. And indeed it was I who broke the tip off by playing Bruce Lee one day.... And it was I who cleverly hid the knife after that episode so the violation would not be discovered. When the damage was finally discovered years later, I did admit to the transgression, but instead of being praised for my belated honesty, like George Washington was for his incident with the Cherry tree, I was forbidden to even look at the knife thenceforth.
I offered the knife to my sister, knowing that it was bad juju for me to touch, but she declined. So after a year of letting it acclimate to the rarified air up here in North Guilford, I took it out to the shop, and reground the tip, and gave it a quick touch up..... I'm not quite satisfied with the reshaping of the tip, but it will evolve slowly. I'm going to try to not do anything more to insult the soul of that tool..... It might bite.
I took very little metal off in reshaping the tip actually, trying to maintain the flow of the edge without getting into the hollow.
I have sent a picture to a Japanese friend to translate for me. So we'll see if it says the equivalent of "MADE IN TAIWAN" or "SEARS BEST" or if it says "MADE BY MASTER SWORDSMITH YUGI YASUI"

[Mrleft8]

Apparently the knife says something along the lines of "Sugimoto Hamono" (Which is a knife manufacturer) then "Special________" The second word is too smudged for him to read, but he thinks it might be something like "Special order, or special edition", then "Tokyo____" But once again, it's too smudged to read....

[Canoez]

This company? (http://www.sugimoto-hamono.com/e/type/deba.html)

[Mrleft8]

Yup

[Ron Williamson]

It'd be more fun if it said something like,"Cheap crap,silly white fella."
R

[Mrleft8]

Considering that the guy who did the translating is a 6'4" blond guy who looks more Danish than Asian, but has the last name Tanabe, and lives in the northern Japan province where the Tsunami hit last year...... I could be being taken for a ride...

[SaltyD from BC]

Nice work boss, and cool story. Next time you get the urge to play Bruce Lee use throwing knives and not that darlin. I broke a beautiful Swedish hunting knife that was my grampas doing the same thing when I was a kid

[Meli]

I haven't touched it in a day. I did take some steel wool to it to knock the worst of the rust off. If I get a chance I'll slap it on the belt sander later on today...
I think a few water stones should get the edge serviceable in short order if I can find a few minutes to spare....
I would like to know what it says.... Besides Chas. Bartlett, who on the forum can read Japanese? He seems to have disappeared.

My daughter might be able to read it, I'll ask when she gets up

opps missed last couple of posts.