Photos 3 VERY STRANGE SANTOKUS

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Feb 26, 2023
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428
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They made a nice paper face.
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Erm I`m an Etsy member and they know I love sharpies so they sent me a strange santoku selection suggestion.
It is a set of three Japanese handmade artisan santoku`s and they are quite unusual ; I`ve never seen anything quite like them before.
No idea about the blacksmith but I could ask the seller I suppose.
They range from the smallest 6 1/2 inch to a middle 8 inch one and the big Daddy one has a ten inch blade which is off the map huge - more like big long bunka.
The steel is Japanese SKD11 which is a type of D2 and they are nicely finished with a lovely green resin Western style handle on each ( I prefer traditional Japanese Wa oval or octagonal ones ) - having lived in The East for ages.They are hardened to HRC 62.
They are like a mad fusion of Asian shaped knives but with the heft of traditional German knives.
They are all big, chunky and heavy - the 6.5 inch one weighs just over 300 grams, the 8 inch one is just over 400 grams and the ten inch one is an unbelievable 500 grams which is mental.
Hardly any need to chop normally with these - they are so heavy that they go right through a tomato or medium carrot just by resting the blade on top of `em; like my medium heavy caidao`s.
All three of the blades are an 1/8th of an inch thick which is mad for supposed santoku`s haha !
These are all whoppers going from 13 inches to a 14 inch to the biggest one at sixteen inches.
They make all my other normal santoku`s look like toothpicks.
The blades are all very wide as well - more than two and a half inches.
How do they perform ? not bad actually ; above average sharpness out of the box and after a quick dance on the diamonds they are shaving sharp.
I am used to big heavy knives with varying balance points so they don`t faze me - price was very reasonable considering the quality.
Personally I like them - they`re striking and unique.
I love green so much I`m getting the whole downstairs astroturfed - that`ll cheer me up - sure beats prozac haha !
My Gf likes the look of them but they`re a bit too heavy for her and she prefers full stainless to a semi formulation - these are definitely not girly knives - good job I`m a caveman.
Now where to store them ? - I`ve got nowhere where they`ll fit - but I simply had to scoop `em up `cos I have a sharpie addiction.
 
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One or two each ? toss for it Aardvark - you two like wacky knives like me - not normal ones - they`re boring aren`t they guys ?
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Like this crazy thing.
Shame that set was a one-off crazy creation.
If you don`t mind different handle colours and knife shapes I could send you both the Etsy link to order them guys.
https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/TokyoBlade?ref=view_receipt
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These are nice and unusual.
I might get some more - the ones above are less than $100 - there is loads more than this - I just need a bigger kitchen cupboard lol
 
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That top knife looks like a cross between a Serbian chef's knife and a Chinese/Japanese noodle cutting knife with the long heel extending under the handle so direct downward pressure can be applied to it.
 
That top knife looks like a cross between a Serbian chef's knife and a Chinese/Japanese noodle cutting knife with the long heel extending under the handle so direct downward pressure can be applied to it.
The top knife is a Chinese cheapie - soft steel naturally but takes a decent edge.
 
"...I could send you both the Etsy link to order them guys."
I will give you $7.50 (U.S.) to NOT send me the link. I have this wife...
 
Oh I TOTALLY get you Aarkvark - my heartfelt apologies kind Sir.
My lady has her knives and I have mine - I can use hers but she can`t use mine - too big, heavy for her, are single or asymmetric bevel that steers , she can`t sharpen `em - they go rusty, - ( not if I use them ) are too brittle / fragile etc.
She will only use full stainless 50/50 grinds.
The majority of my knives are monosteels ( a couple with differential hardening ) - I prefer them to clad and damascus ones.
I love old-fashioned white and blue carbons in the three quality grades because I grew up with them and forged them in China.
If a really experienced old Asian blacksmith only has mid grade yellow steel he can produce a fabulous budget knife if his HT / anneal / temper is spot-on.
I am not that into PM`s because they take too long to sharpen at work.
I`m so old-fashioned I even have carbon razor blades that go rusty if damp - love Treet blacks.
 
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The other knives on the ETSY TOKYO BLADE site look great as well - everything well under $100 - bargain - like these 512 layer damascus ones.
They come with a lined dovetailed wooden box and the brass hasp is screwed to the wood - lovely.
 
Haha Chefget - Tell me that the knives are a blag - they`re sort of When It`s Gone It`s Gone - end of line stuff but I don`t mind - the quality looks well above average and they`ll do me.
I don`t really care if they`re Chinese, Pakistani or Turkish tool steel - I`ve bought `em now and they`re not going back; no need.
 
Pakistan.
Long ricasso, artificial handle, pattern-welded steel w/no sandwiched "cutting" steel, hollow ground and secondary bevel.
All trademarks of Pakistan metalshop production.
 
Yep deffo CWL - knew the score - modus operandi decades ago - before the internet lol.
 
Weird profile, low blade grinds, wavy blade grinds, thick spine, claiming D2 for everything.... yeah, low quality blades. I thought paki stuff at first when I saw the Damascus.

Damascus/pattern welded steel doesn't necessarily need a core of hardened steel, providing the steels used in the damascus are all hardenable. 1085/15N20 both harden beautifully and don't need a core steel to work well!

But yeah, I would stay away from anything from this shop.
 
I`m not jumping to conclusions and making assumptions without concrete proof but I see your point Taz.
It was just a one-off impulse buy and I`m well aware that if something is too good to be true; it`s usually fake or definitely dodgy in some way or other.
The exception is end of line one-offs and when it`s gone - it`s gone stuff but you still have to maintain vigilance and ask the right questions.
They`ll do me though; I like the look and heft of them and I can tell that the steel is low sixties by the feel, sound and experience of sharpening all tool types for 50 years.; they were bought for a song so I am not concerned in the slightest about any aspect of their construction.
 
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The thing with Etsy Chefget is they don`t properly vet the vendors - it ranges from total scam merchants to genuine artisans that care about reputation, repeat custom and customer satisfaction.
It`s the Wild West and it`s the same on Amazon, Ebay, Onbuy, Alibaba and Aliexpress - buyer beware - always be vigilant.
I find word of mouth recommendation is brilliant especially if you know body language and reverse psychology and have a lot of experience with various languages in many Countries - I had no choice, I was an International sales rep.
If you do amateur dramatics and are a serious gambler like me (in China), that gives one a much more prescient insight that reduces the transaction risks significantly.
I`ve also had 2 companies at age 21 that didn`t ever go bankrupt and more than broke even in the first year.
If the seller communication is regular, instantaneous, informative and comprehensive that is a good sign.
In my experience the local and international low-volume artisanal bladesmiths show a shop with nothing to buy immediately and 1-2+ month lead times but quality is worth waiting for.
To make a handmade double-knotted kilim Turkish rug/carpet can take 2 years just to weave for example.
The bigger full room carpets can take 5-7 years to make.
I am waiting for a handmade Sheffield full tang/brass riveted 6" utility in O1 steel with forced patina and Yorkshire oak handle from Michael May and he kindly informed me of the knife order dispatch window after 6 weeks and he has a stirling reputation with Worldwide recognition.
 
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