Cold Steel Hamidashi possible fake

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I have long been looking for the Cold Steel hamidashi and shirasaya (the latter of which Cold Steel stylizes as Shira-Zaya). I just noticed one on eBay that looks like the hamidashi Cold Steel sold in the 90s, but it is called the Tohshoh. I won't link to it here as I'm not sure if it is against the rules, but it is easy enough to find. Can anyone tell me about this knife?

I thought it to be a fake knockoff of the Hamidashi but I really have no clue....


Thanks for any clarification
 
Never heard of it, but did find another similar eBay listing from 2018. I would be very suspicious...
 
You can post the pictures and eBay title and description of the ad.

However it's very possible to be a fake if it's on ebay.
 
s-l1600.jpg
s-l1600.jpg

Here are a couple pics from the ad. the first thing to throw me off is the lack of a hamon and the fact that it says stainless. those knives should be high carbon steel and have Hamon lines
 
I have one i picked up around 18 years ago here in Darwin Australia. Ordered in and it cost me $2400.00 Australian. I don't remember the japan stainless steel sticker. Everything else looks the same. Mine definitely has the hamon line.
 
Hamidashi (Small Guard Tanto)

After 3 years of earnest effort and innumerable setbacks, Cold Steel has been able to reproduce the most authentic Japanese-made Tanto since the second WorldWar! The blade steel is Shiro-2Goh which is the closest material to “Tomahagne” currently available. The time-honored heat treatment involves utilizing a special clay to cover part of the blade while heat is applied. This generates a hardened edge with a softer spine that makes the blade able to withstand hard blows. A by-product of this extravagant heat treatment is a distinctive irregular line near the edge of the blade called the “Hamon.”

Other components of this knife also use traditional materials and methods in their manufacture. Thes cabbard (finished in black lacquer) and hilt are constructed from Magnolia wood, and the Tsuba, Fuchi, and Kashira are all made from black iron. The hilt is covered in white Samé (rayskin) and tightly wrapped in black silk cord in the customary “cro ss-over” pattern. This is a truly beautiful and functional knife.
 
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Looks to be real, in reference to our 1998 catalog seen here:

https://sales.coldsteel.com/cs_images/1998catalog.pdf

Thanks very much for the reply. Good to hear someone from the source. :)

Hamidashi (Small Guard Tanto)

After 3 years of earnest effort and innumerable setbacks, Cold Steel has been able to reproduce the most authentic Japanese-made Tanto since the second WorldWar! The blade steel is Shiro-2Goh which is the closest material to “Tomahagne” currently available. The time-honored heat treatment involves utilizing a special clay to cover part of the blade while heat is applied. This generates a hardened edge with a softer spine that makes the blade able to withstand hard blows. A by-product of this extravagant heat treatment is a distinctive irregular line near the edge of the blade called the “Hamon.”

Other components of this knife also use traditional materials and methods in their manufacture. Thes cabbard (finished in black lacquer) and hilt are constructed from Magnolia wood, and the Tsuba, Fuchi, and Kashira are all made from black iron. The hilt is covered in white Samé (rayskin) and tightly wrapped in black silk cord in the customary “cro ss-over” pattern. This is a truly beautiful and functional knife.

While this all makes sense, and I've read these descriptions before, there is no Hamon line visible on the knife in the original post. While the stainless steel sticker may be on there by mistake, it seems more than likely that it is intentional. Which then wouldn't make sense as Shiro-2-Goh and Tamahagane are carbon steels, such as they should be on a traditional Japanese blade. Those are just my observations.

If I could ask you another question, was the word "Tohshoh" always written on the boxes? I have never seen that before nor have I heard it referred to by that name.

Thanks for your time, Cold Steel Knives Cold Steel Knives
 
I agree with Jencarlos in that the 1998 CS Catalog is quite clear as to Shirogami No.2 (White Paper #2 a well known carbon steel made by Hitachi Steel at it's Yasuki works) and contradicts the "Stainless Steel" in the OP's photo. And there is no Hamon in the photo either.
There is no mention of a model name "Toh Shou" ( 刀匠 meaning swordsmith) in the catalog, although I know CS has used that term on goodies like hats and things as I used to have one. At present my opinion is that the OP's photo is a fake.

Of course "Hamidashi" (食み出し)as a name is strange as well...lol. It means to "stick out" and the term refers to a "Hamidashi Tsuba" a guard/hilt smaller than the ones found on a Katana or Wakizashi.
 
I agree with Jencarlos in that the 1998 CS Catalog is quite clear as to Shirogami No.2 (White Paper #2 a well known carbon steel made by Hitachi Steel at it's Yasuki works) and contradicts the "Stainless Steel" in the OP's photo. And there is no Hamon in the photo either.
There is no mention of a model name "Toh Shou" ( 刀匠 meaning swordsmith) in the catalog, although I know CS has used that term on goodies like hats and things as I used to have one. At present my opinion is that the OP's photo is a fake.

Of course "Hamidashi" (食み出し)as a name is strange as well...lol. It means to "stick out" and the term refers to a "Hamidashi Tsuba" a guard/hilt smaller than the ones found on a Katana or Wakizashi.

On those hats and other things that you used to have, was it "Tohshoh" or "Toh Shou" as you have it spelled? I know Cold Steel has a lot of proprietary ways of naming things (such as "Shira-Zaya" for shirasaya, lol) so I was just wondering.
 
I seem to remember the Cold Steel hat (or possibly shirt..it was years ago) they sent me only had Tohshoh in that same Kanji. With no English version. So I guess most folks wouldn't know what it said, but might just appreciate that it looked "cool". lol
 
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