I think i need to adjust the handle some more CPM 154 sharpest knife ive sharpened yet 2 minor cuts just by touching the blade. I took a very soft tommato thinking it will just sqwish but i sliced the tomatoe into 20 slices like paper thin without a drop of juice sqwishing out. IM very impressed rockwell 60 and the handle is a ebony fore gaurd with ribbon maple handle the handle feels very nice but looks auqward . Im not sure what i should do ??? Take off some of the top and resand lightly i guess any suggestions.?? This is a gift for my sister. She has taken many cooking classes but is a R/N .
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First santoku
- Thread starter hellgap
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Definitely need to drop the top of that handle where it meets the ricasso. Looks way out of balance right now. Kind of looks like you took a handle from a big knife and stuck a little blade in it. 
From what I can tell, the blade looks pretty good.
In the future, you may want to file a shoulder into the end of the ricasso for the guard or handle to rest against and then you can narrow the tang from there. It will make for a more secure fit-up.
Keep 'em coming!
--nathan
From what I can tell, the blade looks pretty good.
In the future, you may want to file a shoulder into the end of the ricasso for the guard or handle to rest against and then you can narrow the tang from there. It will make for a more secure fit-up.
Keep 'em coming!
--nathan
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith
ilmarinen - MODERATOR
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Kelly,
The basic blade is fine. The tang and handle are a mess. The tang should be a full tang, a half ta, or a hidden tang ( stub tang). The length is way too short for a hidden tang, and definitely too fat ( and with the hole drilled, there is no way to cut it down). At this point you can only make it a half tang ( like half of a full tang). You will have to make a new handle to come down even with the tang top and bottom. Just cut a slot in it as deep as the tang, and drill the pin hole. Go on line and look at some santoku knives and you will get a better feel for how the handle flows into the blade. Yours will have to be a bit different, but should be OK with some modifications. This is where drawing the whole project out on paper before making it in steel helps.
Keep working at it, but take your time.
Stacy
The basic blade is fine. The tang and handle are a mess. The tang should be a full tang, a half ta, or a hidden tang ( stub tang). The length is way too short for a hidden tang, and definitely too fat ( and with the hole drilled, there is no way to cut it down). At this point you can only make it a half tang ( like half of a full tang). You will have to make a new handle to come down even with the tang top and bottom. Just cut a slot in it as deep as the tang, and drill the pin hole. Go on line and look at some santoku knives and you will get a better feel for how the handle flows into the blade. Yours will have to be a bit different, but should be OK with some modifications. This is where drawing the whole project out on paper before making it in steel helps.
Keep working at it, but take your time.
Stacy
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2002
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- 1,577
It's hard to tell from the pics, but it looks like you have some room left to trim the handle down. I agree with the feedback above that it looks large in proportion to the blade. I assume the tang is hard now so you can't do much to it at this point?
I've been thinking about trying some kind of kitchen knife, this style might be the right one to start with.
I've been thinking about trying some kind of kitchen knife, this style might be the right one to start with.
yup its just like i said myself its feels good but looks wrong . I do have room to trim down the top to balance the handle out. I kinda knew that and i know will only take 20 min to readjust the top of the ricaso area . When i went about making this i did go to some of the japanese sites that have fantastic santoku knives and after i started whith this piece of wood should have looked i my wood more closely for a square block or even just made one. I didnt know that the tang need to ne that much larger. I saw a video and the tang was just a tapered point and the master knife maker just hammered the handle on with a mallet. I will redo the handle and show again tommorrow night.
Stacy E. Apelt - Bladesmith
ilmarinen - MODERATOR
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Good , let us see how it comes out.
The short tangs on some Japanese blades are stub tangs. They are an exact fit for the handle hole, often burned in then hammered home. They are tempered soft, and a single pin will hold them well. The pin hole is drilled through the handle and tang in one operation.
With some careful regrinding, you can possible make yours work as a stub tang, but the hole is pretty large, so don't get the tang too narrow at the pin hole area. I would cut out a cardboard copy of the blade and play with that before making any change to the metal.
You will have to carefully drill your handle to match the existing tang hole .
One more issue with a santoku blade is knuckle ( finger) clearance. The hand must be able to grasp the knife in a chopping position, without the fingers striking the cutting board. This requires one of several choices - a wide blade, a lifted tang ( steps up from the blade spine), a narrow handle, or a tang at a slightly rising angle to the blade spine ( 10-15 degrees does wonders).
Stacy
The short tangs on some Japanese blades are stub tangs. They are an exact fit for the handle hole, often burned in then hammered home. They are tempered soft, and a single pin will hold them well. The pin hole is drilled through the handle and tang in one operation.
With some careful regrinding, you can possible make yours work as a stub tang, but the hole is pretty large, so don't get the tang too narrow at the pin hole area. I would cut out a cardboard copy of the blade and play with that before making any change to the metal.
You will have to carefully drill your handle to match the existing tang hole .
One more issue with a santoku blade is knuckle ( finger) clearance. The hand must be able to grasp the knife in a chopping position, without the fingers striking the cutting board. This requires one of several choices - a wide blade, a lifted tang ( steps up from the blade spine), a narrow handle, or a tang at a slightly rising angle to the blade spine ( 10-15 degrees does wonders).
Stacy