Hattori Knives

[KenHash]

It was the 30th anniversary of the # 1050.
300 was made of the Hattori model.
Another 500 was made for Kershaw and came with a displaybox in wood.
Those were with damascus VG-10 blades and Pakka-Wood scales.

I got mine in 2007 and it was the last one availible in Europe.
There was two more for sale in Japan, but they are gone since long.


Regards
Mikael

Ah..a limited run. I have noticed that Hattori limited runs are available in Europe
but not in the U.S. For instance, the annual "Knife of Year" models are only available
from European dealers.

 

[Mikael W]

NLs certainly count Mikael. Not only do I envy your FK collection but the fact that you can actually put an NL2 to use. At my age, lifestye and location, my S1 is about as big a fixed blade as I could get away with wearing..LOL

Yes, basically it's the same for me.
The 3" - 5" bladelenght are what sees the regular use.
It happens that I pack a larger knife, if I stay overnight in the forest.
The rehandled F2 in my avatar, is the one I mostly choose for a dayhike at the fishing lake.


Regards
Mikael

 

[jdm61]

Hattori makes the In The Kitchen forum knives. I have a 270mm sujihiki and really like it, so much that I used the blade pattern for the suji that i made. They are available from JCK.

 

[KenHash]

Another highlky regarded Kershaw knife is the double edged "Trooper" boot knife, as well
as it's smaller version the "Special Agent". These discontinued knives were also made by Hattori for Kershaw, and regarded very highly by those lucky enough to own them.
Hattori did make his version of the two but I believe they have been discontinued as well.

 

[KenHash]

Hattori makes the In The Kitchen forum knives. I have a 270mm sujihiki and really like it, so much that I used the blade pattern for the suji that i made. They are available from JCK.

When I am in Tokyo I often visit the cutlery stores in Kappabashi, the cookingware and kitchen knife center of the city. What surprised me was that over in Japan, Hattori is not
well known for kitchen knives as he is here in the U.S. with the KD/HD series. I believe
that Hattori is an OEM maker for another brand in the Japanese domestic market.
I could be wrong of course. I have also heard the reverse, that Ryusei makes the knives and Hattori simply
puts his label on it, but that applies only to one of the lines. I've also heard Yaxell mentioned.
I would have do alot of research as I use Tojiros for cooking.

 

[KenHash]

A Big Bowie by Hattori... and two which their owners may not know were made by Hattori.

Hattori H160-1 Aus8A (formerly Aus6A)
Overall: 375 mm (14 3/4")
Blade: 242 mm (9 1/2")
blade thickness: 6.8 mm (0.267")
Weight: 465 g (16.4 oz)


Cold Steel Trail Master VG-1 core laminate (San Mai III)
Overall: 14 1/2 "
Blade: 9 1/2"
Blade thickness: 5/16" (0.31mm)
Weight: 17.502 oz

Fallknieven Northern Lights "Thor" NL1 VG-10 core laminate
Overall: 15.15" (385mm)
Blade: 254 mm (10")
blade thickness: 7mm (0.28")
Weight: 520g (18.4 oz)

 

[Mikael W]

A Big Bowie by Hattori... and two which their owners may not know were made by Hattori.

Yes, some people think that Fällkniven fixed blades are made in Sweden, but they are made by Hattori in Japan.
There are no production makers in Sweden, that can produce knives at this level & volumes!
The new series of kitchen knives though, are probably made by Moki, but I'm not 100% sure.

The NL2 chopping down a 5" maple behind the toolshed in my garden.

The edgeholding & toughness of this knife, has proven to be very good.
So is the handle ergonomic and I have been able to chop down Maplebranches for hours, without handfatigue.
I have accidentally hit a stone with the tip when chopping, but the damage was hardly visible and only took 5 minutes to restore.
The stone showed a flat surface where the edge cut through the stone:

The light spot to the right of the tip, is the cut-out in the stone.
Really great heat-treatment, geometry and steel!


Regards
Mikael

 

[KenHash]

Beautiful Knife. A good contender to the "Choppers must be carbon steel" argument (LOL).

Fallkniven Northern Lights "Odin" NL2
VG-10 core Laminate
Overall: 323 mm (12.72")
Blade: 200 mm ( 7.87")
Thickness: 6.5 mm (0.26")
Weight: 380 g (13.44 oz)

Falkniven A2
VG-10 core laminate
Overall: 324 mm (12.79")
Blade: 202 mm ( 7.95")
Thickness: 6.0 mm (0.236")
Weight: 370 g (13.05 oz)

Cold Steel Recon Scout San Mai III (Discontinued 2014)
VG-1 core laminate
Overall: 12.5 "
Blade: 7.5 "
Thickness: 0.31 "
Weight: 15.0 oz

Hattori YH-1 Special Carbon Steel Hunter I
Hitachi YHB Steel
Overall: 302 mm (11.89")
Blade: 180 mm (7.08")
Thickness: 7 mm (0.275")
Weight: 410 g (14.46 oz)

 

[kwackster]

Hattori 983 Ultra Dagger.
Double hollow ground blade with fuller, tapered tang, and polished black linen Micarta handle.



Specs:

Overall length: 23,9 cm
Blade length: 13,0 cm
Maximum blade thickness: 4,95 mm (ricasso)
Steel: AUS-8 stainless
Handle material: Linen Micarta
Weight: 174 grams
Sheath: Leather with steel clip

 

[KenHash]

Wow,,,nice piece! That version is harder to come by than the standard 983 A & B with
he nicel silverf bolsters, which I do run into every now and then.

 

[kootenay joe]

Does anyone know if all of the Falknniven fixed blades are made by Hattori ? I have the Falknniven "Jarl" with the traditional curly birch wood handle. This type of birch is specific to Scandinavia i believe, so if made in Japan, either wood would have to be sent there by Falknniven or the unfinished knife sent to Sweden for hafting.
Anyone know about where the Jarl is made?
Also, does Hattori make the Falknniven folders ?
Very interesting and inspiring thread.
thanks, kj

 

[KenHash]

While a definitive answer will have to wait for Mikael (he probably has a few Jarls...LOL) based on
the 3G blade, a laminate using Special Gold Powder Steel which is made by Takefu Specialty Steels (same
ones who make VG-1, VG-10 etc) I would say the odds are extremly high that it is Hattori made.
As to the handle, Falkniven determines the material and if I'm not mistaken have been known to even
procure and send to Seki Japan materials when they felt that what the factory had on hand was not
up to Fallkniven's specs. So Scandinavian handle material could esily be sent to Japan.
But as I said, I would wait to hear Mikael's views.
I know that Moki, also in Seki, is the OEM maker of folders for Falkniven but as to which models or numbers I do not know.

 

[Mikael W]

Does anyone know if all of the Falknniven fixed blades are made by Hattori ? I have the Falknniven "Jarl" with the traditional curly birch wood handle. This type of birch is specific to Scandinavia i believe, so if made in Japan, either wood would have to be sent there by Falknniven or the unfinished knife sent to Sweden for hafting.
Anyone know about where the Jarl is made?
Also, does Hattori make the Falknniven folders ?
Very interesting and inspiring thread.
thanks, kj

The Jarl is made by Hattori, the handle incuded.
The folders are made by Moki.

The SK3 Juni:

Regards
Mikael

 

[kootenay joe]

Mikael, thank you for this help. Now that i know my Jarl is really a Hattori, i can post a picture of it in this thread. At 8 1/4" OAL it is a bit larger than it's sister "Juni".

kj

 

[Mikael W]

Mikael, thank you for this help. Now that i know my Jarl is really a Hattori, i can post a picture of it in this thread. At 8 1/4" OAL it is a bit larger than it's sister "Juni".
kj

Yes, it's a lot beefier than the Juni!
I asked Peter Hjortberger wich one he would choose, the Juni or the Jarl and he said the Jarl.
When I asked why, he said he has too large paws for the Juni!
I have medium size hands and the Juni works as a 3 finger knife in my hand.
I use it mostly for food in the outdoors, but it has also been used in cleaning and filleting a Trout.

Regards
Mikael

 

[kootenay joe]

This Juni/Jarl decision is a good example of the challenge of buying a knife online: you cannot know the in-hand feel.
I have slightly smaller than average man's hand and the Jarl feels good, my index finger is up against the gently sloping guard and my palm extends just beyond the end of the pommel. A slender oval in cross section so it is not a bulky handle. It transfers a sense of strength and power, like, it is not going to slip and it can cut about anything.
Still, it would be nice to have the Juni as well. I imagine a slightly different, but equally pleasing feel.
kj

 

[KenHash]

Whlle Hattori made knives for a number of companies in the past, today only Fallkniven and Cold Steel remain as OEM customers. The beauty of the Fallkniven models is that you can get the top quality work today anytime. Most of Hattori's own label knives are either discontinued or in a perpetual state of out of stock.

My oldest Hattoris are simple 4" blade Aus8 Hunters, the HT-05 in black micarta and H-700 in mahogany.

 

[mtangent]

Well, I have one & didn't know it. Here is my Juni, next to some Fallky folders. I haven't use it much because the handle is so small, even smaller than the small folders.

 

[KenHash]

Mikael, While I clean fish with my F1 without a second thought, looking at that beautiful handle, I don't know if I could bring myself to do it with a Jarl or Juni..LOL

 

[kootenay joe]

Ken, if you clean it up right after use i do not think the Curly Birch will show any changes. I field dressed a deer with mine and as you can see in the picture, handle did not take on any stains.
kj