Is this really a sushi knife? If not, what?

DrMom said:
Again, a knife from the estate inheritance.
As you can see, there is no other paperwork than the $260 spent in 1988 (31 years ago!) and the words "sushi knife".

Can anyone help with identifying maker?
Handle material?
Other info?
Why was it so expensive back then????
Thanks!
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1reOU5IYdLuztKkqjr25lZ0wvPmiCjf57
Click to expand...
It appears to me as a maker to be a Sashimi Knife. It’s a Chisel Grind with a slight hollow grind. I’ve made those. I can’t read Japanese or speak Japanese and I know there is a more correct Japanese name for it. It is for cutting Sashimi, Raw Fish, Tuna, Salmon etc...
 
I believe that is a Yanagi-ba-bōchō (柳刃包丁) which means "Willow Blade Knife" and is the typical sashimi knife.
 
Yes it is a real sashimi/sushi knife from a well known established maker.
You have, what I believe to be a Masamoto KH Yanagi-ba bouchou (fish slicer) in Kasumi Suminagashi Damascus.
The Steel is Blue steel (Aogami, blue paper carbon steel) as it says so on the blade 青鋼.
The ferrule is water buffalo horn and the handle is Ho wood. Both standard material for good/high end traditional Japanese chef knives.
It was expensive at $260 back in 1988. But the same model today sells for $800.
If the owner who bought it didn't request to have his name engraved into it (bottom 2 characters) I might even have made you an offer on it.
His name was "George" by the way. Hope this helps.
 
KenHash said:
Yes it is a real sashimi/sushi knife from a well known established maker.
You have, what I believe to be a Masamoto KH Yanagi-ba bouchou (fish slicer) in Kasumi Suminagashi Damascus.
The Steel is Blue steel (Aogami, blue paper carbon steel) as it says so on the blade 青鋼.
The ferrule is water buffalo horn and the handle is Ho wood. Both standard material for good/high end traditional Japanese chef knives.
It was expensive at $260 back in 1988. But the same model today sells for $800.
If the owner who bought it didn't request to have his name engraved into it (bottom 2 characters) I might even have made you an offer on it.
His name was "George" by the way. Hope this helps.
Click to expand...

Yes, his name was George! So cool you could read that! Is that the 2 marks closest to the handle?
This is all very interesting. Now my son thinks we should keep it, but I'm really hoping to clear out some of these knives (mostly machete types, but quite a few kitchen ones as well).
Thanks for the info!
 
If you are not going to keep it, use Kens info and sell it for a proper price. That is a beautiful piece of work.
 
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