Japanese chef knife - Maker? or copy?

[PoolQs]

An employee gave this to me. Parents passed and found in a drawer. Can anyone identify this maker and time frame?
Handle looks to be ebony.
Thanks for your help !!

[/URL][/IMG]

[/URL][/IMG]

[/URL][/IMG]

 

[PoolQs]

I sent the same post to a Kitchen knife forum that most of them live and breath Japanese knives.
This is what I found out from a member:

Thought many of you might like to know yourselves.

Quote:
Ikkaku-saku Donryu made by Shimizu Hamono Kougyousho in Seki. (not the one in Echizen, Fukui)
They are less known company and usually don't do expensive super-steel ones, and centered more on home-use Toginon line and affordable industrial workhorse knives, but mostly well trusted I think.
Current models have plastic handles so the pictured one is 15-30 years old maybe?

Yep, the reading is donryu, not nomi-ryu. Meaning swallowing/devouring dragon.

 

[Skeptikos]

I found a similar post in another site which confirms what PoolQ said.

http://www.cheftalk.com/t/66540/what-kind-of-knife-is-this

I sent the same post to a Kitchen knife forum that most of them live and breath Japanese knives.
This is what I found out from a member:

Thought many of you might like to know yourselves.

Quote:
Ikkaku-saku Donryu made by Shimizu Hamono Kougyousho in Seki. (not the one in Echizen, Fukui)
They are less known company and usually don't do expensive super-steel ones, and centered more on home-use Toginon line and affordable industrial workhorse knives, but mostly well trusted I think.
Current models have plastic handles so the pictured one is 15-30 years old maybe?

Yep, the reading is donryu, not nomi-ryu. Meaning swallowing/devouring dragon.

 

[PoolQs]

Thank you for finding that also. Yes, the marks are the same.
I am going to completely refurbish the knife for my employee and give it back to him.
I have some great fiddleback koa that I think would make that knife pop.

Thanks everyone for your help !!
Troy

 

[SamuraiDave]

I was out cruising other knife sites and ran across this.
I'm not associated to this other site, but I find what you have interesting and made a note of it.

http://www.chefknivestogo.com/misono9.html