Older Japanese Kitchen Knife

[Shaughnessy]

Need a little info on this Japanese kitchen knife. What I know is its about 25yrs old, and about 16-17inches long, but thats about all I know. Here's some pics that might help. Thanks guys, I appreciate it.

 

[oldschool45]

I can tell you it’s a white(carbon) steel yanagiba or sushi knife. They are great meat carving knives. But I can’t help you beyond that.

 

[butcher_block]

go to freds foodie forum or better yet the kitchen forum on knife forums as they will know all the background

loooks liek it could be a good blade tho

is it 16-17 inch over all or blade

 

[Shaughnessy]

Thanks Butch and Oldschool,
I posted over on KF in the kitchen area, and they got one of the symbols translated as "Yuki" so I'm waiting to see what else they come up with. I think it looks like it's nice one from the pics. I think it looks chisel ground from the pics. Its 17.75" overall I'm told, but it will be 3 weeks before I actually get it.

Thanks Larry

 

[oldschool45]

Yanagiba’s tend to be modified chisel blades; chisel on the right side and the “flat” left is actually hollowed (not hollow ground) to reduce friction on what you are cutting through. Mine is 13.5” OAL (8” blade & 5.5” handle) so it looks like yours’ might have 10~11” blade. Great find, clean it up blade and handle or re-handle it. Absolutely hands down the fastest carving knife you will ever use. Given some of Butch’s work this is almost embarrassing but here is a picture of one I made out of 1095 and that is some of Burl_Source’s Maple burl on the back of the handle with cocobolo bolster.

 

[Shaughnessy]

Oldschool thats a really nice looking blade you made there. I'm still pondering the whole tapered octagon handle construction process.....

The one that Butch posted was awesome, I remember that one too. Thanks for the info on the grinds. I'd love it if there was some san mai under that patina, but either way it will be fun.

 

[butcher_block]

oldschool you a lefty or is that really thin grind

shag if you worried about doing the work your self dave of jp. knife sharpening can give it the full spa treatment
clean and hand hone

most of these knives are more ment for sushi but with care can be used for other meat
with a total edge angle of about 15 degrees its like carvign with a laser but it is also a delicate edge (and best when honed over 8K grit ) hittina a bone can mean a chip as would a hard crust on a roast out of the smoker

 

[SShepherd]

Yanagiba’s tend to be modified chisel blades; chisel on the right side and the “flat” left is actually hollowed (not hollow ground) to reduce friction on what you are cutting through. Mine is 13.5” OAL (8” blade & 5.5” handle) so it looks like yours’ might have 10~11” blade. Great find, clean it up blade and handle or re-handle it. Absolutely hands down the fastest carving knife you will ever use. Given some of Butch’s work this is almost embarrassing but here is a picture of one I made out of 1095 and that is some of Burl_Source’s Maple burl on the back of the handle with cocobolo bolster.

actually, the non bevel side are "hollow ground" (concave)

 

[butcher_block]

true but to the maker in the shop here they might thinkn a hollow like the 50/50 hollow
ss im sure you know this part but im postign for all now

by hollow back in the JP. way for a single bevel they are talking about a grind on the back that is made with a wheel ranging from 24-30 inch diameter so that when you sharpen jsut a bit of the spine and a bit of the edge hits the hone then on the front side or "face" where the single bevel "shows" it is most often also ground on a large wheel making for a shallow hollow grind (many then flatten that out a bit )

so far as the oct handle thats not a big trick ether mark it out on the but of the handle and then shrink it a bit to line up with the tang and mark that out
grind it close and then epoxy it to set and do all your finish grinding (it should not be much ) jsut keep things even and grind to the lines

 

[oldschool45]

SShepherd, I didn’t want him to think it was a hollow ground edge geometry. Butch explained it pretty good but I had a hard time wrapping my brain around the concept till the first time I had my hands on one and tried to sharpen it.
Butch it’s a righty it just has a very thin almost flat grind and it’s a D-handle. I learned my kitchen knife skills filleting pan fish so I like a thin responsive blade. That blade is tempered into the upper 50’s the next one I’m shooting for as hard as it can get. I just did a nakiri that hard and love it.

 

[SShepherd]

The hollow is called a "urisaki" ( I've made about 15 yanagi, they're a PITA)

here's what the blade profile looks like;

 

[Shaughnessy]

Great info Shepherd, Butch Im gonna try that method on my handles. Will taper on the belt sander, or was thinking of a taper jig too. Thanks for the diagram and examples they are a great help in understanding that blade.

So one last question.....(And I'm sure theres a very good reason for this), but why does it look like the handles all need to be pushed up further on the tang to cover that (Machi) area?

Larry

 

[cotdt]

These yanagiba's tend to have thin edge geometry and use hard steel, and hone just like a straight razor. They are excellent to shave with.

 

[Nathan the Machinist]

true but to the maker in the shop here they might thinkn a hollow like the 50/50 hollow
ss im sure you know this part but im postign for all now

by hollow back in the JP. way for a single bevel they are talking about a grind on the back that is made with a wheel ranging from 24-30 inch diameter so that when you sharpen jsut a bit of the spine and a bit of the edge hits the hone then on the front side or "face" where the single bevel "shows" it is most often also ground on a large wheel making for a shallow hollow grind (many then flatten that out a bit )

]

Sweet holy God that looks sharp...