The worlds best quality.....seen at LV Custom Classic

Bladeandbarrel

Bladeandbarrel

Joined
Oct 5, 1998
Messages
3,148
It is my opinion that the finest quality custom knives in the room at the LV Custom classic were made by Masao Takahashi.

Who?

Thats right. Masao Takahashi. A relatively unknown maker from Japan.

Masao makes Loveless-style knives. That is where the resemblance ends.
The quality of his knives exceeds Loveless, Lake, Aida, Horn, Schneider, Oda, and even Steve Johnson.

All at about 1/3 of Loveless catalog price.

This was the 2nd time examining his work.
I wish I had a pic or two but no digital pic could possibly capture the flawless grinding and finish work.

I am still in awe 3 days later.

There is a 7" dbl grind fighter with amber stag that has my name on it. I hope he still has it at the next show he attends.

 
Anthony,

You don't happen to have any contact info do you?
smile.gif



Regards,

Tom Carey
 
Hai.

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Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.
 
I met Masao Takahashi at the NY Custom Kinfe Show in November. Anthony has it right -- flawless quality. I saw several beautiful pieces but the one that sticks in my mind was a very thin, almost needle-like dagger. IIRC it was being offered for something like $600. Unfortunately, I came across it late in the show and had only carfare left.

Anyway, if you can find a translator, his telephone & fax number is 81-27-234-2223. Dial 11 first from the US.


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Cheers,

--+Brian+--

He who finishes with the most toys wins.
 
Tom,

There is a Japanese Dealer who speaks some English and carries his knives: Yoshimasa Aidi he is the bother of the maker. 81-33939-0052 Good luck.



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GARY LEVINE FINE KNIVES
www.LevineKnives.com
 
Tom,

There is a Japanese Dealer who speaks some English and carries Takahashi's knives: Yoshimasa Aidi he is the bother of the maker. 81-33939-0052 Good luck.



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GARY LEVINE FINE KNIVES
www.LevineKnives.com
 
well sir: i am not impuning your judgement. but i find it HARD to believe ANYONE can make a knife better than SR Johnson..I have looked at many, many of his knifes and have never seen one flaw....ever....they are always perfect, perfect grinds, perfect mirror finish, perfect handle material selection...perfect balance.. i saw your post the first day and thought about this and finally had to put this down in writing...sincerely.

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http://www.mayoknives.com




[This message has been edited by tom mayo (edited 01-30-2000).]
 
I also remember seeing his work at the NYCKS, and was very impressed with his work, although I didn't make a note of his name. A.L. you have a very good eye for talent, and thank you for letting us all know his name.
 
I have emailed A.L. off line about this. I have to agree with Tom Mayo. Not the SR Johnson is the Best Maker (although he does do flawless work). I don't know if you can state that one maker is the "best" in the world. S.R. Johnson's knife making skills are superior to Mr. Takahashi's at this point in his career.

After looking at Mr. Takahashi's work both in New York and Las Vegas, he does have mistakes in his work. The fact that you can tell he is right handed by the grinding on the knife, initially shows you where the first mistake is. Also, there was a little problem at the joint.

His knives are beautiful and very well made. Perhaps I am being a little picky, but afterall that is part of my job.

One ot things that I have enjoyed most about custom knives is being selected to be a judge for the custom knife categories.

The best thing about this job is being able to compare side by side what makers consider to be their best work (or at least the best work at the show) with what other makers feel is their best work.

Judging can really be an eye opening experience. The cost of the knives I have judged have ranged from $65.00 to $80,000.00.
Note, the $80,000 knife lost to a $1,200.00 knife. One of the judges did not notice the flaws until Bob Neal and myself pointed them out to him. This third judge was also a custom knife dealer. His problem as with alot of collectors/buyers is that he fell in love with the overall presentation. He neglected to look at the details.

People often ask me what seperates a $1,000 knife from a $2,000.00 or $3,000.00 knife. Materials may be one of the items, but generally it is the detail of the work.

Ill let you in on a secret. If your looking for a Loveless style knife from a Japanese maker, consider Koji Hara. I bought the first knife he ever sold in the US. It was a Loveless style fighter, 7" blade, exceptional value. His asking price was $450.00, this of course was 5-6 years ago.

A.L. is right about one thing. Mr. Takahashi's work is worth looking at and considering. I suspect his work will continue to improve.

Les

 
Tom-
Why do you find it so hard to believe anyone can exceed SR Johnson for quality?

I have handled many, many of his knives, and while exceptional, some of his "reworked" interpretations of many of the Loveless patterns leaves me flat. His prices also leave me flat.

Les-
You have very good taste and excellent credentials in the custom knife business-thats a fact.

Your recommendation of Koji Hara's work is also very wise-however, I have 5 Hara knives.
They come nowhere close to M. Takahashi's.
They are all Loveless style construction.
You want to see some flaws, let me send you one out for inspection. This is not a criticism of Mr. Hara. He has made a large quantity of knives, I am sure they are not all perfect like the one you had for sale.

I saw no flaws by the joint of the Takahashi knives, or in the grinding of the 2 7" fighters (I didnt much look at any other knives he had, but I may have been starstruck by the overall quality.

I continue to stand by my statement,but maybe should clarify it for "Loveless style knives", since you really cannot compare apples to oranges. The quality statement rings even truer after you factor in the price/quality ratio.

Exceptonal work.

Remember, this is only my opinion.
Educated? Maybe.

Everyone reading this-seek out this maker at the next show he attends and report back.
 
Hi Anthony,

You are correct about Koji's work. The one's I bought several years ago had similar mistakes as Takahashi's work. However, they were half price. I bring this up, as obviously price is a major issue with you. As it is with a lot of collectors (and should be).

I suspect if Steve Johnson's knives were half of what he currently charges, you would be inclinded to purchase one. Also, in the price one must consider desirablity and aftermarket potential (sorry guys, it's a fact). At this point the "edge" would have to go to Steve Johnson.

I do have a question for Steve, why are your stainless steel guards $200 more than the standard Nickel Silver guards. This of course is going back some years and that may no longer be an issue. That was the main thing that kept me from buying more of Steve's work. I couldnt see paying extra for something that was standard from other makers. Even in the 80's I was concerned about value.

Anthony is right, you should look at Takahashi's work. Part of his cost is due to the expense of travelling to the US. Not to mention the trip over from Japan. Having flown back and forth to Korea a couple of times I can tell you a trip from Asia to the US in coach is no day at the beach.

Additionally, if you look at the Loveless style makers from around the world, their prices seem to be higher than others work. D.F. Kressler and Yoshihito Aida come to mind. Both of these gentlemen are exceptional and gifted knifemakers. When I first saw their work I thought it was a little high as well. Wish I had bought it then!

Les
 
Les,
Where would you place Geno Denning? I've never seen his work in person, but I've heard some high recommendations from Members here.
 
Masao Takahashi cetainly had my attention. While I don't have the experience or credentials to make definitive statments about a makers work, it is rare that a Loveless style knife will capture my attention as his work did. Perhaps this was influenced by the other makers in the room and given more experience or a side by side comparison my opinions may be different then they currently are.

For ~$500 for a 5 inch knife to ~$1,000 for a 7 inch, the price seemed steep initially. When I had time to consider his cost of living in Japan and the cost of traveling to Las Vegas, I wondered how he could break even financially. After all, how many knives could he sell in Las Vegas to offset his travel expenses?

After I got past being "star struck" by the overall appearance and execution of his work and took a very critical eye to his knives, I could see a slight difference in the grind that is what I assume Les is referring to as being "right handed". Does that mean his knives are not worth ~$500-1,000? You vote with your wallet, as will I.

He is certainly worth watching as his work is very good now and is certain to get better in the future. Will that $1,000 knife be worth $2,000 in the future? hmm...... Do we see a trend here with other makers that have risen to a higher level and yet others who have fallen off into obscurity?

Stay Sharp,
Sid

p.s. Masao speaks some limited broken english. I was able to ask questions and get back a meaningful response. I would suggest written communication though instead of a phone call if you wish discuss things with him.

MASAO TAKAHASHI
39-3 SEKINE-MACHI
MAEBASHI-SHI
GUNMA, JAPAN 371-0047
PHONE/FAX 81-27-234-2223
no email or website
frown.gif


[This message has been edited by Sid Post (edited 01-30-2000).]
 
i understand that you may not like certain styles and/or changes in steves work, but the main question is his execution...and since the day i started making knives in earnest i have looked at him as the standard bearer. His grinds are perfect, his mirror polishes are perfect, the joints on his guards are perfect, the handle material fit is seamless...the silver solder joints still leave me amazed after making knives for 18 years....yes he is expensive, yes his designs are a little old and static....but so what.....thats not what we are talking about. Much like many of the old school, he makes a number of models and sticks with them, he is making a living doing that, and i am sure he is very comfortable with the product he produces.

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http://www.mayoknives.com


 
Hi Sid,

You are exactly right on your assumption. That slight mistake should not be present in a $1,000.00 knife (actually the price was $980.00), that is just my opinion.

Again, you are correct about the expense of travelling from Japan and doing shows. It would appear the Mr. Takahashi understands that it takes time and effort to introuduce yourself to a market half way around the world from Japan.

To be honest, that intrigues me more than his work. As it would appear that not only does he possess the technical skills to produce an excellent knife. He also possess the understanding of competing in a global market. There are countless American makers who would do well to emulate Mr. Takahashi's marketing of oneself. He appears to understand the amount of time, energy and money that must be committed in order to gain the attention of a global audience.

Finally, Sid brings up an excellent point. For those of you who are going to proclaim someone the greatest, please do so after you have purchased some of his work or placed an order. As Sid said "vote with your wallet".

Les

 
I am glad to see that the true meaning of the shot show and other forums is not lost. It is good to see all this discussion about a lesser known knife maker. I have been working with and have respected Sid for a long time now. I respect his judgement and have voted for (purchesed) many items including many firearms and knives which I carry to this day. If sid asks me to look at a new knife it is because he has done a lot of investigation and my time is well spent confirming his findings. Sid, looks like we might need to send a letter to Japan, who knows, we might get an exclisive!!! (I wonder if he dose A-2 and Talonite?)

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