Masamoto Steel ID

Hey guys, I recently took a trip to Japan and walked into a little knife shop in Japan while I was in the Tsukiji fish market. Not really knowing much about knives or what Masamoto was, I bought four knives thinking they would be useful and a cool souvenir. Since then, I have found this forum and developed an obsession, but I'm sure all of you know what that's like.

Anyways, I now know that these are Masamoto knives but I don't really know much else about them. I know that Masamoto has different lines (KS, KK, etc) but I still don't know exactly what I have. I know they are carbon steel and I'm pretty sure the deba is Blue #2. I was wondering if anyone could tell what steel the rest are made out of. Pics should be below (sorry for the crappy phone pics). Thanks

Thoes are masamoto Tsukiji not Masamoto sohonten. Masamoto sohonten has the lines (KS/KK/etc).

Here is an atrial talking about those knives and the same shop you went to I presume.

http://www.vodkitchen.com/masamoto-tsukiji-knives/

A quote from the above article

"Many of the knives are offered in stainless or carbon steel options. Stainless knives are marked with an “S” on the back of the blade, carbon knives with an “A.” Chefs will debate the differences all day long but, in a nutshell, carbon is usually better for pros because it’s easier to keep razor sharp, and stainless is usually better for home cooks because it doesn’t rust easily."

very hard to find tsukiji sohonten knives outside of japan, as they're not sold outside of japan. grats on the getting those. =D

franzb69 said:

very hard to find tsukiji sohonten knives outside of japan, as they're not sold outside of japan. grats on the getting those. =D

Click to expand...

You can buy them online from resellers.

http://www.mtckitchen.com/c-3-tsukiji-masamoto.aspx

I thought that might have been the case. I have read that before but it didn't really say much about the steel. I guess it is just a generic steel that the shop likes to use. The person I spoke to at the shop told me the deba was blue steel but didn't say anything about the rest (he didn't speak a lot of English). Also, I'm pretty sure the deba has "blue" stamped on the back but I'm not sure what the rest say. Anyway thanks for the quick reply.

You could email the reseller I linked above and ask. My guess would be white 2, but it is just a guess.

Edit: as a side note they were once a single company and there was a split for an unknown reason.

Welcome to the forums and enjoy the knives. They are very nice and I too would like to visit that shop.

The masamoto shop at the sukiji fish market is very high on my bucket list. It's pretty awesome you got to go there. Those are some bad ass souvenirs considering you weren't into knives at the time. Nice score.

masamoto Tsukiji Deba is blue#1
Western handle petty 150mm (carbon, either V1 or SK3), (stainless, VG5)
Usuba & suji could be white#1/#2/#3, Blue#1

if you post length & price you pay; I might able guess type of steel......

You can buy them online from resellers.

Click to expand...

thanks for the info. didn't know that.

=D

Picked up a couple of knives at the Tsukiji market about a year ago. A western handled petty and western honesuki. A fun place to visit. Both knives I purchased were the "A" carbon. The steel is very reactive / sharpens like white / takes a very keen edge!

cclin said:

masamoto Tsukiji Deba is blue#1
Western handle petty 150mm (carbon, either V1 or SK3), (stainless, VG5)
Usuba & suji could be white#1/#2/#3, Blue#1

if you post length & price you pay; I might able guess type of steel......

Click to expand...

where do you see blue #1 on the deba? I'm not doubting, but I don't see where it's stamped as to steel type. I was there a few weeks ago, but didn't look closely at the debas....

Hbeernink said:

where do you see blue #1 on the deba? I'm not doubting, but I don't see where it's stamped as to steel type. I was there a few weeks ago, but didn't look closely at the debas....

Click to expand...

information basic on masamoto Tsukiji's catalog. masamoto Tsukiji used Honyaki white#1/#2, White#1/#2/#3 & blue#1 on their Japanese style knives but never used Blue#2.....if OP said he sure the Deba is blue steel then it is blue#1.

I did not know that.... not sure I've ever seen masamoto tsukiji details, catalog or otherwise

cool, thanks cclin