How about Kanemasa? Or something better for the price?

Hello all!

I'm putting together a pair for rehandle in the western style - an 8" chef knife and a 4" paring knife. The real trick is that the friend is looking to pay less than $100 per knife. What I've found so far after today's search are the Kanemasa knives from J-cutlery:

The gyuto: http://j-cutlery.com/rak1016.html
And the paring knife: http://www.j-cutlery.com/rak1029.html

Do any of you esteemed artisans have any working experience of these knives? Or have better recommendations for the price? If you private message me (or direct me to the appropriate post if I haven't seen it) you can impress me with your own blades for sale.

Tojiro meets the dollar requirement and is a decent starting knife.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000UAPQGS/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Suisin Western Inox is a better knife, better cutter, better looker. And is currently on sale.

http://korin.com/Susin-Inox-Gyutou?sc=27&category=280068

Not sure about rehandling, the Suisin doesn't need it, the Tojiro would be putting lipstick on a pig. But both could be done.

What about sharpening?

daveb said:

Tojiro meets the dollar requirement and is a decent starting knife.
Suisin Western Inox is a better knife, better cutter, better looker. And is currently on sale.
Not sure about rehandling, the Suisin doesn't need it, the Tojiro would be putting lipstick on a pig. But both could be done.
What about sharpening?

Click to expand...

I've heard about Tojiro. Suisin is new to me, and prices just outside the range unfortunately. Bookmarked for projects with a bigger budget though - thanks for the tip!

Lipstick on a pig or no, the rehandling is the point of this sale. The friend has some ancestral cherry from his grandad and is thanking his parents with the knife set.

I haven't budgeted for sharpening. I start from factory edge and pass it through an electric sharpener for about a dozen strokes. The next step is an oil & stone jig with adjustable angles, and I finish with a strop. You couldn't shave with it but it passes the paper push test. Any sage advice on unseen pitfalls?

The eletric sharpener is a bad idea as they aren't usually set at acute enough angles and could chip blade.

Do the parents of your friend like carbon knives? Most people prefer stainless.

If the blade are to be used for rehandling I would suggest to open to opptions of using WA style blades and making hidden tang western blades (a'la Dave Martel). For that purpose something like Tanaka VG-10 from metal-master could be an option.

I own two Kanemasa blades and think they are a great value, however they are carbon steel and will patina (discolor) with use. It will not remain shiny like stainless steel.

If this not a problem, Kanemasa's are made with a tool steel SK-4 heat treated into 60 HRC range. This makes them quite hard but still easy to sharpen. Skip the electric sharpener. As previously stated it is not set for the right angles and will do more damage than good. You could live with factory edges.

Are you or your friend doing the western rehandles?

natto said:

Do the parents of your friend like carbon knives? Most people prefer stainless.

Click to expand...

They do - I verified that they are experienced knife owners and made sure of their preferences.

Matus said:

If the blade are to be used for rehandling I would suggest to open to options of using WA style blades and making hidden tang western blades (a'la Dave Martel). For that purpose something like Tanaka VG-10 from metal-master could be an option.

Click to expand...

Thanks for the suggestion. Tanaka didn't have the lengths requested when I checked the first time, but I'll give it another look. Maybe there are others on another site.

rogue108 said:

I own two Kanemasa blades and think they are a great value, however they are carbon steel and will patina (discolor) with use. It will not remain shiny like stainless steel.

If this not a problem, Kanemasa's are made with a tool steel SK-4 heat treated into 60 HRC range. This makes them quite hard but still easy to sharpen. Skip the electric sharpener. As previously stated it is not set for the right angles and will do more damage than good. You could live with factory edges.

Are you or your friend doing the western rehandles?

Click to expand...

Carbon is no issue, and at everyone's suggestion the electric sharpener removed from the process.

I'm doing the rehandles. I've sold about 50 so far and am really enjoying the process.