Ferrule design question

Kitchen Knife Forums

Help Support Kitchen Knife Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Dream Burls

Senior Member
Joined
May 12, 2012
Messages
1,505
Reaction score
0
While I'm relatively new to the world of kitchen knives, in particular Japanese style kitchen knives with wa handles, I have looked at hundreds of these handles and I can't recall ever seeing a ferrule designed with a spacer and/or a change of material. I have seen some small tips such as Marko uses on some of his designs, but that's about it.

I was wondering if there was some sort of unwritten rule against this or if it a functional or aestheric issue. With all the amazing designs applied to the handles themselves, I find it very curious that the ferrule has remained, by and large,a single homogeneous piece.

Any insights into this would be greatly appreciated.
 
Thanks Marco. Very elegant. Even the sayas are works of art.
 
If you could do westerns like those I'm pretty sure you would have a significant increase in business from
all those stick on westerns. Personally I hope that doesn't happen as I'm a wa man and don't want to see you any busier because I want to be able to commission work without a year plus wait, but they do look nice.
 
I think ferrules used to hold the handle together at the weakest point and also the point that saw the most water, etc. With stabilized materials and epoxy, this really isn't an issue but it still looks "classic." Personally, I think handles that don't have "classically proportioned" ferrules look odd.
 
I'm starting to agree with you, but imagine the possibilities.
 
If you could do westerns like those I'm pretty sure you would have a significant increase in business from
all those stick on westerns. Personally I hope that doesn't happen as I'm a wa man and don't want to see you any busier because I want to be able to commission work without a year plus wait, but they do look nice.

Western handle is growing on me, but a different style than Nenohi's.

I agree with TK when it comes to octagonal shape. For D there is a little more leeway. For example, BK Meiji's ferrule (combined with a metal tip) is much shorter than most, but it looks good.

M
 
Back
Top