your taste in handles on Japanese knives - a vote?

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Cutty Sharp

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I'm curious to find out what preferences people have with handles on their Japanese knives. I don't mean to ask if people prefer Japanese or Western shaped handles. Rather, what style of wood and overall appearance do you like?

Lots of knife knuts seem to have handles re-done if they can. Maybe the knife comes in plain old 'ho' wood with black buffalo ferrule to start ...

http://bernalcutlery.com/shop/images/584/ashi slicer handle-2.jpg

... but then people get customised handles put on, often with eye-catching burl and other flashy bits ....

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TxetSD7hIkw/TqLQPyFFoVI/AAAAAAAAATU/2RUBub5wN-o/s1600/Handle+close+up.jpg

Well, it's quite cool and I appreciate the work that goes into it. I'd even like to experiment with my own handles in the future. However, I've developed a dislike for these handles, maybe especially because they're Japanese knives. Isn't it too much? Knives are all about cutting and the blade, and don't handles like these draw attention away from the blade? They just seem a bit too ornate and overwrought.

I think lots of people who do this kind of work, including pros, are active on this site and I don't mean to criticise them or to take away from their livelihood. As said, I appreciate the work. My feeling is just that less can be more and simplicity can be very cool. If two identical knives had different handles, one simple/plain and the other busy-burl, I'd definitely go for the first.

As we're talking about J-knives here, it might be worth thinking of things like this description of 'wabi-sabi': 'The primary aesthetic concept at the heart of traditional Japanese culture is the value of harmony in all things. The Japanese world view is nature-based and concerned with the beauty of studied simplicity and harmony with nature. These ideas are still expressed in every aspect of daily life, despite the many changes brought about by the westernization
of Japanese culture. This Japanese aesthetic of the beauty of simplicity and harmony is called wabi-sabi.'

... 'Studied simplicity' - I like that. Anyway, simple or burl? My vote: simple.
 
I prefer single-tone woods as well on wa handles and burls and such for westerns. That said, I have a soft spot for ebony. I think that I developed a bias toward ho handles by seeing a bunch of poorly finished ones glued on to cheap knives before seeing the quality work that guys like Hide and others can do with ho. I guess whether I would go ho or not depends on the knife.
 
I prefer single-tone woods as well on wa handles and burls and such for westerns. That said, I have a soft spot for ebony.

'Single-tone woods' is a good way of putting it. Of course ebony is another example, not just ho.

I don't have a knife with ichii, but really like the look/colour of it.
 
I have been exposed to top bonsai, seen rock gardens in Kyoto, etc. I am not interested in woods dyed 20 colors like a tie dye. However, I appreciate the natural beauty of certain pieces of wood. I have burled redwood and striped koa pieces that are natural and I appreciate their asthetics. I even have a quite large burled redwood coffee table from an artist named Stohan that I met in Monterey. Like this but with a curved glass top specially cut.

http://www.zhibit.org/stohans/sculptured-redwood-accessory-tables

It is very zen to me. I bought it because it was one of a kind.
Same with the wood blocks I have bought for handles, and a few recent pairs of chopsticks.

They used to keep people in a isolated dark room for a week with no stimulus and give them a bowl of rice porridge under the door once a day. At the end of the week they would open the door with a bonsai tree there. It would blow the persons mind. Even with the simplicity there is much complexity and beauty. For me just like an unusual piece of wood created by nature, and never replicated.
 
I agree that a lot of things people here rave about are grossly overdone. At one point, I thought even using a piece of burl was over the top. I've since warmed to the idea of using something other than stainless/ebony/horn on handles but I still feel that in many cases, less is more.
 
I am fascnated by the characteristics of different woods and the endless possibilities of combining different woods or even other materials with woods and horn. However, after having worked with dozens of woods and hundreds of combinations in the past, I have more and more learned to appreciate the beauty of a single piece of wood rather than complex combinations. I still think that combined materials can look good, and I would not be working such designs out with customers otherwise, but I also admit that I occasionally have made handles that were clearly not my own taste but followed the ideas of customers. My personal preference is for handles with 3 elements, i.e. ferrule-spacer-handle or ferrule-handle-end piece and medium strong contrasts in colors and patterns. I really like the beauty of burl pieces, but in most cases I find the combination of two burls too much unless one of them is on the subtle side.

Stefan
 
I prefer single-tone woods as well on wa handles and burls and such for westerns.

Yeah, I can kind of agree. Wa handles are much more about the wood. Westerns are much more a steel/wood construction, and fussy wood is more acceptable because there's more more plain steel visible balance things out.

I appreciate the natural beauty of certain pieces of wood. I have burled redwood and striped koa pieces that are natural and I appreciate their asthetics. I even have a quite large burled redwood coffee table from an artist named Stohan that I met in Monterey. Like this but with a curved glass top specially cut. http://www.zhibit.org/stohans/sculptured-redwood-accessory-tables

I get what you're saying. Wood can be so nice. I think I could go with Koa on a handle, but not burled ... But had a look at the table photos. Mmm... yuck. Kind of interesting, but with all due respect - damn ugly tables! In the small photos, the wood tends to look like someone's shrivelled up roast left too long in the oven - to me at least. ... Wood can be beautiful and interesting, but doesn't mean it's always improved by making it into handles or furniture.

I agree that a lot of things people here rave about are grossly overdone. At one point, I thought even using a piece of burl was over the top. I've since warmed to the idea of using something other than stainless/ebony/horn on handles but I still feel that in many cases, less is more.

Agreed!

So... vote now appears to be: Simple 2 - Burls 0 - Kinda depends 2
 
My personal preference is for handles with 3 elements, i.e. ferrule-spacer-handle or ferrule-handle-end piece and medium strong contrasts in colors and patterns. I really like the beauty of burl pieces, but in most cases I find the combination of two burls too much unless one of them is on the subtle side.

Hi Stefan. Can you show us a photo or two of examples that demo your tastes?
 
I'm definitely more fond of the simpler designs and woods.
Ho wood or similar for me.
Many of the custom made handles I've seen out there are way to noisy, the wood would be better spent on making a coffee-cup to keep at the hunting lodge deep in the forrest or something.
 
Lol looking at his new work I have to agree tables don't look as good as ones he did 20 years ago. Mine would be over $5000 by todays prices. Hopefully my wife can help me get a picture up of mine in the next week or so. I agree with Apicius I prefer things like burl or koa, spacer, ebony ferrule. I like the three elements.
 
I enjoy seeing all the beautiful custom handles that people are making here in the states, but in Japan, unless you are the best chef the world has ever seen, you would be considered foolish if you walked into a restaurant with something flashy and weren't by far the most skilled chef in the restaurant. I purposefully put the plainest handles I can find on my knives to show humbleness when I am working with other people, and this seems customary in most places I've been in Japan. One of the best chefs I ever met had a mirror-finish honyaki with an ebony and silver handle, and he never used it out in front of a customer because he said he wasn't ready to use a tool like that. He had over thirty years of experience. When you meet people like that, who do better work than you do with cheaper tools, it's embarrassing to have more expensive flashy knives. So, for now, although I invested in some serious steel, all the handles are plain magnolia. If I worked in Western restaurants with Western chefs, I might think differently. The culture here is so different that it's not a big deal for people to be different.
 
Plain and simple for me.Whatever the knife came with,although I am particular to rosewood wa handles....
 
... My personal preference is for handles with 3 elements, i.e. ferrule-spacer-handle or ferrule-handle-end piece and medium strong contrasts in colors and patterns. I really like the beauty of burl pieces, but in most cases I find the combination of two burls too much unless one of them is on the subtle side.

Stefan

+1 I just enjoy the beauty of the various burl woods. Ho wood and magnolia wood are just too plain looking.
 
Plain and simple for me.Whatever the knife came with,although I am particular to rosewood wa handles....

I also like a plain and simple one.... I love Kokutan (ebony) wa handles.....
 
I like what I like. You like what you like. My taste is the best, because it is my taste.
 
If something is not to my taste, I can only appreciate the craft, but I can't say that I love it or find it awesome.

I do like busier handles, because to me customs and rehandles are about decorating and personalising something that you treasure. The ornate work speaks to me of a more indulgent kind of item. I enjoy the effort the aesthetics and the effort.

I will also be the first to admit that some of my favorite handles ae the ones on the high end suisin and masamoto yanis, with the ferrule, silver spacer, wood, spacer, end cap design.
 
I enjoy seeing all the beautiful custom handles that people are making here in the states, but in Japan, unless you are the best chef the world has ever seen, you would be considered foolish if you walked into a restaurant with something flashy and weren't by far the most skilled chef in the restaurant. I purposefully put the plainest handles I can find on my knives to show humbleness when I am working with other people, and this seems customary in most places I've been in Japan. One of the best chefs I ever met had a mirror-finish honyaki with an ebony and silver handle, and he never used it out in front of a customer because he said he wasn't ready to use a tool like that. He had over thirty years of experience. When you meet people like that, who do better work than you do with cheaper tools, it's embarrassing to have more expensive flashy knives. So, for now, although I invested in some serious steel, all the handles are plain magnolia. If I worked in Western restaurants with Western chefs, I might think differently. The culture here is so different that it's not a big deal for people to be different.


This is a great post,I love to hear the cultural differences.Thank God my grandparents immigrated to America:D Bring on the FLASH!!
I have no problem bustin out a mirror finished honyaki.
 
Simple, clean look. Has to be symmetrical and rightly sized to a knife.
 
I enjoy seeing all the beautiful custom handles that people are making here in the states, but in Japan, unless you are the best chef the world has ever seen, you would be considered foolish if you walked into a restaurant with something flashy and weren't by far the most skilled chef in the restaurant. I purposefully put the plainest handles I can find on my knives to show humbleness when I am working with other people, and this seems customary in most places I've been in Japan. One of the best chefs I ever met had a mirror-finish honyaki with an ebony and silver handle, and he never used it out in front of a customer because he said he wasn't ready to use a tool like that. He had over thirty years of experience. When you meet people like that, who do better work than you do with cheaper tools, it's embarrassing to have more expensive flashy knives. So, for now, although I invested in some serious steel, all the handles are plain magnolia. If I worked in Western restaurants with Western chefs, I might think differently. The culture here is so different that it's not a big deal for people to be different.


出る釘は打たれる。
Deru kugi wa utareru
Literally: The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.
 
When I first started in the kitchen I worked for a restaurant that everyone in the back of the house wore polyester hounds tooth pattern pants. If you wore cotton or any other color or pattern pants you were written up. This also showed in the food. Now cooks and chefs wear just about anything for patterns on pants. I look at the handles as the same. That being said I will say that most knives made on the low end are just wood there because it is cheap, and usually in the area. Would I put new shoes on a shige. ? Prob. not.

That being said I wouldn't mind seeing a handle with my fav. colors mixed in with a burl. Being a royal blue and very dark green I can only see that happening with a dyed beryl. So I guess my vote would be it depends. Great thread.

Another thought people customize guns, cars, and anything else under the sun so why not?
 
Whew! Some interesting comments ...

.... although I invested in some serious steel, all the handles are plain magnolia. If I worked in Western restaurants with Western chefs, I might think differently. The culture here is so different that it's not a big deal for people to be different.

Reading this I was kind of imagining how in Japan everyone might go and get plain magnolia handles in order to conform. In a US kitchen, the cooks might all go out and get tatoos and customised burl wood knife handles in order to conform. Nuts.

Simple, clean look. Has to be symmetrical and rightly sized to a knife.

Marco, your knives (pictured) are for me pushing it... A bit much for my taste. On the other hand, they are still someone subdued and so look nice. Yeah, as la2tokyo kind of said though, I wouldn't take one of yours into a restaurant kitchen. Maybe just hide it at home.

出る釘は打たれる。Deru kugi wa utareru - Literally: The nail that sticks out gets hammered down.

And how about this? 大声で醜いナイフを持っている彼は、馬鹿のように見えます。 He who has an ugly knife looks like a boob. (Okay, not a saying - just had a go on google translate)

Anyway, from what I can tell the 'simple' camp has the lead in our vote here!: Simple 7 - Burl 4 - Depends 1
 
I love burls of all types, just need to make sure they go together, and compliment the knife at the same time. Being American, I like any of my things to be unique and stand out. This happens a lot easier with burl woods since they are all different. A part of me also feels like I want as much care put into the handle as the knife itself, and maybe I'm wrong for thinking this, but I just don't get that with regular ho wood handles.
 
I think of it like a golf club where hand wrapped leather sort of equates to nice woods handles on my knives, not so much for bling as much as for the experience:scratchhead:

(burl)
 
I would be willing to bet that if given a choice on a knife being made, the numbers would change quite a bit.
At least with myself.
If I were having a knife made for me and was told I had a choice between a featureless white unfinished wood, or an uncommon beautiful wood that someone took the time to shape and finish nicely, it would be a no-brainer. I have watched videos showing Japanese shops making the standard "D" handles and was a little shocked. The message I got was "Look how fast we can crank these out". Not something I would be proud of.

My take on this question is;
Do you like your knives to be bland and the same as everyone else?
...or would you prefer something a bit nicer that reflects your own personal taste?

But then I am biased.
as Henry Ford said, “People can have the Model T in any color – so long as it’s black.”
Things have changes a bit since then.
 
I think when most people vote "simple" they aren't necessarily voting for a stock ho wood handle seen on the cheapest knives. Horn-spacer-ebony is also very simple. Even horn-ebony is very nice sometimes. Horn-something with a nice figure is great, too. I think the odd stuff is the burl-burl-mokume-damascus-(insert busy chunk of something here). Polish isn't busy either. Highly etched damascus is.
 
We need to return to the Pure Japanese esthetic as exemplified by the Mr. Itoh Turquoise Coral handled gyuto!
 
I agree that a lot of things people here rave about are grossly overdone. At one point, I thought even using a piece of burl was over the top. I've since warmed to the idea of using something other than stainless/ebony/horn on handles but I still feel that in many cases, less is more.

+1

I definitely prefer simple handles on my own knives, though I am branching out a bit from my "go to" combination of ebony and black horn. I sort of like the wild candy colors on many Cut Brooklyn knives, but am not sure I would actually want to see it in my own kitchen on a daily basis. I'm not sure I've ever seen a burl on burl combination that I really like. Some of the more daring dyed wood handles from Kramer do it for me (like Matt Rudd's comes to mind), assuming the ferrule is a plain dark color.

Edit: The more I think about it, there are many woods that appeal to me - koa, snakewood, desert ironwood, etc. I guess I just know what I like when I see it.
 
I like my handles to be unique and to fit my personal taste. Burls, and spacers in tasteful combinations work great for me, turquoise and mother of pearl...not so much.
 
I like all kinds... Well finished and long lasting is paramount to last the rigors of whatever I throw at them.

I tend to go toward the more character but sometimes go toward Ironwood, cocobolo, burl, etc. and even sheep horn. Depends on the knife but what I think is good taste.

Not crazy about Coral, mother of pearl, etc.

Randy, Pierre and Rader's handles are just awesome! (Just to name a few).

I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder! :viking:
 

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