Carter Suji + Keller Handle Combo

Hi again folks,

Up on the block today is my brand-spanking-new Murray Carter 8.5 Sun Kurouchi Sujihiki along with the Stefan Keller handle I'd bought for it. Right click all pictures for huge versions.

First the knife:



I put this guy on layaway about four months ago and just finished paying it off. It arrived earlier today, is completely unused, and still has the oil on it from shipping as well as Murray's famous sharpening job. It measures 258mm from heel to tip, 35mm from spine to heel, and is quite nimble and light. The extreme tip appears to have been shipped a tiny bit blunted, but would easily sharpen out the first time on the stones and doesn't impact performance in any way. I paid $485 + $15 shipping.







Next is the handle I originally bought with this knife in mind: a Stefan Keller made from spalted kikui nut, redwood burl, with a nickle silver spacer.





It's a wee bit longer and thicker than the original handle, but will still definitely make a good fit and--as you can see--it looks pretty awesome:



Unfortunately knives are just not a thing for me right now, and even if I had room for just one perfect knife, this guy isn't it. I'd like to sell them together as a combo since frankly I feel they belong together. Asking $600 PayPal shipped to your CONUS address ($50 off the combined price of both), or best offer. If there's interest in either the knife or handle individually, I'll separate them in a couple of days.

Thanks for looking!

Some interest in the handle, but nothing for the knife or the combo yet.

I'll drop it down to $575 shipped--that's like buying a new Carter and getting a Stefan handle half priced--and then split them up tomorrow.

What is this?! Am I on crazy pills?! Did everyone already land all the Stefan handles they wanted and/or has the market dried up for Carters?

Alright.

Brand new Carter sujihiki, only taken out of the box long enough to photograph: $450

Sweet Stefan Keller handle: $135

Buy them both together, $550

Open to offers. Let's get crackin' people, Vertigo's got a busted laptop!

I would jump on it, but Murray sent me essentially the same knife, without the Black apparently it is a kurouchi with a polished finish. God, I still want it though. this combo would be sweet.

Vertigo said:

What is this?! Am I on crazy pills?! Did everyone already land all the Stefan handles they wanted and/or has the market dried up for Carters?

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I'm with you. They still cut the same as they would a few months ago, but...

This is proof of a cyclical market. Carters are unbelievably good, but apparently that's not enough today. Maybe tomorrow.

Great combo, though....

Yeah, some months B/S/T is exploding with Carters and other months it's a ghost town. I should start a few "ZOMG Carters are teh Awesome" threads in General and try to stir up some interest...

I do like that handle... Hmmmmm...

It is a fancy handle innit?

Pulling the sale, having the handle professionally installed, and will try again when Carters are getting more love. Damn your fickle tastes, KKF. DAMN THEM.

*kicks a rock*

Dammit! I was a beer away from buying that handle Jack!

I know! And after you had that beer I was about to lose the only part of this sale people have been nibbling on, leaving me with a $500 knife and no interest. This way I can FORCE SOMEONE to buy both (even if it's just to get the handle). :tooth:

Vertigo said:

I know! And after you had that beer I was about to lose the only part of this sale people have been nibbling on, leaving me with a $500 knife and no interest. This way I can FORCE SOMEONE to buy both (even if it's just to get the handle). :tooth:

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Your smoked almond supply is officially cut off!!!

sachem allison said:

I would jump on it, but Murray sent me essentially the same knife, without the Black apparently it is a kurouchi with a polished finish. God, I still want it though. this combo would be sweet.

Click to expand...

Same here, mine is an 8.4 and arrived a few weeks ago.

For what it's worth, I'm suddenly getting progress on multiple custom and/or long backorder fronts. I mean stuff from 12 plus months ago suddenly converging, along with the required payments :curse:. I thought it was a fluke...but if it's a sign of what's happening in the market, it may be why B/S/T is not moving as fast as it usually does.

I think the economy is just getting THAT bad and people are scared to spend money.

I sell misc stuff on eBay and Craigs List and things have really slowed down on stuff I would normally have no trouble selling.

I talked to a BBQ guy who is waiting to order a new pit based on who is elected in November.

evanjohnson said:

I think the economy is just getting THAT bad and people are scared to spend money.

I sell misc stuff on eBay and Craigs List and things have really slowed down on stuff I would normally have no trouble selling.

I talked to a BBQ guy who is waiting to order a new pit based on who is elected in November.

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Seriously?

Or maybe it's just a knife with a very small niche and the right buyer isn't around at the moment. Maybe someone doesn't want KU? Maybe it's the wrong length? Or maybe it's the fact that it's a $600 suji and that's not a profile that most people would be willing to drop the big bucks on? I'd bet that a $600 Carter funayuki would sell quicker than a suji.

evanjohnson said:

I sell misc stuff on eBay and Craigs List and things have really slowed down on stuff I would normally have no trouble selling.

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I have the opposite experience as some stuff I sold on eBay and craigslist did fairly well. However, I wouldn't put too much stock in anecdotal evidence either way.

Regards,

Mark

evanjohnson said:

I talked to a BBQ guy who is waiting to order a new pit based on who is elected in November.

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I guess if things don't go his way, he'll wait another four years...
:rofl2:

Kyle said:

Or maybe it's just a knife with a very small niche and the right buyer isn't around at the moment. Maybe someone doesn't want KU? Maybe it's the wrong length? Or maybe it's the fact that it's a $600 suji and that's not a profile that most people would be willing to drop the big bucks on? I'd bet that a $600 Carter funayuki would sell quicker than a suji.

Click to expand...

Yeah, whatever twists and turns the economy takes, the knuts around here usually find the scratch to buy their toys if it's something they really want. This is a pretty particular knife. Plus interest in Carters really does ebb and flow on the forum, and given that he doesn't accept customs anymore and hasn't made a suji--kurouchi or otherwise--in this length or longer in months, I'm betting it's time will come. Eventually.

I know I couldn't afford it, but I do have 2 Carter sujis already Definitely great knives. And just in case someone really likes the wood: this is one of the last pieces I have. Kukui nut is a very light wood that almost always cracks during stabilizing as I had to learn. That means I now try to break them intentionally to make sure I get a stable piece, and I end up with nice ferrule pieces, but there are only one or two pieces left that are long and stable enough for a handle - and I haven't seen a new supply in spalted kukui in years. Just saying...

Stefan

The pair is great. I think that the timing with other big ticket items the last few mo. is going on. Usually there is only 1 or 2, but the last few mo. we have seen a few Shig's, few Carters and quite a few that had taken time to sell.

Bumping this thread, I got an offer on the knife alone and sold it. The two people interested in the handle backed out, so I'm putting this beauty back up for anyone else interested.
Here she is again:



Spalted Kikui nut, redwood burl, and silver spacer. Measures 148mm long, is 19x22 at the ferrule and 20x26 at the end, octagon, and if you can tell from the measurements it has a gradual taper in vertical width only slightly more pronounced than it's horizontal width. Very comfortable to hold. Both the kikui nut and the redwood have a more natural texture which you can see easily if you look at the humungous picture hidden behind the smaller one. There's a slight scratch on the top of the ferrule (where the tang would go), though it's superficial.

$135 shipped CONUS, or best offer. No almonds this time (though the last ones were great, thanks again brainsausage!)

SPF!

Aaaaaaaaargh!!! Dammit!!! I'll rescind the smoked almond ban!