Corradobrit1
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Isamitsu use prelaminated bar stock (maybe the iron clad lines are forge welded in house) and def not a 'one man' operation. Its actually a 2 man, 1 gal operation.
“One-man” operations
- Thread starter Miyamoto Musashi
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Some are prelaminated, some are not. Sending him some metal as we speak. Similar to Mizaki, the less expensive stuff is prelaminated
I’m curious what the woman does? Also, if each smith works on one part or if each one does 1 project when it comes to special orders like mine.
I feel they will become much more popular over time. I have a really special project that was agreed to that I think will really push things to a new height.
I’m curious what the woman does? Also, if each smith works on one part or if each one does 1 project when it comes to special orders like mine.
I feel they will become much more popular over time. I have a really special project that was agreed to that I think will really push things to a new height.
gwhphoto
Active Member
Is Isamitsu heat treating AS to the same levels of hardness as TF? What about their white steel treatments?
Have they also adopted TF's ability to hand forge the stainless cladding over the core steel? Or are they using pre-clad billets?
Have they also adopted TF's ability to hand forge the stainless cladding over the core steel? Or are they using pre-clad billets?
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NotAddictedYet
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What's traditional Sen?
Corradobrit1
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Kind of like a spokeshave or draw knife for metal.
SirCutAlot
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Kato uses a beltgrinder, no sen (every bladesmith/knifemaker said this with just a look at his work) . Look at his finishes. This is a simple belt grinder finish..... Maybe for his single bevels.
Toyama forge weld nothing (rumours say they are forge welded by Watanabe
), like Maxim said. No one of them makes the handles... But this is in no way quality related. All good knives.
If you want real warikomi you have to buy a tsukasa river jump....
SirCutALot
Corradobrit1
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Well the vids of Kato show him using a sen. You don't achieve the complex subtle curvature pattern on a belt grinder. Maybe the final brush finish is done on a belt grinder or wheel. Maksim might say otherwise.Kato uses a beltgrinder, no sen (every bladesmith/knifemaker said this with just a look at his work) . Look at his finishes. This is a simple belt grinder finish..... Maybe for his single bevels.
Toyama forge weld nothing (rumours say they are forge welded by Watanabe
But this is in no way quality related. All good knives.
If you want real warikomi you have to buy a tsukasa river jump....
SirCutALot
Jiro does real warikomi construction too. He also makes the handles on his Yo blades, not sure about the Wa.
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Is't Wakui's blue Warikomi also?
Miyazaki does warikomi too
I think Manaka does also
Wa handles on Jiro are from Hitohira. Their wenge handles are exclusive to him (at least when I asked about a wenge handle on a different knife, that’s what I was told a year ago).
Yoshitaka Yamada
Sen only does the rough metal removal, has nothing to do with the final surface finishKato uses a beltgrinder, no sen (every bladesmith/knifemaker said this with just a look at his work) . Look at his finishes. This is a simple belt grinder finish..... Maybe for his single bevels.
Toyama forge weld nothing (rumours say they are forge welded by Watanabe
But this is in no way quality related. All good knives.
If you want real warikomi you have to buy a tsukasa river jump....
SirCutALot
What is “real” warikomi? Is there prelam warikomi used for Japanese knife production?Kato uses a beltgrinder, no sen (every bladesmith/knifemaker said this with just a look at his work) . Look at his finishes. This is a simple belt grinder finish..... Maybe for his single bevels.
Toyama forge weld nothing (rumours say they are forge welded by Watanabe
But this is in no way quality related. All good knives.
If you want real warikomi you have to buy a tsukasa river jump....
SirCutALot
SirCutAlot
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I own two Jiros and they are both made with San Mai technique not Warikomi.
I think he makes it like Kato with only iron tang and cutting steel only on the blade., but i`am not sure about this.
Real Warikomi is like the on the picture from Miyazaki. If you can see the cutting steel on the knife neck it is "just" San Mai.
But this does not matter at all, and has nothing to do with quality of a knife. I love reactive claded knifes but technically monosteel is always better even better then damascus (depends on used steel for sure).
SirCutALot
Last I checked Kippington doesn't use a sen and gets a convex grind with at least as much geometric complexity as Kato
I know I may catch flack for this, but ill say it anyway.
While not Japanese, he's greatly influenced by the Japanese style and traditions...
Daniel Cauble @DanielC creates blades, performing everything start to finish himself... And that's including JNat polishing.
He even makes incredible crucible steel.
While not Japanese, he's greatly influenced by the Japanese style and traditions...
Daniel Cauble @DanielC creates blades, performing everything start to finish himself... And that's including JNat polishing.
He even makes incredible crucible steel.
I haven’t used a blade from him but have talked to a few people who own/have done customs with him. Based on what I’ve seen him create, I’d take a knife from Daniel before anyone who’s listed in this thread.
DitmasPork
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I've not read through the entire thread, apologies of trodding over the same footsteps.
For me, it doesn't add value if a knife is forged, shaped, sharpened and handled by the same hands. I typically value a knife that's very well made—be it from a single person, or a workshop, etc.
Some of my knives are from one-person shops—Yanick, Bryan, Bjorn, Jonas, Mazaki. While others are forged and sharpened by different people—Takada, Tetsujin, Kikumori, Watanabe, etc. All good knives, just different business models. I do like collabs of people doing what they’re expertise is.
I love his stuff too, would love to try one
Industrial pre-laminated warikami billet is called "Rikizai". Most blacksmith will use industrially made rikizai or san-mai. The failure rate of in-house forge welding is quite high (10-30%ish) apparently.
Here's an explanation of the process that Junichi-san made for me.
and a few workshop pics
Corradobrit1
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Rikizai (prelaminated/sandwiched) bar stock is not warikomi, which is a style of metalworking whereby the core steel is inserted into the cladding. Basically the softened cladding steel is partially split into a 'V' and the core is then inserted into the gap. Traditional nihonto uses the same technique. Jiro shows how it's done. I don't know of any commercial source of warikomi and neither, I assume, does @Markcg, hence his question. He's yet to get a response.
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Infrared
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The terms Warikomi and San mai are used interchangeably in Japan. I'm guessing this is where a lot of the confusion comes form.
Corradobrit1
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Not the only example. Suisin INOX Honyaki comes to mind.
Does anyone really care if there is soft steel wrapped over the spine? What the hell difference could it possibly make in a kitchen knife?
Don't have to see the unsightly core steel as much.
It’s just a whole lot of fun to say “Birgersson taco”. Don’t take that away from me.
On a more serious note, taco would be cool for damascus-clad so you can see it flow uninterrupted over the spine.
Ahhh, this is something I misunderstood, I always thought Rikizai was warikami bar stock and San-mai was the 3 layer sandwich flat billets.
