Knives & Stones Sakai Jikko Akebono Blue 2 by Kenichi Shiraki

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Damn shame, the heat treat on the Akebono is absolutely phenomenal - fantastic edge retention and zero chipping, even through some less than delicate handling.

Hopefully, his retire is personal/medical and not political, I always thought it was fishy someone like Shiraki hasn't been named "Traditional Craftsman" (Dentou Kougeishi)...
 
I heard a few weeks ago that this was a possibility due to back problems. Compete rumor but it would.make sense. Let's hope that the remaining forgings find their way to the very best sharpeners.
 
The guys at Tsubaya told me this as well a last month ago when I was in Tokyo. They have a pretty extensive offering of Shiraki's knives in their store so I suspect they have fairly good intel.
 
He owns the set-up.. factory and workshop and the company will still be producing knives by his able assistants and "grasshoppers". I believe that he will still be managing the business save the pounding of steel and forging due to health reasons... The news that he has officially retired ( not involved in the business any more) is not so correct.

Walker > " Let's hope that the remaining forgings find their way to the very best sharpeners."

Different dealers work with sharpeners/ "profilers" of their choice/ preference.

its all gone ...already in the hands of the dealers. I did hear that someone took all the last 12 honyaki pieces from a particular dealer that he had...

So if you are looking for a knife forged by the man himself... its going to be difficult as you rarely see a marking on the knife and or the tang of knife to indicate that its a Shiraki. This marking comes abt as some dealers get the blades plain and do the engraving and or stamping and its a way to differentiate the similar looking from other makers... esp Honyakis

I did manage to hunt for a Ginsan Shiraki 240 gyuto which is more of a hybrid gyuto/ slicer due to the lack of height ( abt 46mm) and flat profile .

So have fun with the existing works .Z
 
zitangy said:
The news that he has officially retired ( not involved in the business any more) is not so correct.
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That is the news i heard today as well, direct from Sakai. Shiraki-san is indeed not well but he hasn't officially retire yet, and will be likely to come back to work at some stage.
 
I just got a white 2 240 gyuto but haven't tried it out yet
 
Shiraki san forges with a guy called Nakagea-San. He has worked for Shiraki-San for 14 years and Shiraki-San forges and Nakagawa-San tempers & quenches or he forges & Shiraki-San tempers & quenches. But while Shiraki-San is rehabilitating the injury Nakagea has to do the both until Shiraki comes back.

Paraphrased from Aframes Takeshi
 
Hmmmmm? Wonder if they are still being billed as Shiraki forged knives?
 
Chicagohawkie said:
Hmmmmm? Wonder if they are still being billed as Shiraki forged knives?
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Good question. Engraving the knife with the master's name (effectively a trade name) is a somewhat common practice in Japan that multiple craftsman work under the same master-smith. This is no difference to Shigefusa which I believe the two sons are the primary smith now.
 
pkjames said:
I will double check with my supplier :)
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So.... any word? :whistling:

These look stunning, but I'm not sure this is the knife I'd like to try a K-tip with.

And by "stunning", I mean :bigeek:.
 
i replied in another thread but forgot about this one.

Shiraki-san is indeed with some health problems. He is currently not working but the plan is to eventually go back to work. Even Togashi-san is now reducing his work to only honyaki blades also because of health issues.
 
Just some good news to Shiraki's health - today I got a message from a guy in Japan who knows Shiraki quite well and also sells his knives...and he mentioned "Yes,Shiraki had a problem in his health.But he can work well now..."
 
I just ordered one of these as a replacement/addition to my K&S Tanaka (haven't decided if I'll get rid of it yet but likely will). Can't wait to get it and put it through the paces.
 
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I like mine. It doesn't have much taper and is nearly 3mm thick for most of the blade's length, the neck is a bit giraffine at over 18mm long, and the choil relief creates a sharp ridge in the center that I am ambivalent about (but too lazy to soften); but it is a nice knife.
 
jimbob said:
Does the longer neck create a handle heavy balance? Or just aesthetically? This one is high on my wishlist...
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Will double check when I get home but I think the balance is nice, not handle heavy.
 
Hi,
I would like to clarify something before I buy this knife which has been recommended to me and took quite awhile to save I must say. Haha

I will be buying this knife but it’s my first time buying from K&S.

It says you will provide free Saya for kkf members. Does that mean the price in your website with the knive and saya or two saya or...how does it works.


Sorry for the inconvenience.
 
hentaides said:
Hi,
I would like to clarify something before I buy this knife which has been recommended to me and took quite awhile to save I must say. Haha

I will be buying this knife but it’s my first time buying from K&S.

It says you will provide free Saya for kkf members. Does that mean the price in your website with the knive and saya or two saya or...how does it works.


Sorry for the inconvenience.
Click to expand...

I believe the free saya offer was just for the initial launch of this knife. (First batch only)
 
hentaides said:
Hi,
I would like to clarify something before I buy this knife which has been recommended to me and took quite awhile to save I must say. Haha

I will be buying this knife but it’s my first time buying from K&S.

It says you will provide free Saya for kkf members. Does that mean the price in your website with the knive and saya or two saya or...how does it works.


Sorry for the inconvenience.
Click to expand...


I’d say shoot James a message at K&S...... You may be pleasantly surprised. He’s one of the best in the knife biz!
 
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