Recent content by sj9603

Actually 山本刃劍, name of the shop, master of which is 山本英明, therefore the first kanji 英 you see in the picture. 刃 and 刀 are two different kanji characters. Here's their website: http://www.sakai-hide.com/. Scroll down...

一刀斋景虎 佑 一刀斋 is kanji for Ittosai, which some would recognize as part of Ittosai Kotetsu, for which the kanji is 一刀斋虎辙. That last kanji, 佑, makes no sense at all. If it were 作, it...

I wouldn't call that nailing it. This is nailing it: http://www.miki-kanamono.or.jp/14/01/index.html

For a couple years my shig kitaeji was my go-to knife, now I use my fujiwara fkh all of the time. Both can be very reactive, but that'd be so only if you try to keep them look pretty. I have found that, once I stopped thinking about the look, staining became a non-issue. By this time the...

There is no low-cost way. Having said that, my Fujiwara FKH, at 10% of the cost, performs at 90% of my Shigafusa Kitaeji. Like all sought-after items, it is the last 10% that costs the most.

Truth is, nobody knows, and search will prove that.

That might be an Aritsugu knock-off.

You won't like my suggestion, so take it as food for thought. Buy the cheapest, cheapest used would be even better, and buy the most practical set of sharpening stones. If you are not hooked, sell them to recoup the cost at minimum loss. If you are hooked, you will benefit from every penny...

For some reason I could never get myself to like the custom handles I saw on the web. The original handle looks massive, yet perfectly balances the blade at the point of pinch grip. The knife is simultaneously large and agile in your hand, giving you a sense of control. The kitaeji is just...

... in checked luggage, of course. Does anyone have any experience? What kind of trouble will I be looking at? What are the chances of losing them? I'm debating with myself as to whether to take them with me. Many thanks in advance.

The original handle is 150mm or 6.82in. The dimension, especially when held using the standard grip with the index finger resting just above the heel, produces a balancing torque that is dynamically reassuring and visually satisfying. In push-cutting, the grip simply guides the line connecting...

What is the length of the handle? From the picture it seems a bit on the stubby side.

I like it where it is. It is interesting, informative, and downright relative to kitchen knives, especially to people who are planning to invest in custom knives. Well, that investment just might go the way US stock market went these days.

I love that cutting board. Is that custom made, by you maybe?

Proud owner of ... a couple of Japanese cookbooks, which invariably emphasize that the construction of a Japanese dish starts with cutting, and fails when the cutting is done wrong. Well, I'd better find out how wrong I've been.