Crooked handle install: what's your tolerance for error?

[yojimbo]

tldr: what's your tolerance for error in handle installation angle?

I recently sent my S. Tanaka gyuto back to the shop I bought it from for a handle upgrade, from magnolia/plastic ferrule to walnut/pakkawood. In a rush when picking it up, so didn't properly inspect it at the time.

Put it on the stones just now and noticed the handle installation is just a bit crooked. Off by about 4-5mm at the tip. Hard to get a photo straight down the blade showing what I can see with my eye, but I set it on the table to demonstrate with a ruler.

I looked at my other two handmade knives, an Okeya and a Makoto Kurosaki, and they're not perfect either, each off by 1mm at the tip.

I'm still debating if this bothers me enough to send it back, and to be clear I'm happy with the feel and performance. As a beginner to handmade knives, I'm wondering which direction to go, ignore or return.

 

[Lurkernomore]

1mm off is perfectly fine. I’d personally fix the 4-5mm one. If you send it back all they do is bend the knife at the ferrule (or as far back as possible, assuming the blade is straight) using a bending stick. If you do it yourself you may end up bending the blade depending on your tools so I’d have the shop fix it. Attaching handles straight is super simple, many people just either don’t care or don’t know what they’re doing. The former is more prevalent in Japan, the latter is common with western custom handle people.

 

[yojimbo]

1mm off is perfectly fine. I’d personally fix the 4-5mm one. If you send it back all they do is bend the knife at the ferrule (or as far back as possible, assuming the blade is straight) using a bending stick. If you do it yourself you may end up bending the blade depending on your tools so I’d have the shop fix it. Attaching handles straight is super simple, many people just either don’t care or don’t know what they’re doing. The former is more prevalent in Japan, the latter is common with western custom handle people.

Thanks for the advice. Yeah imo just lack of care. Doesn't reflect well on the shop or the craftspeople. Will be sending them an email requesting the fix.

 

[tostadas]

I've seen knives come stock with crooked handles. It's annoying, but fairly common. They can usually be fixed.

If I were to pay a shop for a handle install service however, I would expect it to be done cleanly and correctly aligned in all directions (vertically, longitudinally, and no twist). 1mm off is a significant amount for a handle install. If I received that after paying extra, I personally would ask for my money back, and not trust that vendor for future purchases.