Everything Isamitsu

[Corradobrit1]

It'll be interesting to see how the carbon deposits at the lamination line behave on the stones. I predict a kasumi is the way to go. When you have time post the specs.
btw was that made with W#1 or AS core steel?

 

[miggus]

Allright Time for pics and some a first review.

Overall, I am very impressed with the knife.

It'll be interesting to see how the carbon deposits at the lamination line behave on the stones. I predict a kasumi is the way to go. When you have time post the specs.
btw was that made with W#1 or AS core steel?

I don't have the precision calipers for mapping the knife's geometry exactly at the moment, but what I ordered was:

- AS core
- iron cladding
- extra height. (55mm was the max they said they could go. And it's plenty)
- 1 piece ebony handle (that was 14500 Yen extra, and was well worth it. It is very

Their style of wa handle definitely runs pretty long. I think it's longer than the blade on my 180mm nakiri

jup... it does. But my Togashi's handles are the same length, even though the knives are shorter.


Hitohira Togashi 240mm (Sakai measurement) White #2 KU K-Tip, 208g. I adore that knife, it gave me the idea to order the Isamitsu K-Tip the way I did.

Anyhow, it is very nicely done and exactly what I wanted.

- straight back, not the curved one they normally do. The curved back is a nice distinct feature, but I like using the back to push things around on the cutting board.

It has a continuous, gentle curve. It looks a bit rounder on the photo due to perspective compression, but since the blade is 240mm, it is not as round as it looks.

- shinogi further up if possible + medium weight (Gaku said, for a higher shinogi line, the back has to be thicker, which makes sense. We went a bit back and forth on how to balance it. Then I said nevermind, you do it as you think is best, you know these things better than me. And wow...)

Knife has 275g, 243mm cutting edge length, is 56mm tall at the heel. I was surprised to find it that heavy, it is well-balanced and agile. Still, the weight gives it the heft I prefer after going through the laser phase.

Geometry is very fine: some weight from the back, but still pretty thin below the Shinogi. It is an ambitious and performance-oriented grind:

Distal taper is difficult to catch in pics, but it is certainly there.

I think you will be fine . Happy holidays everyone!!

I am more than fine, I literally had a few tears in my eye when first inspecting the knife because it is so spectacularly done. Sure the fine finish with a Kasumi would have made it perfect, but that's a small detail and the one thing I eventually will be able to create myself.

Fit and finish are absolutely top notch. I adore the "3d KU" finish. This is what I expected:

That is what I got. I don't know if they changed their procedure or if the AS premium gets you a different finish. The iron cladding certainly helps with getting the most interesting KU.

In any case, it is very attractive. I am glad I got it without their hammer marks, becasue that finish is just perfect. I wonder how it will age, a smooth one will be easier to clean. But one shouldn't order ironclad KU knives with that in mind in the first place

All in all, I am very impressed with the knife. My expectations were high, but it has yet surpassed them... by far. Oh and the OOTB edge is great as well.

If you handed me this knife without giving me any info on it, I would have suspected it to be in the 500-1000€ range, a price tag that is well deserved. What I would not even remotely have picked up is any likeliness to TF knives. Isamitsu certainly have found their own style. It oozes quality, style and skill, with a hand-made aesthetic but no signs of sluggishness. It has the back for stability and weight but a high-performance grind to go with it.

For me, I have received a personal grail knife when I only expected a pretty good one. This one ticks all the boxes and is exactly what i wished for.

 

[Corradobrit1]

Allright Time for pics and some a first review.

View attachment 247424

Overall, I am very impressed with the knife.


I don't have the precision calipers for mapping the knife's geometry exactly at the moment, but what I ordered was:

- AS core
- iron cladding
- extra height. (55mm was the max they said they could go. And it's plenty)
- 1 piece ebony handle (that was 14500 Yen extra, and was well worth it. It is very


jup... it does. But my Togashi's handles are the same length, even though the knives are shorter.


Hitohira Togashi 240mm (Sakai measurement) White #2 KU K-Tip, 208g. I adore that knife, it gave me the idea to order the Isamitsu K-Tip the way I did.

View attachment 247450

Anyhow, it is very nicely done and exactly what I wanted.

View attachment 247452

View attachment 247454


- straight back, not the curved one they normally do. The curved back is a nice distinct feature, but I like using the back to push things around on the cutting board.

It has a continuous, gentle curve. It looks a bit rounder on the photo due to perspective compression, but since the blade is 240mm, it is not as round as it looks.

View attachment 247453

- shinogi further up if possible + medium weight (Gaku said, for a higher shinogi line, the back has to be thicker, which makes sense. We went a bit back and forth on how to balance it. Then I said nevermind, you do it as you think is best, you know these things better than me. And wow...)

Knife has 275g, 243mm cutting edge length, is 56mm tall at the heel. I was surprised to find it that heavy, it is well-balanced and agile. Still, the weight gives it the heft I prefer after going through the laser phase.

Geometry is very fine: some weight from the back, but still pretty thin below the Shinogi. It is an ambitious and performance-oriented grind:

View attachment 247426


Distal taper is difficult to catch in pics, but it is certainly there.

View attachment 247425



I am more than fine, I literally had a few tears in my eye when first inspecting the knife because it is so spectacularly done. Sure the fine finish with a Kasumi would have made it perfect, but that's a small detail and the one thing I eventually will be able to create myself.

Fit and finish are absolutely top notch. I adore the "3d KU" finish. This is what I expected:

View attachment 247432

That is what I got. I don't know if they changed their procedure or if the AS premium gets you a different finish. The iron cladding certainly helps with getting the most interesting KU.

In any case, it is very attractive. I am glad I got it without their hammer marks, becasue that finish is just perfect. I wonder how it will age, a smooth one will be easier to clean. But one shouldn't order ironclad KU knives with that in mind in the first place

View attachment 247428

View attachment 247427

All in all, I am very impressed with the knife. My expectations were high, but it has yet surpassed them... by far. Oh and the OOTB edge is great as well.

If you handed me this knife without giving me any info on it, I would have suspected it to be in the 500-1000€ range, a price tag that is well deserved. What I would not even remotely have picked up is any likeliness to TF knives. Isamitsu certainly have found their own style. It oozes quality, style and skill, with a hand-made aesthetic but no signs of sluggishness. It has the back for stability and weight but a high-performance grind to go with it.

For me, I have received a personal grail knife when I only expected a pretty good one. This one ticks all the boxes and is exactly what i wished for.

Excellent write up and its clear you are smitten. I think Isamitsu has a bright future ahead of them so long as they maintain that eye for detail. The complimentary strengths Yhuki and Gaku bring to the table gives them a head start and a strong foundation.

A couple of questions: How does the handle faceting feel in hand. At first glance it looks quite awkward and possible uncomfortable, especially towards the tang? Where is the balance point?

Any suggestion the cladding has banding? The kasumi finish could enhance that.

As for the ku finish differences, you are comparing apples to oranges. The other one is SS clad while your's is soft iron undoubtedly requiring different pickling processes. The Morihei TF's have a similar ku scaling effect and the same matt finish. I think its going to be very stable so long as you avoid aggressive cleaning products and scourers.

 

[timebard]

Allright Time for pics and some a first review.

View attachment 247424

Overall, I am very impressed with the knife.


I don't have the precision calipers for mapping the knife's geometry exactly at the moment, but what I ordered was:

- AS core
- iron cladding
- extra height. (55mm was the max they said they could go. And it's plenty)
- 1 piece ebony handle (that was 14500 Yen extra, and was well worth it. It is very


jup... it does. But my Togashi's handles are the same length, even though the knives are shorter.


Hitohira Togashi 240mm (Sakai measurement) White #2 KU K-Tip, 208g. I adore that knife, it gave me the idea to order the Isamitsu K-Tip the way I did.

View attachment 247450

Anyhow, it is very nicely done and exactly what I wanted.

View attachment 247452

View attachment 247454


- straight back, not the curved one they normally do. The curved back is a nice distinct feature, but I like using the back to push things around on the cutting board.

It has a continuous, gentle curve. It looks a bit rounder on the photo due to perspective compression, but since the blade is 240mm, it is not as round as it looks.

View attachment 247453

- shinogi further up if possible + medium weight (Gaku said, for a higher shinogi line, the back has to be thicker, which makes sense. We went a bit back and forth on how to balance it. Then I said nevermind, you do it as you think is best, you know these things better than me. And wow...)

Knife has 275g, 243mm cutting edge length, is 56mm tall at the heel. I was surprised to find it that heavy, it is well-balanced and agile. Still, the weight gives it the heft I prefer after going through the laser phase.

Geometry is very fine: some weight from the back, but still pretty thin below the Shinogi. It is an ambitious and performance-oriented grind:

View attachment 247426


Distal taper is difficult to catch in pics, but it is certainly there.

View attachment 247425



I am more than fine, I literally had a few tears in my eye when first inspecting the knife because it is so spectacularly done. Sure the fine finish with a Kasumi would have made it perfect, but that's a small detail and the one thing I eventually will be able to create myself.

Fit and finish are absolutely top notch. I adore the "3d KU" finish. This is what I expected:

View attachment 247432

That is what I got. I don't know if they changed their procedure or if the AS premium gets you a different finish. The iron cladding certainly helps with getting the most interesting KU.

In any case, it is very attractive. I am glad I got it without their hammer marks, becasue that finish is just perfect. I wonder how it will age, a smooth one will be easier to clean. But one shouldn't order ironclad KU knives with that in mind in the first place

View attachment 247428

View attachment 247427

All in all, I am very impressed with the knife. My expectations were high, but it has yet surpassed them... by far. Oh and the OOTB edge is great as well.

If you handed me this knife without giving me any info on it, I would have suspected it to be in the 500-1000€ range, a price tag that is well deserved. What I would not even remotely have picked up is any likeliness to TF knives. Isamitsu certainly have found their own style. It oozes quality, style and skill, with a hand-made aesthetic but no signs of sluggishness. It has the back for stability and weight but a high-performance grind to go with it.

For me, I have received a personal grail knife when I only expected a pretty good one. This one ticks all the boxes and is exactly what i wished for.

Thanks for putting in the time on the write up, this looks awesome.

 

[miggus]

A couple of questions: How does the handle faceting feel in hand. At first glance it looks quite awkward and possible uncomfortable, especially towards the tang? Where is the balance point?

I think the pictures don't represent it too well in that regard. The front part practically is a pentagonal shape, and that's how it mostly feels like. The part where the lines start to really cross over into the reverse pentagon, isn't touched even by my large hands anymore, at least with a pinch grip.

Oh and here's the balance point - where I (mostly push cutter) would have expected it. The ebony handle is heavier than other woods, but since I ordered the blade with extra height, it is substantial enough to balance out perfectly.

Any suggestion the cladding has banding? The kasumi finish could enhance that.

Frankly, don't know. Banding is one thing I haven't spent much time on until now. I will look into how to bring it out and try this out. The point is getting some finger stones and trying to kasumize the knife eventually.

As for the ku finish differences, you are comparing apples to oranges. The other one is SS clad while your's is soft iron undoubtedly requiring different pickling processes. The Morihei TF's have a similar ku scaling effect and the same matt finish. I think its going to be very stable so long as you avoid aggressive cleaning products and scourers.

Thanks for the explanation, that makes sense. Most pics of Isamitsu knives are with the standard SS cladding that gets much smoother KU.

 

[OkayMode]

For those who ordered these without the fine finish…

How are the bevels? Anyone had any experience thinning/polishing yet?

 

[binsed]

Allright Time for pics and some a first review.

View attachment 247424

Overall, I am very impressed with the knife.


I don't have the precision calipers for mapping the knife's geometry exactly at the moment, but what I ordered was:

- AS core
- iron cladding
- extra height. (55mm was the max they said they could go. And it's plenty)
- 1 piece ebony handle (that was 14500 Yen extra, and was well worth it. It is very


jup... it does. But my Togashi's handles are the same length, even though the knives are shorter.


Hitohira Togashi 240mm (Sakai measurement) White #2 KU K-Tip, 208g. I adore that knife, it gave me the idea to order the Isamitsu K-Tip the way I did.

View attachment 247450

Anyhow, it is very nicely done and exactly what I wanted.

View attachment 247452

View attachment 247454


- straight back, not the curved one they normally do. The curved back is a nice distinct feature, but I like using the back to push things around on the cutting board.

It has a continuous, gentle curve. It looks a bit rounder on the photo due to perspective compression, but since the blade is 240mm, it is not as round as it looks.

View attachment 247453

- shinogi further up if possible + medium weight (Gaku said, for a higher shinogi line, the back has to be thicker, which makes sense. We went a bit back and forth on how to balance it. Then I said nevermind, you do it as you think is best, you know these things better than me. And wow...)

Knife has 275g, 243mm cutting edge length, is 56mm tall at the heel. I was surprised to find it that heavy, it is well-balanced and agile. Still, the weight gives it the heft I prefer after going through the laser phase.

Geometry is very fine: some weight from the back, but still pretty thin below the Shinogi. It is an ambitious and performance-oriented grind:

View attachment 247426


Distal taper is difficult to catch in pics, but it is certainly there.

View attachment 247425



I am more than fine, I literally had a few tears in my eye when first inspecting the knife because it is so spectacularly done. Sure the fine finish with a Kasumi would have made it perfect, but that's a small detail and the one thing I eventually will be able to create myself.

Fit and finish are absolutely top notch. I adore the "3d KU" finish. This is what I expected:

View attachment 247432

That is what I got. I don't know if they changed their procedure or if the AS premium gets you a different finish. The iron cladding certainly helps with getting the most interesting KU.

In any case, it is very attractive. I am glad I got it without their hammer marks, becasue that finish is just perfect. I wonder how it will age, a smooth one will be easier to clean. But one shouldn't order ironclad KU knives with that in mind in the first place

View attachment 247428

View attachment 247427

All in all, I am very impressed with the knife. My expectations were high, but it has yet surpassed them... by far. Oh and the OOTB edge is great as well.

If you handed me this knife without giving me any info on it, I would have suspected it to be in the 500-1000€ range, a price tag that is well deserved. What I would not even remotely have picked up is any likeliness to TF knives. Isamitsu certainly have found their own style. It oozes quality, style and skill, with a hand-made aesthetic but no signs of sluggishness. It has the back for stability and weight but a high-performance grind to go with it.

For me, I have received a personal grail knife when I only expected a pretty good one. This one ticks all the boxes and is exactly what i wished for.

Wow, really curious to see how mine turns out. A bit of a different flavour for my order - a western handled gyuto.

 

[labor of love]

.

 

[jaydee]

The knife from the youtube video in post #92 looks exactly like the one that is sold here in germany:
Isamitsu W1 210mm gyuto 55mm heel
pretty good price for EU people considering taxes are already paid for.

Congrats on the knife Miggus! Looks cool and probably performs just as well. May i ask how much taxes you paid?

 

[miggus]

Hey @jaydee, I paid the usual 28%.
19% Import-VAT plus approximately 10% custom fees.

 

[miggus]

The knife from the youtube video in post #92 looks exactly like the one that is sold here in germany:
Isamitsu W1 210mm gyuto 55mm heel

Ah interesting, I guess they made a batch of those for some vendors. Thanks for the tip, that knife is... not availabe anymore. Someone greedy might have bought it, even though they just received their Isamitsu.................................

 

[plantgainz]

Is the curved back just an aestetic/distinctive feature or does affect grind and performance towards the tip?

 

[yoyoma]

Anybody get a western handled one? I want to see how good a job they do on the handle...

 

[superworrier]

Anybody get a western handled one? I want to see how good a job they do on the handle...

Same as TF. Someone may have mentioned it’s outsourced to the same maker? (Don’t quote me)

 

[jjsoviet]

Strongly considering ordering a k-tip now after reading the entire thread.

Is it possible to do a fair number of customizations to the blade even if it's prelaminated? Thinking a more aggressive taper from heel to tip kinda like a honesuki. Loving the raw KU finish on these too.

 

[user 16756]

Strongly considering ordering a k-tip now after reading the entire thread.

Is it possible to do a fair number of customizations to the blade even if it's prelaminated? Thinking a more aggressive taper from heel to tip kinda like a honesuki. Loving the raw KU finish on these too.

I think if you have a feeling that you need a knife to be a certain way wrt really big picture stuff like grind, you should find a maker whose thing is what you're looking for.

they have a couple of options but most are finish and which combination of metals/woods you want.

 

[jjsoviet]

I think if you have a feeling that you need a knife to be a certain way wrt really big picture stuff like grind, you should find a maker whose thing is what you're looking for.

they have a couple of options but most are finish and which combination of metals/woods you want.

Gotcha, that's fair enough for sure. I wouldn't mind their current shape at all, just exploring what's possible. The config @miggus has is quite frankly great, maybe I can swing Shirogami 1 instead of AS for cost savings.

Have they done other finishes than KU before? Just wondering.

 

[miggus]

Have they done other finishes than KU before? Just wondering.

I think at the moment, they are open to most ways of customization. I asked Gaku about finish options and he meant other options are possible.

So I'd say contact them and tell them what you are looking for. They will probably meet most, if not all of your criteria.

 

[bsfsu]

For those who ordered these without the fine finish…

How are the bevels? Anyone had any experience thinning/polishing yet?

I fixed a chip and gave it a little thin for a customer, not a full thin that I would do for myself, I left a thicker bevel for strength.

There were a few low spots that I didn't take out and can be seen in one of the pics.

I tried to go for a similar basic finish on the knife (played with kasumi but the low spots were annoying).

 

[miggus]

Ah, that looks nice @bsfsu. I kinda regret getting mine without the fine finish, because I thought I have to learn to do kasumi anyways. Which is true... still I'd like to have it already

 

[jjsoviet]

I think at the moment, they are open to most ways of customization. I asked Gaku about finish options and he meant other options are possible.

So I'd say contact them and tell them what you are looking for. They will probably meet most, if not all of your criteria.

What's the best way to contact them? Email or IG?

Also, I guess the prices posted here a few pages back are outdated due to the price increase

 

[miggus]

I have registered on their website and from there on contact was via e-mail. But I bet IG works, too. And yes, you can find their actual prices on the homepage and ask for a quote if you have a custom knife you want to get.

 

[BkgGdz]

I once asked for a Nashiji finish which they declined which is understandable imo.

But Kurouchi should be possible.

Also ordered with fine finish so I dont have to spend time removing low spots.

 

[samjj234]

Anyone with a Denka and Isamitsu AS to tell and compare for us ?

 

[Luxman]

Anyone with a Denka and Isamitsu AS to tell and compare for us ?

I have both and Isamitsu blue super is better, it's more durable and takes as keen of an edge if not more. I would say it's most likely due to production being more consistent with isamitsu.

 

[samjj234]

I have both and Isamitsu blue super is better, it's more durable and takes as keen of an edge if not more. I would say it's most likely due to production being more consistent with isamitsu.

High praise!
Thanks for the update.

 

[Luxman]

High praise!
Thanks for the update.

our friends at isamitsu are really heading in to a great direction!

 

[yoyoma]

I fixed a chip and gave it a little thin for a customer, not a full thin that I would do for myself, I left a thicker bevel for strength.

There were a few low spots that I didn't take out and can be seen in one of the pics.

I tried to go for a similar basic finish on the knife (played with kasumi but the low spots were annoying).

From the pictures you posted, does the Isamitsu have the same hammered finished as a Denka? I think I'm seeing it but can't tell.

 

[Corradobrit1]

From the pictures you posted, does the Isamitsu have the same hammered finished as a Denka? I think I'm seeing it but can't tell.

It's def got a TF vibe to it. Maybe not as deep. If it has to be hammered this is the best aesthetic. The new Isamitsu style hammer marks aren't doing it for me.

 

[bsfsu]

From the pictures you posted, does the Isamitsu have the same hammered finished as a Denka? I think I'm seeing it but can't tell.

Here's a few more pictures, of the knives I had, all sold now.