Heiji direct

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Danzo

Danzo

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I know there is probably info about ordering direct from heiji embedded in other threads but i cant seem to find one about this specifically. Can someone with experience please share how-to, overall experience, wait times, and QC going direct? Thanks
 
Danzo said:
I know there is probably info about ordering direct from heiji embedded in other threads but i cant seem to find one about this specifically. Can someone with experience please share how-to, overall experience, wait times, and QC going direct? Thanks
Click to expand...
Got two from him direct--sold one and kept one.
Easy to deal with--got an email with a timeline (I think 3-4 months wait at that time) and requesting payment and confirming my requests, and then an email almost exactly 4 months later saying it was ready and would be shipped. Low stress transactions both times--all business, no going back and forth discussing options and asking questions.

The first one I didn't request anything, the second one I did (rounded spine and choil + slightly heavier).
The first one was fine, with no issues. The second one came as asked, with nicer finishing on spine/choil--and was a bit longer than 240. Best part--it had slightly higher bevels than normal. No idea how this happened--but it was a pleasant surprise.
IIRC @panda ordered one and asked for high bevels.
At the very least, ask for spine/choil rounded. Maybe consider asking for a heavier or lighter version depending on if you're after thick/thin. Maybe consider asking for higher bevels? Always a question of how much to ask for vs. asking a maker to stray... 🤷‍♂️
 
Do you know if they'll still do handleless westerns?
 
Ordered a 240 mm semi-stainless direct from Heiji a few months ago. Did a lot of research beforehand and automatically asked for the higher bevels, but Heiji didn’t want to do them and I didn’t want to push him. I didn’t know you could ask for spine and choil rounding, or I would’ve gone for that 😅. He finished the knife early, just under 3 months, but EMS from Japan isn’t shipping to the US due to COVID. Heiji was really proactive and responsive in getting quotes from other shipping services like FedEx and DHL, but the prices would’ve made it almost more economical to just buy a Gesshin Heiji (they were out of stock when I ordered direct). The other option was sea freight which would’ve taken another 3 months. In the end, he was able to send the knife to my cousin in Canada who travels to the US for work and they mailed it right over to me.

Fit and finish are decent, the bevels come with some scratches, but I don’t think they’re deep as on a Mazaki. As for bevel height, I’ve only seen the carbon version where Heiji raises them by a lot, like sometimes halfway up the knife. The semi-stainless I’ve seen might be slightly higher, but nothing drastic. I think he said it’s something about the steel billets he gets. Anyways, with the original grind, you get to experience that sweet Heiji food release. And I’m an amateur, but even I can tell that the steel is really good. Bites through apples, peppers, tomatoes, anything with waxy skin better than anything else I’ve used.

Anyways, order with confidence, Heiji is a really nice guy in my experience, but keep the shipping situation in mind.

1615064781438.jpeg
 
McMan said:
Got two from him direct--sold one and kept one.
Easy to deal with--got an email with a timeline (I think 3-4 months wait at that time) and requesting payment and confirming my requests, and then an email almost exactly 4 months later saying it was ready and would be shipped. Low stress transactions both times--all business, no going back and forth discussing options and asking questions.

The first one I didn't request anything, the second one I did (rounded spine and choil + slightly heavier).
The first one was fine, with no issues. The second one came as asked, with nicer finishing on spine/choil--and was a bit longer than 240. Best part--it had slightly higher bevels than normal. No idea how this happened--but it was a pleasant surprise.
IIRC @panda ordered one and asked for high bevels.
At the very least, ask for spine/choil rounded. Maybe consider asking for a heavier or lighter version depending on if you're after thick/thin. Maybe consider asking for higher bevels? Always a question of how much to ask for vs. asking a maker to stray... 🤷‍♂️
Click to expand...
Did you keep the one with the higher bevels?
 
I recently asked for one that was taller than normal (53-55mm). No deal. Heiji said he couldn't do it, nor would he do higher bevels.

It seems like he's making the knives he wants to make and is less willing to entertain personal preference modifications. More power to him, but I ended up not ordering anything.

He was very responsive to emails sent to: [email protected].
 
I ordered direct about 4 months ago. Got a carbon petty and semi-stainless gyuto. I ended up going the 3 month shipping option as it was cheap - the other shipping options were quoted very high (as mentioned above). So in the end it will be a 6 month wait, but i have plenty of other knives.

I intentionally didn't ask for anything unusual, other than lengths (and height on the petty), as I wanted to try out the standards Heiji grind and feel.

He is super easy to work with, responded within a day or two each time I emailed. I don't specifically recall the prices, but I was very pleasantly surprised with the knife prices. It's a no brainer in my opinion.
 
I had a hard time getting a hold of him at first. Then after my 4th try he responded and has been very responsive.

He denied my requests for taller knife and higher bevels but made what looks like a great knife. Unfortunately it’s stuck in Japan. He quoted an additional $200!!!!!!! To ship. Waiting on EMS to startup so I can get my knife.
 
I ordered from him 2-3 weeks ago. Everything went fine after contacting him a second time. The first time he just ghosted me. The second time I just gave him my order, no chit chat, then received a PayPal invoice the next day. He said 5 month timeframe.
 
Ordered a sujihiki 4 months ago, asked for a lot of specific details and he was quite open to accommodating them.
I did take into account what he normally does, I feel as long as it's in line with what he thinks is beneficial, he'll do it.

The only thing he mentioned is that he can only do chestnut handles with black horn, I requested a ho wood handle with blonde horn initially.

Asked for 300mm length, rounded spine and choil, elongated k-tip, max. 38mm height, min. 200g weight as I'd like it to be stiff and a tapered spine from 4mm to as thin as he was willing to go at tip.
Communication so far was pleasant, mailed back and forth with him about 12 times, and he sent me drawings to ensure he understood my wishes. You do have to 'dumb' it down a bit, he mentioned he runs everything through a translator and doesn't understand every word. So say 'rounded' instead of 'eased' etc. so there can be no misunderstanding.
Sometimes he responded next day, one time after I sent a follow up after two weeks myself. No problem though, I get he's very busy.
One downside was the pricing in my case, he quoted me a price, then mentioned he forgot a surplus for my requests, and then added PayPal costs, in the end it ended up costing me fair bit more than the initial quote...

The wait time was set at 4 months, which have passed next week, but haven't heard anything since paying the invoice. So I am not sure how it will turn out though.

Fingers crossed for news in the upcoming weeks.
 
Chopper88 said:
Ordered a sujihiki 4 months ago, asked for a lot of specific details and he was quite open to accommodating them.
I did take into account what he normally does, I feel as long as it's in line with what he thinks is beneficial, he'll do it.

The only thing he mentioned is that he can only do chestnut handles with black horn, I requested a ho wood handle with blonde horn initially.

Asked for 300mm length, rounded spine and choil, elongated k-tip, max. 38mm height, min. 200g weight as I'd like it to be stiff and a tapered spine from 4mm to as thin as he was willing to go at tip.
Communication so far was pleasant, mailed back and forth with him about 12 times, and he sent me drawings to ensure he understood my wishes. You do have to 'dumb' it down a bit, he mentioned he runs everything through a translator and doesn't understand every word. So say 'rounded' instead of 'eased' etc. so there can be no misunderstanding.
Sometimes he responded next day, one time after I sent a follow up after two weeks myself. No problem though, I get he's very busy.
One downside was the pricing in my case, he quoted me a price, then mentioned he forgot a surplus for my requests, and then added PayPal costs, in the end it ended up costing me fair bit more than the initial quote...

The wait time was set at 4 months, which have passed next week, but haven't heard anything since paying the invoice. So I am not sure how it will turn out though.

Fingers crossed for news in the upcoming weeks.
Click to expand...

You might want to shoot him a another email. I checked in with him after 2.5 months just to see how far along he was and he sent me a pic of the forged knife before grinding and said he would do it soon. Sent me a pic of the completed knife less than 2 weeks later. Also, k-tip Heiji suji sounds wicked :cool:.

MrHiggins said:
I recently asked for one that was taller than normal (53-55mm). No deal. Heiji said he couldn't do it, nor would he do higher bevels.

It seems like he's making the knives he wants to make and is less willing to entertain personal preference modifications. More power to him, but I ended up not ordering anything.

He was very responsive to emails sent to: [email protected].
Click to expand...

Yeah, I remember he told me he used to accommodate sometimes, but too many people kept damaging the knives because they were ground so thin and blaming him for it. Maybe if everyone on KKF petitioned him for taller knives with wider bevels and promised to be extra careful with them, he would oblige.
 
kpham12 said:
You might want to shoot him a another email. I checked in with him after 2.5 months just to see how far along he was and he sent me a pic of the forged knife before grinding and said he would do it soon. Sent me a pic of the completed knife less than 2 weeks later. Also, k-tip Heiji suji sounds wicked :cool:.
Click to expand...

I kid you not, he just sent me an email 5 minutes ago o_O

Screenshot_20210307-004524_Gmail.jpg


The knife is almost done, he still had a question on how long the tip should be.
 
Danzo said:
I know there is probably info about ordering direct from heiji embedded in other threads but i cant seem to find one about this specifically. Can someone with experience please share how-to, overall experience, wait times, and QC going direct? Thanks
Click to expand...

Ordered two knives directly from Heiji over the last years... one KU Nakiri and one Gyuto...

40670985pu.jpg


both ordered with the comment "a little thinner than usual". The gyuto also with refined blade finish and Enju handle.
Contact via email was "ok". Waiting time about 4 month (a few years ago)

Also handled and tested some other Heijis and the two mentioned above were always the better cutter, better finished and yet let F&F issues than the other ones (except maybe Gesshin).

Would order again no problem.

Iggy
 
I ordered four knives in the beginning of January. Without any extra specification (I don't have the knowledge... :) )
Hopefully I have them in the beginning of May.

Ikasaki150mm semi-stainless
with octagonal chestnut handle

Ikasaki135mm Swedish steel
with octagonal chestnut handle.

Gyuto210mm semi-stainless
with octagonal chesutnut handle

Usuba240mm Swedish steel
with octagonal chestnut handle
 
I ordered a 210 mm and a 240 mm Gyuto in Swedish carbon from Heiji San directly and when I wanted higher shinogi bevel I was told “ Higher bevel is not good for gyuto knife.” I said okay and let him do his own thing. Shipping was more of a issue sithey deal exclusively with EMS. Since EMS wasn’t shipping to USA it was either ship by boat and wait 4 months or pay $100 for FedEx. I paid for the FedEx and in 6-9 days they arrived. I’d do it again!👍
4E1AB1DB-8F3B-4811-9C79-027A1E4280B6.jpeg
 
jonnachang said:
I ordered a 210 mm and a 240 mm Gyuto in Swedish carbon from Heiji San directly and when I wanted higher shinogi bevel I was told “ Higher bevel is not good for gyuto knife.” I said okay and let him do his own thing. Shipping was more of a issue sithey deal exclusively with EMS. Since EMS wasn’t shipping to USA it was either ship by boat and wait 4 months or pay $100 for FedEx. I paid for the FedEx and in 6-9 days they arrived. I’d do it again!👍View attachment 117077
Click to expand...

How tall at the heel is your 240? I was fine when he told me the same thing about high bevels, but he lost me when he said his 240s were 47-49mm tall. That's too short for me. Yours looks awesome, though! Such a sweet profile.
 
jonnachang said:
I ordered a 210 mm and a 240 mm Gyuto in Swedish carbon from Heiji San directly and when I wanted higher shinogi bevel I was told “ Higher bevel is not good for gyuto knife.” I said okay and let him do his own thing. Shipping was more of a issue sithey deal exclusively with EMS. Since EMS wasn’t shipping to USA it was either ship by boat and wait 4 months or pay $100 for FedEx. I paid for the FedEx and in 6-9 days they arrived. I’d do it again!👍View attachment 117077
Click to expand...
How do you like it without the higher bevels?
 
MrHiggins said:
How tall at the heel is your 240? I was fine when he told me the same thing about high bevels, but he lost me when he said his 240s were 47-49mm tall. That's too short for me. Yours looks awesome, though! Such a sweet profile.
Click to expand...
He said pretty much the same thing to me. 49mm max. Maybe 50mm.
 
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