Konosuke Kaiju

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Harder to forge and more failures I'm guessing accounts for the higher price. TF works with B#1 just not for double bevels.
 
Harder to forge and more failures I'm guessing accounts for the higher price. TF works with B#1 just not for double bevels.

I feel like it depends on the smith. Yoshikazu Tanaka can forge a **** ton of it, considering the output and he's making other stuff, I am not sure that many failures. He's got the Fujis, the Kagekiyos, the Hitohiras, the Tsubayas, the JNS line, and I know I'm missing a few. I do guess for the sharpeners, its probably very wear resistant and then more effort to polish. I've heard B#1 is hard to forge for some, but I get the impression the man's just a master of it, the same way TF is on AS and W#1.
 
I feel like it depends on the smith. Yoshikazu Tanaka can forge a **** ton of it, considering the output and he's making other stuff, I am not sure that many failures. He's got the Fujis, the Kagekiyos, the Hitohiras, the Tsubayas, the JNS line, and I know I'm missing a few. I do guess for the sharpeners, its probably very wear resistant and then more effort to polish. I've heard B#1 is hard to forge for some, but I get the impression the man's just a master of it, the same way TF is on AS and W#1.
Exactly what I was thinking. I mean Y. Tanaka san makes ****tons of Aogami steel knives each month compare to other masters, and the fact that he can still keeps his work in perfect condition always amazed me. I guess practice do makes perfection.
 
Seems like Sakai Blacksmith likes to works with Blue 1 for their High end instead of AS, different region have a different style. Sanjo is more into Semi Stainless and White steel (Blue steel not that common, just Hinoura and Mazaki). I understand why blue 1 since I don't think anyone would like to sharpen AS single/wide bevel. Konosuke made a special AS series and it's not popular.

Also, the amount of knife that Tanaka produce is much more than what sharpener can handle, since I heard the sharpener industry is way less than the Blacksmith in Sakai. Tanaka also one of the blacksmiths could forge Togo Reigo, I don't know how good or overrated about the steel is, but surely he knows what he's doing.
 
IIRC in the "Konosuke Fujiyama: A History" thread on this forum it said that Tanaka had transitioned from forge welding the material for double bevel knives himself to using pre-laminated steel in recent times(for Fujiyama knives at least). Could explain his seemingly increased output.
If Mazaki does his own san-mai for his blue #1 knives I would expect this to be quite a bit more labour intensive.
Not opining or commenting here in any way about the quality of the end product or perceived or real value.
 
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Yea in that legendary thread it also says “ Nowadays, he only hand laminates single bevel, Damascus, and the Vintage Carbon / Togo Reigo blades.”

Given how wild the laminaton line of my JNS Tanaka damascus blue 1 is, I think it is indeed hand laminated.

It’s less than 1/3 of Mazaki’s blue 1 damascus price nonetheless. Actually it’s even cheaper than Mazaki’s blue 1 kasumi.

Edit: the Mazakis are beautiful knives. The fact that they sell out fast means they were priced properly. It just makes me feel after all Tanakas including the kaiju are not that expensive. LoL.
 
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I wonder if they will chisel Godzilla on one side and Ultraman on the other 😃
 
Saw this on their insta just now. Any chance it will be available in the EU? I know cuttingedgeknives sells Konosuke but haven’t seen anything yet on their page.
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It's a very similar choil to my Takada Reika (Tanaka also). This one with more beef at the spine and much more height, allowing tremendous convexing mine couldn't exhibit so beautifully.
 
Let’s all of us patient folks wait for a third wave BST. With a secone wave of virus dooming over this could come quite quickly who knows, there was quite some folly of buying/selling knives the first wave around.
 
Yeah these are beautiful. They look really good. Not a workhorse to me. It’s awesome they come with zero low spots etc and also with finger stones. Definitely other blades I would rather have though.
 
I must say that this new iteration of the Fujiyama looks wildly close to the last round of the Larger FM 240's. Aside from the Kanji and natural stone finish, I see no difference. Well, the B2 vs the B1 I suppose.

Mine came in at:
234mm Edge54.5mm tall4.08mm224g

Even the Choil shots look too familiar:



Don't get me wrong, I still plan on getting the new version. Or I should say try to get the new one. Looks to badass to ignore
 
I must say that this new iteration of the Fujiyama looks wildly close to the last round of the Larger FM 240's. Aside from the Kanji and natural stone finish, I see no difference. Well, the B2 vs the B1 I suppose.

Mine came in at:
234mm Edge54.5mm tall4.08mm224g

Even the Choil shots look too familiar:



Don't get me wrong, I still plan on getting the new version. Or I should say try to get the new one. Looks to badass to ignore

I think there can be some variations in his blades. My Tsubaya significantly less beefy than my dads, and we bought ours at the exact same time, but his is taller and thicker. I find the same with TFs. Only two I have experience with multiple blades of the same model, but I think for normal Japanese hand made knives you have to expect variation. Now again to restate, for the added price, I expect some greater uniformity in dimensions.
 
Speaking of the prolific Y. Tanaka, did anyone see the price these badass gyutos were going for? I thought vintage Swedish steel was kinda rare. I assume its not the same 100 year old Swedish (from UK steel maker) steel Konosuke was using for their Togo Reigo line...... or is it......

 
I think there can be some variations in his blades. My Tsubaya significantly less beefy than my dads, and we bought ours at the exact same time, but his is taller and thicker. I find the same with TFs. Only two I have experience with multiple blades of the same model, but I think for normal Japanese hand made knives you have to expect variation. Now again to restate, for the added price, I expect some greater uniformity in dimensions.
True for TF. Kiyoshi Kato, on the other hand, is remarkably consistent both in terms of dimensions and weights.
 
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