sachem allison
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I think we're done here.
How bad is it, if a knife has a hole in it? It isn't something I want to happen. If it does though, I don't see myself throwing the knife out. Unless it happens on a slicer, it seems like it would be a minor annoyance.
The pricing on many Moritakas is right there, just above Tojiro DPs, the last I looked. For the fun of exploring this option, if you could get a knife that was in this price range an it gave you great performance for two years of abuse/service, and then crapped out (the hole came through), would you still buy the knife? Arguably, that's a better "bang for the buck" than many knives we buy that end up getting broken/stolen/pushed into a drawer, isn't it?
I think with this way of thinking, it's safe to call a Moritaka a Hyundai Accent. They look pretty good, are affordable, but we realize it's just going to hold us over until we can get the BMW. However, in the meantime, it's actually a pretty solid little performer with a low initial investment.
If you are curious, I think I drive a Masamoto KS with an ebony handle and dark, two tone buffalo ferrule.
So Dave I'm guessing then that they have a little production line type thing going on then so it might be that one of the Moritaka's does the forging and shaping ?? ( sorry I know very little about the manufacturing sequence) and then the grinding/sharpening is possibly left to an apprentice/semi skilled (or not) worker? As I've said before the supreme Damascus gyuto I have is well made and the finish/grind is to my eyes fine (I've had a square/straight edge all over it lol). Could it be that these more expensive knives are made to a bit higher spec and/or ground/sharpened accordingly. Unless you've seen lots of faults in this line too?
I must admit even after these posts and the obvious problems I'm still attracted to Moritaka knives, I've looked at the other similar knives and will purchase a takeda. Tanaka's aren't always that easy to come by (kurouchi) and it seems can have problems and I've looked at the Zakuri stocked by JKI but to be honest don't find Octagonal handles at all comfortable (the Rosewood D shaped handles on the Moritaka's I have fit perfectly and are another reason for buying), and tbh I really don't like the huge Zakuri logo etched into the knives blades it totally spoils the appearance for me (I know a bit shallow lol).
I will let to others, more competent, to answer this very general question if you don't mind! All I can say is that for centuries people have believed hammering could create a denser (?) structure and that since at the least the twenties it's obvious nothing happens at that level at all.Thanks.
So really the only two thing that can alter the steel structure is the heat treatment?
Here ya go....
View attachment 7583
View attachment 7584
Some nasty surprises turned up while thinning.
A giant divot adjacent to what looks like some heavy handed forging.
Ain't no one can defend this kind of workmanship.
At Least there are a couple sharpenings left in that knife. Once you hit the hole, see about converting it into a suji, assuming it is a gyuto.
Guys:
I've been thinking a lot about this from a material standpoint, not that I'm a metallurgist or even a science guy. But, does any of this also have to do with the inconsistent density of the steel in the knife? I would imagine that the more you hammer a steel, the thinner it gets, but also, does the steel get more dense?
I know that overgrinds are hard to detect from personal experience. But, the reason why I'm bringing this up is because if we have, what are essentially, dents in the blade from hammering, are some of these dents/ovegrinds also happening because the steel isn't dense and when you sharpen, it's pulling more steel off than it should? The thing that has surprised me most is that people have been finding this divots when they start sharpening, not initially when they purchase them. And that huge divot from thinning should have been apparent at least somewhat when sharpening, which is when I've noticed overgrinds on my knives.
To me, it would seem that something as large as the overgrind/divot/whatever you want to call it above would have been slightly apparent upon inspection. But if it wasn't, is there something else going on here as well - that certain parts of these knives haven't been hammered or forged well at all, and the steel is weak at certain spots? Because, DAMN, that divot in the second picture is ridiculous.
If what I'm saying is idiotic, please simply :nutskick:.
Hahaha. Now that's thinking outside the box!
Wabi-Sabi baby! **** yeah! :spin chair:Ain't no one can defend this kind of workmanship.
Here ya go....
View attachment 7583
View attachment 7584
Some nasty surprises turned up while thinning.
A giant divot adjacent to what looks like some heavy handed forging.
Ain't no one can defend this kind of workmanship.
Wabi sabi.Wabi sabi, Bro.
Wabi sabi.
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