Name that one most underrated knife

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Henry said:
Ken Kageura (retired) knives. Some don't like them as they are a little fat but ascetically, one of the most beautiful knives I have used. Beauty is subjective but in my opinion they are more beautiful than a River Jump or dare I say, a Shig. The beauty is understated and humble.
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Was looking around for one of these a few years ago. They are weird. But what a legacy.
 
Gregmega said:
I’m confused- is Bessaku the name of the maker? Looks cool af tho.
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The knife in that pics actually a majime. Bessaku are dirt cheap western mono knives that can be had from a variety of different vendors masahiro, kanehide etc.

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soigne_west said:
The knife in that pics actually a majime. Bessaku are dirt cheap western mono knives that can be had from a variety of different vendors masahiro, kanehide etc.

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Oh ok- cause I didn’t know I needed another knife til I saw this pic

Ok I just looked. I know this guy, is his stuff good?
 
+1 for the stuff from Tosa. Murata for example. Aogami #1 with iron clad ku and a western handle. Superb F&F at the bolster and tang which is done by Hokiyama. Pity it isn’t available in 240. The man himself is supposed to be retired now.
Kosuke Muneishi. Sold as Yusaku by CKTG. On another Japan based webstore, under his own name. Forges primarily in Aogami #2. The grind is unsophisticated, but it can really cut. Really thin behind the edge and sharpens up to a wicked toothy edge so easily. Feels hard and the edge retention is remarkable. Possibly due to the maker’s family having a long history in making forestry and farming tools. One of two knives in my collection that wedges into my cutting board.
 
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I enjoy the Murata steel as well. The geometry isn't perfection, and I know that's not appealing to some, but it's certainly not bad. The simple, inexpensive wide bevel is easy to tweak and maintain as well. The size palette is small, but the nakiri I had was basically Jack the Ripper for produce
 
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captaincaed said:
I enjoy the Murata steel as well. The geometry isn't perfection, and I know that's not appealing to some, but it's certainly not bad. The simple, inexpensive wide bevel is easy to tweak and maintain as well. The size palette is small, but the nakiri I had was basically Jack the Ripper for produce
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I got my Murata largely because of your video on YouTube. And we exchanged a couple of comments on it and your TF Denka too.
It’s a little rough around the edges but has loads of character. CKTG had it on sale actually. So I thought why not? At its price point, hard to beat.
 
nyc said:
I got my Murata largely because of your video on YouTube. And we exchanged a couple of comments on it and your TF Denka too.
It’s a little rough around the edges but has loads of character. CKTG had it on sale actually. So I thought why not? At its price point, hard to beat.
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Oh hey, no kidding! I still have both. The Murata is great to just pick up and use for any old task. After some thinning, it's getting seriously nice to use.
Just blasted through a bunch of onions for a double batch of chili with the Denka. If you have the means.... Nothing else I have really compares. Great combination of thin, hard edge and overall weight. For what it's worth, I think my Mazaki does 95% of the job the Denka does, and probably does tip-work better, like slicing onion close to the root. But the weight of the western Denka near the handle and bolster means the heel can really bring some weight down when you need it to.
OK, I need to shut up. I'm drinking and posting again...
 
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Yeah ... that video of your Denka decimating some mushrooms.
I picked up a 240 just recently. Saw a spiffy looking one, couldn’t pass on it. Sad to say it won’t be in my loving embrace anytime before August. :(
 
captaincaed said:
OH yeah? Bought online? Long shipping?
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Online. It has arrived but I’m not based at my shipping address. But with borders still closed, it’s going to take a bit longer than usual.
 
My coworker has a Saji ginsan he spent $330 on. I hate it! Zero distal taper. Flat sides, low grind, thick tip. Yuck!

My vote is Makoto HG white #2 stainless clad kurouchi. Wicked grind, thicker spine at the heel, crazy thin taper. Mega polished spine and choil. Crazy low $200 price point. This thing is like a 911 with a stick shift fun. This should really be the flavor of the day.
 
I heard Makoto Kurosaki doesn’t forge his own knives, it could be either his brother or Kato or Ikeda. He sharpens his own knife though, and he spends time studying under MoriHiro (Like Makoto Tadokoro) so it should be good.
 
I don’t know what is considered “underrated”, but I’ll take it as equivalent to under-appreciated. I’d say Takeda’s NAS line of knives are certainly not as highly in demand as the AS predecessor. I get there was a few years where there were issues with the grind when he transitioned from AS to NAS, but the knives I’ve handled in the recent vintages don’t seem to have ant issues and performed superbly.
 
Henry said:
Did you ever find one? Why are they weird?
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They’re kinda clunky, the profiles are odd, they don’t fit the stylish aesthetic that permeates the current culture, they have an old world vibe. But the craftsmanship is apparently evident in hand. He passed some time ago as I understand it so they’ve become increasingly hard to find. Most the people who own them don’t spend time in these dark alleys. So to answer your question, no. None in my collection.
 
NO ChoP! said:
My coworker has a Saji ginsan he spent $330 on. I hate it! Zero distal taper. Flat sides, low grind, thick tip. Yuck!

My vote is Makoto HG white #2 stainless clad kurouchi. Wicked grind, thicker spine at the heel, crazy thin taper. Mega polished spine and choil. Crazy low $200 price point. This thing is like a 911 with a stick shift fun. This should really be the flavor of the day.
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I was looking at the Makoto HG the other day. Sold out though.

Looks lot of fun.
 
My murata petty/sabaki is my number one most used knife at work during service. I need to do a lot of really fine cutting on soft produce and it is really nice to use, I sharpen it every other night and the steel feels wonderful!
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^^ Murata's blue #1 is awesome. His grinds can be wonky but overall nice knives.

Nice job polishing the blade road.
 
MUTSUMI’s knife is also underrated, If the knife has the kanji of the father, it’d be double the cost.

If the river jump has been passed on, it’d certainly boost MUTSUMI’s reputation & help to sell his knife at higher price.
 
Gregmega said:
They’re kinda clunky, the profiles are odd, they don’t fit the stylish aesthetic that permeates the current culture, they have an old world vibe. But the craftsmanship is apparently evident in hand. He passed some time ago as I understand it so they’ve become increasingly hard to find. Most the people who own them don’t spend time in these dark alleys. So to answer your question, no. None in my collection.
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I think you got it spot on when you referred to it as an "old world vibe". It feels like a knife made for people in his village insulated from the outside world. Perhaps that is way it was never really poplar. I feels like it was never made with those who collect knives but rather for a grandma who uses one knife to do everything and who takes it in to get sharpened once a year. It does and feel different than anything else I own. I use it every once in awhile but am not really sure if I like the way it cuts. When I use it consistently, I seem to like it but when I use it occasionally, it is so different than my other knives, I am not too sure. Perhaps because of this, it has become one of my favourite knives. I am debating thinning this one out a little. Someone on this forum who owned one suggest I do this.
I think he is still alive but is retired without anyone taking over as he was a one man operation. He sold some of his work through the Massakage brand. However, unlike the other blacksmiths under the brand, he did everything. I hear he has put away his spring hammer for a fishing rod and spends his days fly fishing in the forest by his village.

Here is a picture of my 180. I have another one that is 220ish. It is the one of tallest 180 gyuto I have seen. The last photo, I hit the auto enhance on my iPhoto app. All photos were all taken on the same day just under different lighting.

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Henry said:
I think you got it spot on when you referred to it as an "old world vibe". It feels like a knife made for people in his village insulated from the outside world. Perhaps that is way it was never really poplar. I feels like it was never made with those who collect knives but rather for a grandma who uses one knife to do everything and who takes it in to get sharpened once a year. It does and feel different than anything else I own. I use it every once in awhile but am not really sure if I like the way it cuts. When I use it consistently, I seem to like it but when I use it occasionally, it is so different than my other knives, I am not too sure. Perhaps because of this, it has become one of my favourite knives. I am debating thinning this one out a little. Someone on this forum who owned one suggest I do this.
I think he is still alive but is retired without anyone taking over as he was a one man operation. He sold some of his work through the Massakage brand. However, unlike the other blacksmiths under the brand, he did everything. I hear he has put away his spring hammer for a fishing rod and spends his days fly fishing in the forest by his village.

Here is a picture of my 180. I have another one that is 220ish. It is the one of tallest 180 gyuto I have seen. The last photo, I hit the auto enhance on my iPhoto app. All photos were all taken on the same day just under different lighting.

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This is awesome! Thanks for the info, very cool to hear more info on these:) Also the patterns are just killer. What a unique piece of history locked in steel.
 
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Apparently people on here don’t know the definition of underrated. Takamura Chromax? Yoshikane SKD? Seriously? That’s like if I called nirvana underrated on a rock forum.
 
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