Hi everyone! I just started getting into Japanese knives and recently bought a unknown petty (mislabeled as a chinese knife due to the kanji) off ebay.
I tried doing some research but using a kanji dictionary and the useful threads in the Knife Knowledge section here didn't give me any results.
Can anyone tell me more about this knife? Here's what I know so far:
- Blade length is ~152 mm
- Blade is thin and flexible, with a thickness of 1.8mm near the handle and tapering down to ~0.8mm near the tip
- The blade material seems to be a carbon steel of some kind, I soaked the tip in pickle juice for a minute and it produced a slight discoloration
- The finish is very rough, with grind marks and pockmarks still visible. Some lettering seems to have been ground off on the left side (any idea what it says?)
- The wooden handle is big and blocky, with a thick brown varnish sealing the handles and the spine of the blade
My guess so far is that someone found an old knife somewhere and restored it badly, or it was a cheap knife that the maker just did not put much effort into.
So what do you guys think? Is it worth trying out or did I buy a dud? Any info on the kanji or steel, or pointers on what to look for to determine its quality or origins would be welcome.
I tried doing some research but using a kanji dictionary and the useful threads in the Knife Knowledge section here didn't give me any results.
Can anyone tell me more about this knife? Here's what I know so far:
- Blade length is ~152 mm
- Blade is thin and flexible, with a thickness of 1.8mm near the handle and tapering down to ~0.8mm near the tip
- The blade material seems to be a carbon steel of some kind, I soaked the tip in pickle juice for a minute and it produced a slight discoloration
- The finish is very rough, with grind marks and pockmarks still visible. Some lettering seems to have been ground off on the left side (any idea what it says?)
- The wooden handle is big and blocky, with a thick brown varnish sealing the handles and the spine of the blade
My guess so far is that someone found an old knife somewhere and restored it badly, or it was a cheap knife that the maker just did not put much effort into.
So what do you guys think? Is it worth trying out or did I buy a dud? Any info on the kanji or steel, or pointers on what to look for to determine its quality or origins would be welcome.
