rounded spine and choil

[jakuda]

Quick Q. Which current japanese knifemakers offer a rounded spine and choil by default?

 

[M1k3]

Nothing from Tosa, unless they've recently stepped up their game.

Sakai brands, usually.

 

[Stevem627]

I have a Wakui W2/Stainless 240, and I think I’ve seen several mentions of a rounded choil and spine in descriptions and reviews on other models.

 

[jacobwilder5]

Tetsujin and Takada had the best F&F of the knives I’ve personally handled. Nicely rounded and polished.

 

[tostadas]

Wakui, Shibata, Sakai Kikuzuki, Choyo, Tanaka x Kyuzo, Takada

 

[JASinIL2006]

Many (most? all?) Konosukes do.

 

[jakuda]

thanks all

 

[NameAlreadyTaken]

Not sure if this is what you had in mind but Jon’s specs on his Gesshin lines are usually very comfortable out of the box and there’s a few threads on here that suggest that he works with the smiths to get a higher standard of hit and finish for JKI than they sometimes offer direct from the Japanese smiths.

 

[MarcelNL]

DIY-ing is easy enough too!

 

[Tekkz]

Not sure if this is what you had in mind but Jon’s specs on his Gesshin lines are usually very comfortable out of the box and there’s a few threads on here that suggest that he works with the smiths to get a higher standard of hit and finish for JKI than they sometimes offer direct from the Japanese smiths.

Except for the gesshin stainless! Those come quite rough. Jon is happy to round the spine and choil if you ask, but straight from the box they have sharp ridges that make holding uncomfortable.

 

[Delat]

There's rounded and there's rounded. Just about all decent knives will at least be eased.

I don't think there's a set definition of "rounded" as that can vary greatly. IMHO if you like an aggressive level of rounded (I do, personally) the best way to be 100% sure you're happy is to learn how to do it yourself.

It's quite easy, especially with clad blades. It generally shouldn't take more than 10-15 mins, maybe more if the cladding is tough and you're doing a lot of work. But it's not difficult overall.

 

[daddy yo yo]

Hattori KDs come with a sharper spine than all my MIL‘d edges…

 

[flow_the_pro]

HADO has really nice ff with polished choil and spine

 

[NameAlreadyTaken]

Except for the gesshin stainless! Those come quite rough. Jon is happy to round the spine and choil if you ask, but straight from the box they have sharp ridges that make holding uncomfortable.

Oh right. Thanks for the correction. I had been working on a combination of Jon’s comments and my own experiences with Gesshin Ginga’s. I don’t have experience of the Gesshin Stainless line.

+1 for it’s an easy DIY. As mentioned above, there’s different extents to easing, rounding, and polishing, each with different ergonomics, and it’s easy enough to fix something that doesn’t feel right.

 

[GolfinCT]

I have a 240mm yoshimi Kato that came with a rounded spine and choil, as well as a Masashi nakiri that is also rounded although not quite as well done as the Kato. The factory Kramer knives are also rounded as well if that’s something in your wheelhouse

 

[nopomo]

Nothing from Tosa, unless they've recently stepped up their game.

Sakai brands, usually.

Is Tetsujin not from Tosa? Some Hokiyama stuff is nicely finished, too.

ETA: I forgot about Tadokoro, as well.

 

[chefwp]

If the Tetsujin mentioned above are the creations of Tamura/Myojin, I would not characterize the spine as 'rounded.' The two I have owned are what I would describe as chamfer, like so:

I am not a big fan of this, I don't find it nearly as nice as a rounded or relaxed spine.

The nicest rounded/smooth spine and choils I have experienced are from Takada and Kagekiyo.

Yoshikane, Ashi, and Tanaka x Kyuzo, while I would not say they are 'rounded,' attention has been paid I think to smooth it out, could be called 'relaxed?'