yoyoma
Well-Known Member
Are Isamitsu knives different? They don't look like the normal TF knives.
TF Chronicles
- Thread starter Brian Weekley
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Yeah, they’re not TF knives. It’s a new shop created by 2 ex-TF employees. I assume they’re very similar given that
Yes ex-employees. But whether they’re the good or bad employees
This is true... it's not like TF wabi-sabi wasn't already a meme when they were still part of the operationYes ex-employees. But whether they’re the good or bad employees
yoyoma
Well-Known Member
Do they make their own laminated steel like TF does, rather than buying pre-laminated steels?
I thought the selling appeal of TF was super-high hardness steels that come from being manually laminated...
Also the previous poster pointed out that Isamitsu knives had not yet changed their prices yet, implying that they would copy of TF prices... but why would they do that if they are selling a different product entirely?
Apparently other makers noted TF’s price hike and thought why not? 
Corradobrit1
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Yhuki was supposedly one of the key ie most experienced, blacksmiths at TF before he left. Probably explains why things went to sh!t wabi-sabi-wise from Dec onwardsYes ex-employees. But whether they’re the good or bad employees
denka western handles smell bad. guessing this is the same for all TF knives.
very plasticy and chemicaly smelling. my hand smells like it for a bit afterwards, too. it grosses me out slightly every time i use the knife. i have kind of a sensitive sense of smell, maybe.
aside from that, i love mine.
very plasticy and chemicaly smelling. my hand smells like it for a bit afterwards, too. it grosses me out slightly every time i use the knife. i have kind of a sensitive sense of smell, maybe.
aside from that, i love mine.
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My wife is not home, so I was able to smell 4 Western Denka handles without inviting ridicule.
Two smelled like wood. One smelled like nothing. One had a tiny hint of plastic-y, never would have spotted it without getting my nose right up to it.
Of course different people are sensitive to different smells and tastes. I think I could detect 1 part in 1000 of Bragg's Amino Acids in a dish of food across the room. Then I would leave.
i've only seen/had one TF. i forgot to mention that. and i guess maybe i wrongly assumed they all smelled like uncured epoxy.
but come to think of it, didn't someone sell a mab because they were having an allergic reaction to the handle or something? i'm not getting rid of mine over the handle. i still don't like how it smells though.
but come to think of it, didn't someone sell a mab because they were having an allergic reaction to the handle or something? i'm not getting rid of mine over the handle. i still don't like how it smells though.
I don’t know if the wabi-sabi part is true. The 2 Denka I got in 2022 are both easier to fix than the Denka and Mab I got in 2020/2021. The older ones both had 2 super deep low spots that were difficult to flatten. One of them’s edge was twisted and both were not entirely centered. One of them’s cladding line was almost touching the edge here and there.
The 2 new ones I got in 2022 both have bevels that are easy to flatten. No deep low spot. Edge is centered. The core steel is very even and centered on spine as well. Cladding line is even and exposing proper amount of core steel. Even the western handle feels nicer. Maybe I got good old stock? They are both 5 mm thick and the specs are very similar to a 5 mm thick one that my friend got in 2021.
It looks like a lot of the newer ones are thicker
Gaku once sent me a video of a 320 gram yo denka that is 245*53 in June 2021. I don't know when they started to make thicker ones but it's definitely before Gaku left.
There were definitely thicker ones before but anecdotally recently they all seem pretty thick and heavy
I got a Denka gyuto in June 2022 and it doesn't feel particularly thick to me, but I don't have an earlier one to compare to.
Heey! I bought myself a 195 Denka Nakiri from Sharp Knife Shop. Great price and it only took 3 days to arrive here in Germany.
First of it cuts like a dream and i will keep it .. but *** is that week ass kanji and handle installation?! That Kanji is more visible in these pictures than in real life. Still happy about the purchase but man this kanji bothers me more than the crooked handle
Other than that the blade looks fine.
Excuse these bad pics btw, i might do more at daylight.
First of it cuts like a dream and i will keep it .. but *** is that week ass kanji and handle installation?! That Kanji is more visible in these pictures than in real life. Still happy about the purchase but man this kanji bothers me more than the crooked handle
Other than that the blade looks fine.
Excuse these bad pics btw, i might do more at daylight.
That looks super thin bte for a Denka, looks like you win the TF lottery! The handle installation is not the worst I’ve seen on a TFHeey! I bought myself a 195 Denka Nakiri from Sharp Knife Shop. Great price and it only took 3 days to arrive here in Germany.
First of it cuts like a dream and i will keep it .. but *** is that week ass kanji and handle installation?! That Kanji is more visible in these pictures than in real life. Still happy about the purchase but man this kanji bothers me more than the crooked handle
Other than that the blade looks fine.
Excuse these bad pics btw, i might do more at daylight.
View attachment 210362View attachment 210363View attachment 210364View attachment 210365
Yes i am really happy with the blade. 190mm cutting edge (200mm length if i measure at the top), 63mm height at the heel and 245g.
I just cut some really hard William Christ pears and i could cut them in half without tearing anything apart
I might rehandle it in the future anyways, that doesnt bother me at all.
I also have a 195 nakiri (yo handle though). It blew my mind how effortlessly it goes through food - I think of it as Chinese cleaver cutting power (and weight) in a nakiri shapeYes i am really happy with the blade. 190mm cutting edge (200mm length if i measure at the top), 63mm height at the heel and 245g.
I just cut some really hard William Christ pears and i could cut them in half without tearing anything apart
I might rehandle it in the future anyways, that doesnt bother me at all.
Looks good indeed. Slightly asymmetrical righty favoured but else quite nice.
At least it's straight out of the handle
Corradobrit1
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245g
This looks super thin behind the edge. Maybe the thinnest I've ever seen on a denka except for a couple of custom ones. Seems like they got a new guy grinding the knife. How's the distal taper on the spine? What's the spine thickness at handle and in the middle? It looks good from your picture as well.Heey! I bought myself a 195 Denka Nakiri from Sharp Knife Shop. Great price and it only took 3 days to arrive here in Germany.
First of it cuts like a dream and i will keep it .. but *** is that week ass kanji and handle installation?! That Kanji is more visible in these pictures than in real life. Still happy about the purchase but man this kanji bothers me more than the crooked handle
Other than that the blade looks fine.
Excuse these bad pics btw, i might do more at daylight.
View attachment 210362View attachment 210363View attachment 210364View attachment 210365
The handle installation is funny indeed. Watching that choil shot bothers me. lol
DarwellianEmpire
Well-Known Member
After a few weeks of rotating my daily drivers I dusted off my Denka and I can truly say that I have a new appreciation for it. The effortless cutting feel and the overall nimbleness really leaves an impression when in use. FWIW I did have to put a few hours into thinning, refinishing, and rehandling which for the price point is a bummer. No regrets though.
Thin boi
wAbi-SaBi
Thin boi
wAbi-SaBi
Looks great @DarwellianEmpire ! Maybe you want to share some more pics of the before and after?
Great work! That original handle installation tho… are they using child labor?
DarwellianEmpire
Well-Known Member
Thank you!
Apologies for not clarifying in my previous post. In that post the above picture is after putting in some work and the below is BNIB. As you can see the blade was set incredibly skewed in the handle which seems to be happening a lot lately. OOTB there was some steering but that has since been corrected.
Below I am attaching the before and after finishes. The first picture is BNIB and the second is after a few thinning and refinishing sessions
Before
After
DarwellianEmpire
Well-Known Member
Thank you!
And yes, it’s insane that’s they ship them this way. I never thought I would be a TF apologist but here we are
Looks amazing. Thanks a lot! Great work.
Keith Sinclair
Senior Member
After reading about Denka's & wabi Sabi for years on KKF started looking for good deals on BST. Couldn't find a cheap 240mm.
I'm not too concerned about fit & finish & like hammered, Nashiji, KU blades. Like rough finish artisan forged knives.
When saw on this thread exchange rate prices decided to order. Had two request thin behind the edge, & loose fit handle. They did both & knife came much earlier than expected. Installed a Amboyna Burl made years ago same day I got it. I love this knife,
great grind. I've peeled cantaloupe, made a pasta dish last night. Edge starting to take on patina already.
I'm not too concerned about fit & finish & like hammered, Nashiji, KU blades. Like rough finish artisan forged knives.
When saw on this thread exchange rate prices decided to order. Had two request thin behind the edge, & loose fit handle. They did both & knife came much earlier than expected. Installed a Amboyna Burl made years ago same day I got it. I love this knife,
great grind. I've peeled cantaloupe, made a pasta dish last night. Edge starting to take on patina already.
