Western to Wa Conversion: Misono Molybdenum 360mm Bread Knife (WIP)

[aboynamedsuita]

I've finally stopped procrastinating and purchased some of the necessary tools to do my upcoming wa handle installs, so am doing some "practice runs" before I risk a custom handle.

I got some Italian needle rasps from Lee Valley, and have some Swiss needle files enroute (Lee Valley only sold Swiss cut #2 needle file sets [same as smooth cut], and I wanted to pick and choose some coarser ones so ordered individually from a jewellery supply company and they actually cost less this way too). This is also my fist stab (no pun intended :knife at using photobucket so please bear with me.

Here is the knife in its original state:

I took the handle off way back but kinda stalled on the project, but am trying to get back into it now. I'll hopefully be continuing this thread over the next few days with it being a long weekend.

Thanks for looking.

TJ

 

[aboynamedsuita]

Made some headway this evening. Below is a pic of the knife with the stock handle removed and the replacement. I was impressed to see how the tang looked.

I'm going to do this rehandle without filing down the tang, to keep my options open for the future, as I may decide to get a nicer handle at some point. The handle is just a stock from my Watanabe Kensaki Yanagi, so if I screw this whole thing up it's no biggie.

The tang on the Misono is 15.8mm x 1.9mm, and the tang on the Watanabe is only 14.4mm, so I'll have some work to do. I basically made some sawdust with the needle rasps and started hollowing out the tang slot a bit more.

I didn't finish tonight (getting late), but am happy with how it's going so far.

I only used the three-square needle rasp for this one.

I hope to have the dry fitting done by the end of the long weekend, I'm still waiting on some supples so won't be able to get much further than that.

 

[Lefty]

A good conversion is always fun to watch take shape. Looking forward to seeing the finished product. I have a soft spot for Misono knives, and find they are all but ignored over here, and really shouldn't be. Just my opinion, though.

If I were you, I'd grab a couple different sizes of bastard files, like the ones made by Nicholson, or Oberg. I find the finer "grit" and fairly aggressive cutting ability to be perfect for squaring up shoulders.

 

[aboynamedsuita]

Thanks Tom, appreciate the tips as well. I ordered a couple American Pattern files in addition to the Swiss Needle Files, so should be good in that regard I'm hoping.

There really shouldn't be too much if any work required for this blade since the tang was basically a perfect shape, although I will be polishing the choil and bottom of the exposed emoto/tang since this was left rough (was concealed in the old western handle).

I'm also a fan of the Misono knives, specifically the Swedish Carbon Steel ones. Being left handed myself, it's nice to have a set that's hand specific. I hate to admit it (only because I'd wonder why I've bought so many other knives), but I'm sure I could make do with only the Misonos. My 240mm dragon gyuto just arrived last week so I took a family photo, the 360mm dragon gyuto is absent because it is off getting a rehandle and the bread knife is not shown for obvious reasons.