Questions to Ibuki blades

[huntyukon]

Good day,
I’m a new member here and still learning my way around BF. But I’d say this is the right sub-forum for this. So here goes:

I’d like to get a nice Kitchen knife for my mother. I came across a website called ibukiblade.com.
They make, what seem to be, some really sweet blades. They mostly come without handle, which makes it even a bit more interesting.
Has anyone here ordered from them before?

The blade I’m interested in the most is a korouchi santoku hand forged #2 blue steel blade by Kosuke Muneishi.

It says the blade thickness is 1.5mm to 3mm, which confused me a bit. I’m thinking it means it’s 1.5mm behind the edge and 3mm at the spine? Does anyone know what they mean by that?

3mm might be a bit thicker than I had hoped, although with a blade width of 47mm the geometry might be such that it still slices really well?

I realize these are “greenhorn” questions that some of you have probably heard before, but please bear with me. I am still pretty new to all this.

Next question would be, would anyone know these blade are meant to be grinded down at the softer spine? Or can they just be polished and used?

The second knife I really like is a petty knife the in #1 blue steel.
Is there really any difference in sharpening and performance between the #1 and #2?

Thanks in advance for your help
Hauke

 

[huntyukon]

https://ibukiblade.com/products/kos...el-santoku-knife-165mm?variant=19003807858745Here is a link to the santoku knife. I hope this worked.

 

[RokJok]

Kudos for wanting to give your Mom a good knife.

I haven't dealt with or handled any blades from that specific company, so will ask a few generic questions.

Because HRC is listed on that santoku at 64-65, is your Mom a person who will appreciate (and care for) that level of performance?
Would a blank blade (or an already assembled knife) in slightly more forgiving steel be acceptable?

Since the knife comes without a handle, is part of the situation a motivation to do a project knife for your mother?

A concern I had with a comment in the description of their kurouchi finish was the warning that pits (okay, I guess) and cracks (more concerning IMHO) may exist in what I'm assuming is cladding steel, not the core steel. My scepticism may be misplaced, but I've not noted such disclaimers from other makers and wonder if/how those might affect durability in the long run. But at under $100 for the santoku blank, some leniency may be in order.

 

[huntyukon]

Thanks for the reply,
She usually takes care of her knives pretty well and my old man sharpens her knives for her.

Yeah, I had my eyes on a VG10 (60-61hrc) blade from a different site. I’m way more familiar with that steel than blue #1 or #2. I just been wanting a hard and slicy Japan blade for a while now.

The fact that I can put a handle on it and shape and polish the clad makes it definitely more interesting for me.

I was a bit concerned about that comment as well. I figured little pits I could sand or grind and polish out, right? Cracks on the other hand would definitely be a concern. Or am I wrong in that assumption? I’m guessing even small cracks could get bigger over time with a knife that hard? Although the clad is supposed to be relatively soft.

I was thinking for the price it may be worth the risk. If it doesn’t turn out to be the right knife for her or is damaged a bit, I’ll keep it for myself. Having said that, it would be disappointing if it was cracked or damage to the point of it being more or less useless. Would cracks in the clad make the blade useless?

May be I get the VG10 blade would be better as a gift. Although I’ve been wanting to get myself a hard and slicy Japanese knife for myself for a quite a while now, too. I’m sceptical as well, but maybe it’s worth the risk for the price.

Would you happen to have any alternative ideas for some nice Japanese blades by any chance?

I really appreciate your reply and willingness to help this here newbie

 

[RokJok]

Well, here's a quick $0.02 of opinion. I'm sure others here can offer more options to your search.

A couple import vendors of blades from bladesmiths in Japan that get mentioned are Chef Knives To Go (CKTG) and also Japanese Chef Knife (JCK) websites. There are certainly more vendors out there & I'll defer to others' recommendations who've dealt with those sellers.

As a warning, I sense a growing trend of predominantly Chinese vendors marketing their knives (often with implicit, if not outright explicit verbiage & Japanese sounding names) as if those knives are made in Japan, thereby trying to camouflage or hide the knives' country of origin. This is due to current popularity of Japanese blades among knife buyers. The Chinese sellers are simply pandering to a market demand surge. And some other countries seem to be joining that parade. There's a particular auction site where I've especially noted this. Caveat Emptor!

So *huge* amounts of scepticism and paranoia are called for when shopping the online market seeking an authentic Japanese blade. Thus, finding a reputable vendor with "boots on the ground" historic experience in Japan becomes a high priority.

I personally have some Murray Carter blades and recommend him unhesitatingly, if you can afford the stratospheric prices asked these days. I got mine from him when his prices were more affordable & simply in the upper tier of domestic USA smiths. His hand crafted quality is IMHO top notch. You'll have to decide for yourself if it fits your budget. Note that while his blades are based on decades of experience in Japan and the USA, his designs and their nomenclature don't always follow standard traditional patterns.

I'm sure I'll think of what I missed as soon as I hit the Submit button.

 

[huntyukon]

Well, here's a quick $0.02 of opinion. I'm sure others here can offer more options to your search.

A couple import vendors of blades from bladesmiths in Japan that get mentioned are Chef Knives To Go (CKTG) and also Japanese Chef Knife (JCK) websites. There are certainly more vendors out there & I'll defer to others' recommendations who've dealt with those sellers.

As a warning, I sense a growing trend of predominantly Chinese vendors marketing their knives (often with implicit, if not outright explicit verbiage & Japanese sounding names) as if those knives are made in Japan, thereby trying to camouflage or hide the knives' country of origin. This is due to current popularity of Japanese blades among knife buyers. The Chinese sellers are simply pandering to a market demand surge. And some other countries seem to be joining that parade. There's a particular auction site where I've especially noted this. Caveat Emptor!

So *huge* amounts of scepticism and paranoia are called for when shopping the online market seeking an authentic Japanese blade. Thus, finding a reputable vendor with "boots on the ground" historic experience in Japan becomes a high priority.

I personally have some Murray Carter blades and recommend him unhesitatingly, if you can afford the stratospheric prices asked these days. I got mine from him when his prices were more affordable & simply in the upper tier of domestic USA smiths. His hand crafted quality is IMHO top notch. You'll have to decide for yourself if it fits your budget. Note that while his blades are based on decades of experience in Japan and the USA, his designs and their nomenclature don't always follow standard traditional patterns.

I'm sure I'll think of what I missed as soon as I hit the Submit button.

I actually checked out CKTG and their knives a couple hours ago and will probably order a knife from them. I ordered some stones and strops from them before too. Not sure why I didn’t think of them myself. The name should’ve been enough of a hint, duh. Hahaha

I’ll checked out Murray Carters too though. Man, he’s got some nice blades. Not all of them are over my budget. Gonna look into those knives some more.

I’ll update on who and what I end up buying.

Thanks for the tips and recommendations. I really appreciate that. Big thanks

 

[huntyukon]

So, I ended up ordering a kohetsu Aogami super Gyuto from CKTG. It’s not here yet, but definitely looking forward to it.

 

[Wood Splitter]

I see you ordered a Kohetsu (Congrats! Aogami Super is good stuff!), but I figured I'd throw my $0.2 in for future reference anyway.

I actually own a Muneishi 210 gyuto that I got from Ibuki, along with 5 other blades. I can recommend them for sure, and their disclaimer about "pits and cracks" isn't actually really about cracks like you might think, it's just noting what to expect out of a forge finish (for those unfamiliar). The package showed up incredibly well packed, and all of the blades either met or exceeded my expectations. Communication with them via email was very quick, shipping was fast, etc. I won't hesitate to order from them again, it was a great experience all around.

The thickness measurements list the thickness at the spine just in front of the handle, and then again out where the grind starts towards the tip. It's describing the degree of forged distal taper the blade has. My Muneishi came with fantastic geometry and a beautifulf finish, and I see absolutely no need for any work to the blade out of the box, barring maybe a few quick passes on a water stone or strop.

I'll also vouch for Carter's work. I've owned one of his MS blades for a few years and absolutely adore it, though the prices are a bit up there.

 

[huntyukon]

I see you ordered a Kohetsu (Congrats! Aogami Super is good stuff!), but I figured I'd throw my $0.2 in for future reference anyway.

I actually own a Muneishi 210 gyuto that I got from Ibuki, along with 5 other blades. I can recommend them for sure, and their disclaimer about "pits and cracks" isn't actually really about cracks like you might think, it's just noting what to expect out of a forge finish (for those unfamiliar). The package showed up incredibly well packed, and all of the blades either met or exceeded my expectations. Communication with them via email was very quick, shipping was fast, etc. I won't hesitate to order from them again, it was a great experience all around.

The thickness measurements list the thickness at the spine just in front of the handle, and then again out where the grind starts towards the tip. It's describing the degree of forged distal taper the blade has. My Muneishi came with fantastic geometry and a beautifulf finish, and I see absolutely no need for any work to the blade out of the box, barring maybe a few quick passes on a water stone or strop.

I'll also vouch for Carter's work. I've owned one of his MS blades for a few years and absolutely adore it, though the prices are a bit up there.

Thanks for the info. I think I will order from them in the future as well. Good to hear you’re happy with them. I really appreciate the reply.

 

[huntyukon]

I see you ordered a Kohetsu (Congrats! Aogami Super is good stuff!), but I figured I'd throw my $0.2 in for future reference anyway.

I actually own a Muneishi 210 gyuto that I got from Ibuki, along with 5 other blades. I can recommend them for sure, and their disclaimer about "pits and cracks" isn't actually really about cracks like you might think, it's just noting what to expect out of a forge finish (for those unfamiliar). The package showed up incredibly well packed, and all of the blades either met or exceeded my expectations. Communication with them via email was very quick, shipping was fast, etc. I won't hesitate to order from them again, it was a great experience all around.

The thickness measurements list the thickness at the spine just in front of the handle, and then again out where the grind starts towards the tip. It's describing the degree of forged distal taper the blade has. My Muneishi came with fantastic geometry and a beautifulf finish, and I see absolutely no need for any work to the blade out of the box, barring maybe a few quick passes on a water stone or strop.

I'll also vouch for Carter's work. I've owned one of his MS blades for a few years and absolutely adore it, though the prices are a bit up there.

I ordered a Muneishi Gyuto as well as a Ibuki tanzo petty 120mm. Definitely looking forward to when they get here. If they are good quality blades that would be awesome, considering their low price point. Shipping costs are reasonable too. Their HAP40 blanks look intriguing, too. Would you happen to know anything about those? It sounds like they’d just need a bunch of grinding, but I’m confused about their statement in regards to heat treat.

They also have an “outdoor” type blade that interests me.

 

[Wood Splitter]

I ordered a Muneishi Gyuto as well as a Ibuki tanzo petty 120mm. Definitely looking forward to when they get here. If they are good quality blades that would be awesome, considering their low price point. Shipping costs are reasonable too. Their HAP40 blanks look intriguing, too. Would you happen to know anything about those? It sounds like they’d just need a bunch of grinding, but I’m confused about their statement in regards to heat treat.

They also have an “outdoor” type blade that interests me.

Nice! I think you'll like that Muneishi. I don't have any experience with the Hap40 unground blanks, but I do know that they come fully heat treated and ready to go. The cladding should be easy enough to work through if you want to, but the core steel will be a bit of a bear to work down by hand. If you have a variable speed grinder and good ceramic belts, it might be doable that way as well.

I had four Shokei Funaki outdoor blades that I did up, and I still have a kennata blade by Masatada that I plan on building out. The Kennata blade specifically impressed me a lot, it's fantastic.

 

[huntyukon]

Yeah, I think I’ll stay away from the HAP40 blades. Will definitely get myself a hap40 knife eventually though. What do you like most about the Ken Nata knife?

 

[Wood Splitter]

Yeah, I think I’ll stay away from the HAP40 blades. Will definitely get myself a hap40 knife eventually though. What do you like most about the Ken Nata knife?

It's just an impressive blade in person. Extremely stout, even and clean convex grinds, well polished iron cladding, it's nicer in person than the photos show, in my opinion. It should make a formidable outdoor knife. I'm hoping I might be able to source some Japanese red oak (akagashi) to make a traditional style handle and saya from.

 

[huntyukon]

It's just an impressive blade in person. Extremely stout, even and clean convex grinds, well polished iron cladding, it's nicer in person than the photos show, in my opinion. It should make a formidable outdoor knife. I'm hoping I might be able to source some Japanese red oak (akagashi) to make a traditional style handle and saya from.

the more you tell me the more I’m excited about the arrival of my blades. For a more outdoor type knife, I’d love to use some moose, caribou horn. Got lots of that flying around up here. I might even put it on one of the petty blades. Not 100% sure yet.