Maintenance of an early lot SUISIN-Hayate
Come to think of it, I first met S-san while he was staying in Egypt.
And just like that… I found myself reminiscing about memories with a customer!
I vividly remember S-san, teary-eyed, telling me about how his knife was confiscated at a checkpoint during the Arab Spring because they declared,
“A knife is a weapon!”
This time, however, the Hayate he sent in for maintenance had been safely kept at home,
so there were no such issues. At least, that’s how I recall our conversation!
Alright, enough reminiscing!
S-san has sent in an early SUISIN-Hayate, crafted by Doi Keijirou, for maintenance.
It looks like he’s back in Japan now—this time, the package came from Tokyo, not Egypt!
Since there’s no serial number, it must have been one of the outlet sale specials.
The knife arrived in great condition, with no rust at all.
A truly mindful chef’s knife never carries the smell of fish. (**^^)b
There wasn’t even a single scale stuck to it!
Still, I had to confirm… so I took a deep sniff of the handle.
And there it was—the undeniable scent of fish!
I’ll let you imagine my reaction. (Lol)
The Shinogi line had faded a bit, and there were small microchips—
or rather, slight “waviness”—on the edge that needed fixing.
Customers who know exactly what they want from SUISIN often leave sticky notes with their requests.
Even so, I still wasn’t quite sure how to shape the tip… so I ended up calling S-san directly!
I completed the following:
✔ Reinforced the Shinogi line
✔ Sharpened the bevel through
✔ Adjusted the edge & ura
I’ve worked on Keijirou-san’s knives before, and they’re hard, yet so easy to sharpen.
People say Blue Steel has a “soft bite,” but this blade grips into the cut with a natural smoothness.
Even now, I can see why his knives continue to be so beloved.
That’s where the true value of Keijirou’s work lies!
And as I worked, I felt like I was having a conversation with Keijirou-san himself—
doing my best to sharpen with minimal material loss.
It was truly an enjoyable experience!
- 2019-07-09
