Kishubusshin mirror finish

Today, I worked on honbaduke for a custom-ordered kitchen knife. It’s a 180mm Deba Kishubusshin with a polished mirror-finish on the front, featuring an octagonal Ho wood handle and no sheath, priced at 46,300 yen. We applied a hand-sharpened edge to enhance its cutting ability. This honbaduke was crafted with a focus on smooth cutting and durability, incorporating a natural hamaguri edge and itohiki technique. The blade appears thin at the edge, but there’s a solid core to provide strength and precision.

The back of the blade meets cleanly at the cutting edge. Although there’s a slight gap on the back side (traditionally described as ‘having niku’), this is structurally accurate in Japanese knife craftsmanship. The way the blade engages is unique to the Shirogami 2 steel, providing a strong and precise cutting experience.

Durability is a concern, but I believe Togashi’s skill and technique have covered this aspect beautifully.

hibishugyo

2017-10-27