Konosuke Fujiyama

[arthurfowler]

Hi all

I was just looking at the oos White Fujiyama's on CKTG and I noticed that the kanji differed from my Blue Fujiyama's which made me think that it may be steel related but then I noticed it was different on other white steel knives on the website.

Is it a different blacksmith that makes them now or does it mean something else?

Best

Gareth

[fujiyama]

Could you be more specific about the kanji differences? You should check out this thread on the old forum.

I'm uncertain if there was a change in blacksmith(s) over the years, although there's reason to believe. Konosuke is quite secretive.

"Utilizing the skill of the top two blacksmith and sharpener in Sakai. We have worked hard to achieve ultimate performance and esthetic in this line (Fujiyama)."

I originally thought this quote from Konosuke meant that there are currently two blacksmiths. I've recently begun to wonder if it was just mistranslated. It's possible what they meant was there's one blacksmith and one sharpener.

Here's a photo of a white and blue series together. At first look the kanjis appear the same, but the squared in kanji is actually different on these two. The smallest stamps are identical although one has been ground down significantly.



What's interesting is that my blue series has an identical kanji as this white series pictured above.

I unfortunately cannot read kanji but am looking forward to this discussion!

[arthurfowler]

Thanks Fujiyama

A very interesting thread. The links to the different kanji I noticed are as follows: -

http://www.chefknivestogo.com/konosuke9.html
http://www.chefknivestogo.com/kofuwh1gy24e.html

Best

Gareth

[limpet]

I think you mean "square" or "no square". I have no idea why they changed kanji. These are some knives I bought a couple of years ago, white 1 & 2 + blue 2. I always assumed the small kanji on the two first ones represented the core steel. What the kanji inside the square means, I don't know. Also, that square om my blue 2 was partially ground away.

[mauichef]

No idea about the other writing but the small kanji is as limpet said...
White 1
White 2
Blue 1
Blue 2

But I'm not sure if the B2 small mark is that designator. It is, I believe, a smith's mark........as it also appears on most of the other Fujiyamas I have, including the W2 below..
I actually cannot find a Blue 2 mark on any of my B2 Fujiyamas! It should look like the Blue 1 mark with 2 dashes instead of one.

[jacko9]

I recall in a post last year about the square around the number but since the forum was reconstituted I can't find the post.

[arthurfowler]

Thanks Limpet. I am sure I remember Mark or Kosuke posting about the kanji not being completely clear on a batch of Fujiyama's. Thanks Ray, I like the Kurouchi Fujiyama. I haven't seen one of those before. Thanks for looking Jacko.

I think I am probably reading more in to it than there is. It could be a combination of different smiths or just changes to the kanji but as long as it performs well with the great F&F that this line is renowned for then I am happy.

[snipes]

And just to confuse matters even more here is the kanji on my Fujiyama funayuki 240 B#2. Older version with the awesome ebony handle.

edited to include embedded pic.

[Kit Craft]

And just to confuse matters even more here is the kanji on my Fujiyama funayuki 240 B#2. Older version with the awesome ebony handle.



BTW, just switched to imgur. Which of the link choices do I need to use to embed the images? I tried several w/o luck.

BBC code, the second from the bottom.

[Inhuman]

No idea on the original question , I only have whites . In my travels I have noticed that the older Fujiyamas had different maker marks. Seems like they didn't always have that 1 or 2 designation on them .

Just loving all these Fujiyama pics tho guys . Ray, what steel is that KU? Man that one is gorgeous. Daniel , I think yours look a little newer? Is that right ?
My whites don't have that box , I think they're older. Mind you they were both not used and not sharp when I bought them recently .
Btw here's some of my kanji

Fuji w2 suji 270



Fuji w1 gyuto 240

[mauichef]

No idea on the original question , I only have whites . In my travels I have noticed that the older Fujiyamas had different maker marks. Seems like they didn't always have that 1 or 2 designation on them .

Just loving all these Fujiyama pics tho guys . Ray, what steel is that KU? Man that one is gorgeous. Daniel , I think yours look a little newer? Is that right ?
My whites don't have that box , I think they're older. Mind you they were both not used and not sharp when I bought them recently .
Btw here's some of my kanji

The bottom kurouchi is Blue 2. The top knife is, or should I say was, a kurouchi Santoku in White 1.

I would love to see the marks on anyone's Blue 2 fujiyamas. I cannot find one with the correct steel kanji and I am confused by that.

[fujiyama]

Thanks Fujiyama

A very interesting thread. The links to the different kanji I noticed are as follows: -

http://www.chefknivestogo.com/konosuke9.html
http://www.chefknivestogo.com/kofuwh1gy24e.html

Best

Gareth

Anytime Gareth

My assumption here is that the first gyuto was forged many years before the second. The kanji has since been updated (I cannot confirm this).

Thanks for starting the discussion. Loving the photos and useful information.

No idea about the other writing but the small kanji is as limpet said...
White 1
White 2
Blue 1
Blue 2

I was under this impression for a long time. I mean, we can all agree the second dash on those older white series translates to 2. I just cannot figure out the blue series kanji.

What confuses me most is how my newer B#1 has the same squared in kanji as a newer W#1. I'll try to find better photos tonight to show what I mean.

Just loving all these Fujiyama pics tho guys . Ray, what steel is that KU? Man that one is gorgeous. Daniel , I think yours look a little newer? Is that right ?
My whites don't have that box , I think they're older.
Btw here's some of my kanji

Fuji w2 suji 270

I believe you're right about your Konosukes being older stock. I think my two samples with this same kanji (white 2) were forged years ago.

The photo I posted earlier is actually from the Konosuke website.

Mine are a little newer though, made from B#1:




I really hope Mark or Kosuke can give us some clearer information!

[arthurfowler]

Thanks so much for all your replies. This is really interesting and I also am loving all the Fujiyama photos.

[Chicagohawkie]

Kono kanji is all over the place. Early fujis were semi consistent through the various steel lines. Three years ago or so the boxes were on some and not others. My two fujis, a blue 1 and a blue 2 Honyaki have kanji that I've never seen before. The early white 1 and white 2 fujis were very different to the later and latest versions. The earlier ones were way better in my opinion. The blues stayed pretty consistent from beginning to end. If I wanted to get a Fuji, I would look for an older one. FWIW.

[arthurfowler]

Thanks Chicago, what do you like better about the older ones?

[ChefKnivesToGo]

Kosuke is a perpetual tinkerer. He likes trying new ideas and his logo is one of them. In the early days his father hand engraved the fujiyamas.

[arthurfowler]

Thanks Mark

[Chicagohawkie]

Thanks Chicago, what do you like better about the older ones?

The older ones are what gave them their reputation as stellar knives. I've the chance to have both the old and the new knives side by side in the white 1 and white 2 format and they are really not even comparable, the new is vastly different from the old. The profile is different and the grind is different. Went from a wide bevel in the old to a narrow bevel in the new.

[Inhuman]

Thanks Chicago, what do you like better about the older ones?

The older ones are what gave them their reputation as stellar knives. I've the chance to have both the old and the new knives side by side in the white 1 and white 2 format and they are really not even comparable, the new is vastly different from the old. The profile is different and the grind is different. Went from a wide bevel in the old to a narrow bevel in the new.

Do you have any comparison picks ? I would be very interested to see the wider bevel

[Chicagohawkie]

I might have posted pics on the old forum. However they were probably photobucket images and they no longer link.