No frill santoku to fantastic.

[Joshigon]

I have a co-worker who doesn't like large knives. She is an older woman and has always used a pairing knife for everything.
My boss has found her using her Kohetsu santoku before and says she likes it. She really likes light knives.
So I started searching for one for her.
Light, short, all stainless, pretty, and under 100 dollars. This is what I came up with. I bought the YASUNORI VG5 DAMASCUS SANTOKU. http://www.chefknivestogo.com/yavg5dasa16.html
Everything about it is great, except the handle. The handle is a rabbit tang with some gaps. I really wanted to like the handle, but couldn't.
This is my first western to wa conversion, and it turned out beautiful.

The handles is stabilized maple burl with a stabilized purple heart ferrule. The saya is poplar with a purple heart core. I installed the handle Tokyo style. Enjoy.















I know she will love it.

[Joshigon]

This is one of the sharpest knives I have ever touched. It cuts before it actually makes contact!

[milkbaby]

Really nice! I'm sure she'll enjoy it!

[Chefspence]

This is one of the sharpest knives I have ever touched. It cuts before it actually makes contact!

Put that on the product page! One of these customed would be a great knife. I've always looked at this as a perfect gift knife for family. Very nice look. Is the handle rounded? Looks like a big cigar

[Joshigon]

This is one of the sharpest knives I have ever touched. It cuts before it actually makes contact!

Put that on the product page! One of these customed would be a great knife. I've always looked at this as a perfect gift knife for family. Very nice look. Is the handle rounded? Looks like a big cigar

It does look like a big cigar. It is oval with a rounded end.

[nevrknow]

The women in my family prefer those rounded cigar looking handles better also. I think you hit that 1 out of the park for her Joshigon. Nice job!

[Joshigon]

The women in my family prefer those rounded cigar looking handles better also. I think you hit that 1 out of the park for her Joshigon. Nice job!

Thanks! She loves it.

[STPepper9]

Looks good.. what's a tokyo style installation?

[Joshigon]

Looks good.. what's a tokyo style installation?

Look at the last picture, see how there is a gap at the tang handle junction, that's​ Tokyo style. Konosuke does it to there knives. Just for looks.

[STPepper9]

I see.
I didn't realize there was a name for that, I've always just said exposed machi, from what I understand there is some utility to having that but it's relatively minimal.

[Joshigon]

I see.
I didn't realize there was a name for that, I've always just said exposed machi, from what I understand there is some utility to having that but it's relatively minimal.

On burn in tangs, if the handle gets a little loose then you can wack the bottom of the handle and tighten it a little. This handle is epoxied on, so it doesn't matter.