Konosuke Updates

[Patinated]

Thanks Mark! Really appreciate your clarification.

Best wishes.

[taz575]

Konosuke is trying to train new people to the extremely high standard that the Fujiyama is known for. He was working on creating a new workshop earlier this year so he can train and have more people working on the Fujiyama series again. In Japan, the highly skilled artisans are in demand and when they retire, there is often no one to step into their shoes, so people need to be trained from scratch. Some have apprentices, but the apprentices may need more experience/training before being able to produce the product. Konosuke uses a variety of smiths and sharpeners and shops for various lines and many of these smiths have their own brand/line as well. Production is limited due to the amount of hands on time each blade needs. Staffing shortages and supply shortages post Covid are still a real issue as well and finding people interested in this field is difficult! Doing something this hand intensive and labor intensive is not for everyone!

The grinds on the Fujiyama are complex in and of themselves, before the finishing (sharpening) and refinement is done. They are crazy thin behind the edge, have a beautiful kasumi finish on the blade road, crisp shinogi line and a beautiful finish on the remainder of the blade. It's a lot of work!!

The Kaiju may not be coming back; this is from Konosuke himself a few pages ago in this thread. Stone finishing a blade is extremely time and labor intensive and needs highly skilled personnel to do, as well as the correct stones. From what I remember, only 1 or maybe 2 people were working on these when they were available and their numbers were still extremely limited. It's not just hogging out a knife on a belt sander and buffing it!

As someone who makes knives, I know how labor intensive the process is. One of the most dreaded processes in knifemaking is a hand rub finish on the blade and that is with using sandpaper that is consistent and known grits, on a hard backer, so things are consistent. A stone finish by hand is a whole different sport!

I am dabbling with playing with various finger, synthetic and natural stones to try a stone finish and it is very difficult to do! It's not something you can skip steps at and there aren't really any shortcuts in the process. You need to know how the stones work with different metals and what stone you use where, pressure, etc. Stone polishing is a very nuanced skill and is usually reserved for sword polishers in Japan and a few outside of Japan. The stones are very expensive and may be getting harder to come by as well since natural stones are in limited supply. I am working on a clad White #1 core blade and seeing some progress, but its super slow! I can probably make several belt finished blades, or even hand rubbed sandpaper finish blades in the time it will take to complete this single blade with stones even after all of the grinding is done!

[ChefKnivesToGo]

We have some HD2 knives coming shortly. I think these have shipped.

[XexoX]

We have some HD2 knives coming shortly. I think these have shipped.

So, is this the page they will show up on? And 26 240 gyutos, not too bad. I'm sure they'll sell out fast though. Looks like you haven't had the petty's in those lengths before. No way to sigh up for an email for when they arrive.

[KetchupKing]

No 180 Petties or 300 sujis

[JASinIL2006]

The 300 sujis are sweet but hard to find. I picked one up about 6 months ago but I had to search all over to find one in stock. Those HD2 knives are super nice. I have a 270 wa gyuto I bought used and it is a lovely knife.

[ChefKnivesToGo]

We have some HD2 knives coming shortly. I think these have shipped.

So, is this the page they will show up on? And 26 240 gyutos, not too bad. I'm sure they'll sell out fast though. Looks like you haven't had the petty's in those lengths before. No way to sigh up for an email for when they arrive.

I'll update when I put the pages on and I'll put them in new arrivals so you guys won't miss them.

[ChefKnivesToGo]

We have some HD2 knives coming shortly. I think these have shipped.

These have arrived and we're working on getting them on the website along with a bunch of other stuff.

[XexoX]

We have some HD2 knives coming shortly. I think these have shipped.

These have arrived and we're working on getting them on the website along with a bunch of other stuff.

And it looks like they are already sold out! Good job Mr. Mark, Miss Sue, and company.

[tlertler]

We have some HD2 knives coming shortly. I think these have shipped.

These have arrived and we're working on getting them on the website along with a bunch of other stuff.

And it looks like they are already sold out! Good job Mr. Mark, Miss Sue, and company.

They're in stock right now. just reload the page

[XexoX]

These have arrived and we're working on getting them on the website along with a bunch of other stuff.

And it looks like they are already sold out! Good job Mr. Mark, Miss Sue, and company.

They're in stock right now. just reload the page

Thank you. Got it.

[RedSnapper]

Has anyone tried's konosuke's single bevel knives? Also would be this someone CKTG might be interested in procuring in the future?

[ChefKnivesToGo]

Here's what's coming on the upcoming shipment.

[ronnie_suburban]

Here's what's coming on the upcoming shipment.

Very nice. Are you planning on posting a link to an item page, so we can keep an eye on these? There are a few I don't see via a search for Konosuke.

Thanks!

[Jeff B]

Very curious to check out these Ginsan Nashijis! This shipment might cause more trouble in paradise....

[Kerneldrop]

That's a haul right there.
I had my mind made up on a YW White #2 Gyuto, but looks like you may receive quite a few that aren't on the site.

[ColonelJLloyd]

Oooh. I've been looking for the right short (75-90mm) wa petty. Not really a stainless guy, but I'll be looking forward to seeing those Ginsan nashijis as well.

[Radar53]

Very curious to check out these Ginsan Nashijis! This shipment might cause more trouble in paradise....

Please stop it Jeff

I have one of the original 240 ginsan gyutos and it's a great knife that I really enjoy. I do not need a nashiji version though .......

[Radar53]

Just checked the page out & thank goodness they've all been sold!!

[taz575]

They haven't arrived yet....lol