"Floating Knife" Kanji

[Buddahaid]

So my dad had this knife and saw set that looks much like a Japanese floating knife and it has some Kanji symbols, or something like them on the blade. Can anyone shed some light on this?

[Commander Wallace]

The knife is a great heirloom. You may have to take this to a dealer to decipher the lettering and determine it's origin and value. My grandfather brought back Samurai swords back from Japan but got rid of them for safety reasons.


I think he was a little tense by my saying, " there can be only one " while holding them. Don't take it to Rick Harrison of pawn stars as against his better judgment, Rick would give you .99 cents for it.



Either way, the knife is in fine shape.

[Aktungbby]

IS THAT A 'KNIFE' OR A WOODWORKING CHISEL? THE BEVELLED EDGE LOOKS TOO DULL TO TO BE A KANTO STYLE (CHISEL TIPPED VEGGIE KNIFE)

When katana (Japanese swords) were outlawed by the government at the beginning of the Meiji era (1868-1912), the skills of sword smiths were no longer in demand. Some sword smiths decided to use their skills to make chisels and plane blades. One of the skills was to make chisels by laminating hard steel to softer iron. The hard steel is for the sharpness of the cutting edge and the soft iron is for strength and flexibility. After the two metals are combined and shaped, the steel is hardened and tempered. The back of the blade is hollowed* so that flattening can be done faster. The same thing is done for plane blades. It is said that a blade cuts well when the flat distance between the hollow and the edge is minimal.
*Single hollow vs. multiple hollow: The back of a chisel has a hollow to make the flattening process easier by minimizing the area that needs to be flat. Whether a chisel comes with a single or multiple hollow, it will not have an effect on the cutting edge. A multiple hollow chisel has extra flats so it will be slightly easier to make straight cuts, particularly when paring past an edge. But because there are extra flats, it takes a bit more time to flatten the back. Some woodworkers like the multiple hollow style simply for its beautiful design.

THAT WOULD POSSIBLY EXPLAIN THE BLADE MAKER'S MARKS;<FROM ANTIQUE PLANE BLADESMITH OUTTAWORK NIPPONESE KATANA MAKERS ARE PRIDEFUL BASTARDS! AS FOR THE SAW:

The steels used in Japanese tools account for what many craftsmen feel is their superior performance. Most Western saws and chisels, for example, are made of steel alloy too soft to maintain edges as sharp as those of their Japanese counterparts. Japanese tools are laminates of soft and hard steels; the hard steel maintains its sharp edge for a long time, and the soft steel cushions the hard steel, preventing shattering.
The blade of a well-sharpened Japanese plane, unlike its Western counterpart, can cut so cleanly that the wood's surface takes on a natural sheen that requires no sanding or finishing. This surface gradually acquires the patina that the Japanese value.
And because a Japanese saw is drawn rather than pushed, its blade can be thin without buckling; its cut is sometimes as narrow as a business card. (CUTS ON THE 'PULL' RATHER THAN THE 'PUSH'!!)
''The sound of a Japanese saw is different,'' Mr. Major said. ''Its feel is different - it can cut surgically. Many saws have three cutting edges per tooth, unlike the single edge on a Western saw.''

GOOD STUFF; TNX FOR SHOWING!

[Buddahaid]

Good points and thanks. The knife has only one long edge and the chisel end sharpened.

[bstanko6]

I believe it is a treasure/prize hunters tool set. The inscription reads:

"Ye intruders beware. Crushing death and grief... soaked with blood of the trespassing thief..."

[Buddahaid]

Are you serious?

[bstanko6]

No... that line was from the Goonies!

[vienna]

Those tools may actually be gardener's tools; there was an old school Japanese hardware store here in LA's Little Tokyo and I used to go there long ago to buy odd tools for special projects I worked on and the owner told me he tended to sell mainly to Japanese landscapers and gardeners; those tools look very similar to the tools I use to browse through in his store...









<O>