Any knife experts?

[Duer 157099]

Found these two today, and need help with some ID info - any key words that might help in doing research. Can anyone tell what style/country they are? Chinese? Japanese? Other? Or what the wood handles might be. And the blade, clearly it's not stainless.

They're not very heavy, but one is heavier than the other; and the blades are not very thick.

They seem like cheap imports one would pick up in Chinatown, but :shrug:

[Stinky The Clown]

1. They're likely Japanese kitchen knives

Do they have a single or double bevel? If they're double bevel, they may be Chinese.

I find that all Japanese knives look 'cheap' to me, even when they're the farthest thing from it. It is the handle that does it. They look crude and low quality next to the finely polished ones one European and US knives. But when one considers the steel and the method with which the knives are made, one realizes that they make extraordinary knives.

Quality Japanese knives are made from two different types of steel, hammer welded into a single piece with the best characteristics of both steels.

[Duer 157099]

2. One is double, the other might be single, hard to tell

Just not sure what to make of these. I guess this might be a case of "the proof is in the pudding" -- I'll just have to take them into the kitchen, clean 'em up and sharpen 'em and try using them. If I like them, then they're good knives. If not, then they're crappy, and headed to ebay, lol.

[Stinky The Clown]

3. If it is a single bevel, be careful sharpening it. It is a different process than a double bevel ...

.... knife. If you're just not sure, ..... I don;t know what to say.

If it is a quality Japanese knife, you can see where the two metals adjoin, at the edge.

This shows the two metals pretty clearly. Even an old knife should still have a pretty clear 'line' between the two metals.



Here's how to sharpen them (from the same site).

http://japanwoodworker.com/page.asp?content_id=2749