Kiridashi Knife By Second Generation Masayoshi - Set

Smith name: Kanda Kikuo (神田規久夫)

Blade Shaper: Yuzawa Akio(湯沢昭男,1938~?, At the age of 28, he completed his apprenticeship under Masayoshi I and succeeded to the title of Masayoshi II. After forging chisels in Adachi Ward, Tokyo for a period of time, he closed his blacksmith workshop and transitioned to running a tool shop.)

Steel: Carbon Steel

Jigane: Watetsu

Cutting edge length: 54mm

Total length: 218mm 

Blade width: about 24mm

Blade thickness: Bottom(5.2mm), Middle(4.7mm), Top(4.6mm)

Manufacture Era: 1990s (according to collector’s memory)

Weight: 142g; 143g

Blade Angles: 28°

Accessories: wooden box

Additional Information: This set of knives is unused and in nice condition, and made with high precision. These Masayoshi kiridashi knives come from the collection of a retired carpenter in the Kanto region. When I acquired them through a middleman, I was informed that the carpenter had purchased them directly from the shop of Masayoshi II, located in Adachi Ward, Tokyo.

According to my recent research, the blanks for these knives originated from Mosaku, the renowned plane blacksmith whose workshop was also in Adachi Ward, not far from the Masayoshi shop. The pieces were shaped by Yuzawa Akio himself, and once the shaping was complete, they were sent back to Mosaku for the final hardening (quenching). They are a collaborative work between the two smith.

This set features the classic Mosaku Uzumaki (spiral-patterned) blanks. Enhanced by the masterful shaping techniques of Masayoshi II, the two knives are so precisely duplicated that they are virtually identical in weight, dimensions, and thickness distribution. They perfectly reflect the distinct characteristics and strengths of both blacksmiths.

According to Mr. Tsuchida's book, Master Chiyozuru Korehide mentioned that making two identical items was the hardest thing for him, so he once made two identical Mukomachi-nomi as a challenge. I think Masayoshi II had a similar idea when shaping this pair of kiridashi, and he got a great result.

I feel incredibly fortunate to have uncovered the "truth" behind these knives. A collaborative work between master blacksmiths is fundamentally different from the commercial division of labor driven by wholesalers. A partnership like this usually happens only when two smith hold absolute trust in each other’s technical skill and personal character.