Kitchen knife - Steel, Wood - Japan - 伝統的和柳刃・小出刃包丁 孫六作/堺章正別打

● IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR CERTAIN EU COUNTRIES - IOSS SHIPMENTS UNDER EUR 150

Due to recent changes in EU import procedures, temporary shipping restrictions may apply to IOSS shipments under EUR 150 to the following countries:

- Austria
- Germany
- Finland
- France
- Belgium
- Luxembourg
- Portugal
- Poland

Shipping availability may change depending on Japan Post and the destination country's postal procedures.

Please consider this possibility before placing a bid.

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Vintage Japanese Yanagiba & Ko-Deba Kitchen Knife Set – Magoroku-saku / Sakai Akimasa Betsuuchi – Traditional Japanese Fish & Sashimi Knives

An attractive set of two vintage Japanese kitchen knives, consisting of a long Yanagiba sashimi knife and a compact Ko-Deba (small Deba) knife.

Both knives bear Japanese maker inscriptions and retain traditional wooden handles. Together they represent two complementary forms of traditional Japanese fish-preparation cutlery: the long, slender Yanagiba for controlled slicing and the compact, substantial Ko-Deba for working with smaller fish.

These are genuine vintage working knives showing the natural patina and traces of use accumulated over many years.

1. Yanagiba Knife – 孫六作 / Magoroku-saku

The long Yanagiba blade is engraved:

「孫六作」
Magoroku-saku – “Made by Magoroku”

The knife has the elegant, elongated profile characteristic of a traditional Japanese Yanagiba.

The Yanagiba is one of the classic Japanese sashimi knives. Its long, narrow blade is traditionally designed for smooth drawing cuts, allowing slices to be made with a long and controlled pulling motion.

This example is particularly impressive for its relatively long blade and classic proportions.

Approximate dimensions:

Overall length: approx. 39.5 cm
Blade length: approx. 25.5 cm
Handle including ferrule: approx. 14 cm
Maximum blade width: approx. 3 cm

The knife retains its traditional wooden handle with a black ferrule.

2. Ko-Deba Knife – 堺章正別打 / Sakai Akimasa Betsuuchi

The second knife is a compact traditional Japanese Ko-Deba, engraved:

「堺章正別打」
Sakai Akimasa Betsuuchi

The expression 「別打」 (Betsuuchi) is traditionally used on Japanese cutlery to indicate a specially made or separately forged line/grade.

The knife also retains an interesting label around the handle/ferrule area reading:

「切味優秀 堺　堺利器卸協同組合推奨」

Approximately:

“Excellent Cutting Performance – Sakai – Recommended by the Sakai Cutlery Wholesalers Cooperative Association.”

This surviving label adds further character and interest to the knife.

The compact, broad blade profile is characteristic of a Ko-Deba, a smaller form of the traditional Deba particularly suited to the preparation of smaller fish.

Approximate dimensions:

Overall length: approx. 28.5 cm
Blade length: approx. 14.5 cm
Handle including ferrule: approx. 14 cm
Maximum blade width: approx. 4.5 cm

It retains its traditional wooden handle and black ferrule.

A Complementary Pair of Traditional Japanese Fish Knives

This set combines two distinctly different but complementary Japanese knife forms.

The Magoroku-saku Yanagiba, with its long and slender profile, represents the specialized Japanese slicing knife traditionally associated with sashimi and precise fish slicing.

The Sakai Akimasa Betsuuchi Ko-Deba provides a compact and more substantial blade form traditionally suited to working with smaller fish.

The combination of the engraved signatures, traditional wooden handles and surviving Sakai recommendation label makes this an appealing vintage set for collectors of Japanese culinary tools and enthusiasts of traditional Japanese cutlery.

These are not modern unused knives. They are genuine vintage working tools, and the visible traces of use and age form part of their authentic character.

Condition – Important: Please Read Carefully Before Bidding

These are vintage used Japanese knives offered in their present condition.

They show signs of age, previous use and storage, including:

Age-related dirt and discoloration
Rust and oxidation
Scratches and surface wear
Chipping/damage to the blade tips
Edge chips
Dirt and scratches around the ferrules
Chips and other wear around the ferrule areas
Dirt, scratches and general wear on the wooden handles
Other age-related signs of use and deterioration

The knives have not been professionally restored or sharpened for this sale.

Please carefully examine all photographs before bidding. The photographs form an important part of the condition description and show the actual items included in this lot.

Please bid only if you fully understand and accept the present condition of these vintage Japanese knives and are capable of cleaning and sharpening them yourself.

An attractive pairing of a long 「孫六作」 Magoroku-saku Yanagiba and a 「堺章正別打」 Sakai Akimasa Betsuuchi Ko-Deba, combining two classic Japanese fish-knife forms with authentic vintage character.
■ IMPORTANT NOTICE - PLEASE READ BEFORE BIDDING

● NO SHIPPING TO DENMARK,UNITED KINGDOM,UNITED STATES (USA)

● bidding and payment
please do not place a bid if you do not intend to complete the purchase and make payment. by placing a bid, you confirm full intention to complete payment if you win. non-paying bidders cause serious delays. if payment is not completed after reminders from catawiki, the order may be cancelled under catawiki policy.

● condition of the item
all items are vintage, antique, or pre-owned unless stated otherwise. signs of age, wear, scratches, stains, rust, oxidation, patina, repairs, sharpening marks, and other imperfections should be expected.
please carefully examine all photos before bidding. photos form an important part of the description.
please also understand that some defects or imperfections may not be visible in photographs. hidden or non-visible flaws may exist.
in addition, the condition of the item may change during transport due to vibration, impact, temperature, humidity, or handling.
therefore, items are sold strictly for buyers who have knowledge and ability to perform cleaning, sharpening, restoration, or repair if necessary. this lot is not suitable for buyers expecting fully restored or ready-to-use items without maintenance.
all measurements are approximate.

● important notice regarding traditional japanese knife handles
traditional japanese kitchen knives (wa-bocho) use replaceable wooden handles. handles are consumable parts and may require repair or replacement due to age, drying, shrinkage, cracking, looseness, or transport stress. replacement parts are not included.

● shipping restrictions - knives
due to uk law, we do not ship knives to the united kingdom. due to strict regulations, we also do not ship knives to denmark. shipments to other countries may also be restricted depending on local laws. bids from restricted countries will be cancelled.

● international shipping - customs
import rules for knives vary by country. buyer confirms legality of import. seller ships from japan with accurate customs declarations. customs delays, inspections, confiscations, taxes, or import issues are outside seller control.

● countries we do not ship to
We do not ship to the United States at this time due to ongoing international shipping restrictions.
Shipping service to the United States remains temporarily suspended and we are currently unable to accept orders with US delivery addresses.
We also temporarily do not ship to Portugal due to logistics instability.
Bids from these countries will be cancelled.

● international situation - shipping limitations
due to global conditions, sanctions, transport restrictions, or postal issues, shipping may become impossible to certain countries. in such cases, orders may be cancelled.

● important notice for italy
delivery to italy may take one month or longer due to customs and postal delays. please bid only if you accept this.

● no combined shipping
each item will be shipped separately even if multiple items are purchased.

● shipping method and delivery time
all items are shipped from japan via japan post. estimated delivery time is 3?4 weeks. delivery time is not guaranteed.

● import duties and taxes (EU buyers)
import duties, VAT, and other taxes are not included. buyer is responsible for all charges.

● customs contact and buyer responsibility
buyer must respond to customs requests promptly. failure may result in delay, return, confiscation, or destruction of parcel.

● returned parcels
if returned due to customs refusal or non-response, reshipping requires double shipping cost.

● force majeure
seller is not responsible for delays or failures caused by war, sanctions, disasters, postal suspension, or other force majeure events.

● agreement
by placing a bid, you confirm you have read and accepted all conditions and understand the item may contain non-visible defects and may require cleaning, sharpening, restoration, or repair.