Kitchen knife - Steel, Wood - Japan - 伝統的和出刃・鎌形薄刃包丁 堺刀司

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

- Austria
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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 Deba & Kamagata Usuba Knife Set – “Sakai Tohji (堺刀司)” – Traditional Sakai Kitchen Knives

An attractive set of two authentic vintage Japanese kitchen knives, consisting of a traditional Deba and a Kamagata Usuba, both bearing the respected “Sakai Tohji” (堺刀司) inscription.

This is an interesting pairing of two specialized Japanese kitchen knives with distinctly different blade profiles and traditional functions.

Sakai Tohji (堺刀司) is associated with the historic knife-making tradition of Sakai, Osaka, one of Japan’s most important centers of professional kitchen cutlery. The Sakai Tohji brand continues to produce a wide variety of Japanese kitchen knives today.

1. Deba – Sakai Tohji (堺刀司)

The larger knife on the left is a traditional Deba, characterized by its broad, substantial blade and pronounced pointed profile.

The Deba is one of the classic forms of Japanese kitchen knife, traditionally associated with fish preparation and butchery. Its substantial blade gives it a powerful appearance quite different from thinner slicing and vegetable knives.

The blade is clearly engraved:

堺刀司 – Sakai Tohji

It is fitted with a traditional Japanese wooden handle and dark ferrule.

Approximate dimensions:

Overall length: approx. 31 cm
Blade length: approx. 18 cm
Maximum blade width: approx. 5.5 cm
2. Kamagata Usuba – Sakai Tohji (堺刀司)

The smaller knife on the right is a traditional Kamagata Usuba, recognizable by its tall blade and distinctive rounded/curved front profile.

The Kamagata Usuba is the Kansai-style form of the traditional Japanese Usuba vegetable knife and is designed for precise vegetable preparation.

Its unusual blade profile makes an attractive contrast with the larger Deba.

The blade is also engraved:

堺刀司 – Sakai Tohji

It is fitted with a traditional wooden handle and dark ferrule.

Approximate dimensions:

Overall length: approx. 29 cm
Blade length: approx. 16 cm
Maximum blade width: approx. 4.5 cm

All measurements are approximate and have been estimated from the photographs.

Condition

These are genuine vintage, pre-owned Japanese kitchen knives and show clear signs of age, previous use, and long-term storage.

Please expect:

Dirt and staining from age and use
Scratches and scuff marks on the blades
Edge chips and other imperfections to the cutting edges
Dirt and scratches around the ferrules
Chips/damage to the ferrule areas
Dirt, staining, wear, and scratches on the wooden handles
Previous owner’s name handwritten on the end of each handle
Other age-related marks and imperfections consistent with vintage professional kitchen tools

The previous owner’s handwritten names have intentionally been left as found and form part of the history of these used knives.

These knives have not been fully cleaned, polished, restored, or professionally sharpened. They are offered in their present vintage condition.

Please examine all photographs carefully before bidding. The photographs form an essential part of the description and show the actual condition of the items.

Because these are vintage Japanese kitchen knives requiring maintenance, please bid only if you understand the condition of used Japanese cutlery and are capable of cleaning, sharpening, maintaining, or restoring the knives yourself as necessary.

This matching Sakai Tohji Deba and Kamagata Usuba set offers an appealing combination of two classic Japanese knife forms and would make an interesting acquisition for collectors of Japanese cutlery, professional chefs, sharpening enthusiasts, restorers, and admirers of traditional Sakai kitchen tools.
■ 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.