Kitchen knife - Steel, Wood - Japan - 伝統的和菜切・三徳包丁 銘不明/登録くらの助

● 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

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 Nakiri & Santoku Knife Set – “Betsuuchi (別打)” & “Registered Kuranosuke (登録くらの助)” – Traditional Japanese Kitchen Knives
An attractive pair of vintage Japanese kitchen knives, consisting of a traditional Nakiri vegetable knife and a Santoku all-purpose knife.
The Nakiri on the left has an unidentified maker but bears the Japanese inscription “別打” (Betsuuchi) on the reverse side of the blade. Its broad rectangular blade, contrasting surface finish and well-used appearance give it strong vintage character.
The Santoku on the right bears the inscription “登録くらの助” (Registered Kuranosuke) and retains a matching “登録くらの助” label on its traditional wooden handle.
Both knives show clear signs of age and previous use and are offered as vintage knives suitable for collectors, restoration and sharpening enthusiasts, or buyers familiar with maintaining older Japanese kitchen knives.
1. Nakiri Vegetable Knife – “Betsuuchi” (別打) – Maker Unknown
The knife on the left is a traditional Japanese Nakiri, characterized by its broad, tall and nearly rectangular blade.
Its generous blade height and relatively straight cutting profile are characteristic of the traditional Japanese vegetable-knife form.
The actual maker cannot be identified with confidence. However, the reverse side of the blade bears the inscription:
別打 – Betsuuchi
It is therefore accurately described as:
Maker: Unknown / Reverse inscription: Betsuuchi (別打)
No unsupported attribution to a particular maker or workshop has been made.
The blade retains a distinctive contrast between its darker upper surface and brighter sharpened section, contributing to the appearance of an older Japanese working knife.
It is fitted with a traditional light-colored wooden Wa handle and glossy black ferrule.
Important: the wooden handle has a visible longitudinal crack. This is an important condition issue and should be taken into account when bidding. Depending on the intended use, repair or replacement of the handle may be required.
Approximate dimensions:
- Overall length: approx. 31 cm
- Blade length: approx. 17 cm
- Maximum blade width: approx. 5.0 cm
2. Santoku All-Purpose Knife – “Registered Kuranosuke” (登録くらの助)
The knife on the right is a traditional Japanese Santoku, featuring a broad blade with a curved transition toward the tip.
Its versatile profile represents the familiar Japanese all-purpose kitchen-knife form used for a wide variety of everyday food-preparation tasks.
The blade bears the inscription:
登録くらの助
Registered Kuranosuke
The traditional wooden handle also retains a matching label reading:
登録くらの助
The presence of both the blade inscription and matching handle label is a particularly attractive feature of this vintage knife, preserving two identifying details on the same piece.
The knife is fitted with a light-colored wooden Wa handle and glossy black ferrule.
Approximate dimensions:
- Overall length: approx. 30 cm
- Blade length: approx. 16.5 cm
- Maximum blade width: approx. 4.5 cm
All measurements are approximate and have been estimated from the measuring tape visible in the photograph. Slight variations should be expected.
Two Distinctive Japanese Knife Forms
An appealing feature of this lot is the combination of two distinctly different Japanese kitchen-knife profiles.
The Nakiri has a tall, broad and nearly rectangular blade traditionally associated with vegetable preparation, while the Santoku has a more versatile pointed profile suitable for general kitchen preparation.
The Nakiri retains the “Betsuuchi” (別打) marking despite its unidentified maker, while the Santoku is especially interesting for the combination of its “Registered Kuranosuke” (登録くらの助) blade inscription and matching handle label.
Their traditional wooden Wa handles, black ferrules, Japanese markings and visible signs of long-term use give the pair an authentic vintage appearance.
Condition
These are genuine vintage, pre-owned Japanese kitchen knives and show clear signs of age and previous use.
Please note the following condition issues:
- Age-related dirt and staining
- Scratches and scuff marks on the blades
- Rust / oxidation
- Wear from previous use and sharpening
- Chips and imperfections along the cutting edges
- Chipping / damage to the blade tips
- Scratches and dirt around the ferrules
- Dirt and signs of use on the wooden handles
- The wooden handle of the Nakiri has a visible crack
- Other age- and use-related imperfections
The knives have not been fully cleaned, polished, restored or professionally sharpened and are offered in their present vintage condition.
Please note especially that the Nakiri's wooden handle is cracked. Depending on the intended use and its condition after inspection, repair or replacement of the handle may be necessary.
Please examine all photographs carefully before bidding. The photographs form an essential part of the description and show the actual condition of the knives.
These are not fully restored or maintenance-free modern kitchen knives. Depending on their condition and intended use, cleaning, sharpening, adjustment, handle repair or replacement, and other maintenance or restoration work may be required.
Please bid only if you fully understand and accept the vintage condition, including the cracked Nakiri handle, and are capable of performing the necessary cleaning, sharpening and restoration yourself.
With the contrast between the broad Nakiri and versatile Santoku, together with the surviving “Betsuuchi” (別打) marking and matching “Registered Kuranosuke” (登録くらの助) blade inscription and handle label, this is an appealing pair for collectors of vintage Japanese cutlery, sharpening and restoration enthusiasts, and admirers of traditional Japanese culinary 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.