Kitchen knife - Steel, Wood - Japan

● 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 Santoku & Aji-kiri Knife Set – “Registered Hiromoto-saku / Japanese Steel (登録宏元作 日本鋼)” & “Sakai Kikuju (堺登録菊重)” – Traditional Japanese Kitchen Knives
An attractive pair of vintage Japanese kitchen knives, combining a full-size Santoku all-purpose knife with a compact Aji-kiri, a small Deba-style knife traditionally suited to smaller fish.
Both knives bear Japanese inscriptions and retain old labels on their traditional wooden Wa handles, giving the set considerable vintage character.
The larger Santoku on the left is marked:
登録宏元作 日本鋼
and retains a handle label reading:
特撰 最高級切味保証
The compact knife on the right is marked:
堺登録菊重
and retains a particularly interesting handle label reading:
出刃（アジキリ）120mm用
The contrast between the versatile, broad Santoku and the compact, pointed Aji-kiri makes this an appealing representation of two distinctly different Japanese kitchen-knife forms.
1. Santoku – “Registered Hiromoto-saku / Japanese Steel” (登録宏元作 日本鋼)
The knife on the left is a traditional Japanese Santoku, with a broad blade and a gently descending profile toward the tip.
The Santoku is a versatile Japanese all-purpose kitchen knife associated with everyday preparation of vegetables, boneless meat and fish. Japanese Knife Lab
The blade bears the inscription:
登録宏元作 日本鋼
The inscription includes “日本鋼” (Japanese Steel). This description reproduces the marking found on the knife itself and does not make any unsupported claim regarding the exact steel composition or grade.
Its traditional wooden Wa handle retains an old label reading:
特撰 最高級切味保証
Approximately meaning:
“Special Selection / Highest-Grade Cutting Performance Guaranteed”
This wording is presented as the surviving original label text and should not be interpreted as a guarantee of the knife's current sharpness or condition.
The combination of the blade inscription and surviving handle label adds considerable visual interest to this vintage Japanese knife.
Approximate dimensions:
- Overall length: approx. 31 cm
- Blade length: approx. 17.5 cm
- Maximum blade width: approx. 4.8 cm
2. Aji-kiri / Small Deba – “Sakai Registered Kikuju” (堺登録菊重)
The knife on the right is a compact Japanese Aji-kiri, a small Deba-style knife.
Its short blade, pointed tip and compact proportions make it distinctly different from the larger Santoku and give the pair an interesting contrast in both size and purpose.
The blade bears the inscription:
堺登録菊重
Sakai Registered Kikuju
Particularly noteworthy is the surviving label on the wooden handle:
出刃（アジキリ）120mm用
meaning:
“Deba (Aji-kiri) – for 120 mm size”
This original label provides a particularly interesting surviving detail, directly identifying the knife as an Aji-kiri / 120 mm-class small Deba.
It is fitted with a traditional wooden Wa handle and black ferrule.
Approximate dimensions:
- Overall length: approx. 25 cm
- Blade length: approx. 12 cm
- Maximum blade width: approx. 3.5 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
This lot offers an interesting contrast between a versatile full-size Japanese kitchen knife and a compact specialist fish knife.
The Santoku is an all-purpose form intended for a wide range of everyday kitchen preparation, while the much smaller Aji-kiri represents a compact fish-knife format.
The larger knife is particularly interesting for its “登録宏元作 日本鋼” inscription and surviving “特撰 最高級切味保証” handle label.
The smaller knife combines its “堺登録菊重” inscription with an original “出刃（アジキリ）120mm用” label, clearly preserving its intended designation.
Together with their traditional wooden Wa handles and black ferrules, these surviving inscriptions and labels give the pair a strong vintage Japanese character.
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
- Rust / oxidation
- Scratches and scuff marks on the blades
- Chipping / damage to the blade tips
- Chips and imperfections along the cutting edges
- Dirt and scratches around the ferrules
- Dirt, scratches and signs of use on the wooden handles
- 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 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 vintage working knives rather than fully restored or maintenance-free modern kitchen knives. Depending on their condition and intended use, cleaning, sharpening and other maintenance or restoration work may be required.
Please bid only if you fully understand and accept the vintage condition, including the tip damage and edge chipping, and are capable of performing the necessary cleaning and sharpening yourself.
With the combination of the “Registered Hiromoto-saku / Japanese Steel (登録宏元作 日本鋼)” Santoku and the compact “Sakai Registered Kikuju (堺登録菊重)” Aji-kiri, together with their surviving original-style handle labels, 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.