Kitchen knife - Steel, Wood - Japan - 伝統的和柳刃・アジ切包丁 特撰腕一番/銘不明別打

● 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

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 & Aji-kiri Knife Set – “Tokusen Ude Ichiban (特撰 腕一番)” & “Betsuuchi (別打)” – Traditional Japanese Fish Knives
A distinctive pair of vintage Japanese kitchen knives, combining a long and elegant traditional Yanagiba with a compact Aji-kiri / small Deba-style fish knife.
These two knives represent very different but complementary forms of traditional Japanese fish cutlery. The long, slender Yanagiba is designed for smooth slicing, while the much smaller Aji-kiri is a compact fish-preparation knife suitable for smaller fish.
Both knives retain traditional wooden Wa handles and Japanese markings. The Yanagiba is especially attractive for its clearly visible “特撰 腕一番” blade inscription and surviving black-and-gold “腕一番 / 切味最高” handle label. The maker of the smaller Aji-kiri cannot be confidently identified, but the reverse side of its blade bears a clear “別打” (Betsuuchi) inscription.
The visible age, patina and traces of previous use give this pair the authentic character of vintage Japanese working knives.
1. Yanagiba – “Tokusen Ude Ichiban” (特撰 腕一番)
The knife on the left is a traditional Japanese Yanagiba, immediately recognizable by its long, narrow blade and elegant pointed profile.
Yanagiba knives are traditionally associated with the preparation of sashimi and sushi. Their long blade allows fish to be sliced with a smooth drawing motion, making this one of the most recognizable specialized knife forms in Japanese cuisine.
The blade bears the inscription:
特撰 腕一番
The traditional wooden Wa handle also retains an attractive vintage black-and-gold label reading:
腕一番
切味最高
The label wording may be understood approximately as:
“Ude Ichiban – Supreme Cutting Performance.”
This wording is reproduced as part of the surviving vintage label and is not intended as a guarantee of the knife's present sharpness or performance.
The combination of the Japanese blade inscription, surviving period label, wooden Wa handle and black ferrule gives this Yanagiba considerable vintage character.
Approximate dimensions:
- Overall length: approx. 36 cm
- Blade length: approx. 23 cm
- Maximum blade width: approx. 2.8 cm
2. Aji-kiri / Small Deba – Maker Unknown, “Betsuuchi” (別打)
The knife on the right is a compact traditional Japanese Aji-kiri / small Deba-style fish knife.
With its short blade and substantial fish-knife profile, this type of knife is traditionally suited to the preparation of smaller fish such as aji (horse mackerel).
The maker's name cannot be confidently identified, so no unsupported attribution is made.
However, the reverse side of the blade bears the clearly identifiable inscription:
別打
Betsuuchi
This inscription is reproduced exactly as found on the knife and is an interesting surviving detail of this vintage piece.
The knife is fitted with a traditional light-colored wooden Wa handle and black ferrule. Its compact proportions create a striking visual contrast with the long and slender Yanagiba.
Approximate dimensions:
- Overall length: approx. 25 cm
- Blade length: approx. 12 cm
- Maximum blade width: approx. 3.5 cm
Please note: All measurements are approximate and have been estimated from the measuring tape visible in the photograph. Slight differences from actual measurements should be expected.
Two Contrasting Traditional Japanese Fish Knives
One of the most attractive aspects of this lot is the dramatic contrast between the two blade forms.
The approximately 23 cm Yanagiba has the long, slender proportions traditionally associated with precise slicing of prepared fish, while the approximately 12 cm Aji-kiri is a much more compact fish-preparation knife intended for smaller fish.
The Yanagiba is particularly interesting for the combination of its:
“特撰 腕一番” blade inscription
and
“腕一番 / 切味最高” vintage handle label.
The smaller Aji-kiri complements it with the surviving:
“別打” inscription on the reverse side of the blade.
Together, the Japanese inscriptions, traditional wooden Wa handles, black ferrules, contrasting blade shapes and traces of long-term use give the set a strong vintage Japanese appearance.
Condition
These are vintage, pre-owned Japanese kitchen knives and show clear signs of age, previous use and sharpening.
The condition includes:
- 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
- Wear from previous use and sharpening
- Dirt and scratches around the ferrules
- Dirt and signs of use on the wooden handles
- Age-related wear to the surviving label
- 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 blades, cutting edges, tips, ferrules, handles, inscription and surviving label.
These are vintage working knives rather than fully restored or maintenance-free modern kitchen knives. Depending on the buyer's 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 rust, tip damage, edge chipping and wear, and are capable of carrying out the necessary cleaning and sharpening yourself.
The combination of the long “特撰 腕一番” Yanagiba with its surviving “腕一番 / 切味最高” vintage label and the compact Aji-kiri with the “別打” inscription on the reverse side makes this 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.