Kitchen knife - Steel, Wood - Japan - 伝統的和柳刃・菜切包丁 左［判読不能］光作 /克弘

● 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
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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 Yanagiba & Nakiri Knife Set – “左［Illegible］光作 / STAINLESS / 本鍛造” & “Registered Katsuhiro (登録克弘)” – Traditional Japanese Kitchen Knives
An attractive pair of vintage Japanese kitchen knives, combining two distinctly different traditional blade forms: a long and slender Yanagiba and a broad Nakiri vegetable knife.
Both knives retain Japanese inscriptions and traditional wooden Wa handles with black ferrules.
The Yanagiba on the left bears an interesting multi-part inscription including “STAINLESS” and “本鍛造” (Hon-Tanzo / Forged). Part of the maker's inscription is no longer clearly legible and is therefore intentionally left unidentified rather than being attributed incorrectly.
The Nakiri on the right bears the clearly recognizable inscription “登録克弘” (Registered Katsuhiro).
The contrasting blade shapes, surviving inscriptions and visible traces of long-term use give this pair considerable vintage Japanese character.
1. Yanagiba – “左［Illegible］光作 / STAINLESS / 本鍛造”
The knife on the left is a traditional Japanese Yanagiba, characterized by its long, narrow blade and pointed tip.
The blade carries several inscriptions. The visible wording includes:
左［判読不能］光作
STAINLESS
本鍛造
The character or characters between “左” and “光作” cannot be read with sufficient certainty from the surviving inscription.
For this reason, the marking is deliberately reproduced as:
“左［Illegible］光作”
rather than making an unsupported attribution to a particular maker.
The additional markings “STAINLESS” and “本鍛造” are clearly significant surviving features of the blade. “本鍛造” may be translated approximately as “forged” or “genuine forged manufacture.” These words are presented as the actual markings found on the knife and should not be interpreted as an independent guarantee of a particular steel grade or manufacturing specification.
The knife is fitted with a traditional wooden Wa handle and black ferrule.
Approximate dimensions:
- Overall length: approx. 34 cm
- Blade length: approx. 21 cm
- Maximum blade width: approx. 2.8 cm
2. Nakiri Vegetable Knife – “Registered Katsuhiro” (登録克弘)
The knife on the right is a traditional Japanese Nakiri, immediately recognizable by its tall, broad and almost rectangular blade.
The Nakiri is a characteristic Japanese vegetable knife, its broad blade and relatively straight cutting profile being particularly suitable for vegetable preparation.
The blade bears the clearly visible inscription:
登録
克弘
Registered Katsuhiro
Other surviving examples bearing the same 登録克弘 identification are known, supporting the reading “Registered Katsuhiro.” YoichiroKnife
This example is fitted with a traditional light-colored wooden Wa handle and black ferrule.
The blade retains extensive traces of previous use, including scratches and sharpening-related wear, giving it the unmistakable appearance of a vintage Japanese working knife.
Approximate dimensions:
- Overall length: approx. 30 cm
- Blade length: approx. 17 cm
- Maximum blade width: approx. 4.8 cm
Please note: All measurements are approximate estimates based on the measuring tape visible in the photograph. Slight differences from the actual measurements should be expected.
Two Contrasting Traditional Japanese Knife Forms
This lot brings together two very different traditional Japanese blade profiles.
The approximately 21 cm Yanagiba has a long and narrow profile traditionally associated with slicing fish, while the approximately 17 cm Nakiri has a tall and broad profile designed for vegetable preparation.
Of particular interest are the surviving blade inscriptions:
Yanagiba:
“左［Illegible］光作”
“STAINLESS”
“本鍛造”
Nakiri:
“登録克弘”
Registered Katsuhiro
Rather than attempting to disguise their age, both knives retain the scratches, wear and other traces accumulated through years of previous use. For collectors and restoration enthusiasts, these characteristics are an important part of their vintage appeal.
Condition
These are vintage, pre-owned Japanese kitchen knives and show clear signs of age and previous use.
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 age and previous use
- Dirt and scratches around the ferrules
- Dirt 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 blades, cutting edges, tips, ferrules, wooden handles and inscriptions.
These are vintage working knives rather than fully restored or maintenance-free modern kitchen knives. Depending on their present condition and intended use, cleaning, rust removal, sharpening and other maintenance or restoration work may be required.
Please bid only if you fully understand and accept the vintage condition—including dirt, rust, scratches, tip damage, edge chipping and wear—and are capable of carrying out the necessary cleaning and sharpening yourself.
With its unusually marked “左［Illegible］光作 / STAINLESS / 本鍛造” Yanagiba and clearly signed “登録克弘” Nakiri, 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.