How to Rehandle Your Japanese Kitchen Knife

[@Steelforfood]

I have also used a hair dryer to melt the glue in the handle. When you glue up put enough in so it will squeeze out to make sure no gaps. you can remove the excess with rubbing alcohol and a cloth or cotton swaps to not scratch up the surface.

[@KnifewearKnives]

Well said!

[@RickShort21]

Put tape around the knife end of the handle. If glue oozes out, it goes on the tape.

[@jordandoranstratton]

I just restored an old knife my chef gave to me as a parting gift when they shut down during covid. I was always scared to touch it because I didn't want to ruin it in the restoration. I got it all new looking and shiny now (while still showing its age and what it's been through), but I just wanted to change the handle for the sake of appearances and to make it truly my own this helped out tremendously

[@KnifewearKnives]

I'm glad to hear it!

[@Juos10kustu]

PERFECT video!!! Thanks!!!

[@KnifewearKnives]

You're welcome!

[@markuzrios6805]

What is that plastic chips you used? Thanks.

[@nottheoneyourelookingfor0504]

You should be careful when heating the tang when burning/gluing. You can destroy the temper of the blade by heating it too much. Make sure to check the metal of the blade for any colour change. If it starts to go yellow (straw color) stop immediately and cool down your knife.

[@KnifewearKnives]

Most definitely! That's a key step, we generally make sure to just heat the end, and tough the tang behind the blade regularly to avoid overheating.

[@GrantHendrick]

@@KnifewearKnives Touch the tang 😊

[@metric7575]

Question for y'all, where do you find wa handles to purchase? Do you have a go-to store or retailer?

[@KnifewearKnives]

Hey Kevin, we source ours from handle makers in Japan, but we do sell them as well! They're unlisted because they usually need to be custom fit to the knife, but if you're looking for any, shoot us an email at hello @ Knifewear.com!

[@jimwatchyyc]

Thanks so much!

[@KnifewearKnives]

Happy to help!

[@BetweenTwoForks]

Can you please let us know what kind of glue pellets you like and where to get it?

[@KnifewearKnives]

Hey, Naoto actually just used clear plastic pellets that we got from one of our suppliers. For years we've used slices on hot glue sticks, and it works super well! two-part expoxy is also great, I've had good luck with gorilla brand.

[@BetweenTwoForks]

@@KnifewearKnives thank you so much!! 😁🙌

[@RR123]

What are the chances the handle hole is exactly symmetrical to be able to reverse a D shaped handle to make it left handed?

[@JLSumo269]

how do i approach rehandling if i want excellent balance?

[@KnifewearKnives]

Patience! When we do it, we go slowly and constantly check to make sure the tang is in straight and deep enough. Feel everything before you epoxy it in, and you should be good to go!

[@alyssacarbonell269]

I am trying to replace my handle with a wa handle on my knife but the metal is bigger than the hole of the handle. Is it still possible to use that handle?

[@KnifewearKnives]

For sure! If it's only slightly bigger, you can heat it with a blowtorch and carefully burn the hole to be larger. You can also grab small rasps that help you enlarge the hole. If the tang is much larger, you may need to grind it down with a belt sander or something similar.

[@babbo507]

Where to these different handles and also can i use silicon caulk to install?

[@KnifewearKnives]

Hey, if you're looking for a handle, shoot us an email at hello@ knifewear.com! Caulk or silicone would work fine.

[@shuvamchoudhary169]

A quick question, what is your opinion on shun knives? Specifically the premier.

[@AntwonDaBusiness]

It’s trash. I have a premier and it’s literally the worst knife I own. It’s over priced and chips way too easily. And shun…instead of taking responsibility for their shit overpriced product will inform you that it was user error rather than terrible heat treat and geometry. Don’t buy a shun…ever. Alton brown severed his relationship with them for a reason.

[@shuvamchoudhary169]

@@AntwonDaBusiness the issue is, here in India it's only Kai that is doing business and as for importing, the laws are weird sometimes blades have been confiscated by the authorities. So right now the only option I see is are the knives by Kai. The premier 8" is costing around 145 USD here. If i could get hands on say a tojiro or a piece by saji San then things would have been different. For 145$ do you think it would be good or this price is still overpriced?

[@johnniemiec3286]

@@shuvamchoudhary169 Shun's can be touchy. For a big maker I like my Miyabi's better. Not that those are the greatest knives ever, but they do a reasonable job for me at work. Zwilling (J.A. Henckles) is the company that makes them and they do have a good enough reputation that Bob Kramer works with them for his mass produced line of knives. Not sure if those are available where you are.

[@shuvamchoudhary169]

@@johnniemiec3286 nope. It's only Kai with its brands like wakatake, seki mago Roku, benifuji and shun. I tried importing a massamoto petty once and I had to pay almost 100% of the price in taxes, thus a bit reluctant to bring in a proper 8" gyuto from Japan.

[@KnifewearKnives]

We sell the basic Shun line at Knifewear, and they provide a good entry level to Japanese knives! As Lordy said on our live show, the Premier are pretty thin and delicate, so if you go with them, be quite gentle and careful, and avoid cutting anything too hard that could chip your knife!

[@rais3tong]

Will it effect the balance of the knife if the original handle is wenge and wanted to change to ebony with metal ring

[@KnifewearKnives]

Ebony is about 20% heavier, so it'll give the knife a little more weight in the handle.

[@rais3tong]

@@KnifewearKnives would you recommend to change i have a yu kurosaki nakiri senko 165 it.is a wenge but i feel a bit light at the end im thinking ebony or ebony with metal ring

[@phildenegri2801]

Do you offer this service if I were to mail in the knife & new handle?

[@KnifewearKnives]

Yup! If you can email us a photo of the knife and handle first at hello @ knifewear.com we can make sure we can do it. You can send it in here knifewear.com/products/knife-sharpening-mail-in-service

[@CCxCHINO]

What’s the brand for the horizontal wet wheel in the background?

[@KnifewearKnives]

It's called a Hoyo!

[@CCxCHINO]

@@KnifewearKnives thank you so much. Do by any chance have a vendor or source for the hoyo or was it brought overseas? I’ve been through a couple shinko wheels and have been looking for something sturdier. Right now I only know of the naniwa’s machines and now this

[@nickolastiguan]

Hi, is it possible to replace a Wa handle, with a western handle on a Japanese knife? I ask because the knife I want, the version with western handle is sold out, and only the one with Wa handle is available. Thanks!

[@KnifewearKnives]

Good question! Not really. Western handles have a lot more steel in the handle, which the wa handle doesn't. Which knife are you after? We may get it back!

[@nickolastiguan]

@@KnifewearKnives FUJIWARA MABOROSHI SANTOKU 165MM I understand he is producing a lot less these days? 🥲

[@northrocks]

movements so distracting

[@AntwonDaBusiness]

This was good and bad at the same time. Hot glue? Really? Fuck no. Use epoxy. And you failed to mention sealing the tang so water can’t get in? That’s literally the most important part in my opinion.

[@e30Birdy]

Why? A lot of makers use hot glue as it is strong enough to stay in place and easy down the road to rehandle again if needed. Epoxy is also great but then you are most likely going to have to destroy the handle to get it off again. I agree on sealing though.

[@AntwonDaBusiness]

@@e30Birdy none of my Japanese knives have hot glue in the handles and are all sealed where the tang meets the handle. And if I’m taking my handle off to replace…why does it matter that the original handle is possibly destroyed? Sorry but using hot glue is a terrible idea. It’s a fucking KNIFE, not a fucking 4th grade art project presentation using popsicle sticks! “Hello sir, would you like your very sharp knife’s handle to be held on with easily removable hot glue that is commonly used by children to stick googly eyes on fabric that will fall off by the end of the day or would you like a strong epoxy that has a next to zero chance of weakening under use therefore resulting in a much safer handling and use?” You and this guy: “I’ll take the child’s hot glue because I don’t know what I’m talking about and don’t care if I accidentally cut myself because my handle fell off during use”. Dummy haha. Yes please….hold this very sharp object together with arts and crafts glue…ahhh yes…that’ll be just fine haha. Just because it CAN be used…doesn’t mean it SHOULD be used.

[@e30Birdy]

@@AntwonDaBusiness Angry much? Have you ever rehandled a knife? You do realize most of these are burned into the tang and the hot glue, wax, of whatever is really just an extra security and to keep water out? They ain't coming out easy like your 3rd grade popsicle project! Also saying sorry but means anything written before the but one doesn't really mean. To each his own but there is literally no reason to be a swearing, degrading keyboard warrior, people can have civil conversations now a days.

[@AntwonDaBusiness]

@@e30Birdy yes I’ve rehandled Wa style handles. The burn in process is just to create the cavity for the tang to fit at the correct dept. it is by no means a primary method for maintaining a hold between the tang and the handle. Use 2 part epoxy after the burn in and it a much safer product. A burned in only handle can be pulled apart by hand very easily. There are some older methods that use a burn in and then a wedge to secure the handle. But burn in only is fucking lazy. And I’ll swear as much as I fucking want. Free speech bitch.

[@jimwatchyyc]

@@AntwonDaBusinessYou’ve obviously never used a hardware grade hot glue gun and glue, they are used all the time to attach things like carpet to wood, etc, and hold up very well for years. You also have no manners.