Unveiling the Secrets: The Art of Crafting Japanese Knives

Embark on a fascinating journey into the world of Japanese knife making. Discover the centuries-old traditions and meticulous craftsmanship that go into creating these exquisite blades. From forging to finishing, witness the artistry and precision that make Japanese knives renowned worldwide. Unveil the secrets behind the legendary sharpness and durability of Japanese knives.
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[@Burrfection]

See More Nigara Knives burrfectionstore.com/collections/nigara

[@ivanb101]

I’ve been following you for years now, and ever since I saw the first nigara that you reviewed I have been following them on instagram & have searched to find any content featuring this artisan factory. The amount of talent in that building is mind blowing. The things I would do to get my hands on one of their knives. The most beautiful handcrafted artwork. Yes, it’s a tool for my craft in the restaurant, BUT, it is non the less art. One day I’ll have one. Ryky, thank you for posting these videos. Amazing content brother. Keep them coming. I have watched this one twice now and can’t wait for more! God bless you and your family. 🙏 🔪

[@captainkush44]

Hope you get one soon! Are you a chef? Or cook?

[@ivanb101]

@@captainkush44 yeah! I cook at a place called flemings in Las Vegas! But thanks! One day soon I’ll get one! They are truly amazing.

[@Burrfection]

thank you for being there all this time

[@EyeBalz93]

Can you please share their Instagram handle. I've searched for them and can't find anything.

[@jab0321]

Incredible video and thank you so much for taking us along! Such respect for the knife makers and the process behind producing those works of art! Really like this format too! 🙏

[@grahamcairns2249]

I love this long format and would just love to see more of this style of content. It is amazing to see the craft🙏

[@jeremystruzik6798]

Please do more of these videos! As someone who is getting back into knife making and going full time. Specifically Japanese knives, these videos are invaluable.

[@briangregus5225]

Oh and yes, long form videos like these are excellent. Looking forward to the rest.

[@briangregus5225]

This is great! It's been a while hasn't it? So glad KZbin didn't miss a beat putting you back into the feed. Thank you for sharing this experience with us.

[@dhop310]

Awesome video Ryky! I have so much admiration for these artisans that put their heart and soul into every product.

[@Burrfection]

DAN!!!! always good to hear from you. Got a full video with Kisuke coming out after these with Nigara, and yes, these knife makers really give it their all for every knife they make.

[@dayton440]

Awesome video! Love seeing how these knives are made! Thank you!

[@dr103]

Terrific video. I'm very fortunate to have 2 knives from these master craftsmen.

[@aussiehardwood6196]

Such amazing forge and workshop, such a privilege to even be able to go there to film. Its amazing for us to see these top tier craftsman work. When one understands the time, skill & knowledge behind these knives all of a sudden they don't seem so expensive. Compared to the outdoor pocket knife trade its like watching F1 cars being made compared to pit bikes.

[@Burrfection]

that is so true. they certainly should cost more than they do. i see amateur hobbyist who sell "custom" knives for 2-3X what you can get a Nigara. i am just so thankful and honored to be able to take part on such a journey

[@AJBtheSuede]

I'm happy to see more young people taking up the artisan trades. We need more of that in the west too :) I liked the video format, length was absolutely perfect. Not to short, but not a feature film dragged out either :)

[@dirkgraham665]

Thanks for sharing your video and tour of Nigara Hamono. I just bought a Nigara VG10 Damascus Kiritsuke Gyuto 240mm blade from them and so happy I did. I didn’t know much about them until after reading and learning more about this young team. Like many have shared, they make beautiful knives. Regarding the blade I just bought, not only is it a gorgeous, balanced quality blade and well priced, it was made by a group of humble passionate knife makers and blacksmiths. I sense they really care more about their craft and strive for innovation and evolution instead of feeding their egos. Love helping the little guy!

[@ElSuperNova23]

16:15 If it's just a mineral acid, e.g. 30% HCl, this is totally fine. They are likely using dilute HCl anyway, maybe ferric chloride or acetic. You dont feel any burn unless you leave it on for minutes at a time. It's the acids that are also strong oxidizing agents (e.g. higher concentrations of nitric acid, mixed acid solutions with peroxides) that do any modicum of damage.

[@shadyeskimo]

Finally get to see the place, where 3 of my knives are made, and one of the 3 is the Jet Li knife. Cool to see the man behind it. And I love the sharpening sections of the workshop. Crazy cool.

[@Burrfection]

yeah. it's an awesome place. i cannot wait to go back. your knives are probably way sharper than mine now

[@shadyeskimo]

@@Burrfection My knives are sharp because of your vids 🤪, but I do pride myself with keeping my knives in tip top condition.

[@grahamcairns2249]

Great video. Thank you so much for making this. You have been missed❤❤

[@jadonboyce1503]

I have been following you for years and you do a great job with everything you do, i love these long format videos.

[@Burrfection]

thank you for the great input. will make more. Black Friday Happening burrfectionstore.com/

[@GlennInLaguna]

Thanks! Good tour and great to see some of these processes and the tools they use.

[@Burrfection]

You bet!

[@NathanStorer]

Man, I would love to learn how to make knives! Live hearing how humble these folks are.

[@amricke]

I lived in Misawa-shi, Aomori-ken for three years and absolutely loved it. What an awesome experience.

[@Burrfection]

So cool!

[@courtneesdad]

I have watched nearly 100 videos of Japanese knife builders. This shop is the first one that I have seen this clean. And the first one using belt sanders. These guys are real professionals. Thanks for sharing 👍👍 I agree with you. That’s the most beautiful knife I’ve seen. I couldn’t afford those. Amazing. You just got a new subscriber

[@Burrfection]

Welcome

[@josephtucker7397]

Thank you, Ryky! I love the whole process of knife making on the handmade side of things. I've never been around it but would have loved to have been in your shoes. Thank you again. I'm looking forward to your next video on this.

[@jeffking9202]

Thank you for a great and heart-felt video, man

[@Burrfection]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@AnonZero0]

*I have always appreciated the long form shows.*

[@dougepalmerchopchop]

Loved your tour sharing and perspective. Looking forward to more. THANKS

[@Burrfection]

Awesome, thank you!

[@Reading-yc7zj]

Wow Ryky! What a fantastic video - has to be one of - no, the best knife video I've ever seen! I love the format & that you show every detail of the process & that you personally introduce all these fantastic knife makers with the greatest respect & & &.... I'd love to have the opportunity to visit there. Do keep them coming! - Tom

[@pongyang8705]

Awesome vid! Can’t wait to see the upcoming videos! It’s also pretty cool you got to meet THE guy who made the Jet Li collab knives.

[@Burrfection]

I know!

[@BBQDad463]

Thank you for this video. It was an absolutely fascinating look at the making of knives. Well done, Sir!

[@Burrfection]

Thank you very much!

[@Custom_EDC_Knives]

This is an amazing video. I’m getting into making chef knives myself and it’s very interesting to me watching other processes. Thank you for making this video

[@Burrfection]

You can do it!

[@Custom_EDC_Knives]

@@Burrfectionthank you. When I do start making them and improve my skills would you be interested in me sending a chef knife out to you to check out and give your opinions on improvements that can be made?

[@dario2466]

Wow, thank you for this heart warming video. It was so nice to see those beautiful knifes and and highly skilled and humble artisans. Im really happy when I can see a video with those insights into Japanese craftsmanship, especially in a language that I can understand. Thank you so much.

[@mikew9788]

Great video, really enjoyed it!

[@blacklash2258]

This was great to see! As a chef, I'm always looking for info on my future knives!

[@maurelius135]

fantastic video. I enjoyed the long format.

[@foonandofighter]

Keep it coming Ricky!!! Amazing👏🏽

[@sharamkh]

Awesome! Loved watching this!

[@dimmacommunication]

6:00 he is " dressing " the stone,basically redoing the grit. the stone becomes " glass " like after using it so you use a coarse diamond dresser to do it. Or silicone carbide depends... I used a diamond one on my bench grinder :)

[@aussiehardwood6196]

The tool he runs over the grinding wheel is a dressing tool, dressing stones can be diamond, carbide etc. Shape and expose fresh clean abrasive.

[@TheCyberMantis]

Yes. The pores of the stone can get loaded up with steel particles. Also, it can lose it's flat face. Dressing periodically is necessary.

[@Burrfection]

this will solve all of your knife problems burrfectionstore.com/

[@johnwoodcock6468]

Brilliant video ricky

[@Rich206L]

Awesome video, please post more of them.

[@k4x4map46]

noice tour and narration!!

[@Tricumulairdesigns]

Man o man, that Kagetora Gyuto is so amazing. Would love to have one one day even though I could buy a small car instead 😅

[@Burrfection]

You and me both!

[@williamemerson1799]

I would have guessed that green liquid was auto antifreeze. Those grinding wheels must cost a fortune. Excellent video. Thank you! 👍🍻

[@ryanle1293]

I bought the last nigara kiritsuke you had and it's been absolutely splendid to use

[@Burrfection]

thank you for supporting what i do!

[@dkhooeh]

Muchas gracias

[@kabanchan5768]

I love my nipon steel

[@waltercromer1156]

You bring up a good point about seeing colors in the forge. You have to look closely, and that comes with some issues of radiant light that could theoretically cause eye injury. I wonder if there has been a study of eye injury (non-mechanical) in smiths anywhere?

[@Burrfection]

this will solve all of your knife problems burrfectionstore.com/

[@billbillson3129]

Awesome!

[@Burrfection]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@jurrian644]

Is the maruyama san, who works on the one belt and then the buffing wheel a separate video? You have an idea what the diameter of the wheel is? Great footage, Tknx for sharing

[@maltmoments1242]

2:52 the "nigara hamono forge" tshirt the long haired blacksmith is wearing, is there anywhere thats available from for fans of their work?

[@Burrfection]

this will solve all of your knife problems burrfectionstore.com/

[@maltmoments1242]

@@Burrfection Can you not just answer me instead of self promoting? makes me not want to even look at your store.

[@GibbonActivist]

Just bought my first Japanese knife and it is a Nigara SG2 Kurouchi Kiritsuke Gyuto 240mm

[@Burrfection]

nice!

[@davesmith5656]

Question. At about 14 - 15 minutes into the video, the knife is worked on what looks like a 1" or 2" sanding belt. I have a serious question about how that affects, or does not affect, the heat treat. The normalization of the steel blank is shown in the video, but not the quenching and tempering. To quench, I think the temp tops out around 800 C, and for tempering, I believe it bottoms out around 200 C. Following tempering, steel is apparently quite sensitive to temperature, and there are paint films that change color based on temperature. Some Russian guys showed that even two seconds of light belt-sanding will raise the edge temp above tempering bottoms, thus affecting the hardness. I took up hand sharpening on whetstones as a hobby, and take in friends' knives to sharpen (i.e. to repair chips and rolled edges for hours before finally getting around to 20 minutes of actually putting a finished sharp edge on them). I found that a sanding belt - as in a plain old $50 dollar 3"x18" sander designed for wood - is MUCH faster than a coarse stone. But then I saw the Russian guys (pros who routinely get 60 BESS on commercial chef's knives, in under five minutes each). So I stopped using a sanding belt. Now I see pro knife makers using a sanding belt with abandon, presumably after quenching and tempering! Can anyone explain which is which, as far as sanding belts and edge temperatures rising, ruining the tempering hardness? I'm sure there must be more sophisticated questions about heat treatments, such as differences in steels that are forged together in patterns, and how each responds to what must be the same heat treatment, and how to favor the edge steel over the cladding steel, and very probably a lot of science behind some sort of ice-quenching, or sub-zero tempering. All of that above and beyond relatively simple things like which oil, or which other medium, is better for quenching. I just would like to know how a belt sander may or may not affect the tempering hardness. Answers to that, so far, seem to vary from "not at all" to "maybe" to "yes certainly, and here's the proof". Btw, Ricky, I think you can get a small horizontal water wheel thingy for under $1,000, without having to pay the $20,000 you mentioned for a commercial one. Those huge vertical grinding wheels must cost a fortune, too.

[@Burrfection]

this will solve all of your knife problems burrfectionstore.com/

[@b-radg916]

WOW, incredible artistry! Grinding on those huge wheels looks like it requires extensive experience and skill. I would also think it is extremely dangerous. What Maruyama-san was doing on just one belt was ridiculous!

[@Burrfection]

it does take a lot of skill. i almost lost a hand on one of those machines. THAT video is coming soon

[@b-radg916]

@@Burrfection : I believe it Ryky. It seems to me that if you lose focus for just an instant, the edge could catch and all kinds of bad could happen!!

[@nicolasmts3264]

I'm visiting the shop later this year as I have the luck traveling nearby. I heard there isn't much choice at the shop is that true? I was planning to buy an usuba.

[@Burrfection]

this will solve all of your knife problems burrfectionstore.com/

[@MrJorgerd10]

Hi Ricky, what do you think of Morihei stones? Thanks for the video

[@Burrfection]

pricey Imanishi has really great stones at much more reasonable prices. burrfectionstore.com/

[@MrJorgerd10]

@@Burrfection Thanks Ricky

[@borrago]

What about the kaiten toishi you said you were going to source for import?

[@Burrfection]

saving up!

[@Ryarios]

You see these guys doing this and it always makes me wonder what they would make for themselves?

[@Burrfection]

haha. great point. this will solve all of your knife problems burrfectionstore.com/

[@RedBalloon88]

What are your thoughts on Korin knives?

[@Burrfection]

nothing wrong with them. if they have the knife you are looking for at the price you want. check out my store for some entertainment. burrfectionstore.com/

[@RedBalloon88]

@@Burrfection I bought my last knife from you and I’ll only buy from you. Keep up the good work!

[@cliveleggett6074]

From my experience grinding, the stone needs to be cleaned regularly to stop the build up of metal fragments on the stone, that causes a bad finish and marks on the product.

[@Burrfection]

this will solve all of your knife problems burrfectionstore.com/

[@andreasjonsson8075]

Wow!!!

[@dimmacommunication]

Nigara makes katana knives too ?

[@Burrfection]

they used to

[@danielbottner7700]

Can you share the approximate water temperature used at individual/each unique grinding station ? - I would like to extend my appreciation to all those were willing to share the their skills in the art of making outstanding knives. - That is a great contribution to mankind which will be appreciated for generations to come; and of course thank you for making time to create this video.

[@Burrfection]

the water they use are not cryo-cooled, in case you are wondering. they just use the tap, but the temp outdoor was around 40 F. i touched the water when working on the stones a bit, and though cool, it would not have stopped me from sharpening for hours at a time, so i'm guessing 60 F or so. They are grinding / sharpening for 8+ hours a day so anything too cold would likely too cold for their hands. The water in the buckets are probably the same.

[@danielbottner7700]

@@Burrfection Thank you for your detailed reply . . . I am thinking it may be beneficial to use warmer water to reduce the risk cracking in the high carbon alloy elements. Does anyone have any thought they are willing to share regarding this concept ?

[@Doodle-.Snoozel]

Why is the water green

[@Burrfection]

it's in the video. it's an anti-corrosion solution. i have no idea why it is green.

[@heistbass1460]

mentioned somewhere below, but hope this helps. "Typical corrosion inhibitors are bio-toxic organic compounds, which have serious issue on toxicity. Considering the toxicity of the inhibitors, there is a tremendous interest in searching for an eco-friendly, and non-toxic green corrosion inhibitor. This chapter briefly discusses the importance and different methods of corrosion inhibitors with a particular emphasis given to the discussion on the different characteristic feature of the green corrosion inhibitors reported in the literature as a comparative view of organic inhibitors". "Green Corrosion Inhibitors" (text above, but have a read if interested, and do own research) WRITTEN BY Lipiar K. M. O. Goni and Mohammad A. J. Mazumder. "Green Inhibitors for Corrosion Protection of Metals and Alloys: An Overview" B. E. Amitha Rani, Bharathi Bai J. Basu Should be of help, especially the second source. Hope this helps. And sorry for the crappy use of quotation marks. Basically environmental friendly. Other processes, you may have dealt with are "electroplating" or "electrolysis".

[@Doodle-.Snoozel]

Do they use natural stones?

[@Burrfection]

not that i saw. my guess is they need to be consistent with their production, and be able to order supplies in large quantity, and that's impossible with natural stones

[@social3ngin33rin]

Fun vid :) of course KZbin loves long vids :p

[@Burrfection]

this will solve all of your knife problems burrfectionstore.com/

[@Hagemann666]

Interesting that he uses a London-pattern anvil. I would have expected a rectangular anvil without a horn. I couldn't get a good glimpse at the hammer he was using but that looked Western, too.

[@victorfranca85]

Those are very dangerous spinning machines, mah gawd. His sleeves came very close to the machine you want to import. I wonder what the accident rate is in there. And no ear pros as far as I could tell. People under estimate how fragile the ears are. But I can see why the blades are so expensive, obv. Its a hell of a process. Ill stick to my king stones. Cool yakuza propaganda vid still. Hair is looking sharp as well riks. Good to see you back.

[@Burrfection]

your guess is as good as mine. thank you for watching and for the input

[@victorfranca85]

@@Burrfection sorry to be negative but ive almost been taken out by a belt grinder and am currently suffering from some sort of tinnitus. Would not wish it on my worse enemy. Wear the plugs. 70 db is 10k units of sound pressure force. 80db is 100k units. Its logarithmic at base 10. Also mostly A weighted, which compensates for the fact that the human ear does not hear low frequencies well. But the pressure is still there. I think my tinnitus is grass pollen allergies tho. Got to the doc appointment coming up soon. Fingers crossed that is not from acoustic trauma. Im a musician but i have been very careful with ear protection. All the best

[@macman9831]

They should be wearing side shields on their glasses when grinding.🤨

[@Burrfection]

this will solve all of your knife problems burrfectionstore.com/

[@jairokg]

Hello

[@radoslawjocz2976]

So pointless to twist the steel. It will not make knife any better.

[@Burrfection]

nothing wrong with adding a bit of character to the steel. this will solve all of your knife problems burrfectionstore.com/

[@radoslawjocz2976]

@@Burrfection Nothing is wrong with laminated steel such as Tojiro DP series where hard core is sandwiched by two softer layers but the fake "Damascus" is nonsense to me. Nothing is wrong with hand engraving or CNC engraving or even engraving with laser or by etching this definitely leaves signature of the maker. I would like to see more hand engraved blades than mass produced "Damascus" imitations. I like the way how Seto is doing engraving on molybdenum knifes. But I wish to have one hand engraved knife from Japan with hamon.

[@rekire___]

You got N word pass to say that knife brand?

[@keithjohn1650]

mentality of a 10yo 😭😭

[@borrago]

Grow up

[@Burrfection]

i tried but the line was too long

[@DarylOster]

What is in the green water that they soak the blades in?

[@heistbass1460]

​@@DarylOster "Abstract "Typical corrosion inhibitors are bio-toxic organic compounds, which have serious issue on toxicity. Considering the toxicity of the inhibitors, there is a tremendous interest in searching for an eco-friendly, and non-toxic green corrosion inhibitor. This chapter briefly discusses the importance and different methods of corrosion inhibitors with a particular emphasis given to the discussion on the different characteristic feature of the green corrosion inhibitors reported in the literature as a comparative view of organic inhibitors". "Green Corrosion Inhibitors" (text above, but have a read if interested, and do own research) WRITTEN BY Lipiar K. M. O. Goni and Mohammad A. J. Mazumder. "Green Inhibitors for Corrosion Protection of Metals and Alloys: An Overview" B. E. Amitha Rani, Bharathi Bai J. Basu Should be of help, especially the second source. Hope this helps. And sorry for the crappy use of quotation marks. Basically environmental friendly. Other processes, you may have dealt with are "electroplating" or "electrolysis".