Thread: Hey from Japan
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Old 09-30-2018, 07:17 PM
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charisjapan charisjapan is offline
 
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Yokohama, Japan
Posts: 7
Thanks for the Welcome

Thanks for the welcome, fellows!

My only “problem” with getting bitten by the bug is the lack of local support. Once upon a time, Japan had some great swordsmiths and artisans, but few young folks take up the reins of family craft any more.

Case in point, I came here as a teen, and could take a short trolley ride to a famous shopping district and watch an old guy make knives, scissors, and swords in the back of his shop. I could never afford any of his wares, but watching was free, and while I couldn’t speak the lingo that well yet, the “Ojii-san” would show me me a few sharpening tricks on his ancient equipment. I was into building slot cars and plastic models at the time, so this little tools shop was my go-to place. I met my wife-to-be at this time, and her father gave me a “gun-to” that made it’s way back to Japan after the war with the Russians ... all beat up, but not too rusty. I brought it to the old fellow, and after he taught me how to sharpen it, I gave it to my father after he retired, and now my older brother has it in GA. The point of the story is that the old artisan soon passed away, and his son chucked the forgery, but just sold pre-made knives and mediocre tools, and occasionally sharpened scissors and kitchen knives ... and now his son now sells cheap made in China junk nail clippers and plastic kitchen stuff. Gaaahhhh!

Back to my problem, everything I want has to be shipped, which can easily add 30~50% to any order. Living in Japan’s second largest city means I won’t be getting a forge or banging away on an anvil, either. Finally, anything much longer than 4” is very, very illegal to carry these days. Sigh.

But I will enjoy making some gift knives for friends, and could always use nice tool knives in the workshop. I don’t suppose chisels qualify as knives, do they.
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