Masakuni vs the rest

[Chuah]

I only have two Masakuni concave cutters, one from the 90s and the other bought in 2014. Although both are 8" cutters, the constructions are somewhat different. The old one is heavier and the handles are broader near the rivet than the new one.

The old one has a chip but still cuts well using the unchipped portion of the cutter. Masakuni is expensive but very good, you would love using them. My other tools are Yagimitsu, and I like them too.

 

[Adair M]

Hmmm...

Perhaps a better analogy than cars would be smartphones. Apple never says if their chips are dual-core, or how much RAM it has, it's all about the "User Experience". Samsung, on the other hand, sells on the specs.

I have a mix of tools. My Masakuni wire cutters are over 40 years old, never been sharpened, and I used them in my barn to cut hay strings for about 4 years! I've never oiled them. Yeah, the handle has some surface rust, but doesn't affect their performance. In fact, makes them less slippery!

The Masakuni grafting knife is sublime!

If you want the best, get Masakuni.

Another analogy: quality annealed copper wire. Jim Gremel makes the world's best. Even better than the Japanese wire. (I have Japanese friends who say so.). He will not divulge his annealing secrets. Using is believing. Same with Masakuni.

 

[M. Frary]

Chevrolet is the best.

 

[tmpgh]

Hmmm...

Perhaps a better analogy than cars would be smartphones. Apple never says if their chips are dual-core, or how much RAM it has, it's all about the "User Experience". Samsung, on the other hand, sells on the specs.

First, Apple sure does tell you all of that info. They sell multiple models with different specs, etc. Second, it's not secrets folks want. We want the length of the cutting edge... Is it possible that because folks have experienced them to be wonderful tools that they are defending them against legitimate criticism?

 

[Adair M]

Ok, then.

Don't buy Masakuni if you don't like the way they market their tools.

 

[Skinnygoomba]

I'm curious about the specs of their grafting knives, specifically the process used for the much more expensive variety ( $700~).

There is a bit of a quality/price expectation across the board from woodworking to cutlery to bonsai tools when it comes to a knife with a laminated steel blade (blue steel 1 or 2 or white steel to iron). There is a range and the more famous makers do charge more but not to the stratosphere.

The next range up would be special steel that has been heat treated in the manner of Honyaki.

Iida Tool sells the 'Borrelli' of woodworking tools;

http://japantool-iida.com/knife/2008/05/kodama-knife-by-michio-tasai.html

http://japantool-iida.com/knife/2008/06/gourdshaped-knife-by-michio-ta.html

These are pretty comparable to grafting knives (if not the identical thing) so I'd be curious as to how the Masaskuni are made by comparison to other makers of the same price range.