Do these Shigefusa mark look any different to you?

Found these images and thought "Hey, they look different"

 

Yes, this looks weird for sure. Both execution of kanji and the variation in bolster length.

 

Forgot to mention, 1st is a 210 western yo-gytuo, 2nd is a western 135 yo-petty, and 3rd is a 210 kasumi deba.

What is not what I usually see is that these Shigefusa mark are hand engraved. Well, may be not for the deba one, but it does not look like the usual stamp.

 

Hmm, pics 1 and 2 seem to have an extra kanji at the bottom. The makers mark on my Shig kitaeji looks like the bottom pic. No idea what it means or what's up with them though. Any idea if these are newer pics? Perhaps he's decided to mark his kitaeji and kasumi lines differently now? That's one of the only reasons I can see for a difference in the way they're marked (kitaeji vs kasumi). But without knowing what it says that's just purely a guess on my part.

I think the variation is because the top two are Shig yo whereas the third one is just regular wa. Unless you meant something different that what I'm seeing?

- Steve

 

What I know is that Shigs are hand engraved if they're kitaeji. They all used to be hand engraved (again, from what I know) however, now only the kitaeji are hand engraved and the kasumi are stamped. Chances are that's an older pic of a kasumi deba. So the hand engraved kitaeji look fine to me, what's stumping me is the last kanji, I have no idea what it means.

Edit: So looking at different Shigs on Maxim's site, some have the extra kanji while others don't. Anyone have an idea why?

- Steve

 

What we usually see is that for kitaeji gyuto, petty, and nakiri, is a stamped mark and without the third kanji (which says "made by" I think).

 

Kitaeji are usually engraved. Kasumi is stamped. The top 2 symbols (the small ones) in those pics are stamped, the bottom 2 symbols (the large ones) are hand engraved though.

- Steve

 

Maybe one of the sons has taken over engraving duties? A slightly different style?

 

My kitaeji western gyuto and KU santoku are marked like the 3rd picture. My kitaeji ajikiri is marked like the 1st 2 pictures. The ajikiri was bought first--maybe they've stopped using the 3rd mark?

 

Schnop, you're right the 'extra' kanji is 作 and so 重房作 is just going to mean 'Made by Shigefusa' or 'Shigefusa-produced' etc. As to why they sometimes use the 作 and why they sometimes don't, I also haven't a clue. However, if I happened to be toiling with knives all day, I imagine it'd be something I'd think up: 'Hey, let's add this one when we're in the mood too, then check those forums after and see how confused they all get!'

 

I think I recall reading that the 3rd mark is used on double bevel knives. I could be wrong.

 

It is the other way around, Rick. Three hand engraved marks are usually used on single bevel kitaeji knives while two stamp marks are usually used on kami knives add well as kitaeji double bevel knives.

Thank Asteger for translation. I don't have a clue reading kanji.

And yes, I think it is either a random thing or a supplier's request for hand engraved marks on those kitaeji Western knives.

 

We should ask Maxim when the third kanji is used, when he gets back form Japan. If anyone has the answer it would be him

What do you mean stamp marks are usually on kitaeji double bevel knives though? The small marks are now all stamped it looks like (even single bevel). The large marks are hand engraved on kitaeji (both single and double bevel). The pictures posted above show this too, the large kanji on the kitaeji are hand engraved on all of them. Kitaeji are the most scarce Shig knives, I wouldn't understand why the extra time wouldn't be taken to hand engrave them...

 

Makes sense. My single bevel kataeji has 3 marks, the double bevel knives have 2.

 

Haha me neither, really. At any rate, I did a bit of a survey and found that it was true, that 作 only appeared on the 1-bevel kitaeji. I also asked a Shig seller in Japan who replied that, though he doesn't know any particular reason, it was just particular to the type/size of knife and that it doesn't have any special meaning. I'm curious, but noticed it before and never really worried about it.

 

When I see "saku", I assume it was made by that person, or designed by that person, etc. Without it, it may just be made by that person's company, by an employee, etc. Don't know how it applies to the knife world.

 

I had the same confusion a few years before and asked drnaka from other forums at the time; the third character 作 means "made" (by the way, you can see the kanji even with some other brands) and it is used only for kitaeji knives with hand engraved marks. Of course, there's exception, not all kitaeji knives get the kanji. Like you guys said, a kitaeji gyuto does not have it (I am not 100% sure if it's only for a single bevel but it looks like the case.).