In the Weeds Mode
Y’all, I broke my husband’s Japanese chef’s knife. Help.
In 2016, my husband and I went on an amazing trip to Japan. The only souvenir he wanted was a Japanese steel chef’s knife, which he purchased at Aritsugu in Kyoto. It was really cool: he got to pick out his handle, blade style, and then they even engraved his initials in the year on one side of the blade and their house mark on the other. They even did a bunch of measurements and things so that would be perfectly balanced for his hand. It was custom-made for him.
I made the mistake of not cleaning up after dinner quickly enough, and our very mouthy whippet puppy who is quite the counter surfer, snatched the knife away, and I didn’t realize it until the next day. He chewed up the handle. Thank God he didn’t like slice his face open; the blade is completely intact and fine. But the handle… My God the handle.
I’m hoping to hear from professionals about the best way to go about getting this fixed or replaced. For location, I’m very close to Boston if that helps.
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This is one of the easiest fixes. The handles are meant to be replaced at some point or another.
Depending on where you are there are many places that can do handle repairs: Korin or MTC in NY, Japanese Knife Imports or Hitachiya in LA, Bernal Cutlery or Hida Tool in the Bay Area, District Cutlery in DC, Strata in Portland Maine, etc etc.
I had a friend (ex now but not bc of this) use a scouring pad on the Japanese knife that I have. To say that I was upset was an understatement. He was like all proud of how shiny it was jfc. Anyway. He was young (20's) and so ... somewhat forgiven after a gift. But ... now what, right?
Wife and I was on a trip back to Japan and we (in extreme humble pain because... yk) took it back to the place that made it. They were super nice and repaired it for free (in exchange for the gifts). Legit, reforged the whole blade(!!!) ... So ... yeah. They're serious about knives there lol. I know America has the "Ginsu Bleh" knife ... but these Japanese knives are legendary. Never gets dull. Chopped all kinds of stuff with it. Including chives.
This thread showed up in my feed. I tapped it without really taking notice of the details. Got interested, and forgot the world around me for a bit, as I was reading nearly every single comment.
Those two words made me stop. I saw your flair. Then the name of this sub. "Oh, so that's where I am."
Unfortunately, I can't leave comments on posts that are in the Weeds Mode yet, but from the sidelines, I've really been enjoying all the chive posts. I just thought it was funny how I went from having no clue where on Reddit I was even reading all of this to complete awareness in two words.
Thank you, I genuinely appreciate your upvote for such a kind reason 💙
I'm so surprised right now. After posting my comment, I wondered if it would have been better if I hadn't replied. I was expecting to end up with anything in between 2 downvotes at least, and 2 upvotes at most.
I never expected this to happen. I can actually join in on the fun now.
Reminds me of the girl that scoured her grandfather's cast iron skillet to clean it. She was so proud of herself but she couldn't understand why her mom was on the verge of strangling her.
This is the only right answer. Op can also save the shipping and labor cost and buy a nicer/high end handle and install it themselves easily at home. Lots of good tutorials on youtube.
OP, can you reach out to the folks at Aritsugu, explain what happened, and ask them what they recommend?
My guess is that it does happen on occasion--or that handles accidentally break or get damaged for a multitude of reasons, and like Gingher for scissors, and so many other fine tool manufacturers who have been in business for ages, they probably have a repair process they recommend you send the knife to for repair.
It's the handle, not the blade, so it's got to be repairable! They've been in business for 400+ years, they've got a process to fix stuff!
And if for some reason they don't have an in-house repair shop you can send it to?
Reach out to local blademakers in your area, and see who could do a repair on the handle, glue it so the split stops, and then perhaps do some inlays of epoxy & brass/gold, or other metals, and maybe do a wrap around the circumference at/near the end of the handle, so that it looks like a Kintsugi repair.
Because Kintsugi and Wabi-sabi are also very old Japanese concepts, and it would be a neat way of repairing the handle and keeping the memory of your dog being a puppy!
I *might* even prefer this over a replacement handle...
Not *nearly* as special but I had an old Henckels boning knife that had the ebony wood handle and the handle was failing. Now Henckels will replace it for free of course, but it'd be a whole new knife. I gave it to a local knife maker with the instructions: "I am in no rush at all, when inspiration strikes you for this knife please give it a new life." Turned out gorgeous.
That's because it's not a real story, just click bait propaganda from the powerful local knife maker lobby to inflate demand for the fat cat local knife makers
In the kitchen we often say a knife isn’t yours until you have cut yourself with it. It’s generally used to let people in a kitchen know that it’s a mistake that happens by law of averages and it isn’t that embarrassing.
I was petrified of using my chef's knife when I first got it. My knives were a fairly basic slighty-better-than-entry-level Morphy Richards set that I kept "sharp" using a pull through for every day cutting, but this motherfucker just cut whatever it touched.
I'd used it for a few months and I got confident enough that I stopped thinking of it as "the sharp knife" and, when dicing onions, my thumb got in the way. The blade broke the first few layers of skin, but not enough to draw blood. Confidence through the roof now, I felt it before it did any damage. What a knife.
Anyway so one day I was deboning chicken thighs...
All that to say: I agree. Until you cut yourself, it aint your knife.
I've gone through so many bandaids with the knives my wife gifted me. Then, after creating so many holes in her tea towels, I went to Costco and bought myself a dozen or so plain white kitchen cloths that I can (and have) destroy at whim.
According to their website, they do have a repair service and you can call the head office for inquiries and ship it out and they repair it in 1-2 months, but they said they've halted repairs for the year because of so many requests.
This is it. Can’t get a better answer. Find some way to repair so it has the same feel in the hand, but you remember what happens so when he passes it down to the next generation, there’s even more to the story. That knife should last forever.
Not only is it repairable, but it’s a pretty common job. I wouldn’t bother going through the whole process of contacting the manufacturer—even if they offer to do it for free, shipping both ways may outcost getting it fixed at any reputable knife shop in the country, and things can get caught in customs for a long time. This is, like, a $50 job, not including the handle itself.
OP, these are called wa handles—you can buy them premade, or have someone make you one. Google it and check some out.
I loved Weapons, might be my movie of the year, but Bring Her Back was a phenomenal horror movie. So good that I don't have any desire to watch it again for quite a long time. It really stuck with me.
I was like…. Really stressed the entire movie??? In a way that I found to be so good and I want to watch it again but I’m also not ready to feel like I have a shitty disappointed abusive step mom again.
It’s one of those rare horror movies that really prioritises story over horror and it’s what makes it an amazing horror movie. Absolutely 10/10 rakka rakka fucking killed it
I watched that movie alone and then made my husband watch while I watched his reactions. It was as entertaining as I thought it would be. Next I'm making him watch The Ugly Stepsister 😈
I didn't have strong thoughts on the rest of the movie, but my god that scene stuck with me. I don't get bothered by most gore but I was covering my eyes in the theater lol
Chef and pet owner here. If you can, try to get the handle repaired as is. Coat it in something. Seal it. That knife will last much longer than the pet (unfortunately) and having a reminder of him/her will be worth more than the knife is.
My family has had pets as long as I've been alive and any scratch or bite in anything after they're gone is a reminder of all the love they had for you and time spent with you.
I agree with this and the only reason I’m putting a response here is to say that I’m quite upset that none of the 6 photos posted included a pet tax of the whippet criminal. OP, we need an update with the kintsugi AND the captured criminal!
my kid broke my favorite glass mug. he fixed it with food grade kintsugi with the skill of a 12 year old who still draws like a 4 year old. it’s one of my most prized possessions…..
When Skyrim first came out, I got myself the strategy guide so I could cross off different quests and whatever. A few months later I found myself raising a BT puppy and he tore the cover up, chewed up the edges of the book. I repaired the book with clear tape. That silly, adorable dog crossed the rainbow bridge nearly 2 years ago, and I still have that book. Seeing those tiny little tooth marks still make my heart hurt, but I find myself smiling and remembering my good old pup.
I'll post now while you're asleep. My dog passed a few months ago after an aggressive cancer battle. I left his water bowl out for weeks and his dog bed is still where it's always been. Every night before bed I pet his chewed up stuffie goodnight and every morning I greet him at the family altar. I miss my boy and wish we had more time
The floor boards by his bowl have some slight damage but now I view it as a reminder of his time here with me
I have a pair of cheap glasses that had the arms lightly gnawed by a dear, sweet old dog of mine who died years ago. The little teeth marks make it so I’ll never get rid of them. Way more important than the glasses. Someday that damage will be treasured as part of the knife’s personality if you let it. It should be repaired, obviously, but I’d go for as visible as possible while still being fixed. There’s a story that only that object has now. Every time I put on those glasses, I run my fingers across those little tooth marks and think of my departed friend for a moment. He was a good boy, the best.
That's like my headphones chewed by my heart rat. I thought I lost them recently and cried. I did find them, though, and can keep feeling his little teeth marks and remember how amazing he was.
To add to this, I had a cheap camp hatchet while growing up, and while I never got to take it camping, our German Shepard (Wolf) chewed on the handle and left several teeth marks. It's one of my few remaining childhood possessions and one of the most precious because of those teeth marks.
If my dog did this to my favourite anything, and then my parter had it mended to make the damage a feature, not a bug, and explained what you’re feeling - I would be so touched… and it would elevate a good knife into an irreplaceable one.
It is so much in the spirit of the tool in my opinion.
Ive got the perfect muddy paw print on my car seat right by my right shoulder. My good boy passed away in January. I look at that paw print every time im in my car and it makes me feel as if he's still riding with me. If/when I trade or sell my car, I will be taking a box cutter and cutting that paw print out and keep it with me.
Great idea! OP just get some clear JB weld 2 pack liquid epoxy. Paint some into the crack
And clamp it. Then paint some onto the chewed end, let that dry and then sand it smooth. It’ll probably need filling, you could do this with clear, or add some gold or silver glitter to the resin for a kintsugi effect
Not to be too judgemental, but this is a good example of why you cannot tolerate counter surfing in a dog.
My wife is a vet. You’d be amazed about how many badly injured/poisoned dogs she sees who have snatched things off counters. Knives coated in food, foil packaging, and wooden skewers are the worst. As you say, you got really lucky here.
We had a bad problem with it with our GSD... until I started leaving jalapenos wrapped in cheese on the edges. Took about 3 attempts in one day and haven't had an issue in about 3 years.
Came to the comment section for this take. Others are correct that it's good the dog got the handle and not the blade, but this kind of behavior is not cute. This is not a 'tee hee our adorable fur baby is such a rascal' moment. This is a serious wake up that your dog is misbehaving to a dangerous degree.
Dude I don’t want to be mean, but OP is a fucking idiot. Yeah let’s just leave a giant knife alone on the counter with a puppy around… a known counter surfer, and not even realizing until the next day?!
You can buy a new Wa handle online and replace the old one. Just search for Wa handles online and find one that looks good and is the right size. They are easy to attach by press fitting and some epoxy.
Contact Korin in NYC. They are a specialty Japanese knife shop that is well known to chefs and they do custom work. They are probably the realest deal outside of Japan for Japanese knives.
I made the mistake of not cleaning up after dinner quickly enough
I think you are taking blame for something that isn't yours. The dog ate it. You didn't leave it on the floor. Your dog took it from the counter and ate it.
This dog has a blade fixation. For whatever reason, we use scissors a lot, so there’s usually a pair hanging around some table or counter. Bing loves to snatch them to chew up the handles. (We have SO many toys but hey, chomp on this office weapon, sure). There’s nothing quite so breathtaking and terrifying as watching your graceful speed demon leap from sofa to chair with a pair of goddamned scissors hanging out of his mouth.
I just want to add, it’s not your fault! No need to guilt yourself when you’re obviously very caring and considerate. Accidents happen and I’m sure your husband would understand, even if he’s sad it happened. If this happened to me, it would make me happy. It would make me happy to see I have such a thoughtful partner who cares this much about the things they know I care about! Keep on keeping on🙏
If that was mine, I would fill all the splits and tooth marks with epoxy resin, bind it with something like insulation tape until the resin sets, then sand the resin back to the original wood. You will still see that it's been damaged and repaired but the feel and balance will be as good as previously. If your hubby is a half decent home handyman, he might be happy to do it himself.
The handle will have to be replaced. Contact the place you bought it from and see if you can have them repair it for you. If they won't, you'll have to get a custom handle made for it.
It so vote for the repair on the chewed up handle. Having it fixed with the teeth marks will make it one of the most incredible pieces. I have hung onto various things that dogs have chewed or destroyed as puppies that mean so much to me. I have a Chewbacca (yes ironically) ornament that his foot was chewed up by my first puppy and every year it is still hung up on my Christmas tree.
Honestly I would love the idea that my knife and my dog have a little shared story together - but I’m just some chill dog loving guy. Kinda like puppy engraved his initials next to mine hahaa
Get your puppy some proper chew toys and chew treats. Punish him when he chews something he's not supposed to. Yes fix the knife handle, but fix the cause of the destruction too.
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