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定明作 Sadaaki saku
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MakerNakagawa Shokai (Sadaaki 定明)RegionTsubame, Niigata (Tsubame-Sanjo)
Marks定明作 / 定明SteelsAogami #2, VG10
Knife types madeSake-kiri, Takobiki, Yanagiba, Deba, Nakiri, SantokuMain useRegional Niigata/Hokkaido knife for breaking down salmon: a heavy deba-yanagiba hybrid.
Recommended whetstone1000 → 3000–6000 JIS · how to sharpenMaintenanceRinse and wipe dry immediately after each use — never leave it wet or in the sink.
What this mark means
定明作 reads Sadaaki saku. It is a chiselled or stamped kanji signature (mei) used by Nakagawa Shokai (Sadaaki 定明) (中川商会「定明」), Tsubame, Niigata — the Tsubame-Sanjo region. Chiselled on Aogami wa-bocho; photographed in Sanjo.
Other marks from the same maker
- 定明 Sadaaki
About the maker
Wholesaler brand 定明. Two tiers: chiselled 定明作 on Aogami wa-bocho (sake-kiri, takobiki — labelled A: hagane + soft iron) and a stainless/V10 line (柳刃 ¥11,900, V10彩流 三徳). The reading is Sadaaki (さだあき) — confirmed locally.
Products carrying this mark
- 定明 青紙 — 鮭切 270 · ¥45,900
- 定明 青紙 — 鮭切 240 · ¥39,300
- 定明 青紙 — 鮭切 210 · ¥34,750
- 定明 青鋼 — 蛸引 300 · ¥59,900
- 定明 ステンレス — 柳刃 12 / 15 / 18 cm · ¥11,900
- 定明 V10彩流 — 三徳 165
- 定明 黒刃紋 — 菜切 165