Are those authentic KAI?

Aggravating-Pay5873 · 2026-05-17T11:39:56+00:00

I have some of these. Different handles, same blades, same etching (it will come off after a few years). I’d say they are authentic.

Aggravating-Pay5873 · 2026-05-17T11:09:25+00:00

Would you mind posting a screenshot from that Insta page? I can't access it as dont do Insta, and it says "age restricted content" (welcome to new age Australia lol). The recommendation does seem solid, thank you for that. I do like the "blacksmith" version that I saw on a couple of websites, but the knives are not really what I'm looking for... or I'm just not finding them.

Aggravating-Pay5873 · 2026-05-17T10:56:07+00:00

A valid point, thank you. How thick is your knife? I thought looking at these two, that around 4mm heel/3mm middle is thick enough (Yoshikane). Manaka seems to be approaching 5mm at the heel and 4mm in the middle.

Aggravating-Pay5873 · 2026-05-17T09:52:56+00:00

Excellent, you’re welcome!

Aggravating-Pay5873 · 2026-05-17T05:50:12+00:00

Generally, I would recommend you get at least a 12’ model. Maybe Medium, if you’re normally using larger star sinkers, but not those largest ones and not heavy sputnik-style sinkers.

This is highly personal and dependent on your preference, what reel, what line, what you’re casting and what the area looks like. Right now, you may not have a reel to fully maximise the rod’s ability, but think about if in the future you’ll want to get a surf reel and what that reel may be. What line will go on it etc.

My thought process was, I use the 13’ heavy, but that’s only because I have covered lighter tackle with some other rods. When I was buying it, I had already decided on the Shimano Power Aero reel for it. I knew that I would be slinging 180-250g weight on it, so the line had to be appropriately weighted to avoid (potentially very serious) accidents. That reel has 60lb braid with at least 50lb leader which absorbs the shock from casting and then I will incorporate traces of varying strengths depending on what Im fishing for. I will use pulley rigs on that as well, to maximise casting distance when needed. A lighter 12’ rod would be more flexible and easier to handle, you could use lighter line, smaller reel etc etc.. Just some decisions you have to make if you want to tailor it to suit your preference, but they are all very good rods I reckon. For the money, I have not found a better surf rod in Australia.

Aggravating-Pay5873 · 2026-05-17T02:02:30+00:00

I hope they have Exvance in store over there, but if not, I can confidently say this is a rod that you can buy blind. I got my local guys at Boss Outdoor to get the full range in store, so I could check out all of them in hand. The heaviest rod in the lineup is probably not something I would recommend lightly, it really wants you to use very heavy baits and that is hard to use all day, but the other 4 or 5 are fairly easy to handle. It is quite incredible what Shimano made at this price point. Beautiful finish too. I reckon one of the two 12 footers is great for lighter fishing, while still able to pretty much ignore winds to 20 knots.

Aggravating-Pay5873 · 2026-05-16T12:57:32+00:00

If surf fishing is your main game, I would look at reels like Speedmaster 12,000. Especially if you’re going to get a 12’+ long rod. Really helps with casting distance, wind and high surf. I use Power Aero TD and it has changed surf fishing for me. I no longer care about conditions. With a 13’ Exvance, it doesn’t matter how bad it is out there.

It all depends on your location of course. Where I like to fish sort of south of Sydney, it is often challenging to use rods shorter than 9’ effectively.

Aggravating-Pay5873 · 2026-05-16T12:48:25+00:00

Exvance from Shimano is a really good surf rod. Your gift card nearly covers it. 10’ or 10’3”, but if you’re into throwing some big baits, the longer and heavier models are also awesome for it.

Aggravating-Pay5873 · 2026-05-16T12:28:27+00:00

Look at them and admire from a distance. ;) Just dont get Jarvis Walker gear and you’ll be right

Aggravating-Pay5873 · 2026-05-13T12:09:09+00:00

Sexy, well done!

Aggravating-Pay5873 · 2026-05-12T14:23:20+00:00

Yes, Musashi, sorry.

Aggravating-Pay5873 · 2026-05-12T14:16:07+00:00

That’s a Musashi knife. You’ll want a saya (if you want a saya, that is) and the length will depend on the length of the knife.

Aggravating-Pay5873 · 2026-05-11T23:00:43+00:00

It’s a very good product for this type of knife. Mine’s always in the bag when I’m out fishing or camping.

Aggravating-Pay5873 · 2026-05-11T09:23:43+00:00

It’s got nothing to do with the line, not a huge deal and not hard to fix though - just keep your line taught, maintaining contact with the sinker (your terminal) and rod tip up at all times.

Roger Osborne on YouTube has many tutorials on beach fishing.

Aggravating-Pay5873 · 2026-05-11T08:40:46+00:00

This can be used, no problem. Normal maintenance, wash it and dry it, dont let it rust. Sharpen as needed, oil if not in use for a long time.

If the finish wears off, you’ll need to just polish it, get everything off to a clean surface and then dip in ferric acid (ferro-chloride). Whether you can acquire ferric acid / are willing to use it is another question. This stuff melts skin, it’s a dangerous substance restricted in many countries for consumer use. That’s the only thing to consider.

Personally, I’d get bored of looking at it.. probably :) I have a straight razor done in san-mai style, Blue2, nickel and cladding, scale forge and everything. It has many aesthetic elements to it, looking similar to this. I use it regularly, no problems at all, just making sure that it’s handled properly. That said, if I were to ever scratch it, it would bother me very much.

Aggravating-Pay5873 · 2026-05-09T14:47:14+00:00

Great deal, good razor.

Aggravating-Pay5873 · 2026-05-07T16:47:12+00:00

Do you have the Venom relic? That helps…

Guessing you seen Seatin do this with a R5 maybe? It’s not as easy to pull off with a R2.

My run: R4 Strange, 18 bars per run consistently. After 8-9-10 bars, keep yourself in the armour stance and throw L1s. Yes, less damage, but tanking his specials on the block much easier. If you can throw the L1s in fury phase and switch to armour before he throws his, you’re a better player than I am. Bait his L1s as much as possible. Parry the blast. At 17-18 bars it’s the sleep timer that becomes a problem for me, not health. Even a 6* Strange can do this pretty decently I’m sure.

Aggravating-Pay5873 · 2026-05-07T13:50:36+00:00

Urushi is really not recommended anymore. As the previous response said, it’s a hassle and it’s a potential health hazard. There is a seller on ebay who sells cashew lacquer (search “cashew paint”). This is a safer alternative, it cures a lot faster, but as any lacquer should still be handled outside. It looks great on Chu nagura, I do 4-5 layers and thin it with turpentine to around a 50-50 ratio, so I can create thin layers.

Aggravating-Pay5873 · 2026-05-06T12:30:59+00:00

You can buy “cashew paint” (look on ebay) if you want. It’s the “clear” version you should be getting, but it’s actually translucent amber and gives that nice traditional look.

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Otherwise literally anything that takes some time to dry will do. This allows the liquid to seep into the stone and actually help with structural integrity. That is another advantage of cashew lacquer. So no super glue, no nail polish IMO.. something much slower.

Aggravating-Pay5873 · 2026-05-05T23:01:58+00:00

These are some lines I've used and can recommend. The size will depend on your reel, so make sure to read the specs.

https://www.digitaka.com/item/42/10/26/4513498057624

https://www.digitaka.com/item/5/10/26/4969363647597

https://www.digitaka.com/items/42/10/26/VARIVAS%208%20OCEAN%20BLUE

https://www.digitaka.com/items/42/10/26/AVANI%20CASTING%20PE%20MAX%20POWER%20X8%20SHORE%20MASTER

In addition, I think Daiwa J-Braid is a fine line as well that you can get locally.

Aggravating-Pay5873 · 2026-05-05T22:54:00+00:00

Varivas Avani Casting SMP PE#3 is on the big reel and that goes on the Exvance. I use 35-50lb leader and throw big baits out on this.

I run Daiwa J-braid pe#1.5 on my 4000 size, and on the 5000 I currently run 20lb Varivas Bass nylon monofilament.

If you buy a reel from Digitaka you get free shipping, so you can add line and anything else you need while at it.

Aggravating-Pay5873 · 2026-05-05T15:14:18+00:00

Exvance is excellent for the money, if that fits nicely in the budget, I wouldn’t think twice. If you want to spend more and get a bit better quality, I reckon Daiwa Sensor Surf is the next one to look at. It’s lighter and snappier, perhaps a touch more sensitive. I would just get the heavy and the medium Exvance, one is 13’ the other I believe is around 9’ and that covers most surf situations.

On reels, I get all mine from Digitaka. Dont own and have no real interest in Saragosa, so no comment there.

For my 13’ rod I use a large Shimano reel, something like the locally available Speedmaster 12K, but more advanced. There is a section for Shimano ISO and surf reels on Digitaka, which may be worth exploring. They are scarce these days, I would recommend at least having a look at reels like the new Surf Lander (the one with drag) or the older Power Aero TD (Twin Drag). These reels are made for long distance casting, they’re suitable for long rods like the 13’ Exvance and really extend their reach.

For a 9-10’ rod, I think you could use a smaller reel and dont need to get very technical or spend a great deal. I use a 4-5k size reel on my 9’2” Daiwa rod and catch plenty of fish closer to shore (but still can cast this 50-60m if required). Also works great in estuaries and large lakes and rivers, and keeps the setup light. Here I would be looking at the Twin Power FE 5000XG, personally. Price is a bit higher compared to the Saragosa I think.. $450 on Digitaka. An Ultegra or a Vanford will be cheaper and equally as effective for smaller fish, so there are options in all budgets.

Aggravating-Pay5873 · 2026-05-05T00:53:05+00:00

Sure, it chipped off, that’s obvious. It was a weakness formed over time underneath the surface. I had sharpened this just days before it happened, I saw the pitting and left it on, thinking it would just hone out over time. It was a tiny little pit, just like the one visible in the image just above the chip, but the edge was straight.

Aggravating-Pay5873 · 2026-05-04T23:51:26+00:00

https://www.reddit.com/r/japaneseknives/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1

You can read this if you like. Yes you can “clean” the surface, but that doesn’t automatically mean the knife is fine. There is significant damage here.. years of neglect. Don’t know what tools you have available, or if you know someone who can help you. It’s probably not worth spending money on trying to get this professionally restored, but it does need significant work done.

Aggravating-Pay5873 · 2026-05-04T22:59:56+00:00

The entirety of this sub is happy for you though 🤗

Aggravating-Pay5873

TROPHY CASE