FORGED BY EDO-ERA SWORDSMITHS · AUS-8 STEEL & RARE HARDWOOD
01 Hammered into shape the same way a Japanese sword is forged — not stamped from a mold.
02 Shaped and finished by one smith's hands, one blade at a time.
03 Draw the blade once, and it moves through with barely any pressure.
Made by swordsmiths, not knife makers
This steak knife comes from a workshop descended from Japanese sword-forging, not from a knife factory. In the late Edo period, its first-generation smith apprenticed under a swordsmith named Shigemori in Nanbu — present-day Iwate Prefecture — mastered the technique of forging Japanese swords, and was granted the smith name "Muneaki." Today the fourth-generation Muneaki carries that same lineage forward from a workshop in Katsushika, Tokyo.
Hammered, not stamped
Most kitchen and table knives are stamped out of a flat sheet of steel using a die — fast, uniform, and identical from one knife to the next. This blade is made the way a Japanese sword is: a bar of stainless steel is heated and struck by hammer, again and again, to forge it into shape by hand. That repeated hammering compacts and aligns the steel itself, which is part of why the edge holds up differently from a stamped blade. The cutting edge is also set at a slightly obtuse angle on purpose, balancing everyday safety with a blade that glides through with almost no downward pressure.
One smith, one blade at a time
There's no assembly line here. A single craftsman carries each blade through every stage by hand — heating, hammering, tempering, and finishing — from raw steel to finished knife. Because of that, no two blades ever come out perfectly identical; small variations from piece to piece are simply what one pair of hands, working alone, produces.
Lighter than it looks
The octagonal handle is shaped to sit securely in either hand, and is built the same way a Japanese kitchen knife is — with the blade's tang set directly into the wood. Combined with the rare hardwood used for the handle, the result is a knife that feels noticeably lighter the moment you pick it up.
Three rare woods to choose from
The handle is available in three woods: karin burl, with its swirling, marbled grain; birdseye maple, marked by small, circular figures that resemble tiny eyes; and kurogaki, a rare black persimmon prized for its bold, dramatic streaking. Each piece of solid wood is one of a kind.
From everyday table to special occasion
The blade's fine edge makes it easy to cut cleanly through pancakes, soft baked sweets, and fruit with almost no pressure, as well as steak. It moves easily between a weeknight dinner and a special meal.
Specifications
Size: W 0.8 × T 0.8 × L 8.8 in (20 × 20 × 223 mm)
Material: Blade — stainless steel (AUS-8). Handle — solid hardwood (karin burl / birdseye maple / kurogaki), urethane coating
Forging method: Sōbizukuri (traditional full hand-forging)
Made in Japan (Katsushika, Tokyo)
Each blade is individually hand-forged and each handle is solid natural wood; slight variation between pieces is normal and may differ from the photographs shown
Shipping
Please allow approximately 2 weeks before shipment
Care
This is a bladed knife, unlike a standard table knife — please handle it with care. Before first use, wash with dish soap and dry thoroughly with a cloth. Avoid cutting frozen food or hard ingredients, as this can chip the edge. Do not leave the knife soaking in a sink or in water. Not dishwasher safe — hand wash, dry immediately, and let it air dry fully, as retained moisture can damage the handle.
Note
Depending on your country or region, additional checks may be required for bladed items. If this applies to your order, we will contact you directly.
