Togashi-san is the blacksmith behind this magnificent blade. One of only 25 certified traditional craftsmen in the region, he began forging blades at the age of 19, in 1967. Sharpener and polisher Yohei-san, also a certified traditional craftsman in the region, learned to sharpen the double-edged knife under the guidance of one of the best sharpeners in the Sakai region.
Most Japanese knives are made as a "sandwich," a core of very hard steel covered on both sides by a softer steel. The hard steel is what makes a Japanese knife sharper and keeps its edge longer than other knives. The softer steel acts as a shock absorber to protect the harder steel from damage. This is the common way of making a knife in Japan, but there is an older and more romantic way of making a knife, called honyaki.
Less than 1% of knives in Japan are forged honyaki. Making a honyaki knife is like making a katana. The knife is made from a single piece of steel and heat-treated so that the edge is very hard and sharp for a very long time. The spine of the knife, although the same piece of steel, is softer and protects the blade from breaking.
You can refer to the article "steel" to learn a little more about this type of knife, Honyaki.
Togashi-san is the blacksmith behind this magnificent blade. One of only 25 certified traditional craftsmen in the region, he began forging blades at the age of 19, in 1967. Sharpener and polisher Yohei-san, also a certified traditional craftsman in the region, learned to sharpen the double-edged knife under the guidance of one of the best sharpeners in the Sakai region.
Most Japanese knives are made as a "sandwich," a core of very hard steel covered on both sides by a softer steel. The hard steel is what makes a Japanese knife sharper and keeps its edge longer than other knives. The softer steel acts as a shock absorber to protect the harder steel from damage. This is the common way of making a knife in Japan, but there is an older and more romantic way of making a knife, called honyaki.
Less than 1% of knives in Japan are forged honyaki. Making a honyaki knife is like making a katana. The knife is made from a single piece of steel and heat-treated so that the edge is very hard and sharp for a very long time. The spine of the knife, although the same piece of steel, is softer and protects the blade from breaking.
You can refer to the article "steel" to learn a little more about this type of knife, Honyaki.