Todd’s Story: The Knife Only One Person Could Have Made

  • How one man’s vision brought together craftsmanship from Japan, Vietnam, and the United States to create a knife unlike any other.

  • There are knives you buy, and then there are knives you build.

    For Todd, a KIREAJI customer from the United States, purchasing an exceptional Japanese knife was never simply about choosing a product. It was about bringing a very specific vision to life.

    When he first contacted us, his questions appeared technical: Honyaki or Sakimaru? Ginsan Honyaki or Super Steel Honyaki? Yet beneath those questions was something deeper. Todd was not merely comparing knives. He was imagining one that did not yet exist.

    Over the weeks that followed, his vision connected craftsmanship, materials, and expertise across three countries. The result was not simply a custom knife, but a deeply personal work that could only have been created through the commitment of everyone involved.

  • A Vision Beyond Specifications

    The first major decision was the steel.

    After careful consideration, Todd chose Ginsan Honyaki. It was not a casual choice. Ginsan occupies a distinctive place in Japanese cutlery, offering excellent sharpening responsiveness together with meaningful corrosion resistance. For Todd, the steel was not merely one specification among many. It was the foundation upon which the entire project would be built.

    Yet the steel was only the beginning. The conversation soon turned to geometry, and one detail emerged as especially important: Onisori.

    Most Yanagiba have a gentle and elegant curvature. An Onisori profile is altogether different. Its curve is deeper, more dramatic, and immediately recognizable, giving the blade a powerful visual presence and a distinctive character in use.

    To many people, the difference might appear subtle. To Todd, it was essential.

    Several possibilities were considered. Photographs were reviewed, dimensions were discussed, and profiles were carefully compared. At one stage, a 390mm Honyaki Sakimaru Yanagiba was among the options. Although it was an impressive knife, Todd recognized that its curvature was not the Onisori he had been seeking.

    That decision defined the entire project. Todd was not looking for the nearest available option. He was willing to wait for the right one.

  • The Shape of an Idea

    Eventually, his vision became clear: a Ginsan Honyaki Sakimaru Yanagiba with a powerful Onisori profile, mirror polishing on both sides, and an extraordinary blade length of 450mm.

    This was not a standard production knife. At 450mm, a Yanagiba becomes an entirely different presence. The draw stroke becomes longer, each movement more deliberate, and the relationship between the user and the blade more demanding. A knife of this scale asks for commitment, and that was precisely part of its appeal for Todd.

    Throughout the process, KIREAJI worked closely with Shiroyama Knife Workshop in Sakai. Every detail mattered: the relationship between length and curvature, the balance of the blade, its geometry, and its overall character. In a project like this, consultation is not separate from craftsmanship. It becomes part of the making itself.
  • Ginsan (Honyaki) Yanagiba (Sakimaru) 450mm -Mirror Polished (both sides) 

  • When the Project Expanded Beyond Japan

    The project grew far beyond the blade when the conversation turned to the handle and saya.

    Todd had great confidence in the work of Jack of Boogwa in Vietnam. He wanted the extraordinary blade from Sakai to be completed with a handle and saya created specifically for it, rather than fitted with conventional components. Materials were considered, designs were developed, and ideas moved between the United States, Japan, and Vietnam.

    The blade was forged and finished in Sakai. The custom handle, saya, and blade holder were entrusted to Jack and Boogwa in Vietnam. The vision connecting every element came from Todd in the United States.

    Three countries contributed to a single knife.

    This was not collaboration for its own sake. Each person brought a distinct area of expertise, while working toward the same goal: to express Todd’s vision as faithfully as possible.

  • A Handle as Personal as the Blade

  • The custom handle created by Jack of Boogwa was designed as an integral part of the knife rather than as a separate accessory. Its full marbled horn construction is accented by silver rings and a Japanese cedar spacer with a distinctive grain pattern.

    The contrast between the dark, flowing horn, the restrained silver details, and the warmth of the Japanese wood gives the handle a character of its own. At the same time, it remains connected to the scale, strength, and refinement of the 450mm blade.

    Every material was deliberately chosen, and every detail served the larger composition. The result transformed an extraordinary blade into a deeply personal work of craftsmanship.

  • The Precision That Made It Possible

    Creating a custom handle in another country required more than an inspired design. It required precise information about the individual blade.

    Jack needed the exact measurements of the tang—not approximate dimensions taken from a typical Yanagiba, but the measurements of this particular 450mm knife. KIREAJI therefore worked with Shiroyama Knife Workshop to obtain the necessary information and provide it to Todd and Jack.

    Although this may sound like a small technical step, it required a significant degree of trust: trust between Todd and Jack, trust between KIREAJI and Shiroyama Knife Workshop, and trust that everyone involved was equally committed to the finished result.

    That trust became part of the knife itself.

  • More Than a Purchase

    After weeks of conversations, photographs, measurements, consultations, and planning, Todd sent us a message that we have never forgotten:

    “All I can say is you make me want to cry hahaaha.”

    It was not an expression of frustration or uncertainty. It was the emotional realization that the knife he had imagined was becoming possible.

    What had begun as an inquiry had become something much more personal. This was no longer simply the purchase of a rare Japanese knife. It was the process of bringing an idea into existence through patience, communication, and shared respect for craftsmanship.

  • The Completed Work

    What began with the search for a 450mm Ginsan Honyaki Sakimaru Yanagiba ultimately became a complete collaborative work spanning three countries and several forms of craftsmanship.

    The blade was created in Sakai, Japan. Jack and Boogwa in Vietnam crafted the custom handle and saya, together with a matching blade holder that carried the same material language and design philosophy. To accommodate the exceptional length of the finished knife, Todd also commissioned a custom Nishijin Brocade carrying bag from Tozando in Japan.

Every element reflects the same commitment: not to assemble an assortment of impressive parts, but to create one coherent object that could not have existed in precisely the same form any other way.

This knife belongs to Todd alone. More importantly, the journey that brought it into existence belongs to him alone as well.

  • Todd’s Reflection

    What began as an idea for a very special knife became a much longer and more meaningful journey than I ever expected.

    Throughout the process, there were many details to consider and decisions to make. I had a clear vision of what I wanted, and seeing that vision gradually take shape through the work of craftsmen in different countries has made this project especially meaningful to me.

    There were times when patience was needed, but I never wanted to rush something this special. Every detail mattered.

    I am deeply grateful to everyone who helped bring this project this far.

    — Todd

  • A Bridge Between Vision and Craftsmanship

    This story reflects what KIREAJI means when we describe our role as a bridge—not merely between countries, and not simply between craftsmen and customers, but between an idea and the people capable of bringing it into existence.

    Traditional craftsmanship continues when people value it enough to learn about it, support it, use it, and carry its meaning forward. Todd’s knife is unique, but the spirit behind it is timeless: a respect for skilled hands, an unwillingness to compromise on a meaningful vision, and the belief that craftsmanship can connect people across borders.

  • Every Extraordinary Knife Begins with a Conversation

    Todd’s knife could only have been created through his own vision and the particular collaboration behind it. Yet the process began in a way that is open to every customer: with a conversation.

    Some people are searching for a particular steel. Others have a specific blade shape, finish, balance, or purpose in mind. Occasionally, a customer arrives with an idea that requires the cooperation of several craftsmen, materials, and countries.

    If there is a knife you have imagined, a question you would like to explore, or a project that cannot be answered by a standard catalogue, we would be pleased to hear from you.

    Every extraordinary knife begins with a conversation.

About Todd

Todd is a sushi chef in the United States with a deep appreciation for Japanese knives and the craftsmanship behind them. His professional experience with Japanese cuisine has given him a keen eye for the precision, balance, and individual character that distinguish a truly special knife.

That attention to detail shaped this project from the beginning. From the distinctive Onisori profile of the 450mm Sakimaru Yanagiba to the custom handle, saya, and blade holder, Todd had a clear vision and remained closely involved as each element came together.

Our Story

  • Tradition of Sakai, in Your Hands

    "Where can I find a truly great knife?"
    We started KIREAJI to answer that question. While the number of skilled craftsmen is declining in Japan, many people overseas are seeking authentic blades. With that in mind, we carefully deliver each knife—bridging tradition and kitchens around the world.
Our Story