Traditional craftsmen working on this product
Kenichi Shiraki
Master of Sakai Forged Knives
Kenichi Shiraki was a highly skilled blacksmith, certified as a traditional craftsman, known for his mastery of Sakai's traditional knife-making techniques. Shiraki's legacy continues through his sole apprentice, Satoshi Nakagawa, who trained under him for 16 years and founded Nakagawa Cutlery in 2021. Shiraki has retired, making his knives rare and highly sought after.
Tadayoshi Yamatsuka
Master of Japanese Knife Mirror Polishing
- Mr. Yamatsuka was recognized as a traditional craftsman in 2022.
- Excelling in blade sharpening skills, especially for thin blades
- Renowned in Sakai for his mirror polished technique on Japanese knives.
KIREAJI's Three Promises to You
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1. High-quality Japanese Knive
KIREAJI offers high-quality knives crafted by skilled artisans from Sakai City. Utilizing traditional techniques and carefully selected materials, we achieve superior sharpness and durability.
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2. Genuine Sharpness
To ensure you experience sharpness, we provide a free Honbazuke by our skilled craftsmen.
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3. Lifetime Knife Use
Every knife comes with a free Saya(Sheath) for durability. We also provide paid after-sales services with Sakai City Japanese knife workshop.
Honyaki
Honyaki knives are manufactured using a different method from general knives. Unlike kasumi knives, honyaki knives lack a soft iron core, making them more susceptible to shocks and very prone to cracking during the hardening process, as there is no escape for the damage. To mitigate this and make the blade less likely to break, a process called "tsuchioki" is performed. Tsuchioki involves applying a mud-like clay to areas that should not be hardened before the hardening process. This ensures that the steel on the spine remains tough and flexible, preventing the blade from cracking. The shape of the tsuchioki application creates wave patterns or Mount Fuji patterns on the blade. Due to the complexity of the hardening process, only a few craftsmen in Sakai (or nationwide) can produce honyaki (mizuyaki) knives.
Mizuyaki
There are two types of hardening methods for honyaki knives: Mizuyaki (water quenching) and Aburayaki (oil quenching). Mizuyaki prioritizes sharpness and allows for higher hardness of the steel, maximizing performance, making it the best method for honyaki knives. Additionally, mizuyaki is significantly more difficult to execute compared to aburayaki.
Before Using a Knife
We hope that everyone will use their knives for a long time. To achieve this, I'd like to review what we should pay attention to and what we shouldn't do in order to continue using them effectively.
Daily Care of Japanese Knives
We aim for all of you to use your knives for a long time. To achieve this, we have summarized what aspects of knife care you should pay attention to on a regular basis.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. (Estimated reply time: within 10 hours)
