Petty knife, Shirogami 2 with Warikomi constructed iron cladding, River Jump series, handmade Damascus finish - Tsukasa Hinoura

The renowned Sanjo knife maker, Master Tsukasa Hinoura started blacksmithing in 1975. In Japan, he is exceptionally famous, demand is high and his kitchen knives are incredibly hard to get hold of. Luckily during my last trip to Japan I got to meet Tsukasa-san and his son Mutsumi-san. From this trip we managed to bring back quite a few knives but, most importantly, order lots for the future. Here they are...

RANGE: River Jump

SHAPE: Petty. The smallest knife in the collection and perfect for everyday slicing tasks.

STEEL: Shirogami (white) 2 steel. It is a reactive carbon steel which is easy to sharpen and holds an edge well. This steel is often chosen for traditional-style Japanese knives. Care must be taken to keep these knives dry as they will rust easily. It is worth noting that the blade was forged using the Warikomi style - the cladding material is heated, then a trench is cut, where the core steel is welded in.

FINISH: Damascus or suminagashi. This type of finish is made by creating a Kitaeji; which is produced by repeatedly folding/stacking then compressing two different steels until they create a laminated pattern. This can then be manipulated in various ways to produce the maker’s desired pattern effect. This material is then clad around the core metal of the blade as an elaborate protective layer for the core steel - thus giving the knife a beautiful and striking appearance.

HANDLE: Heart shaped pagoda handle with black buffalo horn ferule and end cap.

LENGTH: 135mm in length 

MAKER: Tsukasa Hinoura  - Sanjo, Japan

BEST FOR: Those wanting a petty made by a God.

SAUNDERS SAYS: "bar the usual stuff, my most expensive possession by a country mile is one of his knives. Anything you get from him is utterly jaw dropping and this ‘affordable’ range is no expectation. Buy them while you can.”