Koichi Tsurumaki-san was born into a blacksmithing family, the third generation of Tsurumaki who specialize in sickle forging. As is tradition, he started working with his father when he was 16, but almost a half-century later, he started making kitchen knives! As a craftsman specializing in thin blades, called Usamono in Sanjo, he was well equipped with the skill and machinery to forge kitchen blades.

Sticking to proven methods and materials, Munetoshi forges his blades from Shirogami, known as white carbon steel. I’ve been using knives made from this steel for two decades, and it still blows me away whenever I cut with it. It gets as sharp as a razor, flying through meat and vegetables like nothing. Tsurumaki-san has given these blades a clean finish and handle, letting the blade speak for itself when it’s time to get chopping. He gets nothing but respect from me because these knives are cut like crazy.