Any women knifemakers killing it?

Miura knives
Shop Knives and stones on ebay
Kitchen Knife Forums

Help Support Kitchen Knife Forums:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Luftmensch

Luftmensch

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2017
Messages
2,316
Reaction score
3,185
Hey KKF,

I am genuinely curious. The title says it all.


(Be civil, this isnt an invitation to poke fun at you know who...)
 
Moriah Cowles at Orchard Steel from Vermont

I’ve never tried one, but from the looks and the description they seem totally legit. They are, however, not easy to come by, since you need to enter a lottery (which suggests that she is rather successful)
 
How about the smith who forged the Konosuke MM series?
 
Andrea is top of mind. I am actually talking to her about a knife.
 
Carlo said:
How about the smith who forged the Konosuke MM series?
Click to expand...

You mean the sharpener? I thought the smith was still Tanaka, but maybe I’m wrong. Someone on here said her name was Mori, unless I’m misremembering. Hopefully someone can set me straight.
 
Leila Haddad from Tharwa Valley Forge in Canberra. Learnt the craft from her father Karim when she was very young. I'm no expert but the knives she displayed at the Melbourne Blade show in 2018 looked pretty good to me. I think she was only 15 at the time. She already teaches knife making. Watch this space.

Tharwa Valley Forge - Leila Haddad
IG: leilasknives

Edit: updated links
 
Last edited:
Carlo said:
How about the smith who forged the Konosuke MM series?
Click to expand...

Mizuki Mori, I believe she is Hiromi Morimoto aka Morihiro's daughter. I'm fairly certain she was/is the smith for the Konosuke MM knives but I'm not sure who the sharpener is but possibly her work as well. If I'm wrong and someone has more definite information please correct me.
 
I'd have to agree with Haley DeRosiers and Andrea Lisch.
(In the interest of full disclosure, I may be a bit biased because I'm lucky to be able to call Andrea a friend.)
 
LostHighway said:
Mizuki Mori, I believe she is Hiromi Morimoto aka Morihiro's daughter. I'm fairly certain she was/is the smith for the Konosuke MM knives but I'm not sure who the sharpener is but possibly her work as well. If I'm wrong and someone has more definite information please correct me.
Click to expand...

Mori was the sharpener for the MM, and she is not Morihiro’s daughter, not sure where you’re getting that from
 
DitmasPork said:
Define 'killing it'? Chelsea Miller prob the most successful. [Sorry @ecchef, I know CM not a fave of yours]
Click to expand...

Luftmensch said:
(Be civil, this isnt an invitation to poke fun at you know who...)
Click to expand...

🧐

😝

Fair point. "Killing it" is pretty vague. I mean mastery of the craft. Good heat treatment. Good profile. Good grind. Fit and finish. Aesthetics (although recognise the increasing subjectivity in those last few)
 
Luftmensch said:
🧐

😝

Fair point. "Killing it" is pretty vague. I mean mastery of the craft. Good heat treatment. Good profile. Good grind. Fit and finish. Aesthetics (although recognise the increasing subjectivity in those last few)
Click to expand...
Ahhhh, in that case, scratch CM from the list.
 
inhuman said:
Mori was the sharpener for the MM, and she is not Morihiro’s daughter, not sure where you’re getting that from
Click to expand...
According to Mark, Mori is the Smith and Myojin is the sharpener.
 
Jville said:
According to Mark, Mori is the Smith and Myojin is the sharpener.
Click to expand...
I continue to be confused by the who/which re each task with these MMs but there are 3 points I’d like to make:

1) the 240 MM is my best cutter, even better than my Toyamas.

2) it’s cool AF that afaik the smith is a woman. My best friend is a rare female in a similar male dominated craft vs art industry and she kills it.

3) repeat point #1
 
Found the vid. Even though Jean Luis is doing the takedown, the one I've seen hunched over the 2x72 is Veronique.

I really wonder what these makers think. “We know all the practical ways to make a really solid knife. Is there a horribly impractical way to do it? Hold my wine.”
Edit: "hold my beer" - i remembered she's Belgian do beer is OK to say
 
Last edited:
Carlo said:
I continue to be confused by the who/which re each task with these MMs but there are 3 points I’d like to make:

1) the 240 MM is my best cutter, even better than my Toyamas.

2) it’s cool AF that afaik the smith is a woman. My best friend is a rare female in a similar male dominated craft vs art industry and she kills it.

3) repeat point #1
Click to expand...

At least everyone agrees that Mizuki Mori is the smith.
Which MM do you have Blue 2 or Ginsan? To Go has some Blue #2s currently in stock but the length labeling is curious. The "210s" are listed as having 201 edge length suggesting measurement from the machi but the "250s" are claimed to be a true 250mm edge which suggests that either they were originally made as 270s (measured from the machi) or this is from a separate batch (newer??) measured from the heel. It could just be an example of the not always entirely reliable To Go published specs. I am unaware of any new, post-pregnancy, batches but I'm certainly no expert.
I agree that they are really good performers and rather under the radar.
 
I have the Blue #2 in both the “240” and “210” and they are both wonderful but the 240 blew me away, and was my first knife that has been a definitive keeper.

I would like to pick up one of the 250s even though as a home cook I can hardly justify it. I don’t think of myself as a collector but I just love the knives and the fact that the smith is a woman makes them that much more special.

I’ll probably look for a ginsan one eventually as well.
 
CM is killing the marketing and supercharges the hype machine
 
I’m pretty sure Kosuke said in a thread on the other forum that there will be no more MMs due to lack of interest.:rolleyes:
LostHighway said:
At least everyone agrees that Mizuki Mori is the smith.
Which MM do you have Blue 2 or Ginsan? To Go has some Blue #2s currently in stock but the length labeling is curious. The "210s" are listed as having 201 edge length suggesting measurement from the machi but the "250s" are claimed to be a true 250mm edge which suggests that either they were originally made as 270s (measured from the machi) or this is from a separate batch (newer??) measured from the heel. It could just be an example of the not always entirely reliable To Go published specs. I am unaware of any new, post-pregnancy, batches but I'm certainly no expert.
I agree that they are really good performers and rather under the radar.
Click to expand...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top