Who is the greatest Japanese blacksmith of our time still producing knives.

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I got my first Shig kitaeji 2 weeks ago - looking forward to trying it and seeing what it’s all about

it was a 210, and no, not for $2100

For me, so far, it’s Toyama, Heiji, and Y Tanaka. Heiji SS is amazing and easy to use

have not tried Kato and Shig
 
RockyBasel said:
I got my first Shig kitaeji 2 weeks ago - looking forward to trying it and seeing what it’s all about

it was a 210, and no, not for $2100

For me, so far, it’s Toyama, Heiji, and Y Tanaka. Heiji SS is amazing and easy to use

have not tried Kato and Shig
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Wait until the TF Denka lands.
 
I now have several knives to choose from -nothing to claim base best blacksmith on- and still find myself picking up the Shig and enjoying working with it most. It's almost as if that knife has a sould the others are just knives. Think that the Hinoura is emptiest of em all. Of course sharpness and purpose is different across knives, the one coming closest to the Shig (a small 165mm Santoku) is the single bevel Suji project knife I recently got (maker unknown).
Looking forward to your experience with a Shig Rocky!
 
lemeneid said:
Mazaki has sold out. As has Kurosaki.
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MarcelNL said:
I now have several knives to choose from -nothing to claim base best blacksmith on- and still find myself picking up the Shig and enjoying working with it most. It's almost as if that knife has a sould the others are just knives. Think that the Hinoura is emptiest of em all. Of course sharpness and purpose is different across knives, the one coming closest to the Shig (a small 165mm Santoku) is the single bevel Suji project knife I recently got (maker unknown).
Looking forward to your experience with a Shig Rocky!
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Will share my experience - interesting how you use the word “soul” because some knives do have that “hard to describe” quality - I think soul is the best word. So Hinoura does not have soul - given the cult status and unicorn stature, makes me wonder why so - I am an it relieved as an expensive slipped my grasp only recently
 
MarcelNL said:
Wish you had not written that as it may well affect my decision what to buy ...a TF denka, a TF denka 150 anniversary or a shig...
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Really validates Denka purchase

what is the 150 year anniversary Denka - don’t tell me I have to buy another one 😂😂😂
 
Henry said:
In my quest to learn about Japanese knives, I have a question that will be controversial. However it could open up some discourse on what are good examples of Japanese blacksmithing. So here goes, "Which Japanese blacksmith still producing knives today will be considered the greatest of our time." To be more specific here is the criteria:

1. Must be producing knives as of 2020
2. Japanese
3. Must be based on their history not their potential (that could be for another tread)
4. Minimum 30 plus years of experience
5. Only judge their work on the blade itself and not the fit and finish on the handle
6. Limit comments to why a blacksmith is great and not why there are not.
7. Use only their best line of knives to speak to their skills. For example TF use Denkas where he has the most input into the creation of his blade.

I would like to see what people's short list are to learn and have a little fun. My apologies in advance to exclude non-japanese blacksmith. Perhaps we could do that for another thread region by region or world all-time tread. You can nominate more than one.
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After carefully reconsidering the parameters set by the OP, I admittedly am not enough of a knife nerd to know which maker has been producing for at least 30 years. ‘Greatest,’ so incredibly subjective—how to quantify ‘greatness’ is the impossible challenge. That said, these J-knives that I’ve kept, are all made by makers I consider great in their own right—each for different reasons. Although, Jiro and Mazaki are relatively young in their careers, they have produced an impressive body of work—for me, longevity isn’t a requirement nor an entitlement to greatness—there’re knife makers who have been toiling away at their craft for over 30 years, whose knives have not gone beyond the mediocre.

Left to right: Mazaki, Kochi, Heiji, Watanabe, Y. Tanaka, Shigefusa, Jiro, Kato, TF.

E0045320-9FD3-470F-A386-42B656F9BE16.jpeg
 
DitmasPork said:
After carefully reconsidering the parameters set by the OP, I admittedly am not enough of a knife nerd to know which maker has been producing for at least 30 years. ‘Greatest,’ so incredibly subjective—how to quantify ‘greatness’ is the impossible challenge. That said, these J-knives that I’ve kept, are all made by makers I consider great in their own right—each for different reasons. Although, Jiro and Mazaki are relatively young in their careers, they have produced an impressive body of work—for me, longevity isn’t a requirement nor an entitlement to greatness—there’re knife makers who have been toiling away at their craft for over 30 years, whose knives have not gone beyond the mediocre.

Left to right: Mazaki, Kochi, Heiji, Watanabe, Y. Tanaka, Shigefusa, Jiro, Kato, TF.

View attachment 95480
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So true, such a subjective thing. Most people will give an answer for what they've owned, or want to own. Doubt anyone, including me, has at least one of every maker to remark intelligently on.
 
DitmasPork said:
After carefully reconsidering the parameters set by the OP, I admittedly am not enough of a knife nerd to know which maker has been producing for at least 30 years. ‘Greatest,’ so incredibly subjective—how to quantify ‘greatness’ is the impossible challenge. That said, these J-knives that I’ve kept, are all made by makers I consider great in their own right—each for different reasons. Although, Jiro and Mazaki are relatively young in their careers, they have produced an impressive body of work—for me, longevity isn’t a requirement nor an entitlement to greatness—there’re knife makers who have been toiling away at their craft for over 30 years, whose knives have not gone beyond the mediocre.

Left to right: Mazaki, Kochi, Heiji, Watanabe, Y. Tanaka, Shigefusa, Jiro, Kato, TF.

View attachment 95480
Click to expand...

Quite a collection there - presume it’s yours. Agree with your assessment completely - you basically have my list - with the exception of Kochi - not familiar with Kochi and I don’t know who forged those knives
 
AFKitchenknivesguy said:
So true, such a subjective thing. Most people will give an answer for what they've owned, or want to own. Doubt anyone, including me, has at least one of every maker to remark intelligently on.
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Yeah, agree. A big part of the subjectivity depends on whatever strata of collecting one is in. For example, in my kitchen I've never owned or used a honyaki, or any knife that's over $1k in price—my opinions and observations purely limited to what I've used in the kitchen.
 
RockyBasel said:
Quite a collection there - presume it’s yours. Agree with your assessment completely - you basically have my list - with the exception of Kochi - not familiar with Kochi and I don’t know who forged those knives
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Kochi is one of the undisputed 'great,' bang-for-buck gyutos! Some have said that they're made in the same workshop as Wakui, but to the specs from Jon Broida at JKI—but, that's hearsay, I don't know for a fact. For performance, Kochi is a great knife, punching way above it's weight in the performance category. It's both rustic and utilitarian, lacks the aesthetic artistry of Jiro et al, but a great cutter, well balanced, the kind of no frills performer happy to use often.
 
DitmasPork said:
Kochi is one of the undisputed 'great,' bang-for-buck gyutos! Some have said that they're made in the same workshop as Wakui, but to the specs from Jon Broida at JKI—but, that's hearsay, I don't know for a fact. For performance, Kochi is a great knife, punching way above it's weight in the performance category. It's both rustic and utilitarian, lacks the aesthetic artistry of Jiro et al, but a great cutter, well balanced, the kind of no frills performer happy to use often.
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is it comparable to a Munetoshi?
 
I really enjoy following this (older) discussion, even discussing basketball... as a German I would suggest Dirk Nowitzki ofc ;-))))

But my q was rather concerning the "greatest blacksmith"... I am pretty new to the topic of jknives, however I have heard a lot about Itsuo Doi and even more so about Keijiro Doi (father). Don't they belong on this candidate short list?

What about Yamamoto Hideaki?
 
I’ve heard a lot of praise for the Doi family, mostly in single bevels though which isn’t really my arena.

I may be entirely wrong or have several people confused with each other — but I didn’t think Hideaki Yamamoto was a blacksmith, I thought he is a master sharpener and has a line of knives bearing his name but he is not the one forging the steel. More authoritative info would be appreciated here.
 
Niseko17 said:
I really enjoy following this (older) discussion, even discussing basketball... as a German I would suggest Dirk Nowitzki ofc ;-))))

But my q was rather concerning the "greatest blacksmith"... I am pretty new to the topic of jknives, however I have heard a lot about Itsuo Doi and even more so about Keijiro Doi (father). Don't they belong on this candidate short list?

What about Yamamoto Hideaki?
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What about Detlef Schrempf? (still love Dirk! :) )
 
LucasFur said:
Overgrinds are not TF "the man's" issue.
It's "the brands" issue. He still does the forge/HT part amazingly for what I like.

How long ago did you get it? I thought TF recently had a change in the management of the grind department and qc got better.... could be wrong.

I still like y.tanaka
Just received a hinoura yesterday ... so I'll need to try 2 more and sharpen them all before I can weigh in if he's up there.
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Just picked up a Y. Tanaka B2 Damascus 240 Gyuto. Just learning it’s shape, but I’m in love with the balance. Had Sugi work out a custom handle, solid cocobolo-no contrasting ferrule—with a copper spacer. Love every bit of it from the moment I picked it up. Super curious which Hinoura you have (River Jump is my unicorn list), but please update. Super curious.
 
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