Blacksmith Toshihiro Wakui

Who am I?

My name is Toshihiro Wakui and I forge handcrafted Japanese knives. I work in my workshop in Sanjo, in the Chubu region of Japan.

Historically, the Chubu area was renowned for forging nails, which helped boost the region's economy. Later, blacksmiths began creating agricultural tools and other outdoor knives.

It was much later, when the period of modernization was in full swing and tools began to be made by machines, that blacksmiths turned to the manufacture of Japanese kitchen knives.

However, the techniques of blacksmithing have been passed down from generation to generation. That's why I can offer you knives forged by hand using ancestral methods.

I started forging knives in the early 2000s. Shortly before, I had taken over the reins of the family business (I'm the third generation), which specialized in the manufacture of crowbars and metal bars. But demand for these products was falling, so I looked for a solution to save my business and my family.

That's when I met Kazuomi Yamamoto, the master blacksmith in charge of the Yoshikane Hamono Japanese knife company. He told me all about his craft, and I was really taken with it. So I decided to become a Japanese blacksmith.

I became an apprentice to Kazuomi Yamamoto, who himself offered to train me. After 4 years, I started forging my own knives, making a point of offering exceptional blades.

My work

Today, I work in my own workshop, which has an atypical layout: my hammer is relatively far from my furnace. The risk would be that the steel would drop in temperature too quickly this way, but that's not the case.

I have also specialized in hot-rolling the damascus of my top-of-the-range blades, a technique that requires great skill. My hand-forged knives are the result of meticulous craftsmanship, and the blades have a unique, highly elegant look.

Our favorite knife

We're big fans of the 15cm Toshihiro Wakui Aogami 2 laminated damascus all-purpose knife!

Look at the quality and beauty of the damascus! This handcrafted knife is true proof of Toshihiro Wakui's talent. Even with working tools far from the furnace, the Japanese blacksmith is capable of working top-of-the-range steel like Aogami 2.

The upper layers of the Aogami 2 core feature unique corrugations obtained by the hot-rolling technique.

What's more, this damascus knife has great cutting power yet remains easy to sharpen despite a hardness of 62HRC.

A superb ebony handle embellished with a quince bolster completes this handcrafted Japanese knife. Comfort and precision are the watchwords for this knife forged by Toshihiro Wakui!

Find all Toshihiro Wakui knives on our website!