Blacksmith Itsuo Doi

Who I am

My name is Itsuo Doi, and I'm a Japanese blacksmith who's been practicing my craft in the town of Sakai for almost half a century.

Sakai is a town in Osaka prefecture, considered to be the cradle of Japanese cutlery. For centuries, blades have been forged here using traditional methods that have been handed down from generation to generation, right up to the present day.

Sakai is famous for being the place where samurai katanas, the most accomplished sword of all civilizations, were made. With the modernization of Japan in the late 1870s, the samurai gradually disappeared and craftsmen had to adapt their blades for other trades. As a result, they began to specialize in the manufacture of tools such as sickles and field machetes, as well as Japanese kitchen knives.

I began my career as a Japanese blacksmith with my father: Keijiro Doi, a legendary blacksmith who himself learned from his father at the age of 19. At the age of 85, he retired in 2013, and I continue to perpetuate his art in the town of Sakai.

My work

My specialty is the one taught to me by my father: low-temperature forging of handcrafted knives to produce remarkably sharp blades. This technique consists of heating the blades to a low temperature to preserve the carbon present in the alloys.

In fact, I work a lot with Japanese Aogami steel, an expensive alloy that only experienced blacksmiths can use without incurring considerable losses.

Meticulous at every stage in the forging of a handcrafted Japanese knife, I take the time to heat the steel to the ideal temperature, which enables me to maintain a fine micro-structure in the micro-carbides to offer knives that are long-lasting and less brittle in use.

I usually make Japanese knives with beveled edges to create typical Japanese shapes in my workshop. I also work with brands such as Sakai Takayuki to create original ranges.

Our favorite knife

Our favorite knife is the Sakai Takayuki Hien 27cm kiritsuke yanagiba knife!

This handcrafted Japanese knife features a blade in San Maï structure with a core of Aogami #2 steel, covered with a layer of soft steel for better protection. This blade reaches 62HRC on the Rockwell scale, for a high-performance, long-lasting cutting edge!

The blade has been polished for an elegant mirror effect, and kanji have been hand-engraved by Itsuo Doi. On the back of the blade, he has affixed the Doi family emblem: a diamond with a kanji inside.

The handle is made of dark ebony wood and a black buffalo horn bolster is added for a most elegant look. A protective saya accompanies this handcrafted knife for optimum protection!

Discover many Sakai Takayuki knives on KnifeLeader.eu!