Blacksmith Kei Kobayashi

Who I am

I'm Japanese blacksmith Kei Kobayashi, born in 1977, and I make handcrafted Japanese knives in the town of Seki.

Seki is a very important town for Japanese cutlery. With over 800 years of history, it's one of the most important places for Japanese craftsmanship, alongside Sakai and Sanjo.

It was in the 1300s that the famous blacksmith Motoshige left the island of Kyushu to settle in Seki. He chose to establish his workshop in this town because its environment was rich in many of the natural resources essential to blade-making.

A few years later, Seki became a place renowned for the quality of its blades, particularly among the samurai. It was thus a place where many katanas were forged using ancestral traditional techniques that have endured to the present day. Indeed, over the centuries, forging techniques have been passed on and applied to various types of blade, such as Japanese kitchen knives.

I, too, have inherited these ancestral techniques, which have enabled me to develop my expertise in the manufacture of handcrafted knives.

I began my apprenticeship with the aim of becoming an expert sharpener. Once I became a master sharpener, I worked with many renowned blacksmiths to give their Japanese knives a top-quality edge.

It was during these various collaborations that the idea came to me to forge my own knives. That's how I opened my own workshop, helped by my father, to design entire ranges of Japanese kitchen knives.

My work

I use traditional forging techniques such as San Maï and Damascus. To forge the heart of my blades, I specialize in Japanese SG2 steel, produced by the renowned Takefu Special Steel. This is an expensive alloy produced by powder metallurgy, which must be worked to perfection to avoid costly losses.

Having been a master sharpener, I'm an expert at sharpening! I give my Japanese knives a remarkable sharpness to deliver high performance for cutting food efficiently.

Our favorite knife

At KnifeLeader, our favorite knife is the Kei Kobayashi SG2 Octagon 21cm handmade Japanese chef's knife!

The blade of this handcrafted knife has a typically Japanese San Mai structure. Its core is made of rigid steel, covered with softer stainless steel to balance the suppleness of the whole.

The core is made of SG2 powdered steel (also known as R2), its main advantage being its micro-structure. This is called "pure" because the micro-carbides that make it up are evenly distributed. As a result, your blade is more resistant to micro-cracks and wear.

This Japanese steel contains around 1.3% carbon for a hardness of 63HRC on the Rockwell scale. As a result, your cutting edge is powerful and durable, yet easy to maintain.

The blade has been hand-sharpened on a grinding wheel for optimum sharpness! Its surface has been polished and kanji engraved to add a touch of authenticity.

The handle is made of rosewood, a robust species with a unique grain that is very elegant. Its warm tones contrast with the bolster in light pakka wood, a durable composite material with a wood-like appearance.

Cut in an octagonal shape, this knife can be used by both left- and right-handed cooks! The handle offers an ergonomic grip, practical for prolonged use.

Discover other Japanese knives forged by Kei Kobayashi on KnifeLeader.eu!