Junichi Ide is a third generation blacksmith with more than twenty years of experience in crafting artisanal Japanese knives. His story begins with his grandfather, who trained under Yoshimitsu, a blacksmith with the same name as Junichis Grandfather, but a different kanji. In 1937, upon completing his training, Ide-sans grandfather wanted to follow a more independent path and established Yosimitu Kajiya; Yoshimitsu allowed him to smith under the name Yosimitu despite the similarity to his own kajiya (smithery).
Yosimitu is a small family run forge with a heavy focus on traditional crafting techniques. These kurouchi forged knives are hand laminated using a white #2 core and a soft iron jacket. They are thin, light weight and incredibly sharp out of the box. Their hand forged nature means they will vary slightly in specs from knife to knife, making each knife unique and one of a kind.
We’ve got a nice range of knives from Yosimitu, and we’re excited to be working with the family to bring their knives to all you knife nuts and cooking enthusiasts.
If you’ve been carbon curious, I would say this is a great starting point as these knives are aesthetically pleasing and boast a rustic, traditional feel, all while being a ton of fun to use. Fantastic blades to practice your bevel polishing.