Kajibee is run by 3rd generation Kunio Ishiwaka and his son. We had the pleasure of meeting them during our 2019 trip to Japan. They are based in Sanjo and forge very traditional style knives at an excellent price point.

SHAPE: Nakiri. A traditional veg prep knife. Good surface area to the blade allowing for lots of control. It’s not a cleaver but will revolutionise your mis en place.

STEEL: Shirogami (white) 2 steel. It is a reactive carbon steel which is easy to sharpen and holds an edge well. This steel is often chosen for traditional-style Japanese knives. Care must be taken to keep these knives dry as they will rust easily. 

FINISH: Kurouchi. This is a traditional, rustic finish achieved by leaving the furnace scale from the forging process on the blade rather than polishing it off. It has the advantage of reducing the reactivity of the surface of the knife and gives the blade a stylish, matt black finish. This knife also has Damascus cladding which can be seen exposed on the primary bevel.

HANDLE: Teak handle with Black Buffalo horn ferule

BLADE LENGTH: 165mm.

MAKER: Kajibee - Sanjo city, Japan

BEST FOR: Vegetable-cooking fiends.

SAUNDERS SAYS: "When we meet I could tell it was going to be hard to get these knives but I really wanted them. The grind and distal taper is on par with much more expensive knives."