Masakage Single Bevel by Sasaoka san

Close-up view

Carbon Steel Knives Need Extra Care

Masakage Single-Bevel knives are handmade in the traditional Japanese style from Shirogami carbon steel. They are sharpened on one side and are concave on the back, producing a very precise cut and allowing food to not stick to the blade. Shirogami carbon steel is great; it stays sharp for a long time, cuts amazingly, and it’s easy to sharpen. The only trade-off is that carbon steel can rust. To avoid this, simply wash and dry your knife after use. These beautiful have round or chestnut shaped magnolia wood handle with a black pakka wood handle. The kurouchi (black) finish is quite a unique look for single bevel knives.

These knives are hand made by brothers from Kouchi on Shikoku Island. Their father trained in Sakai, home of professional level traditional Japanese knives, as did both brothers. Master Blacksmith, Hideaki Sasaoka, and his brother, Master Knife Finisher, Akira Sasaoka are carrying on their father’s work. Both have over 37 years experience in knife making.

Shikoku Island is famous for the 1400km pilgrimage known as the “88 Sacred Temples of Shikoku”. Here pilgrims can follow in the steps of the great Buddhist Saint Kobo Daishi (774-835) on his road to enlightenment. In the past this was a dangerous undertaking with many mountain passes, but made easier now with mobile phones and convenience stores. Wow, knife info and a small travel guide, what more could you want.

All Masakage Knives are handmade in Japan by blacksmiths chosen for their excellence. Shibata san,Hiroshima’s top knife sharpener, selects and design these knives. All Masakage knives are hand sharpened by Shibata san with his unique technique of using a different grit on each side of the blade. This gives a smooth, sharp edge that stays sharp longer than standard sharpening.