Mutsumi Hinoura V-toku Rainbow Damascus Santoku 165mm

Mutsumi Hinoura is a prolific knife maker from a renowned blacksmithing family in Sanjo, Niigata. Born in 1981, he is already a promising prospect to become one of Japan’s best knife makers. 

Mutsumi-san’s knives are deceptively simple at first but reveal his talent upon closer inspection. While the blade is quite hefty with a thick spine and body, he tapers it down to the edge beautifully. This construction allows it to cut very smoothly without becoming too delicate. He follows family tradition by working with traditional high-carbon steel known as shirogami; while this steel can rust easily, it sharpens beautifully and takes an edge that would put Wolverine’s adamantium claws to shame. He has been experimenting with new steels like V-Toku as of late, and we’re excite to see more innovation from his workshop.

The Japanese-style octagonal wood ‘wa-handle’ is an elegant highlight that elevates this knife to something truly special. It focuses the mass of the knife into the blade, allowing it to do most of the work for you, with little effort required to wield the knife effectively.