The Takayuki Iwai factory was started by Mr. Genmatsu Iwai, the father of Mr. Takayuki Iwai and the first-generation head in 1961. Genmatsu opened a small studio in Echizen, a well-known knife making prefecture of Japan, and began crafting his own kitchen knives employing traditional Japanese techniques – entirely by hand. He conducts every aspect of the knifemaking process, from forging the steel by hand  (layering steel and soft iron that becomes the blade), the blade finish, right up to the fitment of the handle.

This spectacular Santoku has been crafted from a cutting edge of Blue Steel #2, a hard carbon steel. It has a higher level of carbon than stainless steel, meaning the cutting edge will retain its incredible sharpness for far longer than your regular kitchen knife. This hard cutting edge is clad with a softer stainless steel, finished with a black ‘kurouchi’ clad to ensure the blade does not rust.