Santoku

The last shipment from the legendary, and sadly deceased, blacksmith Itou. Itou was active until the autumn of 2025 despite being over 80 years old.

Santoku with a 157 mm blade length. The unique handle is carved to fit the hand, made from desert ironwood with a brass bolster and two rivets.

Steel: SG-2 powdered steel with dark nickel damascus cladding (HRC 62-63)
Heel height: 52 mm
Edge length: 157 mm
Weight: 179 grams

Itou was born in Fukui Prefecture, Japan, in 1942. After graduating from university, he became a sports teacher. But his true passion was knife making, and he often considered leaving his teaching career to dedicate himself entirely to his craft. Each time, those around him persuaded him to continue as a teacher, and he remained in the profession until retirement.

When he retired, he declared: "Now I can make knives the way I want," and he kept that promise. He spent the rest of his life creating knives freely, exactly as he wished. Many people make knives to earn money, but he only made the knives he wanted to make, without concern for business or profit. Perhaps that is why so many of his works were so distinctive.