Tosaichi Shadow Tsuchime

Company Hokiyama Cutlery from the legendary area Tosa  celebrated its centenary in 2019. The current owner and grandson of the founder Shinsuke Hokiyama has carefully prepared for this important milestone. For several years, he developed a new line of knives included in a line aptly named Tosa-Ichi.

Japanese knife experts know that Tosa is an ancient designation for the area occupying the southern part of Shikoku Island. It is a place known for a large number of smaller blacksmith workshops. If you want to experience the atmosphere of knife production in the traditional way, you will not miss a trip to Kochi Prefecture. The answer to the question why local production is so different from other areas such as Seki or Tsubame / Sanjo is not complicated at all. On the way to Kochi, you will notice that the entire prefecture is "thoroughly" isolated from the outside world. It is the Pacific Ocean on the south side and high mountains on the other. This specificity caused the area to develop in its own way, without the influences of the surrounding world. What may have been perceived as a disadvantage in the past is now exclusivity. After all, it is not at all easy to come across high-quality hand-forged knives with a price tag that does not ruin you.

Hokiyama Cutlery cooperates on the island with such masters as Tsutomu Kajiwara or Takeo Murata. Needless to say, these are absolute big names of their craft not only in the Tosa area, but throughout Japan. In addition to the finalization of knives from the mentioned masters, the company has its own development and production, including progressive "roll-forging" technology. The potential of the company is evidenced by the fact that it stood at the birth of the ceramic blades of Kyocera, damascene knives with ultra-hard high-speed tool steel cores as well as revolutionary carbide blades .

The group of knives grouped under the name Tosa-Ichi belongs to the traditional knives. The blades are made either by well-known masters from the Tosa area or directly by Hokiyama Cutlery. The cores are made exclusively of proven traditional high-carbon materials (most commonly Aogami 1,2 and Aogami Super).

Nippon Knives has the honor to present as one of the first stores the new Tosa-Ichi Shadow-Tsuchime Black knife. It is a knife that attracts at first sight. The cutting core is made of the best material you can imagine. Hitachi Ao Blue Super is a designation for the well-known Aogami Super. Its hardness is an uncompromising 64 HRC. In addition, it has a very favorable ratio between hardness and strength, which surpasses the properties of Aogami 1 and Aogami 2. As we are used to with blades San Mai , the core is protected on the sides by softer steel. Yes, you read that right. It is a steel with increased corrosion resistance and not conventional iron. This means that unlike other knives made of traditional high carbon steel, you don't have to take care of the entire blade. Just rub the edge itself with oil. The blade, as the name Black itself suggests, is in the kurouchi version, so it is unpolished black. If we take a closer look at it, we will decode the next part of the name. Tsuchime in Japanese means hammer blows.  We have to admit that it looks really elegant and dynamic. The interface between the symmetrical edge and the body of the blade is a hand-sanded stripe, reminiscent of a shinogi of famous Japanese swords. In the final, the manufacturer punched the kanji signs Tosa Ichi Kage , i.e. the name Tosaichi Shadow.

The dark handle, of course in the shape of an octagon, is made of walnut wood. The manufacturer preferred a minimalist character and therefore did not use a ferrule. The knife therefore looks very simple and clean.

If you are looking for a traditional knife made of first-class materials, but you do not want to pay close attention to it, Tosa-Ichi Shadow-Tshuchime Black is the right choice.

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