Masuda Kiridashi Factory

Masuda Kiridashi Factory: Where a Dying Craft Forges Tomorrow's Kitchen Knife

As the name suggested, Masuda Kiridashi Factory was a smithy that has a focus on the Kiridashi production, Kiridashi is a traditional crafting tool knife that is commonly used in woodworking and gardening, and its construction has many similarities with single bevel kitchen knives like Daba or Yanagiba. Established in the early Showa Period, Masuda Kiridashi Factory is currently operated by the second generation blacksmith Takeshi Masuda, who is granted the Traditional Craftsmanship title by Niigata Prefecture. His son Yoshihide Masuda entered the factory in 2017 after working in a mold manufacturing industry, bringing new ideas and creativities to the family business

The Kiridashi crafted by Master Masuda are certainly very high in quality, whether it’s the plain Kurouchi, Tsuchime Kurouchi or the stunning torsion Damascus Kitaeji. The surface finish is smooth, uniform and the Kasumi polish on the bevel is clean and contrasty, they certainly shows the level of craftsmanship that Masuda san built over half a century of practice in Kiridashi making.

However, as modern tools and manufacturing progresses, Kiridashi has become a distant name that only exists in the mouth of sharpening enthusiasts and collectors, and many Kiridashi manufacturing businesses in the Sanjo region have decided to stop producing them as it is not profitable. The Masuda Kiridashi factory is also trying to adapt, and Yoshihide Masuda has come up with the idea of making deburring Kiridashi that can be used on mold and injection parts. As the master is very proficient with forge welding techniques, they are also exploring the potential in the knifemaking business. In some interviews with the family, you can see their determination in keeping the culture and technique that they’ve inherent along with the factory.

“The Last Kiridashi Master — Now Forging the Future.”

Est. 1930 | 昭和5年

Known for Flowing Damascus Pattern, Kiridashi

Website masukiri.jp Instagram @masuda_kiridashi

People

Current Head: Yoshihide Masuda 増田吉秀

Craft

Known For: Flowing Damascus Pattern, Kiridashi
Steel: White 2

Location

Address: 1669-32 Kaneko Shinden, Sanjo, Niigata 955-0814, Japan
Region: Sanjo, Japan
Coordinates: 37.604763542, 138.93450986

Brand

Logo

Native Name

増田切出工場

Why Masuda Kiridashi Factory Matters

As an entire generation of Sanjo kiridashi makers shut their doors, Masuda held the line. Second-generation Takeshi Masuda earned the Traditional Craftsman title from Niigata Prefecture; his son Yoshihide then brought mold-industry precision into the forge. The pivot into kitchen knives is significant — torsion Damascus and forge-welding techniques honed over half a century of kiridashi making are now entering a new arena. It's a rare transfusion of dying craft into living tradition, and one of the most genuinely new bloodlines in contemporary Japanese knifemaking.

Does Masuda Kiridashi Factory Allow Unsolicited Visits?

Due to the small operation, Masuda Kiridashi Factory is not open to the public.

Knives by Masuda Kiridashi Factory

Hatsukokoro x Masuda Blue 1 Damascus Nashiji

Masuda’s Blue 1 Damascus is a surprise item to us, not just because we see a knife with a texture and finish that is unique and stunning, but also we hear a ... Read more

Masuda’s Blue 1 Damascus is a surprise item to us, not just because we see a knife with a texture and finish that is unique and stunning, but also we hear a name we didn’t expect in the world of knife making. Mr. Takeshi Masuda as the maker of this line is a very experienced blacksmith, but his expertise has been Kiridashi - a traditional single bevel woodworking and gardening tool. In fact, since he inherited the Masuda Kiridashi Factory as the second generation blacksmith, he has been forging Kiridashi for more than half a century and earned his title of Traditional Craftsman. We do stock his Kiridashi for quite a while so we are plenty surprised to hear he is switching to knifemaking.Masuda san’s factory is located in the Sanjo region, and his knife does display some of the regional characteristics. The spine is not as thick as the typical Sanjo maker like Yoshikane or Tadafusa, but it still has a noticeable taper and holds its thickness until it reaches the tip. The surface receives a very polished Nashiji finish, where the cladding is shiny but the texture created by forging is kept, it almost looks like Takeshi Saji’s Diamond Damascus finish. The polish on the bevel is very refined, it’s a kasumi finish with a high grit polish, and unlike the typical texture we commonly see from Sakai knives, the scratch pattern on the core steel is more subtle and the soft iron appears to be more hazy and bright. This is a beautiful contrast created by a unique finishing process, its texturality and appearance reminds me of Hatsukokoro’s Komorebe with a natural stone finish. Knives and Stones actually has some input on the grind of the knife, we happened to be in Hatsukokoro’s office when the first prototype of the line arrived in February of 2025. It had a Shinogi line that is quite lower than this final design, which means, at the same spine thickness, you would have quite more bevel thickness right after cutting into the food, leading to wedging and more cutting resistance. So we suggest Hatsukokoro with a different kind of grind. This new grind does keep the bevel nice and wide, combining with the generous tall profile, leads to a very choppy design. There is some thickness behind the edge so I say it is not the most smooth cutting knife out there, but a bit more strength is reassuring when doing large batch preps. The one thing you need to be very careful about is the cladding. Despite the highly polished look, this is still an iron damascus cladding, which means the entire blade needs to be maintained to keep it from rusting. The price of the knife suggests that it is a product with a focus on the art and craft, but if you intend to use it, it won't let you down. I would also recommend it to collectors who like unique knives with interesting background stories. Read less

Pros

Highly collectable
Great artistic
Excellent fit and finish

Cons

Prone to rust
High budget

Sanami - Soft Iron Damascus Clad Nashiji

Frequently Asked Questions about Masuda Kiridashi Factory

Who is Masuda Kiridashi Factory?

Masuda Kiridashi Factory is a Japanese knife maker based in Sanjo, Japan , established in 1930. They are known for Flowing Damascus Pattern, Kiridashi. Their signature steels include White 2. Available at Knives and Stones Australia.

What knives does Masuda Kiridashi Factory make?

Masuda Kiridashi Factory produces the following knife lines: Hatsukokoro x Masuda Blue 1 Damascus Nashiji. We currently carry 4 products from Masuda Kiridashi Factory at Knives and Stones. They specialise in Flowing Damascus Pattern, Kiridashi.

Where is Masuda Kiridashi Factory located?

Masuda Kiridashi Factory is located in Sanjo, Japan. Japanese knife-making regions each have distinct traditions. Sanjo in Niigata is famous for hand-forged, artisanal blades with a strong tradition of blacksmithing.

Where can I buy Masuda Kiridashi Factory knives in Australia?

Knives and Stones is an authorised Australian stockist of Masuda Kiridashi Factory. You can shop online at knivesandstones.com.au with free shipping on orders over $99, or visit our stores in St Peters (Sydney), Crows Nest (Sydney) and Braddon (Canberra) to handle the knives before buying.