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.
