Sakai’s kitchen knives are crafted in 3 main stages. A blacksmith forges and quenches the knife steel, then a specialist sharpener sharpens the knife, followed by a handle maker who crafts a kitchen knife handle. Finally in a 4th stage often overlooked, a finisher will assemble all of these elements to make them work harmoniously.
Finishers first design a rough sketch of a knife, then fit the knife handle, and finally make a final knife sharpening on a stone. These final steps by a finisher are the determining factors of the quality of Sakai’s kitchen knives.
When Kakuyoshi was growing up, he was unfamiliar with the kitchen knife industry but decided to learn the craft. At the beginning of his career he saw the antiquated way in which the kitchen knife industry operated, seeing a gap between the chef and the maker, identifying how the knife craftsman were used at many levels.
Whilst training in knife polishing under a sharpener, Kakuyoshi started to understand the pure attitude of a knife craftsman and their immense levels of knowledge and skill only achieved through their extensive experience. During this time, he decided to make kitchen knives that highlighted their abilities. These knives came from his concepts, experience and knowledge... the kitchen knives he created are what helped make Sakai Kitchen Knives famous, what brought these knives to the next level. He continues to make new kitchen and chef knives that bring tradition to the next generation with modern technique.
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