In Loving Memory of Master Craftsman Hiroo Itou (1942-2025)
It is with deep respect and gratitude that we share the passing of Mr. Hiroo Itou in October 2025, at the age of 83. For decades, Mr. Itou dedicated his life to the art of knife making, creating unique, one-of-a-kind custom kitchen knives renowned for their exceptional sharpness, rare handle materials, and unparalleled craftsmanship.
We first encountered Mr. Itou at the Knife Show in Seki City in 2006, where his work with R-2 powdered metal steel immediately stood out. While other powdered steels like Cowry X and ZDP-189 could achieve higher hardness, Mr. Itou chose R-2 (HRc. 62) for its perfect balance of edge retention, corrosion resistance, and ease of sharpening. His guiding philosophy was always practicality—creating knives that performed beautifully in real kitchens, not just showpieces.
Mr. Itou was fanatical about his craft, hand-forging each Damascus blade, carefully tapering the tang for perfect balance, and collecting rare materials from around the world—Mammoth Molar Teeth, Mammoth Ivory, Narwhal horn, Turquoise, Abalone, Stag and More—to create handles as unique as the blades themselves.
In memory of the late Master Craftsman Mr. Itou (passed October 2025), his remaining works are now available at special pricing. These pieces by Mr. Itou himself will never be available again. Extremely limited quantities. Don't miss this rare opportunity.
Explore the remaining masterpieces that Mr. Itou crafted throughout his lifetime. Each piece represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a part of his enduring legacy.
In April, 2006, we have introduced Mr. Itou’s custom kitchen knives, hand crafted from the special R-2 powdered high-speed tool steel core blade edge hardened to HRc.62, and forge-sandwiched with 32 layered stainless Damascus steel.
You can see the details at "Mr.Itou Custom Kitchen Knives" on JCK (Our Kitchen Knife Web Shop).
The reputation and demand were terrific! We had so many good words from the users for the extremely sharp cutting and edge retention ability. The secret of this is the finest powdered steel R-2 and the forging process. He said he was first using Hitachi Blue steel (Aogami), from which he could obtain a good cutting, but it was rusty. He has then used R-1 from Kobe Steel, but it was brittle. Finally, he worked with Kobe Steel to develop new formula, R-2 that has improved and exceeded over R-1 steels.
He also found his special forging process makes it sharper and longer edge retention. Another secret is he uses a large water stone wheel with slow rotating to grind his blades, unlike the normal belt sander grinding. This will prevent over-heating the blade to ruin the proper hardness and its chemical characters.
He is also an avid hunter, and makes some Hunting knives with same R-2 blade and finish. He is also a leather craftsman, and each leather sheath is hand formed to fit each knife perfectly and hand stitched and custom engraved by him. This will be a great opportunity to obtain his superb knife for your outdoor activity.
