Description

At the Seki Knife Festival’s Outdoor Knife Show, my heart was completely stolen by a collection of very distinctive and beautifully handcrafted custom knives. I became very interested in these custom knives and the craftsman who made them, so I asked him about his knife making story and his knife making philosophy.

The gentleman’s name is Tomoyoshi Arakawa and, while he is already a veteran custom knife maker, he continues to challenge himself to seek out and create his own inspiration, ideas, designs and techniques so that he can create truly distinctive custom knives.

At a young age, he fell in love with the beautiful “GERBER Silver Knight” knife, became interested in custom knife making and then began his knife making career. We believe his pure passion and love of knives greatly helped him to increase his custom knife making skills and techniques during his decades of custom knife making work, which involved considerable effort, many trials and many errors.

During the last 3 years, Mr. Arakawa has spent a great deal of time and energy developing his own special handcrafted custom resin handles.  I could not resist the attraction of his collection of custom knives, which are mysterious, beautiful and wonderfully made. His handmade Custom Resin Handle can be viewed from a variety of angles, with each view providing a uniquely beautiful and exciting scene. He pays special attention when selecting the parts and crafting the handle, always seeking to make his own distinct creation and recreate the joyous feeling that his original dream knife gave him.

This distinctive collection of dream knives are 100% Custom Handmade and are 100% the product of his Mr. Arakawa’s own creative ideas and spirit.

In the future, we are excited to see more of his beautiful creations and masterpieces as he produces them for our business, and our customers.

Tomoyoshi Arakawa TA-16 King Fighter

5.7 inch Highly Mirror Polished and Finished, VG-10 Damascus, Spear Point Stainless Steel Blade. This Full-Tang knife is fitted with a impressive art of Mr. Arakawa's original handmade Custom Hybrid Resin Handle that has his own sense and design idea. 

Mr. Arakawa's meticulous craftsmanship extends to the selection of materials and parts for his dream knives. For this knife collection, he chose stainless steel wool to create the unique transparent custom handmade hybrid resin handle. His handmade Custom Resin Handle can be viewed from a variety of angles, with each view providing a uniquely beautiful and exciting scene. Its luminous 'Light Blue Earth Color' shines brilliantly in the dark place.

This Knife's Special Hybrid Resin Handle that glows in the dark is filled with Mr. Arakawa's innovative spirit and creativity in his approach to knife making. 

5.7' VG-10 Damascus Blade : 4.9mm thick, 146mm blade, 264mm overall, Weight 295g

The Story Behind the King Fighter – A Message from Mr.Arakawa

"I’ve often been crafting smaller size knives. The King Fighter was born out of my desire to show that I am capable of making larger, more complex knives as well. Not only that, but I wanted to express my technical skill through form and function—without relying on expensive materials. Instead, I pour my ideas, my hands, and my time into every detail. The goal is always the same: to create something original, something no one else has ever made.

This sub-hilt fighter may remind some of the legendary Loveless design—but that wasn’t my intention. I set out to create something that was entirely my own. A true expression of who I am as a custom knife maker."

This knife is a special piece in Mr. Arakawa’s collection,　as it was awarded the Best Prize at the All Nippon Knife Show held in Kobe on March 1st, 2025. It is one of the most significant pieces in his collection.

Specification
Knife Model: Tomoyoshi Arakawa TA-16 King Fighter
Blade Material: VG-10 Damascus Stainless Steel
Rockwell Hardness (HRc): 60
Handle Material:  Mr. Arakawa's original Handmade Custom Resin Handle with Nickel Silver Hilt and Brass spacers
Leather Sheath: Included.
Overall Length: 264mm
Blade Length: 146mm
Blade Thickness: 4.9mm
Weight: 295g