Hideo Kitaoka is both a third generation blacksmith, and a founding member of the Takefu Knife Village in Echizen city, Fukui prefecture, Japan. Starting his apprenticeship under his father and grandfather from a very young age, Kitaoka-san has spent decades specializing in and perfecting single bevel knives, and working solely with Aogami and Shirogami steel. With surprisingly levels of fit and finish, and fantastic grinds, we don't think you can find a better single bevel for anywhere near the price of these affordable, high performance works of art!

The Takefu Knife Village is a cooperative workshop in the Echizen region of Japan. It is the home to a long list of blacksmiths that we work with and many young and upcoming apprentices learning the trade. The area has a 700 year long history of smithing with roots in agricultural tools turned cutlery powerhouse.