Shigeki Tanaka started his blacksmith journey when he apprenticed in the Takefu knife village near Echizen city for three years. A region renowned for it's cutlery making and forging techniques he learned the intricacies of hand forging blades used for food production there. He later moved back to Miki City to continue his work at his Family's shop where they primarily made sickles and other agricultural tools. Now the shop focuses on Kitchen knives and has gained a reputation worldwide for producing some of the best knives available.
The Knives
The VG-10 Damascus line from Shigeki Tanaka feature fully stainless VG-10 blades with walnut and pakka wood handles. These blades are quite thin and have a convex grind giving them a great compromise between strength and cutting feel, and they have some pretty good food release too!
The gyuto is the Japanese equivalent of the western chef's knife. The gyuto differs from the chef's knife as they usually have a much flatter profile that while can still be used in a rocking motion, excels in a push cut or chopping motion. Designed to be an all purpose knife that can slice, dice, chop, and rock there isn't a task in the kitchen a 210mm (8 inch) gyuto cant handle and its the first shape we recommend people add to their collection.
The Nakiri is not to be confused with a cleaver. Its a thin light blade with a super flat profile that excels at veg prep. Its super flat blade and board contact makes for great up and down chopping or push cutting, and its great to pick up and move the product from where it got chopped, to where its going!
The petty knife is great for all the little random tasks you come across in your day to day life in the kitchen. If you're a professional looking for something compact and nimble you can use on the line during service, perform various butchery tasks and small vegetable prep this is a great option. Likewise if you're a home cook these make great knives to leave out on the counter during the day to help with small breakfast and lunch tasks like cutting up fruit, maybe slicing a tomato and cutting a sandwich in half, before getting the Chef's knife out for larger dinner prep. These are great little knives that are an essential for both home cooks and professionals.
