Takeshi Saji

Hailing from Takefu Knife Village, Takeshi Saji started learning to work the forge under his father in 1966 at the age of 16. Since he was young, he always wanted to be a blacksmith. The full successor to his master at the age of 30, he is a third-generation blacksmith in his family. He continuously strives to forge a better blade.

Saji-san one of the founding members of Takefu Knife Village, although he has always worked in his private workshop in a blacksmithing area of Echizen, where you will also find the Yamaken handle factory, and Takamura-san’s factory.

Saji-san loves a challenge and is always looking for new technology and techniques. Take Rainbow Damascus, for instance. The name Rainbow comes from the fact that this steel is made from layers of stainless steel laminated with alternating layers of bronze, copper, and brass. This suminagashi-patterned blade—with its bronze, brass, and copper layers—looks like nothing else. Saji-san was the first blacksmith (or one of the first) to try it, a fitting experiment for a man who is always looking for a new challenge.

We are proud to carry the Masakage Zero line from Saji-san, and you can often find his rainbow damascus, R2 damascus, and other lines during our annual Garage Sales and Small Maker’s Month.