Katayama-san spent nearly a decade training under Saji-san in Echizen - one of the longest apprenticeships in a region already known for taking the craft seriously. When he finally launched his own workshop in April 2021, CKTG was his first international customer. The debut collection is built around VG10 stainless Damascus, and the quality of what he produced from the start reflects the depth of that training. The stainless Damascus cladding is sandblasted and polished in a way that gives the surface a tangible, layered texture - not a flat mirror or a simple pattern, but something with genuine character that improves the more closely you look at it.
The petty is where the precision of Katayama-san's work is most visible. At 137mm with a 2mm spine, this is a compact, nimble knife built for in-hand work on fruit, aromatics, and small ingredients, and for detail cuts at the board that a larger knife cannot manage accurately. The VG10 core at 61 HRC is hammer forged san-mai and ground 50/50, producing an even bevel that is accessible for cooks at any skill level while delivering genuine sharpness. The kiyaki octagonal handle with ebony ferrule is a refined combination - warm-toned wood against dark ebony, both materials well-matched to the blade in both proportion and visual character.
Care Instructions: VG10 is low maintenance stainless steel. Hand wash and dry after use - no dishwasher. Sharpen on quality water stones when the edge needs attention and maintain with a ceramic rod or strop between full sharpenings.
The petty is where the precision of Katayama-san's work is most visible. At 137mm with a 2mm spine, this is a compact, nimble knife built for in-hand work on fruit, aromatics, and small ingredients, and for detail cuts at the board that a larger knife cannot manage accurately. The VG10 core at 61 HRC is hammer forged san-mai and ground 50/50, producing an even bevel that is accessible for cooks at any skill level while delivering genuine sharpness. The kiyaki octagonal handle with ebony ferrule is a refined combination - warm-toned wood against dark ebony, both materials well-matched to the blade in both proportion and visual character.
Care Instructions: VG10 is low maintenance stainless steel. Hand wash and dry after use - no dishwasher. Sharpen on quality water stones when the edge needs attention and maintain with a ceramic rod or strop between full sharpenings.
- Blacksmith: Katayama San
- Location: Echizen, Japan
- Construction: Hammer Forged, San Mai
- Edge Steel: VG10 Stainless
- Cladding: Stainless Damascus
- HRC: 61
- Edge Grind: 50/50
- Handle: Kiyaki Octagonal
- Ferrule: Ebony
- Weight: 2.6 oz (74g)
- Blade Length: 137mm
- Total Length: 267mm
- Spine Thickness at Heel: 2mm
- Blade Height: 34mm
