Inside Seki’s Workshops
— The Time Behind Making a Knife —
At the moment, your Nakiri knife is not yet finished.
Production is still ongoing in Seki, Japan, and delivery is scheduled for March.
Waiting is not always easy.
So here, we would like to share why a knife like this cannot be made quickly—
by walking through the actual flow of time behind making a single tool.
The Knife-Making Process (Overview)
A SUIFU knife is made through the following steps:
- Selecting the steel
- Pressing the blade shape
- Hardening with heat
- Cooling and stabilizing
- Correcting distortion
- Grinding the spine
- Machine polishing
- Fine hand adjustments
- Surface finishing
- Attaching the handle
- Finishing the handle
- Marking the blade
- Final sharpening
- Inspection
These steps are not completed in one place or all at once. A knife moves slowly from one stage to the next, stopping to be checked each time.
Steps 1–4: Shaping the Foundation of the Knife
Everything begins with the steel. The type and thickness are carefully chosen, as this decision affects how the knife will feel and perform over many years. The steel is then pressed into shape and hardened with heat. At this point, the basic structure of the knife is formed. However, applying heat always creates small changes in the metal. This is expected, and it is why the process continues.
Steps 5–9: Correcting and Refining the Blade
After hardening, each blade is checked for slight bends or twists. These are corrected one by one. The blade is then ground and polished to refine its surface. Even when the same steps are followed, no two knives are exactly the same. This is where machines alone are not enough. Human eyes and hands are needed to notice and adjust what numbers cannot fully describe.
Steps 10–14: Finished by Human Hands
The handle is attached, and the blade is sharpened to its final edge. Finally, each knife is inspected individually. Sharpness, balance, and how the knife feels in the hand are all checked carefully. Only after passing this final inspection is a knife ready to leave the workshop. This is the moment when the knife becomes a tool meant for everyday use.
Why Knife Making in Seki Is Divided into Steps
In Seki, it is uncommon for one person or one workshop to complete every step of a knife. Each stage requires different skills and equipment. Because the work is divided, the knife stops at each stage. And each stop allows time to check its condition before moving on. This structure may seem slow, but it is what helps maintain consistent quality across every knife.
That Is Why Your Knife Is Still on Its Way
Your knife is currently partway through this process. It is moving forward, step by step. We chose not the fastest route, but the one that allows you to begin using your knife with confidence from the very first day. Thank you for giving us a little more time. This time, too, is part of making the knife.
