Hideo Kitaoka

Hideo Kitaoka is a 3^rd generation blacksmith in Takefu Village in Echizen in the Fukui prefecture. He apprenticed and mastered his skills next to his father and grandfather and after 30 years of work he is considered the Master of single bevel traditional Japanese knives. Actually he is the only one in Takefu village that is still forging only single bevel knives.

His favorite steels are Aogami 2, White 1 and 2 and VG-10, using them to create beautiful polished or Damascus (Suminagashi) finishes.