Hiko Ito Custom Knives

website HikoIto.com

I make handmade custom knives in Hawaii.

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I strive to make knives with three critical elements - Utility, Beauty and Simplicity. 

 

​     I design my knives to perform exceptionally well for their intended purposes.

Designing process begins with conception and drawing, then prototypes are made and tested. These prototypes may be modified and retested, until the perfect geometry is achieved.

     I carefully select the best steel for the intended purpose of my knives. The steels most often used for my knives include, but not limited to: cpm s30v, n690, aeb-l, z-finit, Elmax and 3v. These steels meet my qualification of sharpness and edge holding as well as stability and corrosion resistance.

My blades are heat treated by one of the best heat treating companies in the U.S. who also services aerospace, military and nuclear industry. Each blade is hardened to the specific hardness I assign to bring out the best performance out of a knife. In order to eliminate the possibility of overheating and subsequent loss of steel integrity I grind my blades using advanced water cooling system. To go a step further I hand sharpen each knife on Japanese wet stones to attain the best cutting edge possible.

Most of my knives have convex or convex-chisel grind. Convex grind is rather difficult to achieve and not often seen in commercially available knives. Convex grind has advantages over other bevel geometry by being a better slicer, having less tendency to bind to the material, having a stronger edge, as well as being relatively easy to sharpen. And for kitchen knives, convex grind is ideal because the food has less tendency to stick to the blade. 

    Ergonomic handles are contoured for comfort, and to accommodate holding positions specific to each blade. 

I believe the combination of utilitarian design and simplicity naturally brings out the aesthetic beauty of the knife. Knives made with myriad of non-functional components and showy designs may be catchy but they lack the true beauty of functional tools that appeal to us viscerally.