Be the one with the coolest knife at the campsite!
Noto blacksmith Fukube Kaji is back on Kickstarter with a new knife, this time for outdoor enthusiasts! (Check out their last project SHINBU, here)
In a world full of mass-produced pocket knives with machine-made blades, TAFU stands out with its classic, timeless look and hand-forged blade.
TAFU doesn’t fold up, but comes with a sleek black leather sheath that you can wear proudly on your hip as you walk through the woods.
TAFU is the only blade you’ll need to bring with you on your camping trip. Cutting food, splitting wood, and even starting the fire with the included magnesium stick— all can be handled by this all-around blade.
Features of the Knife
- Hand-forged from high-end Yasuki Aogami No.2 steel for superior sharpness and durability, but cladded in SS400 stainless steel to prevent rusting, making it easy to use and maintain.
- Handle made from blackened oak without any finger grooves commonly found on pocket knives, giving it a simple and solid feel while cutting.
- Perfect weight and balance that makes you feel like you’ve slipped back in time to a simpler time, when such survival blades were used on a daily basis.
The heirloom-quality knife is a piece that can be used for generations if properly maintained.
Uses
TAFU is an all-around workhorse knife, capable of meeting all your outdoor needs
Splitting logs
Slicing and chopping
Cleaning fish
Feathering
Fire starting
TAFU is a beautifully simple blade that will connect you to an older time.
Japan’s oldest outdoor knife, the “makiri”
Rooted in the short swords once favored by the Ainu, a hunting culture, the “Makiri” spread from Ezo (Hokkaido) to the Noto Peninsula via the Kitamae-bune trade ships.
This small knife, carried at the waist by Noto fishermen, embodies the appeal of a “wild” tool that is simple, tough, and highly functional—ideal for everyday use and sharp cutting.
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More than just for cleaning fish, the Makiri has been a versatile companion, used for net maintenance, cutting through entangled obstacles, and even slicing ropes wrapped around the body during a storm at sea.
It has protected the lives and livelihoods of men who work in Noto’s fishing trade.
About the maker - Fukube Kaji
In a small town on the Noto Peninsula, a small blacksmith forge called Fukube Kaji carries on the tradition of hand-forging traditional knives such as makri. The blacksmiths there have been handed down smithing techniques since the founding 115 years ago.
Not only can they make and repair all manner of knives and other tools with blades, but they also run a mail-in knife sharpening serves and have repaired more than 500,000 knives over the years.
They have poured their expertise and passion into TAFU to make it a piece to treasure for a lifetime.