The Best-Selling Flagship of Ichimonji

The FV10 Series has long been one of the most popular and enduring lines from Ichimonji.

Crafted from VG10 stainless steel, regarded as one of the finest stainless steels available, each blade is carefully tempered without sacrificing hardness. The steel is straightened by hand to correct distortion, then finely thinned on whetstones. This process represents the very essence of Japanese craftsmanship and precision.

Over the years, this series has become a landmark achievement in stainless steel knife-making, overcoming the long-standing challenges of stainless blades. Many professional chefs have fallen in love with its sharpness and reliability, often repurchasing or collecting the entire series. Today, it stands as Ichimonji’s most popular Western-style knife line.

Why FV10 Sword Line Stands Out

The FV10 Sword achieves a fine, sharp edge that responds quickly to maintenance while retaining impressive strength and durability. It represents the balance between cutting performance, rust resistance, and ease of sharpening that many chefs have been searching for.

If you are looking for a knife that reflects both modern steel technology and traditional craftsmanship, the FV10 SWORD Series is an ideal choice.

Mono-Steel Construction (Zenko Method)

Each FV10 SWORD Series is made from a single piece of high-carbon steel, hardened and sharpened without layering or cladding. This construction method, known in Japan as Zenko, produces a sharper and more responsive edge compared to clad or Damascus knives made from the same steel.

Because the entire blade is forged and heat-treated as one solid piece, the process demands exceptionally precise temperature control and expert handling. Hardening, tempering, and straightening must be performed with deep understanding of steel’s inner structure. Only a few craftsmen in Japan are able to master this process.

A mono-steel knife may look simple, but its refinement lies within the metal. To the eye, it might resemble inexpensive knives, yet the difference becomes immediately clear once you begin to cut. This understated nature makes it especially valued among professionals and connoisseurs.

📹 Watch Ichimonji’s knife-making process

FV10 Stainless Steel

The VG10 stainless steel used in the FV10 Series is made from carefully refined, high-purity materials that provide an ideal balance of hardness, toughness, and sharpenability.

With added cobalt, the steel gains greater wear resistance and resilience, resulting in a blade that maintains sharpness over time while being easier to resharpen when needed.

This combination of characteristics allows the FV10 to deliver both high cutting performance and excellent balance, making it suitable for professional kitchens where precision and efficiency are required.

Note from Yuske, the Master Sharpener

The FV10 Sword Series is the flagship line of Ichimonji, handcrafted through the full traditional process of mono-steel forging, precise heat treatment, and hand-finishing. Each knife is made to deliver both exceptional sharpness and comfort in daily professional use.

While the G Line series offers an ultra-hard blade for maximum edge retention, the FV10 Sword achieves a finer and more responsive edge that is easier to sharpen without compromising sharpness or strength. It strikes a perfect balance between hardness and workability, making it ideal for chefs who prefer a blade that maintains its edge yet can be honed quickly when needed.

The handle is made from indigo blue compressed wood, shaped to fit naturally in the hand. Its light weight and ergonomic design make long hours of cutting remarkably comfortable, reducing fatigue even in demanding kitchen work.

Compared to the Standard Pro Series, the FV10 Sword offers improved sharpenability and higher resistance to rust.
When placed side by side with well-known series such as Nenox (Nenohi) or UX10 (Misono), it stands out for its superior blade quality, consistency, and ease of sharpening.

If you are looking for a knife made as a true working tool rather than a decorative kitchen item, the FV10 Sword Series is what you are looking for.

About Ichimonji

Sakai Ichimonji Mitsuhide is one of Japan’s most respected and historical knife brands. Its knives are trusted by leading chefs in Japan and around the world, including René Redzepi and Massimo Bottura.

Located in Sakai, the heart of Japan’s knife-making culture, Ichimonji has always designed its knives in close collaboration with working chefs. Their blades are true professional tools, built to support precision and long-term use in the kitchen.

Despite its long history, Ichimonji has never distributed its knives overseas.

This is because the brand is deeply committed to full customer support. They see each purchase not as a simple transaction but as the beginning of a long relationship with the user. Providing that level of care was difficult across borders, so for decades they focused entirely on their domestic customers in Japan.

Through mutual trust and technical understanding, Tohg Sharpening, led by master sharpener Yuske, who trained and worked at Ichimonji in Japan, became the first authorized distributor and sharpening partner in Europe.

Tohg Sharpening – Authorized Partner in Europe

Tohg Sharpening was founded to bring authentic Japanese knife sharpening to those who seek true craftsmanship.

Many sharpening services in Europe advertise “Japanese sharpening,” but most are self-taught, relying on online videos or general techniques. Authentic Japanese sharpening requires years of direct apprenticeship under a master. Without understanding the geometry of Japanese knives, these services often make edges thicker, reduce cutting performance, or even damage the blade.

At Tohg Sharpening, there are no compromises. Our work is not simply sharpening but a traditional process called tohging, a method that transforms the knife.

Each knife is thinned and hand-sharpened using at least eight whetstones, taking around one hour per blade, while most other services take only a few minutes.

Our process restores the true potential of high-quality knives.

Yuske, the master sharpener, trained directly under Ichimonji’s master sharpener and worked for the brand in Japan. With that background and close communication with the company, we can offer full support and ensure every knife is treated with the same care and standards as in Japan.

What Defines a Good Knife

Many Japanese knife brands popular in Europe are mass-produced or design-oriented, focusing on appearance rather than performance.
Brands such as Shun and Miyabi, and even some knives priced over €400, often simplify or omit key manufacturing steps. Their high price often reflects decorative handles or Damascus patterns, features that do not contribute to the knife’s actual cutting performance.

Material matters, but not as much as heat treatment

The essential factor in knife quality is not the material name but the heat treatment.
Even high-end materials like VG10 can perform poorly if the heat treatment is inadequate.

Quality knives vs poorly made knives

A high-quality blade holds its edge well, allows fine sharpening, and maintains the right balance between hardness and ease of resharpening.
Poorly made knives dull quickly, cannot be thinned properly, or have edges that crumble. These problems can occur with any steel type or price range.

For example, knives such as Nenox may cost over €600, yet Ichimonji’s professional lines, including VG10 Sword, Kirameki, G Line, and Special Carbon Steel Series, offer comparable or even better performance at significantly lower prices.

It can be difficult to judge a knife’s quality by appearance alone. That is why our goal is to provide authentic knives that combine true craftsmanship and fair pricing, supported by deep technical knowledge and years of experience under Japan’s top sharpeners.