Toru Yamashita, a master blacksmith living in Tosa, Kochi, a city renowned for producing traditional blades for over 400 years, made his first whale-shaped knife in response to a mother’s request for a knife with a blunt tip, so her son could learn to sharpen his pencils. Blending his skills in warikomi forging with his creative sensibilities, Yamashita’s mid-swim whale knives answer to daily tasks such as opening letters, sharpening pencils and slicing soft materials.