Mitsukawa Juntaro ⭐ Top pick

Zero-set: teeth left unbent, an almost invisible kerf, a mirror-like surface. Only steel that is perfectly forged, tempered, and sharpened can cut without set. Mitsukawa Juntaro is the blacksmith who mastered that impossible standard.

Mitsukawa Juntaro is regarded by many Japanese and Western carpenters as one of the benchmark saw blacksmiths still active in Japan. This is not a self-declared title, but a consensus built over decades through professional word of mouth.

His workshop has been active since 1961. Every saw is entirely hand-forged, from shaping the steel and hammering the teeth to tempering, grinding, and final sharpening. No CNC machines, no automatic tooth stamping, no industrial heat treatment. In the concrete sense of the word, he is a blacksmith: one man, one fire, one hammer, one anvil.

What sets Mitsukawa apart from all other saw blacksmiths, including outstanding makers in Miki such as Hishika, is zero-set. "Set" is the lateral bend of the teeth that creates the kerf, the width of the cut. On a standard saw, teeth are bent alternately left and right so the cut is wider than the blade and does not bind. Mitsukawa's zero-set means the teeth are not bent and cut at the exact width of the blade.

The result is a cut line of a fineness impossible with a conventional-set saw. The surface is so smooth it needs almost no sanding. But zero-set is extremely difficult to execute: without set, the blade can jam in the wood. Only steel that is perfectly forged, perfectly tempered, and perfectly sharpened can work at zero-set. It is the ultimate test of a blacksmith's control.

The range covers all major Japanese saw types: ryoba (double-toothed, rip and crosscut), dozuki (back saw for precision), kataba (single-edge saw without a spine), and specialist saws known mainly by professionals. Kugihiki is a flush-cut saw that trims protruding pegs and dowels without damaging surrounding surfaces. Dai-making saws are made for shaping Japanese plane bodies, a niche with global demand measured in only dozens of pieces per year.

The steel is hagane, white carbon steel, forged and tempered by traditional methods. Tempering is differential: the back of the blade stays flexible to absorb vibration, while the teeth are hardened for clean cutting. It is the same philosophy as the Japanese sword, and at Mitsukawa the execution is at that level.

Prices are high for Japanese saws, roughly €150 to €500 depending on type and size. But these are among the rarest levels of fineness you can still buy today. Waiting lists exist. Distribution is ultra-selective: a handful of dealers in Japan (Hida Tool, etc.) and only a few in the West.

Mitsukawa does not advertise, has no flashy website, and does not attend trade shows. His clients are carpenters and cabinetmakers who know exactly what they are looking for, and know that nothing else compares.