Shibata Knives Tinker Barracuda Leap-Year Edition
Derek SwansonShare
Shibata Tinker Knives are considered bucket-list score for kitchen knife enthusiasts. To get one you have to be lucky or adventurous (ie. visit Shibata san at his facility in Tosa). They are perpetually sold out on dealer sites. Some dealers raffle off the right to purchase them, and they command hefty prices on the secondary market.
Shibata san has been a pioneer in the Japanese knife industry since he was young. While most knife makers spend decades in apprenticeships under capable masters, Shibata san learned the trade with a sharpening business that evolved into a wholesale business known primarily for the Masakage and Koutetsu brands he created. His specialty is collaboration with other famous knifemakers.
The Tinker was born from a desire to make a high-performance food knife that will also excell outside the kitchen. Shibata san is an avid sport fisher, and the first Tinker was a double-bevel fish cleaver (deba) called the Tank. Tinker knives are hand-forged by blacksmith Takumi Ikeda and shaped and sharpened by Shibata san. He has produced Tanks in many sizes and recently introduced new shapes such as the Shark, Sabertooth and Barracuda. Tinker blades are Aogami Super steel clad in mild stainless, fitted to octagonal rosewood and cherry handles.
Most Tinker knives are stamped with the date of production, and we recently received a Barracuda that is one of three made on the leap year day of 2024. The Barracuda is a honsuki-style filet knife with a curved edge profile of approximately 165mm. Stay tuned for details on how to get your hands on this special knife.