Meet Josh Roberts, the founder of Katto Knives

Sheffield has been the epicenter of the UK steel and cutlery industries for centuries so it’s a natural home for us. The heritage and depth of craft is just unlike any other city in the UK; and perhaps even the World. We now have three, brilliant, full time knife makers - Mike, Caroline and Ian. And - courtesy of our wonderful customers - we will continue to grow the team next year.

You’re big on sustainability—how do you ensure that Katto’s knives are as eco-friendly as possible?

At a day-to-day level we try to do everything we can to minimize our impact. We are relentless in terms of the wood we use, for example, and only work with FSC Certified or reclaimed timber. All of our packaging is recyclable. All our deliveries are carbon offset. And so on. 

But above all we try to make things which will last for several lifetimes. There’s no escaping that forging steel requires heat and energy; but by focusing on quality we can minimize the amount of blades that need forging.

From start to finish there are well over a hundred different processes and checks which we undergo. Each of our knives now features a precisely positioned weight in the handle to give the knife perfect balance. Equipoise™ as we call it is a total game changer in terms of the cooks’ experience; but that element alone takes over a day to get right within each knife.

You work closely with many chefs. What should people look for when choosing a great kitchen knife, and what, in your opinion, makes a truly great knife?

A great knife should be well balanced, sharp and easy to sharpen. That last point is perhaps the most important. Lots of customers come to us having bought some ultra high grade knife (usually from Kappabashi in Tokyo) which they are terrified to use and even more scared to sharpen. You should feel confident with your knife. Confident using it, confident cleaning it and confident sharpening it.