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Knifemaking Steel
High Performance Knife Steel for Bladesmiths
H&K is your destination for high-performance steel tailored to the art and craft of knifemaking. We source top-tier bladesmithing materials of balanced composition and high purity that guarantee lasting strength, durability and sharpness. Whether youβre a professional bladesmith or newcomer to the craft, H&K is your trusted source for premium steel for crafting superior knives.
Which knife making steel should you choose?
We import two steels for bladesmiths. Which one suits you depends on what you make and on the equipment in your workshop.
- Pop’s Knife Supply carbon steel — forgiving to heat treat and easy to grind. A good choice if you forge, harden and finish in your own shop, and for makers who are still building up their heat treat setup. H&K Trading is the official distributor in Japan.
- ApexUltra — a steel developed in Austria and made in Germany for handmade knives. It is fully forgeable and forge-weldable, very pure, and it holds the highest toughness of the knife steels tested in the 66+ HRC range. It suits kitchen knives, razors and carving knives, where you want both a fine edge and edge retention.
Tell us the thickness, the dimensions and the quantity you need, and we will check stock and price.
POPS KNIFE SUPPLY
High-Performance Carbon Steel for Professional Makers
H&K Trading is proud to be the official distributor of Popβs Knife Supply, providing Japan with premium carbon steel renowned for toughness, hardness, and edge retention. Forgiving to heat treat and easy to grind, this steel offers exceptional stability and fine grain structure, making it ideal for high-performance knives and blades.
ApexUltra
A New Steel Developed Specifically for Handmade Knives
ApexUltra is not your average steel; itβs a new steel specially designed for the art of crafting handmade knives. Fully forgeable and forge-weldable, its blend of fine carbides produce edges that are easy to finish and sharpen. With exceptional purity and a well-balanced composition, it boasts the highest toughness among knife steels tested within the 66+ HRC range β perfect for culinary knives, razors, and carving knives.
Canadian Imports
Crafted by Nature, Perfected by Hand
H&K is proud to import a selection of fine Canadian-made goods that embody natural beauty and exceptional craftsmanship. Each item reflects the care, precision, and artistry of Canadian makers, combining practicality with understated elegance. These thoughtfully crafted imports bring warmth, authenticity, and a touch of refined nature to the modern dining experience.
LARCH WOOD CANADA
Handcrafted End-Grain Cutting Boards
Made from carefully selected Canadian larch and finished by skilled artisans, each Larch Wood board combines everyday utility with the beauty of fine art. Renowned for its striking patterns, durability, and craftsmanship, Larch Wood transforms the simple act of preparation into an expression of artistryβfunctional pieces worthy of display.
DANESON
Whiskey flavored toothpicks from Canada
Crafted from American-milled northern white birch, and using only the highest quality natural ingredients, Danesonβs dedication to design and craftsmanship is unparalleled. Featured globally in GQ and Bon Appetit, Daneson is more than a toothpick company - it is a lifestyle brand made for those who appreciate quality in all forms.
Flooring Tools
Quality Tools for Perfect Floors
H&K Trading imports the finest hard-working flooring tools and equipment from leading manufacturers around the world. We offer only premium quality tools that are built to withstand the demands of professional contractors, ensuring exceptional performance and longevity. Whether youβre working with vinyl, wood, rubber, or carpet, we provide you with the latest professional tools to get the job done right.
Carpet and flooring installation tools: what a professional kit includes
Flooring work uses a small number of tool groups. Each group covers one stage of the job: measuring and cutting, fitting and stretching, seaming and welding, rolling and finishing, and tearing out the old floor. The list below shows the tools professionals normally need, and which of the brands we import to Japan cover each stage.
| Stage of the job | Tools normally used | Brands we import |
|---|---|---|
| Measuring and cutting | Utility knives and blades, carpet shears, row running knife, sheet vinyl cutters, recess scribers | Crain, Taylor Tools, Janser |
| Fitting and stretching | Knee kicker, power stretcher, wall trimmer, stair tool, tack strip (gripper) | Crain, Taylor Tools, Janser |
| Seaming and welding | Seam iron, seaming tape, seam roller, groover, hot air welding gun and welding rod | Janser, Crain, Taylor Tools |
| Adhesive and rolling | Notched trowels, hand rollers, 45 kg (100 lb) floor rollers | Gundlach, Janser, Taylor Tools |
| Wood and laminate | Undercut saws, toe-kick saws, jamb saws, pull bars, tapping blocks, spacers | Crain, Janser |
| Tear-out and demolition | Floor scrapers, stripper machines, ride-on floor removal machines, demolition bars | Janser, Crain, Gutster Tools |
The line-up changes by model and by season. Tell us the floor covering, the site conditions and the quantity you need, and we will check current availability and price.
Carpet installation tools
For stretch-in carpet, the core set is a knee kicker, a power stretcher, a wall trimmer and a stair tool, plus tack strip along the walls. For seams you need a seam iron, seaming tape and a seam roller. A row running knife and sharp utility blades keep the cuts clean. For carpet tile, most of the work is done with a straight edge, a utility knife and a hand roller.
Vinyl and resilient flooring tools
Sheet vinyl needs a cutter, a recess scriber for the wall line, and a groover before welding. Seams are closed with a hot air welding gun and welding rod, then trimmed with a spatula and trim plate. Notched trowels spread the adhesive, and a 45 kg roller presses the sheet into it.
Wood, laminate and tile tools
Undercut saws and toe-kick saws let you cut door jambs and cabinet kicks in place, so the new floor runs underneath instead of being scribed around. Pull bars, tapping blocks and spacers keep click-lock boards tight. For tile and stone, Gundlach supplies trowels, cutters and setting tools.
Floor removal and demolition
Old floor covering is removed with hand scrapers for small areas, walk-behind stripper machines for rooms, and ride-on floor removal machines for large sites. Janser ride-on machines are built for quiet, reliable operation, which matters in occupied buildings. Gutster demo bars let you work standing up, which saves your back on long tear-out days.
Common questions about the flooring tools we import
- What tools are needed for carpet installation?
- A professional stretch-in job needs a knee kicker, a power stretcher, a wall trimmer, a stair tool, tack strip, a utility knife with spare blades, and a seam iron with seaming tape and a seam roller. For carpet tile you mainly need a straight edge, a sharp knife and a hand roller.
- Do you supply Crain flooring tools in Japan?
- Yes. We import Crain tools from Milpitas, California to Japan, including carpet tools, vinyl flooring tools, wood floor tools, undercut saws, toe-kick saws, scrapers and stripper machines. Send us the model numbers or the job, and we will quote from the current Crain catalogue.
- Which flooring tool brands does H&K import?
- Janser (Germany), Crain (USA), Taylor Tools (USA), Gundlach (USA) and Gutster Tools. Between them they cover hand tools, power tools and floor removal machines for carpet, vinyl, wood, laminate and tile.
- Do you supply machines as well as hand tools?
- Yes. We import walk-behind and ride-on floor removal machines, mainly from Janser. Tell us the floor area, the covering and the adhesive, and we will suggest a suitable machine.
- Do you supply steel for knife making?
- Yes. We are the official distributor of Pop’s Knife Supply in Japan, and we also import ApexUltra, a steel developed in Austria and made in Germany for handmade knives.
- We are a manufacturer outside Japan. Can H&K import our products?
- Often, yes. Send us your product catalogue, your FOB price list, your minimum order quantity and your lead time. If the product fits the Japanese market, we will come back with our view on pricing and on the customers we would approach.
Looking for a distributor in Japan?
We import on our own account and sell to Japanese contractors, dealers and retailers. If you make professional tools, kitchenware or household goods and you want to enter the Japanese market, we are happy to look at your line.
- What we do: importing, customs clearance and domestic distribution in Japan, plus the day-to-day support your customers here will expect.
- What to send us: your product catalogue, your FOB price list, your minimum order quantity and your lead time.
- What you get back: our view on the Japanese price level, the customers we would approach, and a first order plan.
Write to us in English or Japanese at info@h-and-k-llc.com.
JANSER
Professional Flooring Technology
Founded in 1961, Janser manufactures a wide variety of innovative, efficient, and easy to use professional flooring machines, tools and equipment, supplying the flooring and associated industries worldwide. Janser now manufactures around 4,000 different products serving over 50,000 industry professionals worldwide.
GUTSTER TOOLS
Versatile Demo Bars
The Gutster Demo Bar is the result of a contractor who had been in the business for 30 years, working with his hands every day. Beginning as a concept tool, the bar was perfected through years of on-the-job trial and error testing.Β The Gutster Demo Bar allows you to do more demolition, in a short amount of time, while allowing you to maintain a better posture (which conserves your energy and improves safety).Β
TAYLOR TOOLS
Floor Covering and Concrete Surface Equipment
Located in Denver, Colorado, Taylor Tools manufactures professional flooring tools and equipment for all types of flooring including carpet, tile, taminate, linoleum, vinyl and wood. Precise, sturdy and hardworking, Taylor Tools are built to get the job done right.
CRAIN TOOLS
American Made Flooring Tools
Located in Milpitas, California, Crain is an American manufacturer of professional flooring tools including carpet tools, vinyl flooring tools, wood floor tools, undercut saws, toe-kick saws, and scrapers and stripper machines for tearing out old floor covering.
GUNDLACH
Quality Work Begins with Quality Tools
Since 1927, the Beno J. Gundlach Company has been committed to providing quality flooring installation products. Developing innovative products that add value to the industries they serve, Gundlachβs products are marketed globally to the tile, stone, floor covering and plastic laminate industries through a wide network of distributors.
