The first rizzuto also known as the “pre-rizzuto” is a well designed and built knife. Measuring 10.5 inches not including the bale, this was Japan’s entry into automatic knives. Lightweight and hard firing, the first rizzutos were unique and reflected Japanese innovation. The steel was hardened and the scale material was tough bakelite. The knives utilized a lock back or mid spine design. The blades were a swedge grind with a short throw safety after Italian makers of the time. Steel lined and d-stamped, the spring was formed stock and flattened at the tip so as to not sit above the liners. The bale was filagreed which became standard on rizzuto knives. These were made in both white and black. It is said the rizzutos were knock offs of Italian knives. There is also a school of thought which holds these first rizzutos were Italian made. I don’t go along with that and believe these knives are Japan’s entry into the world of automatic knives of the times. These were excellent knives by any measure. Besides, when did the Italian makers build a spine lock with batwing guards? Also pictured is a black scaled model with Japan stamped on the tang along with its original box, also marked Japan. So who made the Japanese rizzuto estileto milano knives? Theory is below.

Who made the Japanese Rizzuto knives?
While there is no documentation, signs point to Yasuo Imai of Seki Japan. Yasuo was an excellent Japanese knife craftsman in the 1950s and 60s. His son Seizo later joined the business. Yasuo made many popular knives that we have come to know. Along with Seizo, Imai made manual stileto knives for importers such as Valor and Westbury that were identified as the “bull fighter.” These knives in particular shared a lot of similarities to rizzutos. The shape of the bolsters with both squared and rounded, batwing guards, filagreed bales and metals used are very similar. The matador/dragon manual knives of theirs are also eerily similar to the bullfighter lever lock automatics sold in Mexico. There was also an importer named Precision International which had some of their knives made in Japan. They had a line of Japanese picklock knives that were stamped Korium Pic and sometimes just PIC that were thought to have been made by the Imais. It is logical that the rizzuto estileto milano knives were designed and produced by Yasuo and Seizo Imai of Seki prefecture in Japan.

Black pre-rizzuto pictures courtesy of Ken Whitfield