knife of Life
Overview
A Knife for Life
Single-edged Japanese knives, with their sharpness and ability to cut without damaging the fibers of the food, have contributed greatly to Japanese food culture.However, they are rarely used in Japanese life today.
We would like to reevaluate the Japanese kitchen knives that have enriched the Japanese food culture and promote their appeal once again.
With this in mind, Kamasa Shoten consulted with Akira Minagawa, designer of Mina Perhonen, a company that produces clothing and textiles as well as furniture, tableware, and many other items that accompany everyday life.
Based on the request of Mr. Minagawa, who is also known for his love of cooking, an original Japanese kitchen knife was created in Sakai, Osaka.
The goal was to create a kitchen knife that would "live together with its creator and user.
We hope "Life Kitchen Knife" will make your daily cooking more comfortable.
All-purpose knife widely used in Japan
Santoku is an all-purpose kitchen knife with a long, straight blade for cutting a variety of foods, including raw meat, fish, and vegetables. It is shaped like a combination of Nakiri, traditionally used in Japan to cut vegetables, and Gyuto, used overseas as an all-purpose kitchen knife.
Shiroshi No. 2 for long-lasting sharpness and ease of sharpening
The steel material is well-balanced in terms of ease of sharpening and long-lasting sharpness.
This series has good sharpness because the blades are sharpened thin and clean by the high skill of craftsmen.
Although steel tends to rust easily because it is made of steel, it has both good sharpness and ease of sharpening when compared to stainless steel.
4 Key Features of JINSEI Santoku
Origin
Life Kitchen Knives" are manufactured in Sakai City, Osaka Prefecture, which has a tradition of over 600 years and is one of the largest producers of Japanese kitchen knives in Japan.
The "Sakai Uchihamono" are still handmade one by one by craftsmen under the division of labor centering on the wholesaler: "forging," "sharpening (blade attachment)," and "handle production," and have earned the utmost trust of chefs. Each knife is the culmination of the skillful craftsmen's techniques.
Single bevel
Blade shape is single edge finish. It is characterized by a depression "ura-suki" on the back side and a tapered blade shape with varying thickness toward the cutting edge.
These two features allow the blade to cut food without rubbing it unnecessarily, preventing deterioration. Only a single-edged blade can produce a clean cut with a good separation of the food.
Materials
The blade is made of SHIROGAMI, which contains few impurities among the steel materials used for Japanese kitchen knives. Shirogami No. 2" is a well-balanced steel with moderate hardness, excellent sharpness and blade durability, and is easy to sharpen with a whetstone.
The handle is made of cherry wood, a hard wood that is resistant to corrosion. The grain of the wood is fine and glossy, and it is also highly durable. It feels good to the touch and gives the wood a warm feeling.
Original engraving and knife case
On the back of the blade, we have engraved our original logo with "choucho," one of Mina Perhonen's representative designs, on top of the Kamasa Shoten logo.
The knife also comes with an original case embroidered with "choucho" and a leather case covering the blade.
Spec
Product information
specification
- Size
- Total Length 310mm ／ Blade length 180mm
- Weight
- 150g
*The weight of knives can slightly vary. - Knife bevel
- Single bevel
- Dominant hand
- For right handed
- Manufacturing process
- Forged
- Blade structure
- Kasumi layer
- Blacksmith
- YOSHIKAZU TANAKA
- Sharpener
- IPPEI KAWAKITA
- Stencil printing
- KOURA SHUHEI
- Materials
- Blade material=Shirogami No.2 carbon steel,Handle material=Sakura
Precaution
- Steel is a water-sensitive material that rusts very easily. Please remove water with a cloth after each use during cooking.
- Do not cut squash, frozen foods, bones, or shells, as hard foods may chip, crack, or break.
- Please read the enclosed instruction manual before use.
Care Instructions
- Hand wash with a mild dishwashing detergent and sponge and rinse well.
- Wash immediately after use and wipe dry with a dry cloth before putting it away.
When rinsing, it is also recommended to pour boiling water on it to dry it and disinfect it as well. - Do not use a dishwasher, bleach, or dry it over an open flame, as this may cause damage.
About Rust
- Reddish rust
If left unchecked, it can erode to the interior and cause damage. If you notice red rust, use a commercially available rust eraser or cleanser to remove it as soon as possible.
*Rust on the cutting edge should be removed by sharpening with a whetstone to avoid the risk of injury. - Blackish rust
Black rust has a coating effect that inhibits the formation of red rust and can be used without any problems.
If the sharpness of the cut is getting worse.
- Every time you use a kitchen knife, its sharpness will gradually deteriorate. If you feel that your knife has lost its sharpness, sharpen it with a whetstone as soon as possible, or contact Kamasa Shoten.
- Please do not use a simple sharpener as it may cause chipping.
Storage method
- To prevent rusting, do not store in a humid water environment and keep in a well-ventilated place as much as possible.
- If the blade will not be used for a long period of time, oiling the blade will reduce rust.
Just put a drop or two of cooking oil or blade oil on a dish towel and blend it in thinly.
We also recommend wrapping the ink in newspaper, which contains oil (please wash the applied oil before use). - Storage on magnetic racks may cause discoloration and chipping.
Handling of leather cases
- Since leather is used, there are individual differences in expression. Please enjoy it as the individuality of leather and the expression of leather.
- Please be careful not to cut your hand when removing/attaching the leather case.
- Please be sure to wash the knife before each use.
- Be sure to wipe off any moisture before storing in a leather case.
- If the leather case gets wet, be sure to dry it to prevent mold.
Engraving
A precious bottle just for you.
Kamasa Shoten will engrave your knives with your name.
Please select the location of the inscription from the variations and enter the desired inscription.
- Please see below for the engraving style of these knives.
- Delivery date and time cannot be specified.
- We will ship 1 week to 10 days after the order date.
- We will inscribe the text and language as you enter it.
- For written English, we recommend capital letters at the beginning.
- Engraving on blade (A or C)
Kanji or Katakana / Alphabetical (written)10 characters / 20 characters 
FAQ
Yes, but for online orders, we offer a free engraving service for knives only. Please select the desired engraving option, enter text and add the knife to cart. Engraving for products other than knives is only available at our physical store at Kappabashi, Tokyo.
Most of the chipping can be repaired by re-sharpening the blade. We offer a fee-based knife sharpening service. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask us using the inquiry form. Blades can chip by cutting hard ingredients such as bones, seeds or frozen food, dropping and mishandling, or stabbing into hard cutting boards.
All knives we handle can be repaired with the exception of knives that are severely damaged. Repairing chipping and removing rust will restore sharpness and allow you to use your knives for a longer period of time. We also offer a fee-based knife sharpening service.
Please note we may not be able to repair knives with unknown blade materials, such as knives purchased at other stores.
Delivery preferences
※配送日時指定は日本国内のみ可能なサービスとなりますことご了承ください。 ※包丁に銘入れされる場合は、日時指定不可となります。ご注文日から1週間~10日後に発送させていただきます。*Date of delivery can be requested for ONLY domestic shipment. *If you wish to have your knife inscribed, you cannot specify a delivery date and time. We will ship 1 week to 10 days after the order date.