cutting edge : design : kamikiri-hocho sakai paper knife : yosuke inui

living with a japanese chef, i know quite well how sacred their knives are. we have quite a few rules in our house, when it comes to using nobu’s knives. we are allowed to use them, but with care.

the thing i love about many japanese designers is the vision for the future, without forgetting traditions and the past. this morning i received a mail from yosuke inui, who has designed this paper knife for morimoto hamono. and this is what he had to say .

I designed a paper knife, which is the fruits of the three Japanese traditional craftsmanship.
1. The blade is SAKAI-UCHIHAMONO, the most famous traditional knife in Japan.
2. The ornament of handle is OSAKA-NANIWA-SUZUKI, the traditional tin craft.
3. The handle is OSAKA-KARAKI-SASHIMONO, the traditional luxury furniture which used a red sandalwood.

SAKAI-UCHIHAMONO production begins in the Sakai from the 16th century, due to the high quality that comes from advanced forging technology, receive the title of the “Sakai-Kiwami” from the shogunate, the knives were spread across the whole country in the Edo period. Evaluated as a high professional cook knife, such as a chef is still used, there is an overwhelming share.

Kamikiri-Hocho (SAKAI PAPER KNIFE) is designed as desk stationery which enjoys the beauty and dignity of SAKAI-UCHIHAMONO. This paper knife is manufactured in the same process as the Japanese luxury traditional kitchen knives. You can choose from four finish in the same way as traditional Japanese kitchen knives: “standard hairline finish”, “mirror finish”, “black oxide finish”, “marbled multi-layerd steel finish”.