Hasu-Seizo Japanese Handcrafted Kitchen Knives : Trunk Show
October 14, 2019
October 19th & November 30th, 12-5pm KOBO Gallery in Japantown 604 South Jackson Street Seattle, 98104 (206) 381-3000
Meet Midori and Ryan who created Hasu-Seizo which sells authentic Japanese knives, manufactured by their extended family in Sakai city in Osaka Prefecture. Learn more about each knife they offer, their function, techniques, how they are made, materials. and how these knives are different from many other knife makers. Sakai city is very famous for knife making since the 5th century.
Knife 101
There are many kinds of knives for different culinary purposes. From small paring knives to long Sashimi knives. The proper use of the correct kitchen knife for the correct purpose symbolizes Japanese food culture. Non-Japanese knives are a V-shaped 'double-edged' structure with blade cross section symmetrical. Many Japanese knives are based on a single-edged structure. The back is a flat surface, only the front side is an oblique grinding surface, and when looking at the cutting edge from the side, the section looks like "レ". Compared to double-edged version, single-edged knives make it easy to remove the blade when cutting food. This allows for a chef to quickly perform operations such as carving and stripping. The motion to use when cutting with a Japanese knife is generally a sliding motion, rather than pushing down. This helps to use the sharpness of the blade.
Distinguish a good knife from a bad knife
Low grade kitchen knives create rough surfaces on items they cut. This is because it cuts cells, and it starts to oxidize quickly. Meanwhile, a sharp knife will not cut unnecessary cells and will improve the texture and taste. This allows the sliced food to last longer before going bad. Additionally, with the quality of the steel even if you keep using it, the sharpness hardly falls.
