Japan Disaster Update

We have all seen the devastation/disaster in Japan. We at Knifewear have many friends and contacts in Japan. The good news is that everyone we have direct dealings with have been in touch, but the problems are on-going.

To show our support Knifewear will be donating 1/2 of all money received from knife sharpening for the entire year.

Now is a good time to get sharp knievs and to make donations to a country that needs our help.

Japan Earthquake Relief

We have been hearing the news of the devastating earthquakes and tsunami from Japan. We, at Knifewear, and our customers, have been thinking of Japan and the difficulties many face. Our hearts and prayers go out to a nation in distress.


Bring your dull kitchen knives to Knifewear from now until Saturday, March 19 and have them sharpened in exchange for your donation. All donations will go to the Canadian Red Cross Japan Earthquake/Asia Pacific Tsunami relief.

After our first half day of collections we have already collected over $200. We will do our best to raise as much money as we can for the relief efforts.

Please bring kitchen knives carefully wrapped in a tea towel or other protection to the Knifewear shop at 1316 9 Ave S.E., Inglewood, Calgary.

All knives are sharpened by hand using a series of water stones. Every effort will be made to sharpen knives while you wait, however due to increased volume it may require a longer wait than usual.

Our hearts are with you, Japan.

White Hat Award

Congrats to Rob for being nominated for a Calgary White Hat Award.  It was one or more of his overjoyed customers that gave him the nod. This is the 49th year of the White Hat awards and Rob was nominated in the 'Best Customer Servic: Retail' category. More than just a pretty face and a mustache.

I for one am dying to see Rob in a cowboy hat. Well, the awards will be announced on May 18, 2011. Good luck matey!!

Knifewear is hiring.

We are looking for knife nuts with personality. You must enjoy talking with customers. Knowledge or interest in knives, a cooking background or Japanese language skills would be beneficial. The desire to learn is mandatory.


Our Calgary retail store has 1 position available:

• full-time (or part-time for the right person) retail sales person with some knife sharpening responsibilities.



All Knifewear employees receive an in depth knife sharpening apprenticeship in the Japanese knife sharpening style. We sharpen our knives by hand on waterstones, the most precise way and with the best results. Learn a dying art.

Knifewear staff enjoy a fun and professional working environment, a healthy discount on knives, and the love/admiration of chefs, foodies and knife nerds.

At Knifewear we sell the finest handmade Japanese kitchen knives available. Most of our knives cannot be found in Canada, many of our knives are not seen outside of Japan. We work with 25+ Japanese knife makers who we consider to be the top blacksmiths in the world.

Please check out our website. www.knifewear.com

Be cool, become a Japanese knife expert at Knifewear.

Wages: $10 per hour

Send resume and cover letter to kevin @knifewear.com

I made these!

I made these. Clearly I rock!

Takeda san, a very patient teacher.

 I always have a great time in Japan. The food is outstanding, the people warm, the temples and shrines peaceful. I especially like the local train ride to Niimi. The train weaves through cute rounded hills covered in pine forests. Every valley has mist a stream and a tiny lake. It really is magical.

Takeda san collected me at the train station with some good news. I was going to make a few knives with one of my knife making heros.


It was soo fun....and sweaty.  I am ceratinly not a natural. I think the blades look alright, but they do feel like hammers. A bit on the heavy side, if you will. I can't wait to do it again.

Takeda san was kind enough to finish the blades for me and put handles on the santoku. 

Thank you Shosui, it was a highlight of my life.

BTW I got to make a few blades with the Moritakas the very next day. I'll post some pics when they arrive. What a great trip!!

Tsukasa Hinoura and Konosuke. New sexiness from Japan!

Knives from Hinoura san have finaly arrived. We've been waiting a long time. Tsukasa Hinoura san is from Sanjo, just outside of Niigata. He is a third generation knife maker and has been forging since he was 22 years old (that's 31 years experience now). His method of twisted damascus steel is unique and totally cool. The blade is forged from #1 Shirogami (HRC63ish) and the handle is octogon magnolia wood and water buffalo. These knives are so fabulous in the looks department with the 'twisted' Damascus pattern that he has won awards twice at the Seki knife show. Truely works of art from the man himself.

Petty 135mm $791
Santoku 165mm $1339
Nakiri $1339
Gyuto 210mm $1756

Konosuke Knives are a great little knife company based in Sakai, just outside of Osaka. This knife is hand forged from Ginsan stainless steel. Ginsan is, in my opinion, a knife makers steel of the future. It cuts smooth like carbon steel, sharpens as easy as carbon steel, but is stainless. What a great idea. But what really sets these apart is the mirror polished sakura (cherry blossom) pattern. Easily the sexiest knife in the world. I have seen the process, but have been sworn to secrecy about how the mirrored blossoms are hand polished onto the blade. Each blade comes with a handmade wooden saya (sheath).

It's been hard keeping these in stock since we started carrying them in July.

petty 120mm $285

petty 150mm $298

nakiri 165mm $350

santoku 165mm $387

gyuto 180mm $387

gyuto 210mm $466

Here is a new one with same kind pattern, but obviously based on a different plant.....................................A Japanese maple of course. Comes with a Japanese maple and water buffalo horn handle.
165mm Santoku $398

This is my fave new stuff. Also from Konosuke these are mirror polished by hand. They are sandvivk stainless steel, which means they will always be super mirro shiny. Check out our wave logo reflected in the blade. Next time I'm on TV this will be my go-to knife. It will look sick!!! Oh, also, these knives are made exclusively for Knifewear. Konosuke makes knives that look like this, but only in Sandvick steel for us. Cool huh? Waterproof hoo wood and water buffalo horn handle. Did I mention they are as light and as thin as any knife I've ever held. They cut like a dream.
 
120mm petty $284
150mm petty $295
165mm Nakiri $340
165mm Santoku $346
180mm Gyuto $361
210mm Gyuto $381
240mm Gyuto $422

Christmas in Inglewood

Knifewear will be participating in Inglewood's customer appreciation night, Christmas in Inglewood, again this year. It is a super fun night out. Many, many shops stay open late and offer great deals, samples, entertainment. A fun way to kick-off or maybe even finish your Christmas shopping.

We will be offering 10% off all nine lines of Masakage Knives in the shop that evening. Aviv Fried (Calgary's best bread baker) will be with us serving awesome samples and loaves to buy. Pierre Lamielle (Swerve's 'Easy Cook') will also be in the house signing cookbooks and generally being a nuisance.

Thursday November 18  6pm - 9pm