Masakage Knives launch party

Masakage Knives started as bit of fun for Shibata san and myself. While in Banff (January 2009) we spoke about what we loved  about kitchen knives and what would make our perfect knives. By June we had our first line available at Knifewear.  A good bit of fun really.  Now we are ready to launch Masakage Knives. We currently have seven lines each consisting of 2-9 blades.

Shibata san is Hiroshima's top knife sharpener and I am arguably Canada's largest knife nerd. At least the nerdiest. We have been sending prototypes back and forth, selecting the steel we want for each line, choosing handles, adjusting shape, height and width of individual blades, fine tuning the appearance of each knife and naming each line. This was/is one of the most fun times of my life. I believe we've created kitchen knives that are new, unique and desirable.

Masakage knives are all handmade in Japan by four of our favourite blacksmiths. Kato san, Anryu san and Kuroskai san hail from Takefu. Kageura san works on Shikoku Island near Tosa.

The knives represent what we love in kitchen knives. High performance, sexiness and personality. As you can imagine we are more than a bit proud of these knives.

 Currently Masakage knives are available exclusively through Knifewear.

Our launch party for Masakage Knives is at Knifewear on Tuesday 4 May starting at 6pm. Beer by Wildrose Brewery and food by Sugo. Hope to see you then.

Trust us we are professionals

More great press

I really feel like a rock star. It will be leather pants and sunglasses all the way next time you're in the shop. And if you look hard enough you can find a link to a video to go with the article. Cool huh?

http://www.avenuecalgary.com/articles/page/item/the-expert%3A-kevin-kent

New Gallery

Yay!! We now have a new knife making gallery. Check it out. These are all picutres taken on my last trip to Japan. I especially like the picture of Fujiwara san and his sword. He can make you one as well if you have a spare $100,000.

http://knifewear.com/japanese-knife-gallery.asp

Staff Update

This is Rance. He is our part-time Go-To-Man. You may see him on the weekends, helping out with sharpening classes or at events away from the shop.

Rance is a Knife Nerd who found our shop while shopping for better Japanese knives. After spending an our with us he asked for a job. He really is one of us.

Welcome aboard.

Meet the New Staff

 

As regular visitors to the shop will know, Toru has returned to Japan. His plan is to apprentice as a blacksmith, possibly with Iwasaki san the most talented straight razor maker in the world or with a knife maker. I can't wait to use your handy work, Toru.

We are mega happy to welcome Mark and Kasumi to the team. Mark is a knife nerd from way back as well as a carpenter and drummer. You can find Mark behind the kit of the Steve McQueen Band most Saturday nights. Kasumi comes to us from that great city of Tokyo. She is easily the most professional and organised of us all. BTW her Japanese and English are flawless. Her French is pretty good as well.

Welcome aboard Mark and Kasumi. The shop is a better place again.

We are as cool as John Deer and Budweiser

Yes, it true that we are officially super cool. We have ball hats and new shirts!! The hats say "don't touch my knives" on the back. And I hope the Ramones don't sue us over the shirt design. Thanks, Keith, for modeling. $16 for the hats and $20 for the shirts.