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tektek
Bronze Supporter
Joined: 24 Nov 2009
Age: 46
Gender: Male
Posts: 1,814
Location: Brisbane, Australia.
26 Jan 2010, 2:41 am
from FXcuisine.com
Quote:
Japanese Bladesmiths
Japanese kitchen knives cost more than a camera, they can't be washed in a machine, are subject to rusting and boy, they are so sharp that if you slip you'll lose a finger or two before you can say banzai. There is no doubt that these are the best knives in the world. Nothing comes close to them in terms of sharpness. With one of these knives, you could slice fish so thin you could read a whole chapter of La Physiologie du Goût through the slices. Earlier this month, I had the chance to see how knives are made in Japan like they have been for the last 200 years, following Mr Bjorn Heiberg from Chroma, a company that sells these legendary knives.
After a short ride on a commuter train from Osaka, we arrive in Sakai, the town where most Japanese knives are made. The smiths of yore made Samurai swords but with less samurais around, that market has dwindled over the years and now most of the production is sold to professional chefs. The city's main sight is the largest tomb in the world, a huge keyhole-shaped tumulus island where Emperor Nintoku lays buried.
I follow Mr Heiberg through the maze of small streets until he stops in front of a small two storied residential home. I think it's here, he says, before knocking and speaking in fluent Japanese with a man in blue overalls...
Japanese kitchen knives cost more than a camera, they can't be washed in a machine, are subject to rusting and boy, they are so sharp that if you slip you'll lose a finger or two before you can say banzai. There is no doubt that these are the best knives in the world. Nothing comes close to them in terms of sharpness. With one of these knives, you could slice fish so thin you could read a whole chapter of La Physiologie du Goût through the slices. Earlier this month, I had the chance to see how knives are made in Japan like they have been for the last 200 years, following Mr Bjorn Heiberg from Chroma, a company that sells these legendary knives.
After a short ride on a commuter train from Osaka, we arrive in Sakai, the town where most Japanese knives are made. The smiths of yore made Samurai swords but with less samurais around, that market has dwindled over the years and now most of the production is sold to professional chefs. The city's main sight is the largest tomb in the world, a huge keyhole-shaped tumulus island where Emperor Nintoku lays buried.
I follow Mr Heiberg through the maze of small streets until he stops in front of a small two storied residential home. I think it's here, he says, before knocking and speaking in fluent Japanese with a man in blue overalls...
the story continues here
