Kiridashi

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Kiridashi-Kogatana each with right and left bevel

The Kiridashi ( Japanese 切 り 出 し or 切 出 し ; alternative names: Kiridashi-kogatana 切 り 出 し 小刀 or Kiridashi-naifu 切 り 出 し ナ イ フ ) is a Japanese knife shape, which is characterized by the angled blade with a straight edge; Depending on the application, the blade thickness and height can vary. Kiridashi are mostly straight, but there are also comma or fish-shaped kiridashi.

Kiridashi comes in all price ranges, from a few hundred to several tens of thousands of yen .

blade

The blade usually consists of a laminated steel, ie a hard cutting layer made of steel (also made of Tamahagane for collector's items ), which is connected to at least one soft support layer made of iron or, with more expensive knives, usually Suminagashi . Blades ground on one side consist of two blades, ground on both sides in three layers (the steel for the cutting edge is in the middle). Blades made of mono steel, especially stainless steel, are rare.

The bevel is almost exclusively on one side on the right side of the blade. Blades ground on one side enable right-angled cutting edges and precise guidance on the ruler . In addition, the flat mirror side makes it possible to achieve almost flat surfaces when carving. There are also kiridashi for left-handers that are sharpened to the left as well as blades sharpened on both sides.

Like the shape of the blade, the cutting angle is also adapted to the task at hand and is usually between 20 ° (fine work) and 40 ° (rough work). Kiridashi can be sharpened very sharply due to the structure of the blade, but are then accordingly sensitive.

Handle and scabbard

In addition to models with traditional wooden handles or modern plastic handles, there are many models in which the flat one serves as a handle. The tang is often wrapped with cord, leather straps or thin rattan to protect and improve grip .

There are also folding knives and sliding knives with a Kiridashi blade, but these are an exception.

use

  • In wood processing, Kiridashi are used for veneering , inlaying and carving . It is also used by woodworkers instead of a shirabiki for precise marking.
  • When working with cardboard and paper, the Kiridashi-kogatana for the straight cut is superior to a cutter knife in terms of accuracy, as the blade neither swings nor bends.
  • In addition to the higonokami , it was used to sharpen pencils and colored pencils before sharpeners became popular.
  • In the nursery, Kiridashi is used for various finishing work , where it is important that the cut is as clean and smooth as possible.
  • In Japanese cuisine, Kiridashi is used on the one hand in decorative food carvings, on the other hand in Osaka a special form of Kiridashi is used as Unagisaki hōchō .

European equivalent

A very similar knife finds its equivalent in the shoemaker's main tool. The name of this knife is the pub .

Kiridashi as a fad

Outside of Japan, in the USA or even Europe, there is a trend to reinterpret the traditional Kiridashi design. Knife makers such as Todd Begg, Fred Perrin and Jesper Voxnæs have had Kiridashi variants in their repertoire for some time.

To increase sales, Kiridashi-shaped blades are often wrapped with cord or paracord and offered as "tactical knives" or even as "tactical knives" (combat knives).

literature