The Charm of Black Lacquer

Remember, these statements are our thoughts. This is how we connect "black" to "knives." It may be different for other knife vendors, or even for you! We are also focusing on the idea of using black lacquer, instead of talking about black on the blade. That is called a kurouchi finish, and while we sell knives with that finish, knife finishes are best saved for another article.

To us, black is flexible, luxurious, and strong in the world of fashion. So it can be in the kitchen too with black lacquer! Here's why:

Elegance and Simplicity

Black is a flexible color. It adapts to any style and pairs well with most other colors. In our case, most of our knives look lovely when paired with a black handle.

Because of this simplicity and depth, we use black as a color pair and contrast it against other colors. Sometimes, this is against the blade steel itself. Or, we may use black with other colors on the handle too. For example, red lacquer, brown woods, or even silver tin and nickel! Our Akaro Handled "Kirameki" White Steel #1 Yanagiba is a brilliant example of this.

Let's use a familiar example. Black is a popular base color in fashion, and black dress or suit gives a sophisticated look in formal or casual situations. We apply this process to knives too. A simple knife becomes sophisticated if we add black to it.

Our Kirameki knives often have black on the handle. It might be the whole handle, or it might be an accent. Kirameki knives are high-quality, professional-grade, and used as presentation pieces. So using black on the handle works well, as it gives the knife the luxurious feel to match its high-performance. Pairing these knives with a black lacquered saya strengthens this effect.

Strength and Dignity

Black symbolizes strength, power, and dignity. As we wrote earlier, it's a color used in professional and trustworthy attire. It leaves a strong impression on others and conveys "leadership."

Our Kirameki knives are often the main or "lead knife" of a chef. So, it should feel like a lead knife, and using black lacquer attains this goal. Our idea is to have a bold knife, that can cut well. Yet, we also want the user to have a refined experience. Our VG-10 Suzuchirashi Kirameki knives meet this purpose and are popular in the home as they are fun to use, while being easy to maintain.

Luxury and Opulence

Black is also known as a color that creates a sense of luxury. Sophisticated room interiors link well with black base colors. Those shades make us think of luxury hotels and high-end restaurants. It enhances the image of luxury when black items further use high-quality materials.

Many of our masterpiece knives, such as ones from Nakagawa Satoshi have black handles. The knives are luxurious, and the pinnacle of a chef's knife career.

We dont give our handles fancy, complicated shapes. To do so could hamper knife performance; our nickel and ebony custom handle seen below is about as fancy as we get shape-wise. So, the best thing to do is use a brilliant quality handle and use colour to give it a striking appeal. Black lacquer complemented with specks of tin (like our Suzuchirashi series) fits best.

Here are two examples of black lacquered knives we love. We take different approaches in both cases. Yet, both focus on the handle or sheathe being black.

They aren't flashy knives; they aren't meant to be. These are elegant knives and work as presentation pieces. They cut well, look striking, and contrast the black in different ways.

Both the knives above excel in their luxurious appearance and superior sharpness.

Using a sharp edge is essential for a good cooking experience. A luxurious knife creates more special moments too, thanks to its striking design. These traits are qualities that professionals demand, so we focus on them.

These knives, which pursue sharpness and beauty, convert cooking into a luxurious experience.

When looking for your next knife, it's important to focus on the knife's function. Yet, it's also important to focus on how you feel when using it. A luxurious experience can be a very fun one, so consider the chicness of black lacquer for your next knife. Or, try changing the handle on your current knife to a black one!

We don't sell black handles on their own, but we do custom orders if you want a new knife that has one. We do sell black lacquered saya, but only in-store or included with certain knives. Contact us, or visit us in Osaka and ask to see them anytime!