Michihamono is a small maker of carving knives and chisels in Miki City, Hyōgo, Japan's traditional home of blacksmithing and hardware. The company began as a subcontractor making sickles and gradually turned its skills to carving tools, which are now its speciality.
Michihamono tools are used for an unusually wide range of crafts: carving Buddhist statues and Noh masks, Kamakura-bori lacquerware, woodblock printing, seal engraving and even eraser-stamp carving. Its high-speed steel blades are heat-treated by specialist firms, and each tool passes through several craftsmen in turn, from shaping and grinding the blade to fitting the handle and final inspection.
Alongside its carving tools, Michihamono makes the Hiyokko range of sickles and runs CARVY, an antenna shop in Tokyo. Its tools suit both beginners and professional carvers.
Kuksa - Japanese Cup Carving Kit
Kuksa - Japanese Cup Carving Kit
The Kuksa is a traditional Finnish vessel. Customarily carved from the burl of birch trees, it has particular importance to the Sami people and can be a possession so highly prized that it becomes the only cup a person uses.
This comprehensive kit gives you the chance to carve your own Kuksa-style vessel. Importantly, the most arduous part of the work has already been completed, as the cup's bowl has already been excavated and the handle's hole is already drilled.
This kuksa blank is made from Katsura timber, an asian hardwood that is very light and relatively dense. Included is also a square plate from walnut, and a cypress teaspoon blank
Also included is four high-speed steel (double-layer steel) carving knives:
We suggest you not use detergent on your wooden kuksa, and using it regularly is the best way to make sure it does not dry out too much, which can lead to splitting.
As we experiment with different finishes for our kuksa, we will update this page.
Dimensions:
Hollow for liquid: 60cm diameter, 45mm deep
Exterior Diameter: 75mm
Overall Length: 130mm
Overall Height: 55mm
Handle Hole Diameter: 21mm