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  • Ikenami Hamono black-forged tanebasami scissors | 5 sun ・ 15cm ・ 5.9" | Knife Japan
  • Ikenami Hamono black-forged tanebasami scissors | 5 sun ・ 15cm ・ 5.9" | Knife Japan
  • Ikenami Hamono black-forged tanebasami scissors | 5 sun ・ 15cm ・ 5.9" | Knife Japan
  • Ikenami Hamono black-forged tanebasami scissors | 5 sun ・ 15cm ・ 5.9" | Knife Japan
  • Ikenami Hamono black-forged tanebasami scissors | 5 sun ・ 15cm ・ 5.9" | Knife Japan

Ikenami Hamono Tanebasami | 5-sun black-forged sakura cover, vermilion lining

$109.00
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Product Description

'5-sun' Tanebasami scissors.
Overall length: 15.15 cm (approx. 6")
Perfect for: patchwork, scrapbooking and papercrafts, book-binding and repairs, all precision cutting.
Weight in hand: 58g
Hand-made cloth cover in 'sakura' pattern in soft red with vermilion lining, as pictured. 'Sakura' is cherry blossom, the floral emblem of Japan. As a fun side note, cherry blossom is said to reflect the Japanese character in that the tree's myriad blossom waits until the very last bud has flowered, then they all start falling together. 
Card box, gift-wrapped in Tanegashima-themed paper.
Free worldwide shipping.

Tanebasami scissors have been produced on the Japanese island of Tanegashima since 1543. They are available in four sizes, these are the second to smallest, excellent for fine cutting work where some blade length is required (edge length is around 55mm).

Not quite long enough to be thought of as general-purpose scissors, but they offer superb control. These scissors are sharply pointed and allow the user to cut with confidence right to the very tip of the blades.

Tanebasami are hand-forged from high carbon steel and they are astonishingly sharp. Stainless steel has many advantages but if you have only used stainless steel scissors then you haven't experienced true sharpness; the cutting feel of tanebasami is simply wonderful.

The black finish on this pair is the traditional means of rust-protection, and is achieved by the application of special oils at the end of the forging process. Still, please be aware these scissors should be kept clean and dry to avoid rust spots on the naked steel. If you live in a humid environment please store them in the supplied corrosion-inhibiting paper sleeve.

 Traditional Japanese scissors. Amazingly sharp.

YSS Shirogami white#1 steel.
Hand-forged on Tanegashima Island.
 

When we first encountered these scissors, an older and wiser head convinced us that because of their special steel and their unique blade shape and action that they are actually self sharpening, something we'd never heard of but were rather enthusiastic about. We had to have a pair! 

So we journeyed to Tanegashima, where Ikenami san of the Ikenami Hamono company set us straight. There's no such thing as self-sharpening scissors (he was looking at us a bit oddly, come to think of it.) 

But Tanebasami are the next best thing. You just won't credit how wonderful these scissors really are. Cutting fabric is like cutting nothing at all, with an incredibly smooth blade action that cuts right to the very tip. Choki-choki! They're hand-forged and hand-finished by a Master Craftsman. A real one. 

They're beautiful, or at least we think so. They have a wonderful balance and cut unbelievably cleanly (this we know). And they have an intangible quality that just makes you want to go around cutting things. 

Tanegasami sizes are in the old measure of Japanese 'sun', (written as 寸 and pronounced as in 'gesundheit'). 

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