Getting into the right frame of mind - The most important thing when cutting -

Cutting is one of the most important processes in umbrella manufacturing.
As the name suggests, this refers to the process of cutting fabric to fit a wooden mold.

At the Komiya Shoten workshop, craftsmen from veterans to young workers cut the fabric with leather knives used for cutting leather products. It may seem simple to just move the knife along the wooden pattern, but it takes a long time to get the hang of it, as the fabric may wrinkle or not be cut depending on the angle of the blade and the amount of pressure applied. Sometimes the wooden pattern itself is scraped off, and when this happens, the pattern must be made again from scratch.

Craftsmen, from young to experienced, all say they feel tense when they hold a knife and stand in front of the cutting table. When asked what is the most important thing in cutting, they all answer "sharpening." Before talking about experience and knowledge, it is important to sharpen the knife, in other words, to do the preliminary work.
Sharpening is also a very difficult task, as you need to know what angle to use against the whetstone and how much pressure to apply. However, it goes without saying that cutting corners here will have a negative impact on your future work.

In Komiya Shoten's workshop, the sound of blades being sharpened can be heard many times a day.
The dry sound that resonates in a steady rhythm helps you focus your attention on your feelings and attitude towards making something.

Sharpening a knife may also be a process of sharpening one's own senses.


(The person appearing in the video is a young craftsman who joined the group as a regular craftsman this year.)