the GOODS from Knifewear

Vancouver, BC | Twice a year Kevin Kent of Knifewear goes to Japan on a buying frenzy. He buys up blacksmith experiments, knives from new blacksmiths, prototypes, one-of-a-kind knives and cool stuff that just entertains him. They also throw some retired sample knives and scratch/dent items into the mix to make things even more interesting. All of it is priced to move.

The Garage Sale starts when doors open at 10am on November 7, but Kent says there’s usually a line of chefs and aficionados begun by 9:30 on Monday. The sale runs for a week, but many people want their pick of the full selection so they come early on the first day. Most of the early birds are itching to get a certain special knife, or just looking for a deal that wouldn’t normally be available.

Prices start at $40 for some factory made knives from Tojiro and go all the way to $3200 for a gorgeous Yanagiba from the soon-to-retire Kageura-san. This shipment of knives from Kageura-san’s workshop are made from hand folded Damascus steel he created himself from old pieces of ship hull and a shovel.

Kevin tells us Kageura-san is one of the best blacksmiths they’ve ever worked with, one of the best in the world. Since he is set to retire in the coming years, these items are some of the last to leave his shop. If you need a damascus steel axe, or some other gorgeous legacy knife in the photo below, you’ll NEED to visit Knifewear.

This year the Garage Sale will also have an abundance of items from the world famous Fujiwara-san. He and his father invented the techniques of making a knife with a carbon steel core wrapped with stainless steel. This means you get a wicked sharp knife that’s easy to re-sharpen and protected by steel that won’t rust. Below is a photo of one of his custom knife displays after Kevin got at them. Fujiwara-san loves when Knifewear comes to visit.

Of course there will also be knives from perennial favourites Tojiro, including items made by the only female blacksmith in Japan, Sayaka-san, as well as from Masakage, including more Corian-handled Masakage Zeros, which were very popular when the blacksmiths visited Vancouver this summer.

The folks at Knifewear are very excited for this Garage Sale, because as you can see, it will include some of the most special items they’ve ever imported. We hope to see you there!

This fall the Garage Sale is happening from November 7 to 13, at all locations, including Vancouver, and online at knifewear.com/garage-sale

DETAILS

4215 Main Street, Vancouver, BC
Phone: (604)-215-1033 | Email: [email protected]
Web: www.knifewear.com | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Hours: 10am – 6pm

Classes Offered (Please call or visit ahead of time to prebook)
Cut Like A Chef – Saturdays at 9:00 a.m.
Hand Knife Sharpening – Thursdays at 6:00 p.m.

GALLERY

THE PEOPLE

Owner and President: Kevin Kent
Operations Manager: Mike Wrinch

ABOUT KNIFEWEAR

Knifewear sells crazy sharp knives that keep their edge longer than you ever thought possible. Japanese knives are made with harder steel, and because of this they stay sharper for longer. By bringing these knives to professional and home chefs, Knifewear creates happiness in the kitchen. No more squished tomatoes!

While working in London, at the famed St. John Restaurant, Kevin Kent, owner of Knifewear, developed a taste for exquisite Japanese blades. Upon moving back to Calgary he found there was nowhere he could indulge his new-found desire for them. Realizing he could help others find the same joy he found in the kitchen, he developed the relationships in Japan that allowed him to bring these shockingly great knives to Calgary. His first sales were to chefs, often from a backpack while riding across town on the company bicycle. Many great knives were purchased in the loading bays and back doors of restaurants, turning many of his friends into customers, but also customers into friends. In February of 2008, his first shop opened in Calgary. As of 2016, Knifewear has shops in four cities: Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa and Vancouver.

Performance at Knifewear starts where other knife stores top out. This means that their entry level knives are as good as the best knives in every other knife shop in Canada… and it only goes up from there. Japanese knives are also lighter than other knives, which makes them easier to handle and takes the struggle out of dicing and chopping.

Knifewear carries a huge selection of knives, the majority of them are handmade and many of these lines are never seen outside of Japan except at Knifewear. They are also super sexy, desirable works of art.

Never tried a Japanese knife? come by Knifewear and “test drive” one.