[Handmade mon-no-kata-kiri (mon stencil knife)]

Description

1 knife : bamboo, metal, string ; 6.5 x .375 (diameter) in.

Handmade mon-no-kata-kiri (mon stencil knife similar to exacto knife) composed of a metal blade (6.5 in.) inserted in length of tapering bamboo handle (6.25 in.) and extends (0.3125 in.) beyond the end of bamboo to a sharp angled point. The 2 pieces of the handle are fastened tightly with fine string at ends.

History
Mrs. Shizu Kaigo used the knife to cut out stencils for kamon or mon (Japanese family crest) on formal kimonos for the Japanese community in Hawaii.

All requests for permission to publish, reproduce, or quote from materials in this collection must be submitted to the Hirasaki National Resource Center at the Japanese American National Museum (hnrc@janm.org).