I almost parted ways with my savoured sushi knife

By Howard Pressburger

Like most of you, every morning when I wake up, after I do my calisthenics and take my blood pressure, I thank my lucky stars I live in the Annex. Also, like most of you, if I didn’t have to visit my in-laws, I’d probably never leave the neighbourhood. But surprisingly enough, there are some stores and services here that I’ve never taken advantage of. (Not just the waxing bars and psychiatrists.) Until recently, I had never visited Knifewear, the store for Japanese knives located at 517 Bloor St. W.

If you’ve been reading my articles, you know that once upon a time I learned how to make sushi from an authentic Japanese Itamae. And although I never worked professionally, I did spend years treating my friends to some pretty darn good nigiri, maki, uramaki, and temaki (and occasionally sashimi when I ran out of rice). But those days are long behind me; I hung my makisu over my bathroom window and turned my hangiri into a shadow box for a Ramones record. I tucked my sushi knife back into its box and put it away in hopes of using it again, but alas that has never happened.

A few weeks ago, I noticed a sign taped to the window of Knifewear. They were taking trade-ins of Japanese knives towards the purchase of a new one. Even with an emotional attachment to my sushi knife, I felt I could let it go to find a new home with someone who could care for it as I once did. In return, I’d get myself a new chef’s knife that I could use every day that would fill the hole left in my heart by my dear sushi knife. It was just a figurative hole,by the way.

So I took my knife, and a deep breath, and walked into Knifewear. I always feel uneasy going to a place for the first time, especially when it’s unfamiliar and I lack confidence in my knowledge about their stock and trade; I felt the same way the first time I went to the Vatican. But immediately I was greeted with a hearty “Hey, Howard,” which also may have happened the first time I went to the Vatican. This was Brian who has been coming to the hardware store for a while and is one of the special breed of people in our community who remembers my name and can recognize me when I’m not wearing my signature red and black uniform. He seemed genuinely happy, and maybe a bit surprised, to see me in his place of work. As he was about to teach a course on knife skills, he passed me on to Binh-An to help with my trade-in. 

Since I had the original box, and the engraving on the knife blade was in excellent condition, the first step was to figure out who made it. It turns out my knife is from the Sakon Shiraume collection by Hokiyama cutlery. Binh-An explained that there are different knife companies, different forgers, and different sharpeners. It was almost overwhelming to discover the storied and complex history of traditional designs and methods behind Japanese knives. Different regions have their own styles and techniques, traditions, and lineages of knives and knife makers, in some cases going back hundreds of years. It was almost too much to take in, but it was fascinating and elucidating all the same. Unfortunately, my particular knife was not on the list of ones they were taking during this promotion, mainly because it is  almost 30 years old. This wasn’t a knock against its name or quality; it’s  similar to how some music stores specialize in new guitars and others in vintage guitars. 

Nevertheless, they were kind enough to hone my knife and bring the blade back to its original razor-sharp edge which didn’t take much because Japanese knives hold their edge much longer, and I had kept mine in excellent shape.

They have many, many knives of all shapes, sizes, and prices. They have a wide range of knife and kitchen accessories. They offer sharpening services, various courses, and even knife-centric t-shirts (hence the name). The staff are excellent, inviting, and very knowledgeable. I had the chance to gain some insight from Kuma who explained the process of making a knife and how Eastern and Western knives differ. And Maddie gave me the history of this Canadian company and its founder, Kevin.

Knifewear is worth a visit, whether you’re a seasoned chef or just knife-curious. 

Howard Pressburger is manager of Wiener’s Home Hardware, the beloved and essential retail institution established in 1922.

READ MORE BY HOWARD PRESSBURGER:

• LIFE: A tale of two bookstores (Apr. 2026)
• LIFE: Coffee two ways (Feb. 2026)
• NEW IN BUSINESS: Clothing options on Bloor for the fashion conscious(Dec. 2025)
• NEW IN BUSINESS: Delightfully Turkish (Sept. 2025)