Graduation Project - Reha Knife Craft of Kutch - Rohit Chandak

DEGREE PROJECT Design & Development of Professional Kitchen & Tableware Knives for Reha Craft Sponsor : KHAMIR Craft Resource Center & Hunnarshala Foundation Bhuj, Kachchh.

Volume : 1 STUDENT : ROHIT RAMESH CHANDAK PROGRAMME : Master of Design (M. Des)

GUIDE : KRISHNA AMIN-PATEL

2018 LIFESTYLE ACCESSORY DESIGN (TEXTILE, APPAREL & LIFESTYLE ACCESSORY DESIGN FACULTY)

The Evaluation Jury recommends ROHIT RAMESH CHANDAK for the Degree of the National Institute of Design LIFESTYLE ACCESSORY DESIGN (TEXTILE, APPAREL & LIFESTYLE ACCESSORY DESIGN FACULTY)

herewith, for the project titled “Design & Development of Professional Kitchen and Tableware Knives for Reha Craft” on fulfilling the further requirements by*

Chairman Members :

Jury Grade : *Subsequent remarks regarding fulfilling the requirements : This Project has been completed in ________________ weeks.

Activity Chairperson, Education

Originality Statement I hereby declare that this submission is my own work and it contains no full or substantial copy of previously published material, or it does not even contain substantial proportions of material which have been accepted for the award of any other degree or final graduation of any other educational institution, except where due acknowledgement is made in this graduation project. Moreover I also declare that none of the concepts are borrowed or copied without due acknowledgement. I further declare that the intellectual content of this graduation project is the product of my own work, except to the extent that assistance from others in the project’s design and conception or in style, presentation and linguistic expression is acknowledged. This graduation project (or part of it) was not and will not be submitted as assessed work in any other academic course.

Student Name in Full: ____________________________________________

Signature: Date:

____________________________________________ ______________________

Copyright Statement I hereby grant the National Institute of Design the right to archive and to make available my graduation project/thesis/dissertation in whole or in part in the Institute’s Knowledge Management Centre in all forms of media, now or hereafter known, subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act. I have either used no substantial portions of copyright material in my document or I have obtained permission to use copyright material.

Student Name in Full: ____________________________________________

Signature: Date:

____________________________________________ ______________________

COPYRIGHTS © 2018 Student Document Publication meant for private circulation only.

All rights reserved Master of Design (M. Des) Lifestyle Accessory Design (LAD) National Institute of Design (NID), India

No part of this document will be reproduced or transmitted in any form or any means including photography, xerography, photocopying and video recording without written note from the publisher, Rohit Chandak and the National Institute of Design.

All Illustrations and Photographs are copyright by respective people and organisation.

Edited and Designed by: Rohit Ramesh Chandak rohit_c@nid.edu, rohit.rc.gd@gmail.com Processed at: KHAMIR Craft Resource Centre Behind BMCB Social City, Lakhond-Kukma Crossroads Post Village Kukma, Taluka Bhuj, Kachchh, Gujarat 370105, India Phone: +91 02832 – 271272/422 www.khamir.org National Institute of Design GH-0, Reliance circle, Near Info-city, Gandhinagar, Gujarat 382007, India www.nid.edu Digitally published at: National Institute of Design, Gandhinagar - August 2018 Typeface: Cover & Certificate: Frutiger Book: Lora by Olga Karpushina - 2011 (Headline) Lato by Łukasz Dziedzic - 2010 (Body)

The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Content i Foreword ii Acknowledgement iii Project Brief iv Project Timeline Introduction a. About NID b. About LAD c. What is a graduation project? d. Why this project? e. About kachchh f. About KHAMIR g. Crafts of kachchh

The Reha knife craft of kutch a. About reha & its metal knife craft b. Tools & raw materials c. Process - forging, casting, buffing & brass Inlay d. Artisan’s workplace e. Products

Kala cotton branding & collective sculpture

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

‘Cutting’ - what? where? when? how? why? a. Mapping cutting, exploring knives b. Exploring activity & techniques of cutting c. Market study - India scenario d. Knowing materials - steel, brass & wood e. Brand study: Western - Wusthof, ZJA Henckels, Victorinox Eastern - Kirikuchi, Miyabi, Shun

Forging apperenticeship Safety kit need assessment, procurement & distribution Concept development a. Defining design direction b. Survey study from chefs’ c. Ergonomic study & prototyping d. Concepting identity

Prototyping a. Prototyping with brass inlay understanding limitations & further improvements b. Final prototypes, packaging & package graphics c. Production, product and packaging costing

Epilogue & further scope Bibliography

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Foreword KHAMIR instituted soon after the earthquake of 2001, since then it has been empowering and bringing forward the creative industries of Kachchh’s region, the land of Kachchh is transitional in nature and its crafts are diverse, from weaving to metal works to leather.

Through these tools, one can have ease to come up with delicious food, or tools which requires for it to be consumed.

Reha knife craft is one such important craft form of this region. This craft has seen no major design intervention in the past and nor has been able to sustain itself well in current market scenario.

The craft has been known in the past for its forging technique to make cutlery tools, Knifes, agrarian equipment, swords and armoires which served the local community and royal families well and had been much appreciated. But with changing time and needs the craft somewhere lacked behind in transforming itself to meet the ongoing expectations.

a complete set to cater to the Indian hospitality and Domestic household industry.

The idea here is to extend the design dictionary of artisans by developing a range of Kitchen and Tableware tools, used along with the knife, to make

KHAMIR is trying to make this craft more market relevant through understanding the current needs, give a market exposure to the artisans of Reha and make a design intervention, which still preserves their traditional process, such that the community as a whole can be able to practice it and be able to take it forward.

India, being diverse in its culture, favours its rich culinary pallet, with each household, restaurant and hotel requiring Kitchen and table top tools of its own, Knife being the foremost basic one. One who cooks, knows the value of a good quality equipment to perform his / her rituals.

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Acknowledgement

Fig 1: top to bottom, left to right - Majid Bhai, Hemraj Bhai, Amad Bhai, Naran Bhai, Krishna Patel, Ms. Juhi Pandey, Mr Ghatit Laheru, Jigar Bhai, Harish Hurmade, Valji Bhai, Nanu Masi, Raji Ben, Mali Kaka, Manish Bhai, Vaghela Ji, Dhanji BhaiGeeta Ben & Kanku Ben, Nupur, Tanya, Katrin & Kankana

The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

My deepest of gratitude goes to the artisans of Reha for having trust in me through this process and extending their skill and knowledge towards the development of Reha knife craft.

I thank Nanu Masi and Raji Ben and entire plastic recycling unit for their work towards sustainable solution for waste plastic bags, which is a part of packaging in this project.

I would like to thank Majid Bhai for his selfless support and being so patient in buffing and sharpening the knives through my journey. Hemraj Bhai, one of the humblest and finest Forging artisan

I thank Mali kaka, for taking care of trees around KHAMIR campus, Manish Bhai for cooking us all delicious food every day, Nilesh Bhai, Dhanji Bhai, Geeta Ben, Kanku Ben from Housekeeping for

I have met in Reha, I was truly fortunate to see his traditional forging set-up and reviving it. Amad Bhai, one of the youngest artisan in Reha being just 22yr old, I thank him for carrying this craft forward and being an essential part of the project. Naran Bhai, for expertise and eye for detailing, we worked together on the Kala cotton Sculpture and his willingness to accept new design challenges were truly inspiring.

making and keeping our stay clean and smooth.

I would like to thank Krishna Patel for being my Guide for this project, her guidance, trust and encouragement has been a great support through this project.

I thank Ms. Juhi Pandey for mentoring, supporting and considering me worthwhile for this project and KHAMIR for giving me this opportunity and playing a supporting system for this project, I thank Mr. Ghatit Laheru, Harish Hurmade, Jigar Bhai, Hemal Bhai, Niral Bhai, Bharat Bhai, Deepak Bhai, Bhagwan Bhai from the KHAMIR’s admin and management team.

I would like to thank all the friends that I made in KHAMIR during my tenure, Katrin, Tanya, Nupur, Kankana I thank you all for being there through thick and thin of this journey.

Most of all, I would Like to thank NID for giving me an opportunity to learn here, it has moulded me into a process of being best version of myself as a designer and beings of this planet. The Lifestyle Accessory Design department, Amresh Panigrahi (Co-ordinator – LAD), Shimul Vyas (Mentor – LAD) and all my classmates, I have learnt a lot about Design and life in general from them all.

Nonetheless, I would like to thank all the people of Reha & Kachchh for their hospitality. Working in Kachchh has been an experience of a lifetime.

Lastly, I want to thank my Papa and Ma for understanding me at every stage of my career and life and supporting my decisions, they have always given their best to design my life better.

I would like to thank Valji Bhai, Master tailor from stitching unit for his support and extending his skills towards creating packaging.

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Original Brief To study and document the Reha-Knife making craft of Kutch, to understand the process, material and technique and to develop a product range which can be promoted to the domestic retail market of India.

v The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Redefined Brief Developing a range of Lifestyle Products in the Tableware & Kitchenware category for Indian Hospitality & Domestic market.

This project is aimed towards reviving the Metal Knife Craft of Reha of Kachchh region through documentation and design intervention for developing a lifestyle product range, which can be promoted to the Hospitality & domestic retail market of India, which caters the rebuilding of self-sustained eco-system around this craft.

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D e c e m b e r

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2 0 1 7

Understanding the framework of organisation, craft, Community and material through an In-House project

Kala-cotton Sculpture with the artisans of Reha Planning Exhibition, graphics and Identity with the team of Khamir

F e b r u a r y Mapping “Cutting”

Forging Apprenticeship with the artisans of Reha.

Secondary Research Knowing Steel Market Study

“Conceptualisation”

M a y Refinement and prototyping Report on need assesment of Safety kits for artisans of Reha Finalising Identity

The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Project Timeline J a n u a r y

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2 0 1 8

Craft Documentation

Guide Visit - 01 31st January, 3:00PM.

Re-defining brief / Constructing proposal Secondary Research

M a r c h

A p r i l

Defining Design Direction / Concept Developement Ergonomic Study and prototyping

Guide Visit - 02 26th April, 4:00PM.

Concept refinement and Prototyping Primary Research / User Study

Survey questionaires to chefs’ around country

Analysing Insights

Concepting Identity

J u n e

J u l y

Final Prototyping Packaging and Graphic Design

Guide Visit - 03 29th June, 11:00AM.

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A u g u s t

Documentation Marketing Assistance

Pricing Overlooking Production

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Fig 2: NID Gandhinagar, academic building interiors

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

National Institute of Design is internationally acclaimed as one of the finest educational and research institutions for Industrial, Communication, Textile and IT Integrated (Experiential) Design. It is an autonomous institution under the aegis of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. NID has been declared ‘Institution of National Importance’ by the Act of Parliament, by virtue of the National Institute of Design Act 2014.

It is also recognised by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, Government of India as a Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation.

The establishment of NID was a result of several forces, both global and local. The late 1950s saw a confluence of these forces, and this time would be a significant one for Indian culture and education.

This was a time of reappraisal and reconstruction in a newly independent India. A young nation was confronted with the mammoth task of nation building, of balancing age-old traditions with modern technology and ideas. The Modern Movement, the philosophy of Machine Aesthetics, and revolutionary experimentation in the arts, architecture and design were all taking place at the same time. There was a search for the Indian identity across all aspects of life.

At the same time the Government of India was considering establishing an institute of design, under the advice of Pupul Jayaker and other like-minded people. The 1950s were a decade of rapid industrialization in India and clearly, the need for such an institute grew stronger. In 1957 the Government of India requested the Ford Foundation to invite Charles and Ray Eames to visit India.

Charles and Ray Eames travelled to all parts of the country, meeting and talking to writers, craftspeople, architects, scientists, industrialists, educators and philosophers. They took hundreds of photographs of their travels.

On April 7, 1958, the Eameses presented the India Report to the Government of India. The Eames Report defined the underlying spirit that would lead to the founding of NID and beginning of design education in India. The Report recommended a problem-solving design consciousness that linked learning with actual experience and suggested that the designer could be a bridge between tradition and modernity. The Report called upon future designers to re-examine the alternatives of growth available to the country at that time.

Based on the recommendations made in the India Report, the Government of India with the assistance of the Ford Foundation and the Sarabhai family established the National Institute of Industrial Design, as it was originally called as an autonomous all-India body in September 1961 at Ahmedabad. Gautam Sarabhai and his sister Gira ben played a major role in the establishment and early years of NID. Gautam Sarabhai sidestepped the accepted wisdom and conventional method of education. He revived the philosophy of the Bauhaus design movement which was learning by doing. This unique curriculum and revolutionary educational philosophy remain part of NID to the present day. source: nid.edu

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Fig 3: LAD class of 2015

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Lifestyle Accessory Design The Lifestyle Accessory Design (LAD) postgraduate programme educates and trains professional designers to visualize and create lifestyle accessories and systems using different materials, processes and technologies.

It relates to people’s way of living and the products they interact with, which form an important basis of their day- to-day lives. Focusing on personal and space accessories and products, it offers a strong multi-disciplinary edge wherein the students get an opportunity to work in wide spectrum of domains such as jewellery; watches; bags; luggage; footwear; lighting; furniture, space accessories and interior objects; trend research; and colours, materials and trims for white goods and automobile interiors. The students are encouraged to build emotive connect and conceptual experiences for the consumers through the products they create.

The programme draws from indigenous contexts and their socio-cultural values, beliefs, practices, cultural diversity, and knowledge which have contemporary applications in a global context. It delves into perception and trend studies of diverse dynamics that influence the lifestyles of consumers from various strata of society.

The designers from this programme aspire to drive the market by Designing for Changing Needs and Designing for Future Needs and make ‘Designed in India’ a premier global brand. source: nid.edu

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c

Graduation Project The graduation project is the final stage of the academic curriculum at NID. As a part of the curriculum, all final year students are required to undertake a graduation project, which is a full-scale design project with the industry. The graduation project, which is expected to be 4-6 month in duration, is a complete demonstration of independent client service by the student and is expected to generate a professional design assignment with application and implementation capabilities.

It aims at giving the student, exposure to a real-life situation in the industry with evident constraints, time frames and methodology. It is an opportunity for the student to exhibit his skills as a design professional in the industry with a regular but limited guidance from the institute. The project is the culmination of the student’s learning process at NID, further enhanced by the learning and skill acquired by the interaction with the industry. This exposure allows the student to grow in confidence and utilize all that has been taught in terms of practical application, understanding, client brief, material behaviours, production constraints, cost considerations, market trends and buyer’s psychology amongst other things.

Thus, the graduation project is an exposure to the professional world and gives the student, an opportunity to utilize the knowledge acquired at NID.

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Why this project?

Ever since my undergraduate time in Visual arts, I have had a keen interest towards crafts and I was introduced to it at RDTDC (Regional Institute of Design and Technical Development Centre), Bangalore an institute set up by Ministry of Textile for craft training and development, where I learnt hands-on skills on bamboo and terracotta craft apart from gaining know-how knowledge of chennapattana toys, bronze casting, block printing and cane furniture craft. Most of my early interaction with crafts were more about observing and learning it as it is.

My interest towards crafts landed myself into NID Bangalore as an associate researcher, in a project called e-Kalpa : Creating digital learning environment for design in India, where I had opportunity to travel across Northern Karnataka, Telangana, Gujarat and Rajasthan to record, learn and document various Handicrafts in these regions, it gave me immense learning experience of crafts, craft’s people, their practice and culture and had built an even stronger connection towards Handicrafts.

System design and Craft workshop have sensitized me to keenly observe & study the interrelation of Human, Object and Environment from a Microscopic to System level.

When I reflected on my learnings and the ideas which brought me here, I wanted to try and test them in handicraft sector, the very roots of my design journey through this graduation project. At the same time there was a need for intervention in Reha knife craft as identified by Hunnarshala Foundation and KHAMIR craft resource centre, Bhuj.

Handicrafts of India has always been one of the inspiration and important pillar of design education and an important Mandate at NID.

“To provide design intervention for crafts, handlooms, rural technology, small and medium scale enterprise and outreach programmes for capacity and institution building and sustainable livelihood, employment opportunities and economic growth” (Source: nid.edu)

Thereafter, I joined Lifestyle Accessory Design, reading the description of this programme in NID’s website, the programme’s description best suited with whatever little idea I had about what I would want to do with it, apart from it, having no idea of what and how I would be learning here in this discipline, but it has opened a whole new world for me.

Modules like Form in relation to Emotion and Culture, Personal & Space object, Experience design,

India is a large repository of unique art practices, culture and rich history, the history of craft, which can be dated back to be as old as Indus civilization itself. Some of them are indigenous and some of them have travelled from far away before settling here. They have been passed on through generations, creating close knit fabric of traditional knowledge. Unfortunately, most of the artisans today struggle with surviving in a contemporary

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

world of fast moving goods and rapidly changing technology, yet they remain priceless asset of Indian aesthetics and culture.

Sources say there are about twenty crore artisans involved throughout country involved in various craft activities for livelihood and thirty percent of whom have left practicing in the recent three decades, suggesting a strong need of undertaking and intervention. Most of the crafts have bloomed in recent times with successful intervention an example being textile – weaving, printing and dyeing crafts across nation, which has both national and international market.

(Data source: HuffPost) From what I have apprehended, a designer plays an important role across various sectors of society, this being one of the major one, as it not only gives opportunity to apply design methodologies in product, but also in day to day life, culture and tradition towards creating sustainable livelihood and economic growth of the nation.

In this project, the Reha knife craft of Kutch, requiring intervention and revival of this centuries old craft practice, I believe that I have only intervened and brought better if not the best outcome considering the time constrains of a graduation project. Although, revival of craft takes time, continuos effort and improvisations in design.

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LA

Fig 4: Map of Kutch, Illustration credit: Katrin

9*Illustrative representation

The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Kutch GREATER RANN OF KU TCH

AKPHAT RAPAR NAKHATRANA

BHUJ BHACHAU

ABDASA

LITTLE RANN OF KU TCH

ANJAR

MANDVI

MUNDRA

GANDHIDHAM

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Fig 5: Khadir bet - one of the places in Rann of Kachchh where the land ends and salt lake (rainy season) / desert starts (winters and summers).

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Kutch Also written as Kachchh, of Gujarat state, covering an area of 45,674 km² is the largest district of India, containing 10 talukas, 939 villages and 6 Municipalities with Bhuj being its administrative headquarters.

Kutch literally means something which intermittently becomes wet and dry; a large part of this district is known as the Great Rann of Kachchh (A vast salt desert) which is shallow wetland which submerges in water during the rainy season and becomes dry during other seasons. The Land of Kachchh holds great ecological value for its Banni grassland and seasonal wetlands which forms the outer layer of Rann of Kachchh. The land of Kachchh is surrounded by Gulf of Kachchh and Arabian Sea from southern and western side, Great & Little Rann of Kachchh from northern and eastern side. The landscape of Kachchh is transitional in nature, with each and every part of it appearing to be a unique landscape in itself. Plains, grassland, marshes, mangroves, forests, salt flats, coral reefs, creeks and as well as deserted all in a single piece of diverse land comprising of its own people, crafts and tradition.

The history of this land can be traced back to the Indus valley civilization, which suggests that the place was a major trade hub of Harappan age.

Dholavira, near Rann of Kachchh is one of the important archaeological sites which suggests these findings. This also is one of the main reason why Kachchh is a meeting point of various cultures, traditions, faiths and language, which matches to the ecosystem around it. Kachchh is home to

many communities migrated from Rajasthan, Sindh, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Baluchistan and as far as from current day Iran. Many of these communities are Nomadic pastorals (herders of Camel, goat and cattle) who have been constantly moving in this land with the ever-changing landscape, this movement of people and land has given it a long history of sectarian diversity and peaceful coexistence. However, this mix of culture is nowhere a reflection of India’s caste and social structure and is unique to this region. The major faiths followed here are Hinduism, Jainism and Islam majorly speaking Kachchhi dialect (an amalgamation of Sindhi, Rajasthani and Gujarati language) along with Gujarati and Hindi.

The region on an active seismic plateau which has changed the landscape of this region in devastating ways, turning river fed lands into arid, dry environment. The Bhuj earthquake of January 2001 is one of the deadliest living memory for the people of Kachchh region, destroying most of Bhuj and many villages around. The earthquake was responsible for destroying most of the artisan workshops and homes, eating away most of their raw materials, tools and creations. Aftermath of which were loss of data and access to traditional tools, techniques and culture. Kachchh received a lot of help to re-build from the country and from outside as well after earthquake shook its daily life, both socially and economically.

Due to its diverse ecology, culture and crafts Kachchh receives a lot of tourists during winter seasons, and this has played a major role in restoring

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Fig 6: The clock tower of Prag mahal, Bhuj. Constructed in Italian gothic style in year 1865-79, named after Rao Pragmalji II

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

of damages caused by the quake, receiving much global and national attention.

The crafts practiced in Kachchh region are deeply integrated into the lifestyle of communities who practice it, not only they are the source of their livelihood but also are a creative expression of each community’s distinct culture with the spectrum ranging from weaving, embroidery, leather, wood-lac and metal works.

Bhuj is the administrative headquarters and capital of Kutch district of Gujarat state. It was formed in the year 1510 and was made capital of then Kutch State by Rao Khengarji I in 1549.

cool winters between December and February the temperature in summers can go up to 48° C. Bhuj houses few of the famous monuments and historic buildings from Kutch state, such as, Aaina Mahal, Prag Mahal, Kutch museum, Bhujia Fort, Swaminariyan and Tri-Mandir.

Bhuj is also a famous destination for observing and buying Handicraft products such as Bandhani, Ajrakh, Copper bell, leather and embroidery works. One can find handicraft stores and artisan outlets in the heart of the city.

KHAMIR is located at the outskirts of Bhuj city at a distance of fifteen kilometres, and Reha at a distance of fifteen to 18 kilometers.

The climate in Bhuj called as the desert climate.

Throughout the year there is no rainfall apart from

Fig 7: A detailed map of bhuj, khamir & nana reha Source: Census of India - 1991, Govt. of Gujarat

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Bhujia hill

Fig 8: Details of forged Iron spokes on a wooden door, Bhujia hill gates, Built in year 1715-41 by Rao Deshalji, this fort has seen six battles since then.

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Fig 9: Wild cactus found across golden dry lands of Kutch region.

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The other beings

Fig 10 a Fig 10 (a, b, c): Maldhari’s form one of the most Important community of Kutch region, their job is to ensure the cattle breeds are fed, travelling together for miles in search of food and water, and returning back to their homes.

Fig 10 a: A pastoral carying a family of camel.

Fig 10 b: Herd of Indian variety of sheep returning back to home after a grazing session Fig 10 c: Herd of Cow returning to the village, after grazing in wild

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Fig 10 b

Fig 10 c

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Bhujia hill

Fig 11 a: The walls along the Bhujia hill range, constructed in year 1715-41 by Rao Deshalji, the walls and fort inside have seen six battles since then.

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Fig 11 b: The city of Bhuj as seen from the top of Bhujia Hill

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Fig 12 a Fig 12 a: Dhordo: a place where soil ends and salt desert starts, a plain surreal yet magical white land Fig 12 b: Camel carts, and a the vast white Rann in background. camel carts are used for tourists to give a tour of the desert.

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Fig 12 b

The rich and diverse creative traditions of Kutch live at the intersection of cultures and communities. Once a destination by land and sea for people from Africa, the Middle East, and the Swat Valley, Kachchh has a rich tradition of sea trade from Mandvi and a global connection. A river system was shared between Kachchh, Sindh and Rajasthan. As a border state, Kachchh is constantly absorbing cultures from the north, west, and east.

Kachchhi motifs can be traced to the ancient Harappan civilization, yet craft is developing and

growing with the innovative and entrepreneurial drive of spirited artists.

The arid climate has pushed communities here to evolve an ingenious balance of meeting their needs by converting resources into products for daily living. While embroidery has become a craft synonymous with Kachchh, other textile crafts and hard materials crafts give this land colour and identity. Craft is inextricable from the numerous communities, connected by trade, agriculture and pastoralism in Kachchh.

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KHAMIR Campus

Fig 13: Khamir campus main building

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

KHAMIR

Kachchh Heritage, Art, Music, Information and Resources

Khamir is a platform for the crafts, heritage and cultural ecology of the Kachchh region of Gujarat. Instituted after the earthquake of 2001, it is a space for engagement and development of Kachchh’s rich creative industries.

Khamir works to strengthen and promote the rich artisanal traditions of Kachchh district. Our name stands for Kachchh Heritage, Art, Music, Information and Resources. Khamir means ‘intrinsic pride’ in Kachchhi, the local language. In Hindi it means ‘to ferment,’ an equally apt name given the constant fermentation of ideas and activity on going both within the organization, and in Kachchh at large.

Born in 2005 as a joint initiative of Kachchh Nav Nirman Abhiyan and the Nehru Foundation for Development, Khamir was formally registered under the Societies and Trust Acts in the same year.

Today, it serves as a platform for the promotion of traditional handicrafts and allied cultural practices, the processes involved in their creation, and the preservation of culture, community and local environments.

Khamir strive to create a democratic and empowering space - a common roof under which a range of stakeholders can exchange ideas and collaborate. Khamir work to shift consumer perspectives and raise the cultural value placed on crafts. Khamir’s vision is of a vibrant, sustainable Indian craft sector in which crafts and artisans alike are highly valued by people worldwide.

Friends of Women’s World Banking, India (FWWB) Hunnarshala Foundation, IFFCO, Kandla Unit, Sri Dorabji Tata Trust and Suzlon Foundation as their supporters. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Government of Gujarat, Kutch Nav Nirman Abhiyan (KNNA) and Nehru Foundation for Development (NFD) for promotion. Khamir collaborates with Dastkar, Gramshree, Indian Institute of Craft and Design, Kutch Mahila Vikas Sangathan (KMVS), Matruchhaya Kanya Vidyalaya, Pahal Financial Services Pvt. Ltd., Paramparik Karigar, Parle Products Ltd., Sahjeevan, Satvik, Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology and The National Institute of Design (NID) for various exhibitions, craft workshops and product development.

Khamir’s Work: 1. Engagement: Khamir seek to inspire curiosity and a deeper understanding of craft, culture and conservation in Kutch. Through cultural engagement, experiential learning and research, Khamir connects a diverse public with artisans, creating an environment in which creative industries can be recognized as important pillars of society and be recognized as traditional, livelihoods with potential for growth.

Khamir’s initiatives for engagement include…

Public Workshops and Festivals Curated Exhibitions School and University Visits Research and Documentation

Khamir has partnership with All India Artisans and Craftworkers Welfare Association (AIACA),

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Fig 14: Khamir campus, Guest house area

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

2. Trade Facilitation: Historically craft practice in India was linked to a community’s livelihood. With the understanding that preservation and growth of the handicraft industry will not be possible without successful production and sales, Khamir works to connect artisans with markets and to facilitate fair trade while emphasizing the importance of trust and relationship-building. While the most immediate result of trade facilitation is income generation for artisans, we have also found that increased trade assists in the improvement of community capacity building.

Dedicated to making craft livelihoods sustainable and aware of environmental impact, trying to push the envelope in our innovation projects by expanding the application of established craft skills. Simultaneously, Khamir aims to be environmentally sustainable, by using local materials, specialised techniques and technologies, and by keeping our supply chains as compact as possible.

Terms of Engagement The Khamir Craft Outlet Marketing and Exhibitions

The campus: Khamir operates out of a unique campus in Kukma, Kachchh. Located 15 kilometres from Bhuj, the campus is a space for artisans, resource groups and institutions, buyers, suppliers and craft lovers from around the world to gather under one roof to exchange ideas, collaborate and learn. The space is always alive with potters creating clay masterpieces or imaginative textiles being woven by resident weavers.

3. Artisan Services: Khamir identifies critical needs within each craft area. To take a more holistic approach, Khamir works to resolve these needs with a series if intervention. These largely address the following…

The Social Security Program Credit Initiative Raw Materials Depot Appropriate Technologies Skill Development Craft Studios 4. Innovation: Kachchhi artisans are constantly testing the boundaries of their craft, ensuring that their work does not stagnate in a market whose whims are ever changing. Khamir embrace the spirit of innovation by combining traditional Kachchhi crafts with appropriate technologies and unusual raw materials.

Khamir’s three major innovations include – Camel Wool, Kala Cotton – an Indigenous cotton of India and Recycled Plastic Weaving.

The Campus was established in 2007 with the support of the Government of Gujarat and the Confederation of Indian Industries. It was designed

by Professor Neelkanth Chhaya of CEPT University, Ahmedabad. The campus was constructed using sustainable, earth-based construction technologies such as wattle and daub, rammed earth, and stabilized earth blocks. Construction was overseen

by Hunnarshala, a Bhuj-based organisation that develops building technologies to construct disaster-safe, ecologically friendly and sustainable buildings.

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Crafts of Kachchh Kachchh’s craft industry is composed of over twentyone craft livelihoods. Craft is a living creative industry made by the hands of skilled artisans and generations-old tradition.

Kachchh is known for the colourful silken threads that decorate traditional scarf worn by Kachchhi women. Embroidery is the most visible and recognized craft in Kachchh. 18 forms of embroideries colour the region, representing Kachchh’s diverse cultures, communities, and landscapes. Colour and craftsmanship are not limited to Kachchh embroideries. There are over 20 other textile and non-textile craft sectors which constitute artisans’ primary source of income.

For generations, Kachchh has been home for people of various regions, from places like Sindh, Rajasthan, Afghanistan, Baluchistan and Iran who have brought their unique skills in Art, Crafts and Music. These elements are deeply embedded in the regions culture, which has played a major role in forming Kachchh’s rich culture as we know today.

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These have also helped create an economy for various communities along the region of Kachchh and Handicrafts being one, which constituted to a large part and source of many artisan families’ income. Unfortunately Kachchh lying on active earthquake region has faced many natural disasters over few centuries, 2001 earthquake being the one, which resulted in significant loss of life, resources and many of the artisans workshops, tools, equipment and local markets.

Quake related losses and shifts in markets and culture challenged the future of Kachchh craft. The inherent strength and spirit of Kachchhi People focused local energy on converging their effort to rebuild. The traditions which have coloured the region for centuries continue. Each craft sector faces new challenges and opportunities which must be addressed for the future of Kachchh craft and the livelihoods of 60,000 artisans.

The crafts practiced in Kachchh are Ajrakh Block Printing, Bandhani, Batik, Carved Wood, Copper Coated Metal Bells, Embroidery, Gold Jewellery, Handcrafted Knives, Handloom Weaving, Ikat, Kharad, Lac Turned Wood, Leather Work, Mashroo, Mud Craft, Namda, Pottery, Rogan, Silver Craft, Wooden Boats, etc.

The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Carved Wood

Fig 15 a: Wood carving

Handloom Weaving

Fig 15 b: Handloom weaving

In Kachchh’s carved wood craft lives the combined skills, techniques, and traditions from craft regions in Sindh, Afghanistan, Rajasthan, and Gujarat.

Kachchh wood carvings are admired because artisans have mastered both shallow and deep relief work. Common deep relief designs include three dimensional peacocks, parrots and female musicians and dancers. Shallow relief work is used to create geometric floral designs. Both decorate architectural focal points, bird houses, and furniture.

Over 600 years ago, the Meghwal community from Rajasthan migrated to Kachchh, bringing with them the art of handloom weaving. Traditionally, weavers used hand spun yarn provided by Rabaris, a nomadic community of sheep and goat herders.

Weaving was a local art which provided Kachchh communities with cloth and traditional dress.

Traditional shawls, stoles, textiles, and carpets are hand woven with traditional motifs on pit and shuttle looms in local wool, cotton and silks.

Kachchh weaving is known for distinct traditional motifs and colours.

Bell Metal

Fig 15 c: Bell metal

Kachchh’s Muslim Lohar community continues the generations-old tradition of metal bell making that originated in Sindh. Men shape recycled mild steel sheets into bells, after which women coat the bells with burnished brass and copper. After firing the bells in a kiln, the tone is precisely set. The sound that emanates from each bell depends on the artisan’s skill and three factors: the size and shape of the bell’s body; the size and shape of the wooden strip hanging within the bell and the shape and curve of the bell’s bottom rim.

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Batik Batik is one of Kachchh’s many traditional textile crafts. Batik designs are created when artisans paint or hand print paraffin wax on white fabric.

Artisans use a collection of traditional and contemporary designed blocks to print flora, fauna, and geometric designs. When the fabric is dyed, the wax resists the colourful dyes and leaves designs surrounded by colour.

Fig 15 d: A batik block

Kharad For generations, Kharad rugs were woven from camel, goat, and sheep wool on traditional nomadic looms which could be easily set up and moved throughout the desert. The rugs’ geometric designs replicate regional patterns and motifs. There are only two remaining families in Kachchh who practice this craft.

Fig 15 e: A kharad weaved rug

Leather Craft

Fig 15 f: Zari work on leather

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The Marwada Meghwal community brought weaving and leather craft traditions from Rajasthan to Kachchh. These leather craftsmen have worked closely with Maldhari cattle herders who traditionally supplied them with hides. The communities’ relationships have resulted in a fusion of cultural traits and the shared embroidery traditions that decorate Kachchh leather goods.

Leather craft products include fans, footwear, mirror frames, and lanterns. Most Kachchh leather artisans reside in villages that border the Great Rann and the Banni grasslands.

The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Mud Craft

Fig 15 g: a hut with mud craft of kutch

Mushroo

Fig 15 h: A Mushroo fabric

Kachchh women showcase craft aesthetics in their homes with elaborate mud murals and paintings which decorate walls, furniture, and the shelves where kitchenware is stored. Mud craft often replicates Kachchh embroidery motifs but women also incorporate images of animals, birds, insects, and trees into their designs. Sometimes women use mud craft to share stories. Traditional murals were embellished with mica, though today mirrors and embossed metal are used to ascent designs and impress guests.

In Arabic, mashroo means “this is allowed.” This traditional fabric originated in response to a ban on wearing animal products including silk. Mashroo was created so communities facing the ban were able to wear silk while respecting their tradition. It is woven with a unique technique that combines silk in the warp and cotton in the weft. The weave structure is warp faced satin making the face of fabric look silk, where as the cotton weft forms back face of fabric cotton is woven into the fabric’s base and is the only material which comes into contact with the skin. Silk is woven into the fabric’s outer layer giving it the look of pure silk.

Namda

Fig 15 i: Artisan working on a namda fabric

Namda artisans create felted wool works by pressing and hand weaving local desi sheep wool fibre into motifs and designs. Artisans traditionally produced namda rugs to cover the backs of horses and camels. Namda is also used to make floor coverings and prayer mats. Though a market remains for these traditional products and contemporary interpretations, only four namda artisan families continue the craft. Kachchh namda artisans are from the Mansuri community living in Gagodar and Mundra.

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Pottery

Fig 15 j: A woman decorating pottery pieces

In Indian mythology, Bhrama, the Creator of the universe, made a clay model of man into which he breathed life. The Indian potter is also known as Prajapati, the creator of man. In Kachchh, the Kumbhar community molds local clay into countless forms of earthenware. Women decorate the pottery with community specific paintings.

According to Indian tradition, porous earthenware should be replaced during festivals and significant occasions. This belief ensured the local market demand that sustained the craft for centuries.

Rogan Painting

Fig 15 k: Atisan making rogan painting on cloth

Kachchh’s Rogan tradition is sustained by two families in Nirona Village. Rogan is a form of fabric painting which uses a thick, brightly coloured paint made from castor oil. Artisans place a small amount of this paint into their palm. The paint is carefully twisted into motifs and images using a metal rod that never comes in contact with the fabric. Next, the artisan folds his designs into blank fabric thereby printing its mirror image and completing the Rogan painting.

Silver Jewellery

Fig 15 l: Traditional kachchhi silver jewellery

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Traditional tribal jewellery remains an integral part of village dress. Each silversmith specializes in a type of jewellery that embodies a particular community’s traditional design. The jewellers and the communities with whom they work have strong relationships since they have lived and worked together for generations. Kachchh silver is known for its white quality which resists tarnish.

Artisans use brightly coloured glass called meena to accentuate traditional designs.

The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Lacquer Turned Wood

Fig 15 m: Artisan working on a lacquered wood poduct

Lac has been used in Indian craft for centuries. It is derived from resin secreted by an insect indigenous to Kachchh and other Indian regions. This resin is heated and mixed with groundnut oil to form a thick, opaque, decorative wood coating known as lacquer. Coloured lacquer is applied to wood in layers and chiselled to create patterns and effects.

Eight traditional lacquer artisan families continue the craft in Kachchh, designing and creating colourful kitchen and household accessories

Bandhani Tie & Dye Bandhani artisans are from Kachchh’s Khatri communities of dyers and printers. Tying is mostly practiced by Muslim women. These women work from home, tying cloth into traditional designs which are influenced by the local landscape.

Artisans print the designs on paper, transfer them to cloth, and bunch and tie the designs with thread.

The tied cloth is then dyed in one or more colours depending on design, mostly by men.

Fig 15 n: A bandhani stole

Ajrakh Block Print Khatri community, whose ancestors have been printing with wooden Ajrakh blocks for centuries, migrated to Kachchh from Sindh. Wooden and metal blocks carved with traditional designs are coated in dye and printed on cloth. Stunning results are achieved through a process of hand printing and the different patterns of each block fit together into colourful designs.

Fig 15 o: Artisan working with ajrakh print on fabric

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Fig 16: Hemraj Bhai, Reha

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

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The REHA Knife craft of Kutch Reha is a village located 15 km from Bhuj, in Kachchh district of Gujarat. The village is known for its metal work. Interestingly, Reha’s history dates to late 12th century when it was founded by the Mistry community along with eighteen other villages in the Kachchh district. It is a group panchayat consisting of two residing blocks, namely, Mota Reha and Nana Reha, where centuries old traditional metal knife making is practiced. The number of artisans working in this village was 250 once upon a time, and now there are around 25 artisans working in this cluster.

It is believed that the Bhati Rajputs migrated from Rajasthan and settled in Dhaneti village, they started living with the Muslim Luhar community and learnt blacksmithing from them serving to the local demands of making agrarian tools and equipment, soon after they changed their identity from Bhati Rajputs to Bhatti and settled in Reha village as the region was flourishing for agriculture and there was a constant demand for their skills of making tools for the farmers. The Luhars in Reha also started making knifes and nut crackers, to serve the local community along with the household objects for the royal families, it is said that their craft work was appreciated by them, where they also made swords, weaponries for the royal families which resulted in increase in their production and created a new potential market base at Anjar.

this craft, involving mainly in Forging and Pocket knife making. At first, the village almost seems unexposed to outside world since years, there are houses which are as old as 80 to 200 years old which remain largely unaffected by earthquake, but by time. Due to lack of exposure to this craft form has in a way preserved and destroyed a lot of things, yet on the contrary are greatly affected by cheaper quality knives available in Indian market from outside the country. The artisans of Reha were highly skilled in delivering finished swords and metal wares and used to practice brass inlay on metal and colouring of carbon steel, which is discontinued now. There is a clear hierarchy of caste system and social behaviour in the village of Nana Reha, with Muslim Majority and Harijan Maheshwari’s, Mahajans and Durbar community as minority in numbers. The Mahajan community are a farming community and Durbars are majorly land owners as well as farmers. Even with the hierarchy of caste, all the communities maintain healthy relation with each other’s and participate in each other’s festivals and events.

Today, one can find a few communities in the village of Nana Reha along with Muslim luhar’s, the

The Muslim Luhar’s and Harijan Maheshwaris are equally spirited in their work and take pride in whatever they are doing and share knowledge with each other in collaborative work. Today, their market exposure limits them from making finely finished products and are out of practice from it.

Although, they have potential to take this craft forward in making contemporary market specific products with intervention in design making technical advancement with required machineries

Harijan Maheshwari community also practice

yet keeping the essence of Handicraft Intact.

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There are three main processes currently being followed here namely casting (Dhalai – to reduce the metal into liquid to pour in desired form), forging (Ghadai – to heat and draw the metal in making a required form) and buffing. Forging being the Traditional method used to shape the raw material (Carbon Steel) to required form, casting is mainly used for making the knife handles (Brass) and buffing for finishing the product and to give it required sharpness.

The economic condition of the craft and its craftsmen are in poor shape as compared to other crafts of Kachchh region. The market for their current products is limited to few cities like Anjar and Ahmedabad and there is a lot of exploitation from the middle men and vendors, who devalue the products produced by these artisans, and with the transition of time and advancement of technology, use of swords and armouries are out of context in today’s time. The artisans in Reha have not been opting for product diversification, which may give them new market. Due to this the younger generation of artisans are shifting away from the practice of this craft to a day wage jobs like carpentry, plumbing, paint works etc., which has resulted in downfall of the craft and the craftsman, what once was a village of artisans has become a village with just handful of them.

Almost all the artisans’ workshops in Reha are wholly owned by them with basic tools and equipment. The place of their work is mostly unorganised and lacks access to modern tools and machineries. Here the artisan mostly uses raw material such as High Carbon steel bars, Stainless steel strips, brass and coloured acrylic sheets and Babool / Neem / Teak / Oak wooden logs to make the handle bars. The metal required for their work is mainly brought from scrap dealers in and around the town and from metal market of Rajkot (a town in Gujarat, situated 230 km away from Bhuj), acrylic sheet and wooden logs are purchased locally.

Artisans have setups of Furnaces (Bhatti) in their workshop which are fuelled with charcoal, which is sold in the village and an electric blower is used to ignite and heat the flame to required temperature.

The artisans here face several health problems like back ache due to poor sitting posture, inhaling of residue gasses formed during heating and melting of metal has resulted in diseases like T.B. (Tuberculosis) and lack of knowledge towards use of safety equipment have resulted in accidents in past and are continuing to work without one. They also lack access to modern techniques, tools and machinery of making the craft, which would help upgrade their skills and help them explore beyond the current product range.

Fig 17: Enterence of Nana Reha village from main road 35

The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

What makes this craft special is the collaborative spirit of the artisans to work together as a community to bring forward even a single piece of their creation. The community distributes work among themselves, while one is forging the blade, another is making handles for it, which is then passed on further for sharpening and polishing of the same.

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Fig 18 a: On the way to Reha from Bhuj, almost 60% of barren land with golden desert and cactus are spread across they way to Reha.

Fig 18 b: An old house in Nana Reha, a lot of houses in reha are decades old, constructed by the Mistri Community of Kutch.

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Fig 18 d

Fig 18 c & d: Majid bhai’s house and detail of his workshop door

Fig 18 e: Amad Bhai’s workshop and main road of Nana Reha village on the right

Fig 18 f: Main road / entry into the village and AmadBhai’s Shop on he left.

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Tools & Raw Materials

The artisans of Reha mostly makes hand tools on their own, tools such as forging pliers, forging tongs, chisels, drilling bits (for hand drills) etc. apart from these, they use an anvil (a metal platform, where they place the hot iron), hammers of various weights, a blow-fire furnace, drilling machine, vise, buffing machine, buffing wax, ash powder, mixture of sand and jaggery water for the molds, iron rings for making casting unit, earthen vessel to melt brass, hacksaw blades, hand files, forging drifts, swage blocks, punches, forge hearth etc. during the three processes.

Fig 19 a: A sharpening and buffing set up at one of he artisan’s workshop.

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Fig 19 b: Scrap metal, carbon steel from an old truck spring, used for making swords and knives, stainless steel is bought from the market.

Fig 19 c: Wood used in making handles, artisans here uses various kind of wood depending on the price, few being chil pine, mango, babool and teak

Fig 19 e: Charcoal, which is locally made by burning old tree barks

Fig 19 d: Brass, Artisans here buy old brass scrap to remelts it to make new handles

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Fig 19 e: Bhatti : a Furnace made from mud and bricks for heating metal in forging work

Fig 19 f: A furnace with electric blower and iron door, to condence heat inside

Fig 19 g: A pit furnace used in melting brass, this furnace is installed under ground, such that it insulates heat in order to use it for melting brass

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Fig 19 h: an earthen vessel used for melting brass inside this sits the pit furnace

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Fig 19 k: A wood cum metal working vise, used in holding the object to do the finishing work, acts as a third hand.

Fig 19 i: A traditional leather air blower, used in forging, to pump air into the furnace, such that the coal burns at higher temperature. this is the only working leather air blower left in Nana Reha village 2

Fig 19 j: An electric air blower, which is more common these days and is used majorly for forging and casting work

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Fig 19 l: A metalworking Anvil, it is a large block of iron having a flat surface, a platform where forging takes place, by keeping the hot metal over it while hammering

Fig 19 m: Hammers of various sizes / weights are used in gorging, depending upon the kind of job requirements, weighing from 250 gms. to over 5 Kgs and can even go upto 10 Kgs for heavy metal works.

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Fig 19 o: 3 different sizes and kind of forging tongs, with which hot metal is held, or can even be ued to hold chisel, which is used in cutting through the hot metal (on the right) from left to right - spatula used for transfering coal into the furnace, atop view (platform) of an anvil, Hammer, Forging tongs and metal rods to adjust coal in the furnace Fig 19 n: A “Open Die Power Forging Hammer” or simply called as Power hammer is a motor operated forging set up, in which the artisan places a hot metal in its Die (below) manually, and the hammer punches from above, while artisan simultaneously adjusts the hot metal piece for where the hammer blows are required

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Fig 19 p: from left to right; A rasp filer for filing work on metal and wood, an hexa blade with frame, to cut wood & metal, a bench vise and woodworking bench, hammers for finishing work.

Fig 19 r: A drilling machine, for reviting on Knife handles.

Fig 19 q: Chisels to mark various patterns and alphabets

Fig 19 s: An electric hand grinder / cutter

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Fig 19 t: Electric buffing & Sharpening wheel, this machine can be operated brom both ways, one side has a grinding stone for rough buffing & grinding and the other side has wheel made from cloth and wax for final polishing

Fig 19 u: Wax, which is applied on polishing wheel

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Fig 19 w:

Fig 19 v, w: Iron ring frames to make a sand mould of handles, these rings are filled with sand keeping two sand filled rings on top of each other. The master piece of which the mould is to be made is kept in the middle and is pressed to create two part mould of an object. it is then opened and the master piece is removed, creating a negative cavity of master object in which the brass is poured.

Fig 19 x: A cloth bag with ash powder. It is sprinkeled onto the moulds interior such that it won’t stick to the master object and the finer ash powder fills minute cavities.

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Forging

Fig 20: Amad bhai, forging knives

Forging is known to be one of the oldest metal working processes, the forging work is also known as Blacksmithing and the people specialized in so are called as Blacksmiths, the term “Forge” means to heat the metal till it becomes red hot, such that it becomes soft to work upon. Traditionally the blacksmiths would use a hammer and anvil to beat the metal to required shape and coal operated furnaces to heat the metal, but with the change in time, the industries around the world now uses hydraulic drop hammers to shape the metal and modern kiln to heat it. The artisans in Reha still uses the traditional methods and techniques for their metal working. With each forging artisan having its own workshops and setup for the kiln, which is made with clay brick walls, with an opening in front, having a heavy metal door. The size of kiln can vary from two to four square feet, depending upon the size of metal the artisan is handling on daily basis. Coal is used as a fuel for heating the kiln and an electric blower along with the kiln to constantly keep and increase the heat inside the kiln, the temperature can range from 900° Celsius to 1200° Celsius depending upon the kind of iron used. Forging can produce a piece that is stronger than an equivalent cast or machined part. As the metal is shaped during the forging process, its internal grain deforms to follow the general shape of the part. As a result, the grain is continuous throughout the part, giving rise to a piece with improved strength. The process can be classified into sections namely cold forging, warm forging and hot forging, these are used accordingly to the desired outcome and requirements. During forging the artisans would sit in compromised positions and hand forge the metal, this has caused a lot of health problems among them, the artisans are resistant towards the use of safety equipment and work with their bare hands.

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Fig 21 a: Top section - Hot metal being placed on an anvil for Forging

Fig 21 b: Artisan checking the alignment of a sword

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Fig 21 c: Artisan forging a Knife, One can observe the tools and different weight of hammer being used, based on the thickness of metal and how much to draw of it.

Fig 21 d: Forged butcher’s knives ready for further polishing and handle making.

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Sand Casting Casting is a process in which the molds are created with various cold setting materials like resin, POP, clay, sand etc. The artisans in Reha use sand casted molds. Moulds are made in various ways, such as to cast ice creams, cakes and other foods in kitchen, casting concrete, epoxy etc., for architectural use, to cast metal in various desired forms. Casting is believed to be about 6000-year-old process in metalworking. The piece which comes out as result after setting is referred to as a ‘cast’. In sandcasting, the “Master” which is the original design to be

the furnace operates at the temperature ranging from 900°Celsius to 1000°Celsius, the artisan produces anywhere from 40 to 50 knife handles in brass as well as in aluminium on a given day which is later sent for assembly and buffing. The artisans working with sand casting faces a lot of heat and there is no practice of using safety equipment of any kind, their hands, legs and face exposed to this heat. There has been record of a lot of health issues due to the harmful gasses released during the melting of metal, and operating such high

produced is made usually from another material such as wood, clay, wax, metal, this is then molded in sand in two parts (few complex objects takes more than two parts) with the help of an iron ring which holds the negative of the design in sand, two of these pieces are join together, which creates a cavity (negative of the design form) in sand with an opening channel, from which molten metal is poured which settles in the cavity, upon cooling the sand is removed along with the iron ring frame, which gives out the form in metal. The artisans in Reha use a mixture of jaggery water and sand for creating sand molds, as the jaggery water acts as a binding agent for sand to hold its shape. The furnace used in the process is made from earthen bricks buried inside the ground in a corner of artisan’s workshop, it is fueled with charcoal

temperature with no safety equipment, yet there is a sense of confidence among the artisans for working with their bare hands as they express that they have a sense of feel towards it when they operate it without any kind of safety equipment.

Fig 22: A sand casting artisan and his workplace, preparing Moulds for casting 51

The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

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Fig 23 a: Artisan placing the “Master” onto a ply board

Fig 23 b: He then dusts Ash powder over it, such that it forms a fine layer to give a finished cast, when removed. Artisan also places an iron ring used in housing and making of a sand mould.

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Fig 23 c: He then pours sand over it, which is a mixture of fine sand and jaggery water.

Fig 23 d: Artisan Stamps the sand cast with his own weight such that it forms a tight package of sand and can withstand the casting process

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Fig 23 e: Artisan places two pieces of sand casted moulds facing each other, which creates a 3D negative of the “Master”.

Fig 23 f:Molten Brass inside a pit furnace, ready for moulding

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Fig 23 g: Artisan places the mould horizontally, with the support of his bare legs against a wall, such that the mould does not leak, forming a tight bond, he then pours the molten brass from furnace into the mould.

Fig 23 h: Image showing a mould with molten brass inside, is being let cooled before taking it out

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Fig 23 i: Samples of handles which come out after moulding, which will be further sent for polishing.

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Buffing

Fig 24 a: A sharpening and Buffing artisan, sharpening pocket Knives

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Buffing, also referred as polishing is a process where a series of brushes made of various grades are used on a casted or forged metal piece to bring out the sheen of that metal, buffing also helps the surface to get a layer of protection from the atmosphere. Buffing can be done completely by hand or by buffing machines. In hand buffing, a variety of grades of sand / emery papers are used to scrub the surface of the object till the desired sheen and smoothness is achieved, after which it is polished with very fine paper / leather or cloth with required lubricants. The artisans in Reha use a machine which can perform both buffing and

sharpening as well, the buffing end of the machine holds a circular interchangeable brush, the brush is made of various materials, such as fine fiber cloth, wool, leather, emery paper and stone, which helps in various stages of buffing and sharpening the object. The artisan upon receiving the casted handles and forged blades, he then assembles it and takes them for polishing and sharpening.

After this, the Knives are assembled with the help of aluminum rivets and wood. Currently, handle making lacks a lot of finishing and due to cost constrains, artisans uses much cheaper and lighter wood.

Fig 24 b: Artisan sharpening and grinding a sword

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Fig 24 c: Artisan drilling holes for rivets and wooden handle

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Artisan’s Workplace Reha is connected by road from Bhuj and Khamir at a distance of 15 Kms. One can hire an Auto (Chakhda) service from Bhuj, Share an auto or by government bus service. The way to Reha from bhuj is across hills and barren golden desert land and is spectacular to travel and experience.

The artisans’ workshop in Reha is usually a part of their home, the entrance of any artisans’ place in Reha would get you into their workshop first, be it forging, casting or buffing artisan. The workshops have not changed much since many decades. They are reflection of the past of this craft form.

are reflection of the past of this craft form. Each workshop is fairly equipped with the necessary tools and raw materials. A forging and casting workshop would have a kiln / furnace to heat / melt the metal, racks to store or arrange the raw materials such as brass, iron, charcoal, tools etc. with power tools such as grinding machine, welding machine, electric cutter, drilling machine and power forging machine. However, there are no ergonomically designed sitting facility in these workshops, the artisans usually work near a kiln or by sitting on the ground, sue to which several of them face back problems.

Fig 25 a: A sand casting artisan’s workplace, Nana Reha

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Fig 25 b: A forging artisan’s workplace, Nana Reha

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Fig 25 c: A Buffing Artisan’s Workplace

Fig 25 d: Image showing stock of Scrap metal, which will be re-used for making knives and swords.

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Fig 25 e: A corner of workshop, where grinding and handle making takes place, one can see different grades of buffing wheels hung on the wall and stock of wood used in making handles.

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Products The products made by the artisans of Reha are driven by only a handful of shopkeepers and middlemen, most of their products are distributed locally in the markets of Bhuj, Anjar, Ahmedabad and Mumbai to some extent. The craft lacks in product diversification, which once had a constant demand from the surrounding agrarian community and from royal families for their diverse demand.

The market today has moved towards industrialized mass-produced products, which are easily available and are much cheaper to afford and to make than any handmade equipment of similar category.

The artisans of Reha started with serving the agriculture community, by making tools and

equipment in metal for farmers, this craft then later was much valued by the royal families which had a requirements of household equipment, armories such as swords and knifes, which the artisans of Reha were able to produce successfully.

The artisans in Reha currently makes two types of traditional knifes, one is called as Chappu, a folding pocket knife, and another being Chhuri, a kitchen knife, both varies in dimensions ranging from a 1” knife to a 10” butchers knife. Apart from these they also make decorative Door hangings, Keychains, Bells, Traveling Knife Nut Crackers, Scissors, Butcher’s Knife, Seasonal Agricultural tools and Decorative Knifes and Swords.

Fig 26 b: From top left to right botton: Decorative nut crackers, Hand Knuckles (used as a safety gear in hand combat), Colorful pocket penknives, Desi Churi, Textile Scissors, Brass hand bands, Trimming Knives, Pocket knives, Large nut crackers, Decorative brass casted souveniors, Shears, Kitchen knives ranging from Rs. 20 to Rs. 150, Daggers used in Marriage ceremony.

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Fig 26 a: Recently developed by arisans, a Stainless steel knife with decorative brass handles.

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Fig 26 c: Image Showing Amad Bhai’s (Forging Artisan) shop in Nana Reha, with swords, daggers and kitchen knives.

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Fig 26 d: One of the most selling product locally is this “Rajputana Style” swords crossing across a shield, considered a symbol of pride, strength and Integrity Rohit Ramesh Chandak \\ Graduation Project \ M.Des - LAD

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Large knife

Fig 26 e: Butcher’s Knife

Fig 26 f: Seasonal Agricultural Tool: A Date Harvesting Knife

Nut crackers

Fig 26 g: Nut crackers of various handle styles and designs

Fig 26 h: Nut cracker with brass inlay

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Shears

Fig 26 i: Textile shears

Pocket knives

Fig 26 j: Pocket folding Knives of different sizes and designs

Fig 26 k: Pocket folding Knives

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Market at Anjar, Kutch Anjar houses a major market for knives and swords locally and is well known for it, although most of these are procured from Reha, today locally the knives are sold by the name of Anjar.

The Knife market is located near a place called “Jesal Toral” samadhi / grave of one of the most prominent deity of this region.

Fig 27 a: Samadhi of “ Jesal Toral”

Fig 27 b: Road oppostie to the Samadhi, Knives and Sword shops 71

The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Fig 27 c: Knives displayed in shops, now a days, most of it are bought from China.

Fig 27 d: A small knife shop outside the Samadhi

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Kala Cotton Branding & Colletive Sculpture About Exhibition: Khamir’s Annual Exhibition on Re-emergence of desi cotton in craft traditions Sakala, is the name used by the traditional farming communities of Kachchh, that continue to cultivate this desi (indigenous) cotton variety, that is probably the only remaining pure (fertilizer / pesticide free) cotton in the region, and which has the potential to grow in this semi-arid, low-rain fed landscape.

The traditional craft practices in Kachchh, like weaving, printing, tie-dye, wood & lacquer work, leather craft, copper-coated bell making, pottery, which were the main source of livelihood to the people of the region, were declining due to industrialization and tourism. Following the earthquake of 2001, the communities of the region experienced a further breakdown in traditional linkages and the local economies. Khamir was set up out of the need to conserve and preserve these knowledge systems for economic, social, cultural and environmental development.

Khamir’s main objective was to reintroduce the traditional linkages in the to cotton textile production by providing long-term, attractive income generating opportunities for marginalized farmers, weavers and spinners.

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Sakala to Kala – re-emergence of desi cotton in craft traditions, is the story of the indigenous cotton of Kachchh which was lost to the region nearly 50 years back. The disappearance of this desi variety de-linked many of the communities / groups / people who otherwise worked harmoniously maintaining an overall balanced ecosystem Today, 2017, Sakala or Kala Coton, has become the most sought out indigenous cotton variety across India with brands and designers such as FabIndia, House of Anita Dongre, Paromita Banerjee, Injiri, ASAL Fabrics, and many more using Kala Cotton in their regular merchandise and design. The patronage from the global market has changed the lives of the traditional weavers, as well as the farmers who are getting a better price for their cotton.

This exhibition is a celebration of the re-emergence of the desi variety of cotton of Kachchh. A story of the relationships between the market, the weaver, the spinner and farmer. A story of the traditional linkages – some lost and some re-newed in the process of developing this indigenous cotton value chain.

The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

The Identity:

Fig 28 a:

Fig 28 b:

Fig 28 c:

The Identity is Inspired by these three stages of a cotton pod (Fig 28 a, b, c, d) which makes this variety of crop special.

The cotton crop evolved over thousands of years adapting to the dry, semi-arid, drought-prone nature of the region.

Unlike, the Hybrid BT varieties and other indigenous cottons, the cotton flower instead of opening fully, rather, encloses the cotton inside its thick outer shell to protect the cotton from long spells of dry weather and help retain the moisture of the cotton inside the shell. This outer shell protects the cotton from the high-speed cold winds that flow across Kutch in the months of January and February.

Fig 28 d:

Farmers call this outer shell, which is so special and unique to this variety of cotton “Kala.”

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Collective Sculpture: The idea of collective sculpture emerged to engage the visitors to the exhibition to be a part of the overall process of harvesting the crop, and making it into yarn. The first step of it being separating cotton from its pod, as a mark of solitary towards the farmers who grow Kala Kapas, when one enters the exhibition, he / she is supposed to take a cotton pod, separate the pod from cotton and put it into the collective sculpture. The exhibition has four major sections, named farming, spinning, weaving and display, where the visitors can interact with spinners and weavers

These sculptures were made along with the Artisans’ of Reha, who are skilled in metal works.

Being able to achieve something of this scale with working along the artisan community has not only been helpful for the exhibition but has also helped me to connect to them in a better way, it has given me an opportunity to understand a community, their lifestyle and culture. Also, it has given a sense of confidence for both the artisan and me towards each other.

and try their hands on the same.

Fig 29 a:

Fig 29 b:

Fig 29 c:

Fig 29 a, b, c: A wireframe structure was made to understand the amount of space taken, thedimentions and the object in its atmosphere.

Medium: GI Wire, Scale: 1:2

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Making Process:

Fig 30 a: Making process of kala cotton collective sculpture

Fig 30 b: Transformation of Kala Kapas | Medium: Mild steel Sheet metal | Scale: 4ftx4ft Diameter -each pod

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Glimpse from the Exhibition

Fig 30 c: Glimpse fromthe exhibition, January 5 2018

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Key takeaway: 1. Gained insight on Khamir’s Organisationsl structure, working pattern and breaking communication barriers within the organisation 2. Recognisation in the organisation and craft community, with respect to work and potential.

3. Learnt the importance of archiving information.

4. Insight on importance of raw material. How a raw material can act as a leading character in the entire Craft process.

5. The journey of raw material from its production to use in craft and finally the objects they become.

6. Starting to know the community of Reha, their practice and lifestyle.

7. Helped to start a dialoge with the artisans of Reha.

8. Understanding of their skills and a recast of my own.

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Cutting When? Where? How? Why? What?

Cutting, an act of Splitting any given object into two or more segments by applying force, greater than that of the object to be split.

We humans have been using the act of cutting from stone age or could be much before, Naturally, our teeth do the job of Splitting the manageable portions of our very basic necessity, Food. We have been using and use the act of cutting across various domains and have evolved into today’s Machine cutting.

Stone Age: The cutting tools used today are result of innovations from pre-historic stone-age, when the mankind used to make cutting / hunting tools from naturally occurring substances like rock, flint, obsidian stones and animal bones. The earliest tools used by mankind are dated to be more than three million years old mostly making Hand Axe, Arrow heads, spear points etc. mostly for hunting and chopping animals.

Bronze Age: The Bronze Age isn’t any one specific period, but instead, a phase of metallurgical development that happened at various occasions in different parts of earth. The initial Bronze Age is usually termed as the Copper Age. Around 10,000 B.C, humans began to hammer copper into cutting tools, but the material was not effective enough for making cutting tools with respectable durability.

Hard tools and weapons created from bronze maintained an edge a lot more desirable than stone.

Iron Age: The Iron age made it possible to increase the effectiveness and strength in tools and weapons. The earliest-known iron artefacts are

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nine small beads dated to 3200 BC, Lower Egypt, they have been identified as meteoric iron shaped by careful hammering and have been in use during the times in the old-world countries such as Europe, Africa and Asia.

With the spread of Iron age across different phases of time in different continents, it also brought a lot of metallurgical developments such as Smelting and Forging. Making it possible to produce weaponries at large and help conquering lands across all the dynasties (although a violent act of cutting). It also helped in developing a lot of Agricultural equipment, bringing civilization to life.

Today, we use the act of cutting vastly than ever before the advancement InTechnology and with the help of human imagination one can use laser and water-jet to precisely cut through the given object, to using cutting tools in creativity such as Culinary arts, the human desire to creatively explore and experiment with their taste buds has brought a lot of precise cutting tools to life.

If one sees from the larger picture, food has a lot to do with our practices and culture and there is an Eastern-Western dichotomy considered when it comes to culture, which applies to our various common practices, and using of tools and equipment’s such as Knives is one such activity, a clear difference is seen in eastern and western part of the world when it comes to using knives.

Although, the western and eastern cultures have influenced each other in many ways, and same goes with the usage and type of knives. There are a lot of

The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

common knives across both the divisions, yet both have their unique and distinct styles, and specific purpose knives inspired from the making process of the local cuisine, can be segmented into two categories, western and eastern knives.

Please reffer the mind mapping on cutting tools inside this envelope

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The Western Knife series include: 1. Chefs’ Knife A chef’s Knife is one of the most Important knife from the set, it has a broad and long blade, allowing it to cut in single motion and curved blade allows it to make rocking motion, it can perform an array of tasks such as dicing, slicing, fine chopping and mincing, both vegetable and meat with ease, the blade in chefs’ knife measures from 8” to 14” with wall height of 1.5 to 2”. A chef’s knife is something a professional chef prefer to use or keep handy all the time during his/her work, the chef’s knife is usually un-serrated, although some brands do offer serrated edge chefs’ knife.

Fig 31 a: Chef knife

2. Utility Knife The utility knife is also known as a mini chef’s knife is used in chopping small vegetables and meat which are too small for a chef’s knife, this knife is something like what we may find in Indian Household and can come both in serrated and unserrated edge.

3. Paring Knife

Fig 31 b: Utility knife

The term paring means to trim-off outer edges of a given object, a paring knife is used in preparation of garnishing of foods and drinks, in carving of vegetables, chopping herbs, trimming excess fat and wherever precision is required, a paring knife comes in 3 to 4” blade variant and is Un-serrated and has a pointy spear like tip.

Fig 31 c: Paring knife

4. Bird’s Beak (Tourné) Paring knife Bird’s beak paring knife is named for the shape of its blade, which is curved like a bird’s beak. It is also called as Tourné, a French term for a type of cutting technique. It is used in evenly peel of skin from vegetables and to trim precise slices from the given vegetable, the blade’s length is same of that of a paring knife and is usually un-serrated.

Fig 31 d: Birds beak paring knife

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5. Sheep’s foot paring Knife A sheep’s foot pairing name got its name from the tip design which is bent downwards resembling a sheep’s foot, its perfect straight blade and compact sizes makes it easy for jobs like precise trimming and peeling.

Fig 31 e: Sheep foot knife

6. Boning knife As the name suggests, a boning knife is used in trimming off meat from the bone and comes in lengths varying from 3 to 8” with flexible, semi flexible and hard blade for various kind of meat cutting, the hard blade paring knife is also used in vegetarian cooking for its precise cuts.

Fig 31 f: Boning knife

7. Carving Knife & Fork A carving knife is used along with carving fork in trimming a part of meat into required sections while the fork helps keep the meat in one place, it can be used before, during and after the preparation of meat and comes with a blade length of 8” from up to 10” and mostly comes in hollow or un-serrated edge.

8. Slicer / Salmon Knife

Fig 31 g: Carving knife

A Slicer also known as Salmon knife is used is deskinning the meat and cutting thin slices of salmon, tuna or any given meat with its flexible, long and thin walled blade measuring from 8 to 10”, comes in hollow or un-serrated edge.

Fig 31 h: Slicer knife

9. Cleaver (6 to 8” blade) Cleaver is the heaviest knife in the kitchen, with a thick spine and wall length of about 2.5 to 5” depending on the requirement, the blade length varies from 6 to 8”, it is mostly used in chopping large chunks of meat and vegetables like squash and pumpkin, deboning meat and crushing garlic, a thinner blade is also used in finely chopping herbs, garlic and few of the vegetables.

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Fig 31 i: Cleaver knife

The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

10. Fillet Knife A fillet knife looks like a boning knife, but there is a subtle difference between both, it is more thin, flexible and has lengthier blade than a boning knife.

And is used in cutting thin slices of light of fish for sushi

Fig 31 j: Fillet knife

11. Oyster & Clamp Knife An oyster and clamp knife are used in piercing through the tough gap of oyster shell of clam shell to extract the meat inside, the handles are typically round with a short blade of around 3”, with sharp edge on either one or both the sides, used mostly in western-continental cuisines.

Fig 31 k: Oyster Knife

12. Pizza wheel A pizza wheel is a circular blade with handle attached to its centre and the circular blade being roll-able to press and glide on to a pizza, some part of the world also uses a semi-circular blade, which looks like a mezzaluna.

Fig 31 l: Pizza wheel

13. Pastry wheel A pastry wheel is something similar to pizza wheel, instead of sharp edge it has a slight blunt edge to secure and pack the pastry dough and simultaneously cut it.

Fig 31 m: Pastry wheel

14. Mezzaluna In Italian, Mezzaluna means “Half-moon”, named after its shape, this knife has a half circular blade, with handles on either side of the blade, rocking back and forth for mincing herbs, vegetables and meat, mezzaluna are available in one, two and three blades and is widely used in western and European countries.

Fig 31 n: Mezzaluna

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15. Kitchen Shears Kitchen Shears are almost similar to that of a stationary scissors, except it has added other utilities with it such as nut cracker and bottle opener.

Fig 31 o: Kitchen shears

16. Bread Slicer As the name suggests, bread knives are used in cutting bread loafs, pastry and cake, comes with large serrated edged teeth, designed to saw through bread, without requiring to put external pressure and help retaining the shape of bread.

Comes with blade length of 7 to 10”.

Fig 31 p: Bread slicer

17. Cheese Knife set Cheese knives generally comes in set of four different shaped blades, used in cutting and serving various hardness of cheese, the blades in this set includes a heart shaped blade, a bell-shaped blade, a slicer and a serving fork.

Fig 31 q: Cheese knife set

18. Table Knife A table knife is a part of dining cutlery, a tableware, which is used in light cutting and splitting the cooked food, such as boiled / cooked vegetables, cooked meat etc., comes with a semi sharp edged blade and rounded corners.

Fig 31 r: Table knife

19. Steak Knife A steak knife also forms as a part of Tableware cutlery, suggested by the name, it is exclusively used if steak is in the menu, it usually comes with a serrated edge and similar size to that of a utility knife.

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Fig 31 s: Steak knife

The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

20. Butter Knife Butter knife as well forms a part of tableware cutleries, used for evenly distributing the bread spreads such as sauces, butter and jams etc., although it falls under a knife category, it has a total blunt edge, which allows it to be exclusively used for its own purpose.

Fig 31 t: Butter knife

21. Spatula A spatula has a wider and more flexible blade than a normal knife, it comes in un-serrated, serrated and totally blunt edge, used in spreading spreads like cream on bread and can function as a knife to cut cake, pastry etc., and as well serve it with the help of its broad knife wall.

Fig 31 u: Spatula

22. Scimitar of Cimeters It is a Large curved butcher’s knife, its end tip curved design gives a hint of it being inspired from a sword named scimitar, used in middle east in the 9th century by Ottoman empires, scimitar knife’s long blade area helps in cutting through large meat in one go, with blade length varying from 8 to 14” and serrated Granton edges to easily cut through meat and skin and fat. A similar knife with bold and nearly rounded edge is also available and is used as a butcher’s knife, with un-serrated edge and heavy body, but is similar to a scimitar’s shape.

Fig 31 v: Schimitar

Fig 31 w: Schimitar

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The Eastern Knives are mostly used in countries such as Japan, China and parts of north east Asia and are mostly inspired from the requirement in the local cuisine making process. The Japanese Knife handles are simple and elegantly designed, comes in either hexagonal, octagonal or round shape to naturally fit into the user’s hand across various age and genders.

Some of the eastern (Japanese) Knives are:

1. Gyuto A Gyuto knife shares common features and purpose with the western chefs’ knife, it comes in various sizes, ranging from 8 from up to 15”, the Japanese knives are traditionally made with materials such as Damascus Steel and Carbon steel, similar to the materials used in making Katanas in the previous days, but is also made with stainless steel now, with the evolution of time. A Gyuto knife can perform activities such as dicing, mincing and slicing with ease of both vegetable and meat.

Fig 32 a: Gyuto

2. Santoku Santoku in Japanese means to be able to perform three tasks of cutting which are, slicing, dicing and mincing, and is also referred as knife of three virtue, an original santoku knife is well balanced between its blade and handle, to perfectly fit into the hand and perform these three tasks with ease, it is commonly used in household as a single knife for its ability to perform various tasks, and comes in blade length of 5” up to 8”, its slight curve allows for a rocking motion, and the sheep’s foot profile makes an excellent tip for scooping out or carving.

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Fig 32 b: Santuko

The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

3. Sujihiki Sujihiki is something to a Western Slicer, a short height and long narrow blade, giving less surface for object to stick to it, making it ideal for cutting thin slices of fish and other meat.

Fig 32 c: Sujihiki

4. Nakiri A Nakiri knife is designed for full rhythmic chopping strokes, it is of a size of small cleaver, designed for sole purpose of chopping, dicing and slicing vegetables, with its thin and almost rectangle blade, measuring between 5 to 7”.

Fig 32 d: Nakiri

5. Bunka A Bunka knife is somewhat similar to Santoku knife, he only change is the santoku knife has a sheep’s foot design at the edge and a Bunka has a Trapeze angle on its edge, allowing maximum control and is used in slicing, dicing and chopping meat and vegetable, banka knives are known to be very uncommon in Japan as well, because of its high price and fine craftsmanship, it is used with some of the best materials.

Fig 32 e: Bunka

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6. Chukabacho A Japanese version of Cleaver, with thin and strong blade, it is used in slicing and dicing meat, cutting through light joints, almost all the parts of its blade can be used in cooking process, from mashing garlic to transferring food with its 7 to 9”blade and wall length from4 to 5”, it comes with both straight edge and with slight curve edge blade, the latter can be used in mincing herbs with the rocking motion, adding to the versatility of this knife.

Fig 32 f: Chukabacho

7. Deba Deba is a thick and stout knife comes in different sizes ranging from 6 to 8” blade length, it is designed to behead the fish head and to fillet, though it can be used for other meats as well.

Fig 32 g: Deba

8. Funayuki Funayuki is a thin blade Knife similar to shape of a Deba Knife, and is used in finely slicing fish and meat, with a blade span of 5.5 to 8.5” and wall height of upto 2”, it is one of the expensive knife due to the making of its thin blade.

Fig 32 h: Funayaki

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

9. Hankotsu Similar to a western boning knife, and appearance of a samurai sword, it is used in deboning chunks of meat from the bone with blade length varying from 3 to 6”.

Fig 32 i: Hankotsu

10. Honesuki Honesuki is a deboning knife, used in cutting through joints and tendons, but not for cleaving bones, comes with a distinctive triangular edge and blade length of 6 to 8”, with perfectly straight cutting edge, due to its compactness, it is used as a utility knife as well

Fig 32 j: Honesuki

11. Kiritsuke Kiritsuke is a hybrid knife designed to be used as a fish and vegetable slicer, it appears like a sword with sheep’s foot tip with the blade length of 10 to 12”, and wall height of 1.5 to 2”, with a slight curve on its edge blade, making it easy for single stroke cut.

Fig 32 k: Kiritsuke

12. Yanagi / Yanagiba Traditionally used by Sushi Chef, a Yanagi knife’s blade length varies from 8 to 12”, perfect for carving out portions of cooked and boneless meat and raw fish for the preparation of Sushi, it has a single bevelled design and hallow edge on one side to help release the food.

Fig 32 l: Yanagi

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Different types of cuts:

4. Brunoise

Cutting Fruits and vegetables can change them chemically and nutritionally, and is a main process in cooking food in its state of pre-preparation, preparation and post- preparation, chefs’ and food enthusiasts have developed different types of cutting technique, to deal better with variety of vegetables, and to reduce them in manageable sizes and shapes, cutting vegetables and meat not only helps in cooking food evenly, but adds great aesthetic value in food presentation as well. For foods which are not only aromatic and delicious to eat but also delightful to eyes.

It is also equally important to use a sharp knife to cut fruits and vegetables to keep their nutrients and shape intact. Surprisingly, a lot of cutting techniques are inspired from French cuisine, and are named in French terms 1. Fine chop Finely chopped vegetables are much smaller than bite size, usually, vegetables like onion, carrot, capsicum, and herbs are used by finely chopping them, to be used as a fillet for various dishes.

Brunoise cut is achieved with julienne cutting the vegetables first and chopping along its length, brunoise cut is a bigger than that of small sugar cubes

5. Fine Brunoise Fine brunoise is achieved by cutting fine julienne vegetables first and finely chopping along its length, the cubes are almost the size of sugar cubes, it is mostly used for presentation and finishing.

6. Small Dice (Macédoine) Small dice, also known as the Macédoine cut is little larger than that of a Brunoise cut, made by reducing the vegetable to a a near perfect square, with ach cube measuring roughly 4 to 8mm small cubes

7. Medium Dice (Parmentier) A Medium dice or Parmentier cut is little larger than that of Small dice / Macédoine cut, with each cube measuring roughly 12mm perfect cubes

2. Medium chop Medium chop is the size of a bite and the technique is used in chopping greens such as beans, greens such as celery and lettuce, onion, cabbage, radish etc.

8. Large Dice (Carré) Large Dice or called as Carré cut is the largest dice cut with each cube measuring anywhere between 20 to 25mm in a perfect cube

3. Large Chunks Large chunks are a little bigger than the medium chopped vegetables, they are basically used in pan frying, roasting and blending. Though there are no specific standardized measurements for fine, medium and large chunk cuts, it depends on the individual skill and practice.

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9. Paysanne (Slicing) Pysanne cut or can simply be observed as slicing is cutting the vegetable in accordance with its shape measuring nearly 15mm in length with 3mm thickness.

The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

10. Bâtonnet / Jardiniere

15. Fermiere

Bâtonnet or Jardiniere cut is a French word for baton or stick, resembling much with the type of cut, in this cut the vegetables are cut into manageable size rectangular sticks, measuring 1/4th inch of thickness with 2.5to 3” long in length.

French fries are an example of potatoes being cut into batons.

The Rondelle cut pieced if further cut into in to pie shape pieces gives a Fermiere cut.

11. Julienne Julienne cut is smaller than that of Bâtonnet / Jardiniere cut and are similar to medium sized sticks, almost the thickness of a chopstick, measuring 1/8th of an inch in thickness and almost the length of a Bâtonnet cut and is used in stir fry technique.

12. Fine Julienne Fine Julienne is thinner than that of a regular Julienne with the thickness of up to 3mm and same length as a regular julienne, it is use in garnishing, light stir frying and finishing the food. Vegetables like carrot, radish, potato, cucumber are used for Bâtonnet, julienne and fine julienne cutting.

13. Chiffonade or Ribbon cut Chiffonade or Ribbon cut is made with leafy vegetables, to produce thin and long stripes of greens, the given leafy vegetable is rolled by stacking multiple leaves on each other and cutting thin stripes along its length

14. Rondelle Rondelle cuts are coin shaped cuts, with required varying thickness, usually round and long vegetables are cut by this technique, such as carrot, radish celery etc.

16. Chinoise, Diagonal slice, Bias cut, or Lozenge cut Chinoise cut or otherwise called as Diagonal slice, Bias cut or a Lozenge cut across different part of the world, but the shape of cut remains nearly the same across. As the name suggests, Diagonal cut, the vegetables are chopped diagonally to give a trapeze like profile to them,it can be done on carrots, cucumber, radish, potato etc.

17. Mince Mincing technique is used in finely chopping vegetables and green leaves a type of Knife called Mezzaluna is used, which has a curved blade and handles on the either side, meat is also minced in the same process to reduce it almost to a paste to make various cuisines.

18. Tourné Tourné is a French term for “turned”, which refers to a method of cutting and peeling root vegetables into an almost oval shape with 6 to 7 sides, it is considered that it helps in even cooking of vegetables and used mostly in French cuisine.

19. Meat carving Meat carving is a process and skill of extracting portions of meat from bones, including cutting through the fat and carving sizes of meat along the entire body for maximum usage and for cooking variety of dishes. Specialised knives like carving knife, boning knife, fillet knife and butcher’s knives are used in this process.

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

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Indian scenario

Fig 33 a: A cart selling variety of locally made kitchen knife, Ahmedabad

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Market study The Indian Market is divided into three major segments, Knives which are locally available in Indian Bazaars, for example, the Manek-chowk market holds local market in the city of Ahmedabad for Locally made cheaper knives, these knives are majorly sourced from place like Reha on bulk, Ahmedabad’s Katar bazaar (Scissor Market) is also involved in making knives and scissors, the knives here are made with Hack saw blade and steel pipe or wooden handles. Mostly, small restaurants, eateries or food carts uses these knives, as it has a long and thin blade, made of carbon steel, which stays sharper for long and is easily replaceable, the price range for these knives ranges anywhere

between fifty to one hundred and fifty rupees, the other types of knives are one with plastic moulded handle, mostly, utility knives, peelers, paring knives and other odd sizes of knives are used in Indian middle class scenario, and are made by local brands such as Crystal and Rocket, a lot of these knives are also imported from China due to cheaper production cost and the knives in these categories are made with Stainless steel blades. The knives from these market serves most of the population comparatively, in India as their buyers includes lower and middle strata of the society, food carts, street vendors, food market, vegetable market, small and medium scale restaurants.

Fig 33 b: A cart selling locally made kitchen knife, Ahmedabad

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Fig 33 c: A shop in Manek chowk, Ahmedabad, selling a variety of knives.

Fig 33 d: Shop in ahmedabad, having trays of variety of kitchen and restaurent knives

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Fig 33 e: One of the shops in manek chowk, Ahmedabad.

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Fig 33 f: Variety of knives displayed at Hyper one mart, Ahmedabad one mall, Ahmedabad.

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The other market category for knives being speciality shops, malls and supermarkets, most of the consumers here are middle class, upper middle and upscale restaurants. From a visit to HyperCity (a chain of supermarket owned by Future group), Ahmedabad one mall, Ahmedabad, a study was done on the types of knives available in this market segment, it is observed that one can find a variety of knives and knife brands from national and international market for various specialities, knives such as butcher’s knife, santoku knife, chefs’ knife, Utility knife, paring knife, slicer, bread knife, table knife, butter knife pizza wheel, peelers and steak knives, kitchen shears, pastry wheel are available in variety of finishes with both wooden & plastic handles and full metal body knives, partial and full

tang knives in mostly Machine punched techniques.

While there are some Indian brands such as Crystal and Godrej, which are selling professional and task specific knives, most of the brands are imported from international markets such as WB Wellberg, Victorinox, WiltShire, Nirosta by Fackelmann and many other Chinese brands as well with each knife starting from Rs. 60-70 to anywhere up to Rs. 3000.

The third kind of market is Online retail, the professional and home kitchen are available on online retail networks such as Amazon, Flipkart etc, with Amazon having its own brand called as Amazon Basics and Solimo, having basic to premium knife sets, starting from 379 for each knife and can go up to Rs. 2,500 for a premium set.

Fig 33 g: Image showing Crsytal knife, a Chinese brand of knife and Wiltshire knife, Australia.

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Fig 33 h: Image showing Victorinox knives and product packaging showing variety of knives.

Fig 33 i: A Victorinox utility knife, knife set & paring knife with plastic molded handles and a box packaging

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Fig 33 j: A Victorinox peeler and standee saying about the brand

Fig 33 k: A Victorinox display unit, Ahmedabad one mall, Ahmedabad.

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Fig 33 l: Image showing Wiltshire Knife with its sheath Witshire, an australian Product, with its locking case, which says to sharpen the knife every time you take out of its case., a Nirosta kitchen knife and a bread knife

Fig 33 m: Nirosta and Crystal brand of knives

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Fig 33 n: A display unit having knives of various brands - Ahmedabad one mall, Ahmedabad.

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Online market

Fig 33 o: Image showing availibility of kitchen in online platforms such as Amazon. A set of AmazonBasics set of six stainless steel knives

Fig 33 p: AmazonBasics set of premium eight piece steak knife

Fig 33 q: AmazonBasics set of High carbon blade knife set

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Knowing Materials: Steel Different types of steel grades and properties:

Carbon Steels

According to the World Steel Association, there are over 3,500 different grades of steel, encompassing unique physical, chemical, and environmental properties.

Carbon steels contain trace amounts of alloying elements and account for 90% of total steel production. Carbon steels can be further categorized into three groups depending on their carbon content:

Steel is composed of iron and carbon, although it is the amount of carbon, as well as the level of impurities and additional alloying elements that determine the properties of each steel grade.

The carbon content in steel can range from 0.11.5%, but the most widely used grades of steel contain only 0.1-0.25% carbon. Elements such as manganese, phosphorus, and sulphur are found in all grades of steel, but, whereas manganese provides beneficial effects, phosphorus and sulphur are deleterious to steel’s strength and durability.

Different types of steel are produced according to the properties required for their application, and various grading systems are used to distinguish steels based on these properties. According to the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), steel can be broadly categorized into four groups based on their chemical compositions: 1.

Carbon Steels

2.

Alloy Steels

3.

Stainless Steels

4.

Tool Steels

• Low Carbon Steels/Mild Steels contain up to 0.3% carbon • Medium Carbon Steels contain 0.3 – 0.6% carbon • High Carbon Steels contain more than 0.6% carbon Alloy Steels Alloy steels contain alloying elements (e.g. manganese, silicon, nickel, titanium, copper, chromium, and aluminium) in varying proportions to manipulate the steel’s properties, such as its hardenability, corrosion resistance, strength, formability, weldability or ductility. Applications for alloys steel include pipelines, auto parts, transformers, power generators and electric motors.

Stainless Steels Stainless steels generally contain between 10-20% chromium as the main alloying element and are valued for high corrosion resistance. With over 11% chromium, steel is about 200 times more resistant to corrosion than mild steel. These steels can be divided into three groups based on their crystalline structure:

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• Austenitic: Austenitic steels are non-magnetic and non-heat-treatable, and generally contain 18% chromium, 8% nickel and less than 0.8% carbon.

Austenitic steels form the largest portion of the global stainless-steel market and are often used in food processing equipment, kitchen utensils, and piping.

• Ferritic: Ferritic steels contain trace amounts of nickel, 12-17% chromium, less than 0.1% carbon, along with other alloying elements, such as molybdenum, aluminium or titanium.

These magnetic steels cannot be hardened by heat treatment but can be strengthened by cold working.

Sources • World Steel Association. Website: www. worldsteel.org • Street, Arthur & Alexander, W.O. 1944. Metals in the Service of Man. 11th Edition (1998).

• Efunda.com. General Properties of Steels.

Website: www.efunda.com • The American Iron & Steel Institute. www.steel. org

• Martensitic: Martensitic steels contain 11-17% chromium, less than 0.4% nickel, and up to 1.2% carbon. These magnetic and heat-treatable steels are used in knives, cutting tools, as well as dental and surgical equipment.

Tool Steels Tool steels contain tungsten, molybdenum, cobalt and vanadium in varying quantities to increase heat resistance and durability, making them ideal for cutting and drilling equipment.

Steel products can also be divided by their shapes and related applications: • Long/Tubular Products include bars and rods, rails, wires, angles, pipes, and shapes and sections.

These products are commonly used in the automotive and construction sectors.

• Flat Products include plates, sheets, coils, and strips. These materials are mainly used in automotive parts, appliances, packaging, shipbuilding, and construction.

• Other Products include valves, fittings, and flanges and are mainly used as piping materials.

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SS202 Stainless Steel: SS202 is a steel grade which is low in nickel content and right amount of Chromium and magnesium to be used in applications requiring high strength, high formability at lower cost.

The grade 202 steel can be made into plates, sheets, and coils to be used in the following:

After contacting Steel traders from Ahmedabad and Rajkot, it was found that this grade of steel is easily available, economic and provides fair amount of corrosion resistance as some of the higher grades of steels.

• Sinks

The Composition of the Steel used for this project is as given below:

• Restaurant equipment • Cooking utensils • Automotive trim • Architectural applications such as windows and doors • Railway cars • Trailers • Hose clamps.

Sources AZOM.com - Stainless stel Grade 202 (UNS S20200)

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Brass

Wood

Brass, alloy of copper and zinc, of historical and enduring importance because of its hardness and workability. The earliest brass, called calamine brass, dates to Neolithic times; it was probably made by reduction of mixtures of zinc ores and copper ores. In ancient documents, such as the Bible, the term brass is often used to denote bronze, the alloy of copper with tin.

Teak (genus Tectona grandis), large deciduous tree of the family Verbenaceae, or its wood, one of the most valuable timbers. Teak has been widely used in India for more than 2,000 years. The name teak is from the Malayalam word tēkka.

The malleability of brass depends on the zinc content; brasses that contain more than 45 percent zinc are not workable, either hot or cold.

Such brasses, known as white brasses, are of little industrial importance, though a granulated form is used in brazing (soldering); they also form the basis for certain alloys used in die-casting. The malleable brasses may be further subdivided into those that can be worked cold (generally those with less than 40 percent zinc) and those with a greater zinc content, which require hot working.

The former group, known as the alpha brasses, are widely used in the manufacture of pins, bolts, screws, and ammunition cartridge cases. The beta brasses are less ductile but stronger and thus are suitable for the manufacture of faucet handles, sprinkler heads, window and door fittings, and other fixtures. A third group of brasses includes those with other elements besides copper and zinc, added to improve physical and mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, or machinability or to modify colour. Among these are the lead brasses, which are more easily machined; the naval and admiralty brasses, in which a small amount of tin improves resistance to corrosion by seawater; and the aluminium brasses, which provide strength and corrosion resistance where the naval brasses may fail. Brass is also used in small fittings such as screws, bolts, tap, faucets, and rivets.

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The tree has a straight but often buttressed stem (i.e., thickened at the base), a spreading crown, and four-sided branchlets with large quadrangular pith.

The leaves are opposite or sometimes whorled in young specimens, about 0.5 metre (1.5 feet) long and 23 cm (9 inches) wide. In shape they resemble those of the tobacco plant, but their substance is hard and the surface rough. The branches terminate in many small white flowers in large, erect, crossbranched panicles. The fruit is a drupe (fleshy, with a stony seed) 1.7 cm (two-thirds of an inch) in diameter. The bark of the stem is about 1.3 cm (half an inch) thick, grey or brownish grey, the sapwood white; the unseasoned heartwood has a pleasant and strong aromatic fragrance and a beautiful golden yellow colour, which on seasoning darkens into brown, mottled with darker streaks. The timber retains its aromatic fragrance to a great age.

Teak timber is valued in warm countries principally for its extraordinary durability. In India and Myanmar, beams of the wood in good preservation are often found in buildings many centuries old, and teak beams have lasted in palaces and temples more than 1,000 years. The timber is practically imperishable under cover.

Teakwood is used for shipbuilding, fine furniture, door and window frames, wharves, bridges, cooling-tower louvres, flooring, panelling, railway cars, and venetian blinds. An important property of teak is its extremely good dimensional stability. It is strong, of medium weight, and of average hardness.

The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Termites eat the sapwood but rarely attack the heartwood; it is not, however, completely resistant to marine borers.

Teak’s high oil content, high tensile strength and tight grain make it particularly suitable where weather resistance is desired. It is used in the manufacture of outdoor furniture and boat decks.

It is also used for cutting boards, indoor flooring, countertops and as a veneer for indoor furnishings.

Teak is used extensively in India to make doors and window frames, furniture, and columns and beams in old type houses. It is resistant to termite attacks and damage caused by other insects.

Kutch is also home to a lot of wood carving artisans, and are scattered across the vast land, few such artisans have their workshop at Kukma, close to KHAMIR craft facility, in an attempt to recycle waste or leftover wood from wood carving artisans in this project, it is being used into making handles for the Reha Knives, Reha gets most of its wood from local timber market, and is usually not seasoned, mango or pine wood, both of which being soft wood, are learnt as not be an ideal material to be used as handles. Teak wood provides better resistance as natural material for handles in kitchen environment, where there is a constant contact of such tools with water. Teak wood is also resistance to wear and tear because of its density and provides prolonged life than any other wood in the same category.

Source: Britannica

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Western Brands

Fig 34 a

Fig 34 b Fig 34 a & b: Shears Grinding and Hardening plant

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Brand Study

WÜSTHOF WÜSTHOF is a family business, which was founded back in 1814 in Solingen, Germany.

Abraham Wüsthof, founded his “factory for fine steel wares”, which is now known as the Dreizackwerk. WÜSTHOF is recognised worldwide as a specialist in outstanding knives. Now operated by the seventh generation, the company also sells kitchen shears, pocket knives and other cooking accessories, although on a smaller scale than its main competitor, Zwilling J. A. Henckels.

WÜSTHOF’s Classic and Grand Prix series have been recognized as top-rated knife lines by Consumer Reports.

All WÜSTHOF knives are precision forged except for the stamped Emeril and Gourmet and laser cut Silverpoint series. WÜSTHOF forged knives have more than 40 steps in their manufacturing process, while stamped WÜSTHOF knives have 14. The knives are sharpened to an angle of 14 degrees per side for a German-style knife and 10 degrees per side for Japanese-style knives. A special process has also been developed to sharpen our knives accurately using precision measurements and perfect sharpening technology. This is known as PEtec.

Fig 34 c: WÜSTHOF Classic Chefs Knife

Fig 34 d: WÜSTHOF Classic Knife Set

www.wusthof.com

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Fig 34 e: Original Zwllining factory from 1840 in Solingen, Germany

Fig 34 f: Zwilling J.A. Henckels Four Star

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Fig 34 g: Zwilling J.A. Henckels Pro Knife Set

The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

ZWILLING J.A. HENCKELS Zwilling J. A. Henckels is a knife manufacturer based in Solingen, Germany. It is one of the largest and oldest manufacturers of kitchen knives, scissors, cookware and flatware. Peter Henckels, the founder, registered the “Zwilling” (German for “Twin”) logo with the Cutlers’ Guild of Solingen in 1731. This makes Zwilling one of the oldest trademarks in the world.

Henckels produces multiple lines of kitchen cutlery particularly in the The Four Star line and the TWIN series.

The features include ergonomic handles which are constructed of 18/10 stainless steel and have a traditional 3-rivet polypropylene handle. Most knives feature blades which are constructed from high carbon, stainless steel which is ice hardened for sharpness and stain resistance.

Henckels knives are manufactured in several ways. TWIN Select, Four Star, Four Star II, and Professional “S” are all forged from a single piece of high carbon stainless steel, which is ice hardened to improve stain resistance. Forging is intended to produce improved cutting-edge retention, weight, balance, and reduced opportunity for metal fatigue.

www.zwilling.com

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Fig 34 h: The world’s first all-electric hardening plant in Ibach, Switzerland. Circa 1931

Fig 34 i: Victorinox “Officer’s Watch”

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Fig 34 j: Victorinox Knives Kitchen Set 5 Pieces

The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

VICTORINOX Victorinox is a knife manufacturer based in the town of Ibach, in the Canton of Schwyz, Switzerland. In 1891, the founder Karl Elsener and around 30 other cutlers joined forces to create the Swiss Master Cutlers Association, to provide knives for the swiss army. The company later renamed Victorinox after the founders mother, in 1909. It has created a legacy in creating the industry standard Swiss Army knives, while adding products like timepieces and professional knives to its collection.

Victorinox makes every single one of its 350 different modelssing over 800 different tools, in its small factory at Ibach, Switzerland. The steel received here are cut into large sheets from which the accessories are stamped out in special machines. Each of these machines produces almost 20,000 sheets per hour through the pressure generated by 160 tons that stamp the shape on the sheets.

The edges of the accessories are eliminated in a centrifugal machine with a barrel shape, using ceramic stones. The resulting pieces, which can amount to upto 64 pieces, are assembled to form the knife, joined with washers, pins, leaves, etc.

These are combined manually, over different stages across an assembly machine.

www.swissarmy.com/us/en/Victorinox/Company/House-of-Victorinox

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Eastern Brands

Fig 34 k: Traditional Japanese wood cutting and hammering techniques

Fig 34 l: GKAD Gold Kokaji Aoko #2 Damascus

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Fig 34 m: Various finishes of the Kikuichi Company

The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

KIKUICHI Kikuichi Cutlery began making swords for Samurais in the early 13th century. Pertaining to the quality of the blades, the emperor then granted the right to use the royal symbol of the Chrysanthemum flower, as a mark of their excellence on his blades. This symbol is still recognized in Japan for its connection to the royal family. The company is located in Nara, Japan, the country’s first capital and widely considered an origin place for Samurai culture and sword making. In 1876, when samurai were banned from carrying swords, Kikuichi-monji added a horse’s bit mouthpiece logo above its name and started manufacturing cooking knives, carpentry tools, gardening knives, and other related products in Kyoto as well.

Each blade in Kikuichi’s higher-end lines involves the work of at least four craftsmen. Each member of the team performs one step of the knife production. This four-step process consists of forging, sharpening, hand-carving the wooden handle, and assembly. In that last step, the two pieces are fit together and hand engraved with the chrysanthemum.

The metals used in manufacturing range from Carbon to Molybdenum to Damascan Steel.

www.kikuichi.net

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Fig 34 n: Miyabi Statue at Seki, Japan

Fig 34 o: MIYABI Birchwood SG2 - 5000MCD

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Fig 34 p: MIYABI BLACK 5000MCD67 Set

The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

MIYABI MIYABI is a ZWILLING Group brand and is synonymous with genuine Japanese knives. The takeover by the German knife connosiuers in 2004, saw MIYABI, one of the leading Seki-based manufacturers of high-quality knives, join forces to innovate. Each authentic knife is crafted by skilled artisans and forged from the most premium steel and state-of-the art technology, based of samurai swordmaking traditions.

Its factory located out of Seki, Japan also utilizes innovative German engineering. Honbazuke— Japanese for “true cutting edge”—is the three-step honing process that gives Japanese blades their exceptional sharpness. Each step of this traditional technique is done by hand. Blades are coarsely ground with a vertical rotating whetstone, finehoned with a horizontal rotating whetstone, then the edge is polished using a leather belt.

Each blade in Kikuichi’s higher-end lines involves the work of at least four craftsmen. Each member of the team performs one step of the knife production. This four-step process consists of forging, sharpening, hand-carving the wooden handle, and assembly.

www.miyabi-knives.com

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Fig 34 q: A selection of knives in the Shun Kanso series, including the chef’s, utility, and paring knives.

Fig 34 r: Shun Classic 8” Chef’s Knife

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Fig 34 s: Shun Kaji Pairing Knives Box Set

The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

SHUN Shun Cutlery is a kitchen knife brand of the KAI Group, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The origins of the Kai Group date back to 1908, when founder Saijiro Endo established the company in Seki City, Japan. The company produced various cutlery throughout the 20th century, including folding knives, razors, and kitchen cutlery. In 2002, Kai introduced the Shun Cutlery brand to the Western market.

Shun knives are made from the latest, most advanced materials such as powdered steel and rely on the traditional artistry and meticulous skill of Seki City’s knifemakers. It takes more than 100 handcrafted steps to make each Shun knife. The line up of Shun knives include Shun Classic Knives, Shun Elite Knives, Shun Ken Onion Knives, Shun Steel, Pro 2 and many more. Shun Classic s the most popular of the lot, designed for chefs. It is made of Japanese steel named VG-10, which is sharper and harder as compared to other European steels. It also provides an excellent combination of sharpness while being lightweight, due to a pakka wood handle.

www.shun.kaiusaltd.com

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Forging Apprenticeship

“Learning by doing” – learning by doing has always been an important part of the learning process in NID, having hands-on knowledge of process and material enables one to strategize decision, possibilities & limitation. During our modules throughout two years in Lifestyle Accessory Design, we have always come across materials and hands on skill on its making has always been an important part of the overall design process.

In this Forging Apprenticeship, I have gained insights on how the material works or reacts to heat and forge, what is the optimum temperature, how to draw the metal and an insight on how much of hard work and skill goes into making a hand forged product.

Fig 35 a: Photo of myself learning forging from Amad bhai.

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Fig 35 b: Myself learning forging

Fig 35 c: Learning to polish and sharpen a knife

Fig 35 d: Knives made during the course of my apperenticeship, made with carbon steel, a waste truck spring and a construction rod.

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Safety Kit need assessment, procurement & distribution Need Assessment: Forging: In forging it is observed that the artisans work without using any kind of safety measures from handling heated metal with bare hands to operating furnace. not only does working with such high temperatature invites risks of serious burns but the harmful gasses emited during the heating process also posseses great danger towards cardiovascular related diseases. The potential primary areas which are prone to injuries are Hands, Eyes, Nose and Chest. A basic safety toolkit consisting of 3M Nose mask, effective in controling intake of harmful gasses and dust particles a pair of leather / fabric safety hand gloves with good grip, which protects against free fire particles, cuts, burns and jerk from forging, a leather / heavy fabric apron which protects the chest and torso region from fire particles, a safety eye glass to protect eyes against the same. from which the hand gloves and apron can be in house (Khamir) production with the help of stitching unit.

Available Solution / safety gears:

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Fig 36 a: Amad bhai forging, the red circles highlighting possible areas of injury

Affected Areas:

Anti-dust/ pollutant mask

Hand Gloves

Nose

Hands

Safety Apron

Eye Goggles

Chest

Eyes

The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Casting The potential primary areas which are at risk of injuries are Legs, Hands and Nose, a basic safety kit for casting artisans, consisting of Safety shoes, Hand gloves with grip and fire safety and an anti dust and pollutant nose mask can be provided.

Fig 36 b: A casting artisans pouring molten brass into the mold, image also shows exposed area of possible injuries

Artisans in reha practie sand casting using brass, to make decorative handles for folding knives, knife and sword handles. Most of the cassting work in reha happens in ground level, i.e. the sitting position, furnace and moulds fall on a common ground platform, which allows them to use maximum part of their body for this work artisans hold sand casted moulds with the help of their near the furnace while they pour molten brass in it. Through this the artisan also put maximum risk of injures to their legs and hands while operating a molten liquid at about 600 to 800 degree celcius.

Another health hazard with castingis the emmited harmful gasses while melting metals, which has been a main cause of TB (Tuberculosis) as mentioned in previous reports.

Affected Areas

Nose

Hands

Foot

Available Solution / safety gears

Anti-dust/ pollutant mask

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Hand Gloves

Safety Boots

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Buffing & Sharpening The craftsmen of reha divide work amongst each other and passes on the buffing work to artisan specialising in it they use electric powered grinding motor wheel to do almost 90 % of their job the artisans have buffing, polishing and sharpening sheel of various grades. Majority of artisans from this craft specialsises in this process and practice it daily along with making and assembling pocket, folding knife and small kitchen knife. During buffing process it is seen that the hands, noseand eyes are at maximum risk of injuries from free flying particles emitted from grinding wheel and also the risk of object flying slipping away from hands during the grinding process. such injuries and mishaps can me managed or controlled through use of a safety kit compraising of an anti pollutant/dust mask, safety gloves with required grip to hold the object, and eye safety goggle for Buffing artisans.

Fig 36 c: A buffing artisan sharpening knives, the red circles highlighting the exposed areas.

Affected Areas:

Nose

Hands

Almost all the artisans are comfortable working without any safety equipments as it hass been practiced same way from centuries, but the survey fromarisans reveal tha a large number of artisans are interensted in using one if provided. Many of them understand the aspects of safety but the confidence of experience take over. There are a few who uses hand towel to cover nose and mouth as a protection towards smoke, gasses and dust, but none of them have any of the primary safety equipments required.

Eyes

Available Solution / safety gears:

Anti-dust/ pollutant mask

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Following are the proposed safety kit made in accordance with the observation fromvarious field visits, experiencing the process, observing current need, and comfortability of artisans with the given infrastructure and skills.

The safety kit is subjected to further observation in usage and post usage situations to know the overall compatibility and if any changes required in the same.

Hand Gloves

Eye Goggles

The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Available local resource and procurement channels:

Fig 37 a: A - 60 rs, B- 180 rs Difference in quality, VK Enterprises

Fig 37 b: Full cover 50rs+18% GST, Aditya Enterprises

Fig 37 c: a nose mask, has a breathable opening for air inlet and outlet, Aditya Enterprises

Fig 37 d: Full cover 15rs+5% GST, 3M, VK Enterprises

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Fig 37 e: 20 rs + 15% GST, Hand gloves with grip points, recomended for buffing work, VK Enterprises

Fig 37 f: 150 rs + 18% GST, Thick cotton gloves, with better grip than of a leather one, recomended for casting and forging work, VK Enterprises, Bhuj

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Fig 37 g: 60 to150 rs (depending on quality) +18% GST, provides best protection against fire, cuts and burns, but lacks required grip,VK Enterprises, Bhuj

Fig 37 h: There are a variety of safety shoes available, depending upon the kind of work, product quality and desired durability, ranging from 300 uptill 1500 rs, Bhuj

Fig 37 i: Aprons are available in a number of quality for forging purpose, it is made of leather or similr synthetic material to protect one against fire sparks and hot metal forge. 450/- rs, Shanta Enterprises.

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V K Machinery & Tools Co. Address: 15/16, Heera Panna Complex, Station Road, Bhuj, Gujarat 370001 Phone: 093777 99938 For Hand gloves, Nose mask and Eye goggles Aditya Enterprise Address: Shop No.4, LAXMI CHAMBER, STATION ROAD, Bhuj - 370001 Phone: 91524 44741 For hand gloves, Nose mask and Eye goggles

The latest survey reveals that thare are atleast 36 to 38 artisans connected to this craft in various ways. 4 - 6 artisans practice forging (for which Forging Safety Kit is required), 3 - 5 artisans practice Sand casting (Casting safety kit) and the rest (28 - 30) are involved in Buffing, polishing, making pocket knife, folding knife and small kitchen knives. (Buffing and assembling safety kit)

Shanta Enterprises Address: Shop no.4 , Laxhmi chambers, Station

Interestingly, it also gives insight about how the practice of forging and casting is declining in this craft and now is shifting towards making small knives which can be made through grinding wheel

road, Bhuj Phone: 99135 86890 For Safety shoes and Apron

an with much thinner available metal sheets, which does not require any forging. although many of them still posseses the knowledge of traditional skills.

Safety Kit Procurement

Fig 37 j: Safety Kit Procurement, a Forging, buffing & Casting safety kit procured accordance with the organisation’s budget.

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Fig 37 k: Forging safety kits made in Khamir, containing a pair of leather gloves, nose mask and eye gear

Fig 37 l: Polishing safety kits made in Khamir, containing a pair of cotton gloves, nose mask and eye gear

Fig 37 m: Casting safety kits made in Khamir, containing a pair of cotton gloves, safety shoes and a nose mask

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Kit Distribution

Fig 37 n: Distributing safety kits to artisans of Nana Reha along with the staff from Khamir.

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Key Takeaways: 1. Insights on culture and food’s influence on evolution of knife design 2. Study of different types of Western and eastern knives, their functions 3. Observing and mapping cutting as an activity, learning on the activity of same through a glance over stone, bronze and iron and contemporary age 4. Understanding and learning different Cutting techniques in culinary arts, their technical terms and vocabulary.

5. Being apprentice to the Craftsman and learning forging firsthand gave me insights on what goes into making a piece of cutting equipment such as knife or sword, an idea of time, temperature and materials, processes in forging such as drawing the material, looking for the right temperature through visual perceptions, alignments, fractures, dents and uneven surface judgements in metal, as well as basics of handle making, revitting, buffing, sharpening and polishing of a knife.

6. Working and learning craft first-hand also provided me with an insight of safety concerns, hazards associated with the practice of this craft, which has further helped in designing / putting together a basic set of Safety equipments for each process, namely, forging, casting and buffing/sharpening. A customised individual artisan kits were made and distributed amongst artisans of Nana Reha, along with safety instructions and communication at personal level to educate and bring awareness on the importance of safety measures in the work they do.

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Concept Development Defining design direction: Decoding brief-

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India is a country with emotions of hundreds of cultures, their unique practices and food preparation techniques, yet a lot of common ingredients and cooking methods binds us as a nation.

Throughout our country we use a lot of vegetables, herbs, spices, fruits and light poultry, along with pulses such as wheat, millets, dal & beans, these compose as foremost and basic of diet through many Indian household. A lot of them are consumed raw or goes into further process of being cut into desired shape and sizes, to consume or to cook.

As studied in the previous chapters, there is a knife for every cutting activity, which makes the process more Humane. Along with variety of cutting techniques, helps one to consume given vegetable efficiently, and present the same effectively. The

general tasks of cutting include cleaning, de-skinning/ peeling, dicing, carving, fine chopping and mincing.

The Idea here is to introduce basic professional kitchen knife set required in a Semi-professional and household kitchens set-up, which covers an array of cutting tasks on vegetables, herbs, spices, fruits and light poultry and at the same time, to start increasing awareness from artisan to customer end on use and importance of various kitchen knives, cutting techniques and use of knife ergonomics to make the task of cutting more appealing and humane.

Below is a study done through secondary research on what type of knives are used on different objects classified under Fruits, Vegetables, Herbs spices and greens & Light poultry, these knives form basic kitchen cutting tool requirement to cover an array of tasks.

Indian Cooking

The Essentials:

Fruits

Vegetables

Herbs, Spices, & Greens

Knives used:

Knives used:

Knives used:

Knives used:

Chef’s Knife

Chef’s Knife

Utility Knife

Chef’s Knife

Utility Knife

Utility Knife

Paring

Cleaver

Cleaver

Cleaver

Sheep’s foot

Utility

Paring

Paring

Cleaver( to mince)

Light Poultry

Bird’s beak

Chefs Knife: A kitchen all rounder Cleaver: To chop through toughest of vegetable, fruits and to de bone meat Vegetable Slicer: A smaller, version of cleaver, to chop vegetables and meat Utility Knife: a smaller version of Chef’s knife, a grab to go knifefor medium sized jobs, chiffonads, carving etc., Paring knife: A handy knife for minute jobs and for chopping herbs, spices, carving meat / vegetable etc.,

Mezzaluna

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Survey questionnaires for chefs’ To understand the co-relation of the object and its user better and to explore a chefs’ perspective on the knife they use, a set of ten survey questionnaires were prepared which were sent to some of the wellknown chefs across country.

A professional chef considers knife to be His/her first wife!

An e-mail sample, which was sent to chefs:

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Questionnaires sent:

Sent to:

1.Which brands of Knife do you trust and use?

1. Sanjeev Kapoor 2. Vikas Khanna 3. Gautam Mehrishi 4. Rajan Loomba 5. Kunal Kapoor 6. Ranveer Brar 7. Atul Kocchar 8. Vineet Bhatia 9. Hari Nayak 10. Jehangir Mehta 11. Maneet Chauhan 12. Sanjay Thumma 13. Harpal Sokhi 14. Saransha Goila 15. Nita Mehta 16. Shipra Khanna 17. Pankaj Bhadouria 18. Suvir Saran 19. Floyd Cardoz 20. Narayan Krishnan 21. Vicky Ratnani 22. Nilesh Limaiye 23. Vivek Singh 24. Nisha Madhulika 25. Vivek Tamhane 26. Manish Mehrotra 27. Manjunath Mural 28. Shazia Khan

2.Do you use Carbon steel knives? If yes, which one specifically?

3.Do you go about buying and choosing your own knives?

4.What are the 3-5 most important feature you look for in a good quality knife?

5.What all knives would you suggest including for Indian market, in a knife set?

6.Do you carry your own set of knives? If yes, how do you carry them?

7.Do you prefer to sharpen your knife, yourself?

8.Have you ever faced any kind of discomfort in the knife you use? If yes, please specify.

9.Do you feel further need for improvement / innovation in the knives which are currently available in market? If yes, you can define them in keywords in box below.

10.Do you use Knife for any unconventional use? if yes, please specify the activity 11.Do you wish to be updated regarding this project through mail?

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Responses:

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Ergonomic study:

Key Ergonomic points on handle and blade design:

The term ergonomic is derived from Greek word ergon meaning work and nomai meaning natural laws. Ergonomic in total can be defined as science of designing products which are optimized for human use, scientifically it is referred as human factor engineering. Ergonomics have a vast application right from a minute personal object to a skyscraper, with the goal to reduce human error and increase efficiency and productivity, enhance safety and comfort and enhance the experience between human and the object of interest. Ergonomics is largely employed to fulfil occupational health and safety; proper ergonomic design is necessary to avoid repetitive strain injuries and other musculoskeletal injuries and long-term disabilities.

There are various methods to evaluate human factor and its compatibility with desired object from simple questionnaires to an extensive and complex lab study. Some of the known methods include Ethnographic analysis, focused group discussion, survey and questionnaires, task analysis or activity mapping, user or persona analysis, work sampling, iterative design prototyping. There are other complex, sophisticated methods used such as 3D mapping and scanning real-time. Each method depends on the kind of requirement and the desired kind of output to be achieved. In this project, Iterative prototyping method is used for exploring the shape of handle by mimicking different handle sizes and shapes of successful brands such as Henckles, Wusthof, Miyabi etc., to understand the comfortability and uniqueness of each shape.

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1. A sharp blade is better than a blunt one, as a lot of uneven force is put on object with a blunt knife, increasing chances of Injury, although a sharp knife must be handled with care.

2. The weight distribution between handle and blade should be well balanced for better grip and control over knife.

3. Everyone’s hand differs in size and grip, no two hands can possibly be same. Handle should be universal, considering different palm sizes and different genders.

4. Average dimensions of handle: width – 5” to 51/2”, Height: 2/3” to 1”, thickness: ¾” to 1” 5. A curvature in centre portion of handle is seen, this is to provide an extra grip, which fits into the folded palm, also known as palm swell.

6. There are different kinds of grip used in holding a knife, such as pinch grip, power grip and pointed finger grip (illustrations), the handles are designed keeping various grips in mind.

7. Using ergonomics while cutting is as equally important as applying ergonomics while designing knives.

8. Avoid sharp angles as it causes strain in muscles and tension in blood flow 9. There should be enough room to fit in all the fingers and different grip styles comfortably.

10. Round and symmetrical handles have no natural indexing, hence it does not allow one to point the sharp edge onto the object and needs manual calibration, where as a handle like the one in Henckles have natural indexing the moment it is held in hand.

11. A curvature is provided where handle ends, and blade starts, such that it accommodates pinch grip, and a “butt” in the end to avoid slipping.

The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Experiential learning: The ergonomic study was done by observing the cutting activity, discussing with the chef from Khamir, conversing with artisans, chefs over call and e-mails and through personal experience as well.

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Exploring Handles

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Fig 38 a: Some of the selected sketches, made with the reference of existing brands and variations of the same were further selected for prototyping them into thermacol & wood handles. The handle marked in red was selected to be made for final piece.

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Fig 38 b: Exploring blade shapes and brass inlay process.

Fig 38 c: Wooden handle prototypes

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Exploring Knives 151

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Brass inlay process: This process was practiced in Reha, which has been discontinued now, because of the labour involved versus the demand for the craft.

In this process, etching of the design to be made is done onto the knife blade or onto the nut cracker, the design mainly consists of simple and minimal strokes of floral motifs and geometric patterns, which is seen fount to be a common practice with the muslim community artisans across country.

The surface is heated and the pattern is chisseled onto it, the artisan then places a thin sheet of brass and puts “Borax” or sodium bi-carbonate on it, he then places the knife on pre-heated charcoal, the borax helps brass to melt quickly and helps in settling it into the groves formed from chisseled pattern, once the artisan confirms that all the groves are covered and filled with brass, he then let the piece cool and buffs it to reveal the design.

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Identity Creation

Fig 39: Some of the old collections of product found from the artisans of reha, showing traces of practice of marking the identity with etching and brass inlay process.

The artisans of Reha used to practice “Brass Inlay, which created a unique identity for the craft, with decline of the craft and its demand, this process was discontinued.

The logo is inspired from the chisel marks found on most of the old products to engrave the name ”Reha”. In many Indian communities, “Reha” means” Star”.

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Final Identity designed to communicate sharpness, simplicity and a fresh new start, and also for its ease and effectiveness in translating the same in etching & brass inlay .

Fig 40: A “Reha” identity die punch, got made from Rajkot. for creting identity on knives and packaging.

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Final Concept: Chefs’ Knife

Brass rivets

Reha Branding

Teak Wood Handle

Stainless Steel, Hand forged, full tang body

8” Blade, 1.5” Wall

5” Handle

The Reha chefs’ Knife is most basic and a perfect all-rounder for cooking enthusiast, beginners and professionals. It is used in performing various tasks such as Slicing, dicing and mincing Vegetables and meat through its hand forged cutlery grade stainless-

Cleaver

steel blade and ergonomically designed handle keeping various grip styles in mind, which offers comfort and ease even on prolonged usage, made with locally sourced Indian teak and secured with brass rivets.

Brass rivets

Reha Branding

Teak Wood Handle Stainless Steel, Hand forged, full tang body

6” Blade, 2” Wall

5” Handle

The Reha handmade 6” blade vegetable and meat cleaver. Clever are essentially used in chopping through large chunks of vegetables and meat, with its thicker blade than that of other knives and blade

mincing. Made with hand forged cutlery grade stainless steel and ergonomically designed knife handle which offers comfort through various gripping style even on prolonged usage, made with locally

designed to have rocking motion while cutting/

sourced Indian teak and secured with brass rivets.

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Vegetable Chopper Brass rivets

Reha Branding

Teak Wood Handle Stainless Steel, Hand forged, full tang body

6” Blade, 2” Wall

5” Handle

The Reha chopper here is inspired from Japanese Santuko Knife, also known as knife of three virtues, for its versatility in performing three major cutting tasks which are, mincing herbs and spices to finely chopping vegetables to dicing large chunks of meat and vegetables, with its hand forged cutlery grade

stainless steel curved blade allowing for rocking motion while cutting reducing stress for prolonged usage combined with ergonomically designed knife handles made with locally sourced Indian teak, secured with brass rivets.

Utility Knife

Reha Branding

Brass rivets

Teak Wood Handle

Stainless Steel, Hand forged, full tang body

5” Blade

4” Handle

The Reha utility Knife, also known as common kitchen knife is shorter than the chef knife, which allows one to perform precise and small cutting tasks. It is usually paired with the chefs’ knife for various tasks, comes

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with cutlery grade stainless steel hand forged blade and Indian teak handles, secured with brass rivets, ergonomically designed for maximum comfort.

The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Paring & Bird’s beak paring Knife Reha Branding

Brass rivets

Stainless Steel, Hand forged, full tang body

3.5” Blade

Teak Wood Handle

4” Handle

The Reha Paring knives are used for cutting and peeling small quantities of vegetables and fruits, garnishing and trimming. Its small size allows one

to precisely cut required tasks, hand forged Cutlery grade stainless steel blade and secured grip with Indian teak wood handles.

Butter Knife

Reha Branding

Stainless Steel, Hand forged, full metal body 9” length The Reha bread spreader is designed to spread a large quantity of spreads and its ergonomially toppings such as butter, jam, sauces etc. on breads designed shape helps in doing so with ease, hand evenly. Its wide front body allows one to spread forged from cutlery grade stainless steel.

Steak Knife

Reha Branding

Stainless Steel, Hand forged, full metal body 9” length The Reha steak knife helps in cutting large chunks of food such as steak itself. Pair up with your fork for a great gourmet experience. Ergonomically designed for

maximum comfortability, hand forged full metal body made with cutlery grade stainless steel.

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Initial Explorations

Fig 41 a: Initial prototypes of finalised knives with variations in handle

Fig 41 b: Sharing the progress of the project with the Nana Reha community

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Fig 41 c: Sharing the works done on prototyping of knives with Amad bhai. after the first set of prototypes were made, we (Khamir and myslef) organised a meeting with the artisans of reha, to understand their expectations, their views about the developement of this project and to gain insights on the work. It gave a lot of insights on finalising the design and to further translate them into final pieces.

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Prototyping Process After a user study with Khamir’s kitchen cook (Manish Bhai), Kiran Shroff, a chef from Mumbai and with a brief discussion with the artisans, internal discussion and

guide visit, helped in shortlisting a handle design, blade’s design and the Identity for the Reha knife craft, which was then carried forward for making prototype

Fig 42 a: Stencils of finalised knife shape and finalised handle samples were developed in khamir for the referrence of artisan.

Fig 42 b: Amad bhai cutting a bar of steel for forging it.

Fig 42 c: Amad bhai forging the finalised knife shape

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Fig 42 d: Amad bhai checking for the alignment of knife blade, as it should be completly straight

Fig 42 e: After the forging process it is then roughly grinded to knife shape with the reference of stencil

Fig 42 f: Image showing a roughly finished knife and a sample of handle

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Fig 42 h: Image showing a knife blade with “Reha” branding on it made with the help of die punch

Fig 42 i: Artisan then cuts pieces of thin brass sheet

Fig 42 j: He then places the brass sheet on the branding and covers it with Borax or Sodium bicarbonate

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Fig 42 k: It is then placed on to a pre heated charcoal bed, till the brass melts and settles inside the punched grooves

Fig 42 l: Image showing a knife blade just taken out from the furnace after the brass inlay process

Fig 42 m: The blade is then polished to buff extra brass and to reveal the inlay work, it is then sharpened.

Fig 42 n: Image showing a blade with brass inlay Identity of “Reha”

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Fig 42 o: Amad bhai then makes grooves into the handle part to insert Brass rod, which holds the blade and handle together

Fig 42 p: It is then polished for final finishing.

Fig 42 q: Prototypes of tableware knives, a steak and a butter knife with brass inlay work on it.

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Fig 42 r: Although the a certain degree of finishing was bought into making these knives, it was observed that only one artisan could do the brass inlay process in the entire Nana Reha village, but the consistency in finishing and output of the same was not satisfactory to required degree of finishing, hence it was decided to drop the brass inlay process and continue without it.

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Final Prototypes Photography by: Sanjay Premanand

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Reha Professional Kitchen & Tableware Knives

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Reha Chefs Knife

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Cleaver knife

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Chopper Knife

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Utility Knife

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Paring Knife

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Bird’s Beak Paring Knife

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Reha Professional Kitchen Knife set

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Butter Knife

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Steak Knife

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Packaging

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The packaging was made with waste plastic weaving, which is an in-house initiative of Khamir. the waste plastic weaving craft employs women’s from nearby villages for collecting, cleaning and weaving of waste thrown plastic into usable sheets and mats. which also keeps the environment around them clean and environment friendly. The packaging was made in Khamir’s stitching unit. And the branding was made from waste Desi leather, which is discarded by the leather artisans of kutch region.

The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Fig 43: A roll on packaging for a set of six knives

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Fig 44: Image showing a roll on packaging for set of six knives and an additional outer waste cloth bag, which enables one to carry it safely while travelling

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Fig 45: Image showing a knife set and (below) packaging for individual knives, instead of a roll on, an individualpouch is made to accomodate single knife

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Packaging Graphics The packaging graphics for each individual knife is made keeping in mind to communicate about the craft, craftsmen, use of the particular knife, information and transperency on material used, about supporting organisation (Khamir) and use of ergonomics in the activity of cutting.

Chefs’

Knife

Handcrafted in:

Kutch, India

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Knife

SS Grade S tainless steel S Grade rass ri ets Seasoned ndian teakwood

lade

Chef

Reha Knife Craft:

tain e f tan

tee d

ri et

Hand f r ed

ra

ea d Hand e

Knife

er

airing Kni e

tility Knife

Cho

Clea er

Chef

and ade rofe ional Knife erie :

Kha ir:

Pinch Grip: great control, precise and clean cuts

Pointed Grip: best for Slice control & Precise cuts.

using the other hand to grip the object and to make a wall to rest the knife for precise cuts

The right way to hold a knife:

i

rce entre

are

e

an a ia

ite

a ir r

a ir r

e ind cia it a nd a r r ad t a e a a a ac c arat ndia ne

H raft e

Kutch, India

Handcrafted in:

Knife

Chefs’

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

SS Grade S tainless steel S Grade rass ri ets Seasoned ndian teakwood

lade

Clea er

Reha Knife Craft:

f

tain e tan

ra

tee d

ri et

Hand f r ed

ea d Hand e

Knife

er

airing Kni e

tility Knife

Cho

Clea er

Chef

and ade rofe ional Knife erie :

Kha ir:

Pinch Grip: great control, precise and clean cuts

Pointed Grip: best for Slice control & Precise cuts.

using the other hand to grip the object and to make a wall to rest the knife for precise cuts

The right way to hold a knife:

rce entre

are

e

an a ia

ite

a ir r

a ir r

e ind cia it a nd a r r ad t i a e a a a ac c arat ndia ne

H raft e

Kutch, India

Handcrafted in:

Cleaver

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er

lade

Cho

f

tain e tan

SS Grade S tainless steel S Grade rass ri ets Seasoned ndian teakwood

Reha Knife Craft:

tee d

ri et

Hand f r ed

ra

ea d Hand e

Knife

er

airing Kni e

tility Knife

Cho

Clea er

Chef

and ade rofe ional Knife erie :

Kha ir:

Pinch Grip: great control, precise and clean cuts

Pointed Grip: best for Slice control & Precise cuts.

using the other hand to grip the object and to make a wall to rest the knife for precise cuts

The right way to hold a knife:

i

rce entre

are

e

an a ia

ite

a ir r

a ir r

e ind cia it a nd a r r ad t a e a a a ac c arat ndia ne

H raft e

Kutch, India

Handcrafted in:

Chopper

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

SS Grade S tainless steel S Grade rass ri ets Seasoned ndian teakwood

lade

tility Knife

Reha Knife Craft:

Stainless Steel, Hand forged, full tang body

Brass rivets

Teak Wood Handle

Knife

er

airing Kni e

tility Knife

Cho

Clea er

Chef

and ade rofe ional Knife erie :

Kha ir:

Pinch Grip: great control, precise and clean cuts

Pointed Grip: best for Slice control & Precise cuts.

using the other hand to grip the object and to make a wall to rest the knife for precise cuts

The right way to hold a knife:

rce entre

are

e

an a ia

ite

a ir r

a ir r

e ind cia it a nd a r r ad t i a e a a a ac c arat ndia ne

H raft e

Kutch, India

Handcrafted in:

Knife

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rade ain ess s ee B rade Brass ri e s eas ned ndian eak d

f

tain e tan

tee d

aring and ird s eak aring knife

Reha Knife Craft:

Hand f r ed

ra

ri et

ea d Hand e

er

aring Knives

tility Knife

Cho

Cleaver

Chefs Knife

and ade rofessional Knife series:

Kha ir:

Pin rip grea n r pre ise and ean s

P in ed rip bes f r i e n r Pre ise s

sing e er and grip e b e and ak e a a es r e knife f r pre ise s

The right way to hold a knife:

rce entre

are

e

an a ia

ite

a ir r

a ir r

e ind cia it a nd a r r ad t i a e a a a ac c arat ndia ne

H raft e

Kutch, India

Handcrafted in:

Paring and Bird’s beak paring Knife

Knives

Paring

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The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

rea er

SS202 Grade Stainless steel

rea

Reha Knife Craft:

tain e tee f eta d

Hand f r ed

Kha ir:

i

rce entre

are

e

an a ia

ite

r

a ir r

a ir

e ind cia it a nd a r r ad t a e a a a ac c arat ndia ne

H raft e

Kutch, India

Handcrafted in:

Set of four

Knife

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SS202 Grade Stainless steel

tea Knife

Reha Knife Craft:

f

tain e eta

tee d

Hand f r ed

Kha ir:

r

rce entre

are

e

an a ia

ite

r

a ir r

a ir

e ind cia it a nd a r r ad t i a e a a a ac c arat ndia ne

H raft e

Kutch, India

Handcrafted in:

et f f

Knife

Steak

Production cost SS202 Stainless Steel Brass Teakwood Forging & Woodwoking Labour Polishing Labour (large Knives) Polishing Labour (small Knives)

SS202 Stainless Steel Forging Labour Polishing Labour (small Knives)

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Rate

20 Kgs. 1 Kg.

Cost

15 45 45

Rate

20 Kgs. 30 set 120 P s.

Total

30,000

Cost

The Reha Knife craft of Kutch

Total

Packaging production cost 1. 22"X40" X 2 makes 8 pouches- 6 individual professional knives, 2 tableware pouches 2. 13"X19" - for Roll-on knife set of six (for 8 individual pouches and one roll on)

Packaging & Code

Packaging for

Total (This is a

cost, and Material Cost (Including inside Lining Material) margin has been calculated in it) For atleast 30pcs.

Product Code: PWCHFKNFPKG

Product Code: PWCL CHPPKG Cleaver and chopper re uires similar si e of packing

Product Code: PW T TKNFPKG

Product Code: PWP IRKNPKG oth the knives re uire similar packaging Rohit Ramesh Chandak \\ Graduation Project \ M.Des - LAD

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Packaging for set of 6 professional kitchen knife P.W. Sheet Cloth for bag

for one package of set of 6 professional knives comes with cylindrical 2x2 weaved

Product Code: PW6KNFROLLP

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Product costing in next page

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01 Kitchen Knife - Chefs' Knife (Product Code: KNFCHF13IN) Rate/Unit 1 SS202 Stainless Steel 275 Gms. (Incl. Wastage) 170/Kg Brass Rod, 4.7mm 12 Gms 475/Kg Forging, Handle making Labour / Pc.

anagement cost erheads 5

1 1 piece

Cost

Total

Prod. Wt.

400 30 / piece

10

1 5 Gms. 02 Kitchen Knife - Clea er (Product Code: KNFCL 11IN)

Rate/Unit 355 Gms. (Incl. Wastage) 170/Kg 12 Gms 475/Kg

SS202 Stainless Steel Brass Rod, 4.7mm Forging Labour / Hr.

anagement cost erheads 5

1 1 piece

Cost

Total

Prod. Wt.

400 30 / piece

10

225 Gms. 03 Kitchen Knife - Chopper (Product Code: KNFCHP11IN)

Rate/Unit 230 Gms. (Incl. Wastage) 170/Kg 12 Gms 475/Kg

SS202 Stainless Steel Brass Rod, 4.7mm Forging Labour / Hr.

anagement cost erheads 5

1 1 piece

Cost

Total

Prod. Wt.

400 30 / piece

10

173 Gms.

Rate/Unit 155 Gms. (Incl. Wastage) 170/Kg Gms 475/Kg

SS202 Stainless Steel Brass Rod, 4.7mm Forging Labour / Hr.

anagement cost erheads 5

1 1 piece

Cost

Total

Prod. Wt.

2 7 20 / piece

10

105 Gms.

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05 Kitchen Knife - Pairing Knife (Product Code: KNFPRR07IN) SS202 Stainless Steel Brass Rod, 4.7mm Forging Labour / Pc.

Rate/Unit 120 Gms. (Incl. Wastage) 170/Kg 8 Gms 475/Kg 1 1 piece

Cost

Total

Prod. Wt.

267 20 / piece

Management cost @ 10% Overheads @ 5% 105 Gms. 06 Kitchen Knife - Bird sBea Pairing Knife (Product Code: KNFBPR07IN) Rate/Unit SS202 Stainless Steel 120 Gms. (Incl. Wastage) 170/Kg Brass Rod, 4.7mm 8 Gms 475/Kg Forging Labour / Pc.

1 1 piece

Cost

Total

Prod. Wt.

267 20 / piece

Management cost @ 10% Overheads @ 5% 105 Gms.

SS202 Stainless Steel Forging Labour / r.

Rate/Unit 1 0 Gms. (Incl. Wastage) 170/Kg 1 125 1 piece 20 / piece

Cost

Total

Prod. Wt.

Management cost @ 10% Overheads @ 5% 5 Gms. 08 Table are - Stea Knife (Product Code: KNFTWRBR 0 ) SS202 Stainless Steel Forging Labour / r.

Rate/Unit 124 Gms. (Incl. Wastage) 170/Kg 1 125 1 piece 20 / piece

Cost

Total

Prod. Wt.

Management cost @ 10% Overheads @ 5% 5 Gms.

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Epilogue & Further scope In this project, The Reha Knife craft of Kutch, I believe that I have only been able to scratch the surface towards upbringing and revival of this craft practice and development of its people.

Crafts in India has been a living repertoire of culture, aesthetics and traditional knowledge from centuries, serving various kingdoms and dynasties with dad-today usable products to aesthetically pleasing pieces of art and has always been an example of craftsmanship and sustainability.

The Reha knife craft is been said to have started with serving local communities with agrarian tools and equipment about 3 centuries ago, moving with the time, the Craftsmen also started making knives, nut crackers for domestic household use, in the Royal era, the craft served Royal families and army with weaponry such as Sword, Dagger, Javelin etc., At this state the craft was flourishing and was appreciated by the Royal patronages. With the transition of time, the demands of such weaponries have fallen to merely a show piece, and lack of exposure and intervention has confined the knife market to only local reach.

A majority of Reha Artisans finds their passion in this craft practice, and are continuing to do so religiously as they have accepted it as something of their own, a few of them continue this as for the lack of knowledge of other skills, and a lot many have already left the craft practice. Not so long ago, Nana Reha was a thriving community of blacksmith artisan, with different groups specialising in different stages of process such as forging, casting, handle making and buffing, distributing work amongst each other, forming a closely knit

community bond, which has been degrading with the fall or lack of demands for this craft.

The Reha knife craft has a lot of scope in terms of delivering handmade cutleries to both Indian and International market, as the Indian market is yet to explore and uplift kitchen space accessories such as knives, while the International market (Western and eastern) have set their standards in production fine machine and handmade knives, defining a certain standards in terms of what comprises as a professional kitchen knife, ergonomically correct ways of using a knife and standards in different types and shapes of cuts in vegetables and meat.

Revival of craft takes continues efforts from both a designer and the organization and extends beyond the time of a Graduation project. There should be continues upgradation in designing, packaging, material procurement and deliver cycle based upon the response, up until certain standards are set, the scope of this project can go beyond just designing of new products, but more importantly refining and upgradation of their skills, refinement of current products, better packaging, logistical and marketing solutions, and bringing in a sense of ownership, pride and deeper connect with the work they do.

Listed below are points which were suggested to KHAMIR as a part of plan to what is required for further development of the Reha knife craft, these points were composed after an internal discussion, the experience through the process of my project and keeping in mind a span of two to three years to be able to execute it.

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1. A hands-on skill development workshop, which sensitises artisans the importance of quality and uniqueness of a craft-based product.

8. Need assessment and upgradation of tools, equipment, machineries and workplace which can help in coping up with current quality requirement. Yet keeping the essence of “Handicraft” intact.

2. Design Intervention in low price, existing knife and other cutting tools/products for local Indian market, to develop and upgrade its quality. Creating creative marketing strategies for placement of such products throughout country, which can compete with much cheaper Chinese products.

3. Creating a system/work-flow amongst artisansorganisation-buyers, which takes care of material procurement to production to packaging to end delivery.

4. Licencing of sale of knife through organisations / buyers or directly through artisans in Craft-melas’, both nationally and internationally.

5. Creating unique artisanal pieces for display and sale in upcoming Kachchh-Utsav, Tourism seasons. Which gives equal chance to all the artisans, who are willing to take this craft forward.

6. Reha and it craft has lost a lot of glorious history, Historical Pieces, evidences, process and eventually the pride for this craft amongst artisans. A tourism attraction centre can be created which holds demonstration of their process, Historical Revived Pieces such as agricultural equipment, Swords and armouries, Various knives, nut crackers and cutting equipment, which are restored from museums, artisans or can be re-built, to create a knowledge bank and know-how for future generations and tourists. In form of a display museum.

7. Reha also is losing out on its precious process of brassinlay, Metal etching and Minakari on various cutting equipment such as Nut-crackers and knives. These processes are no longer practiced or developed further, the knowledge of such process can be revived through workshops/design interventions.

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Response from Chef Nilesh Limaye Chef Nilesh Limaye is an Indian celebrity chef, he has hosted the famous cooking show, Mallika-e-kitchen and a marathi cooking show by the name of “Aami sare Khavvaiyye”, which roughly translates to “Let us all eat”, in Zee telivision, he has also successfully penned several recipie books, magazine articles. He currently manages his own entrepreneurial venture “All bout Cooking”.

His guidance and encouragement through the cource of this project has helped me shape it to this degree and would like to thank him for the same.

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