kuro96
Cutlery

Unobtrusive shape, just the right size, and lightweight.
Cutlery you'll want to use every day without tiring your hands.

I've always found choosing cutlery surprisingly difficult. There are various shapes of spoons, such as oval, teardrop, and perfectly round, and the tines of forks also vary greatly in number, length, thinness, and depth. So, finding cutlery that looks and feels "just right" for you and your family is not an easy task. Also, perhaps because it's Western tableware, it often feels a little too big and heavy for Japanese people, and that "slight burden" can sometimes diminish the desire to use it again.
Among these, the kuro96 cutlery I encountered feels like it will "fit well" with many people. It features a standard spoon with a soft oval shape, a fork with four tines that are neither too sharp nor too long, a knife with thoroughly suppressed decoration that doesn't feel overly ostentatious when placed next to the fork and spoon, and a soup spoon that can scoop well without feeling awkward when brought to the mouth. Furthermore, all of them are made with a weight that is just on the verge of not being too light, and a thickness and width that strikes a good balance between how it feels in the hand and how it feels on the lips, making them truly stress-free to use. I think even people with smaller hands won't get tired using them.

A small, easy-to-use knife and
a soup spoon that can be held with light force are also appealing.

I like pasta, so I'm always looking for forks and spoons, but what surprisingly impressed me about this kuro cutlery was the comfort of the knife and soup spoon.
General dinner knives are often made heavily, assuming they will be used to firmly cut meat or fish on a plate, and I felt they were a bit too flashy for everyday dining. However, this kuro knife is thin, flat, and shorter in overall length, giving it a more modest presence than forks and spoons. Therefore, it's very suitable for daily use, and it also goes well with light breakfast menus like omelets and pancakes. I think it can also be used casually for occasions like portioning food for children.
Also, the soup spoon has an exquisite balance between its round, deep shape, which can scoop soup thoroughly, and its slender handle, which seems to contradict it. It feels like the design, which uses the principle of leverage to scoop a large amount with light force, creates a comfortable user experience.
I highly recommend trying this knife and soup spoon along with the fork and spoon.

Quietly stunning, deep and beautiful black.
A matte, atmospheric texture.

I've talked a lot about the comfort of this cutlery, but its most distinctive feature is its black color. When paired with white tableware, it tightens up the table and creates a fresh atmosphere. When used with black, grey, or glass plates, its coolness stands out even more, creating an impressive coordination reminiscent of a modern restaurant.
This black is achieved not by painting black onto the base metal, but by a technique called "blackening," which uses a chemical reaction to dye the metal itself black. This means there's no worry about the color peeling off, and it has the characteristic of utilizing the original texture of the metal. The "zara-zara" (rough) series we offer at kikkake is cutlery made from matte metal that has been blackened. The deep black, with its suppressed luster and soft dullness, has a quiet and cool presence.
On the other hand, due to the dyeing technique, there may be slight irregularities in the dye, drips, or a few small spots, but we hope you'll consider them as part of the unique character of the black finish.

Product Characteristics and Important Notes

• When using for the first time, gently wash with a sponge and dish soap, then rinse thoroughly. Occasionally, black soot may remain, but it is iron oxide generated by a chemical reaction and is harmless to the human body.
• Dishwasher safe. Not safe for microwave ovens.
• Avoid soaking or leaving wet after washing. After washing, wipe off moisture with a cloth and store after thoroughly drying.
• Leaving oil, moisture, or dirt on the product can cause discoloration, stains, and rust.
• Rubbing with hard or sharp objects can cause the black finish to fade. Also, prolonged use may cause the black finish to fade.
• Due to slight variations in the dyeing process, each item may have a slightly different appearance.
• Please note that there may be faint tool marks or drip marks from the manufacturing process, as well as small metal spots due to chemical reactions.