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Tools and geography



Because tools were created as aids to survival, it is not
surprising to find that they vary according to geography, climate
and other local parameters.Even implements common to
all cultures vary between situations.

A Japanese chef employs only three basic knives, while an
Italian chef may use thirty-three. Each knife has a distinctive
shape, and particular set of motor skills associated with its use:
Boning requires precision rotation of the wrist, while chopping
demands repetitive vertical motions of the elbow.

Each knife originates in a particular culture, under circumstances
peculiar to its use . The short special shape of a Parmesan
knife is required to cut thedistinctively hard, brittle cheese.
The texture of the Parmesan cheese, in turn, came about in
response to the soil and climate of the "zona tipica" -
the provinces of Parma, Modena and Reggio Emilia - with
unique conditions of vegetation, cattle rearing traditions
and fermentation methods.

The low number of Japanese cutting implements may also be
attributable to climate and locale. It could be argued that
'simplicity by design' was achieved simply because of
Japan's geographic location and the resulting diet of fish
and vegetables that did not require special cutting operations.

 

© 1993- 1995 Alexander Manu ©1995 Danish Design Centre "ToolToys - Tools with an Element of Play "
The author grants permission to make a digital or hard copy of part or all of this work for personal use provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit. The copyright notice and the title of the publication must appear on all printed copies.