My artifact is a paper-knife that is made of stainless. Its color is mainly silver. The size is about a mechanical pencil. It cannot cut something like fruits, vegetables, and so on. The purpose of using a paper knife is to cut something like paper. For instance, we can cut the top of the envelope parallelly and clearly. Owing to this knife, important documents for you can be protected.
The first time I met my artifact was in April 2014. In March 2014, the history of the elementary school named “Minami-Shogakko”, which I went to from grade 1 to grade 4 ended. However this is the way that is united with neighborhood elementary schools together. In order to build and prepare a newly integrated school, my school had to transfer some necessary functions to the new school.
After finishing the transfer, the empty school was renovated and started as a new facility named “Sanjo Manufacturing School”. The facility is now using the past classrooms as offices for many companies mainly local. There remains a blackboard in some offices now.
Of course, the opening ceremony had been held in 2014. In celebration of the opening ceremony, some events were done. Among them, I encountered the experience event of making a handmade paper knife.
To tell the truth, I did not find this event at first. My mother found and said
“There were some events you thought you would probably want to take part in. Did you want to participate in?”
At first, I was not interested in these events. So I said
“I was reluctant to do this because I was poor at making something. But, if I was able to participate, I wanted to try.”
However, once I took part in the experience event of making handmade paper knife by myself, I was absorbed in the attraction of making our own. In the event, the person who worked and held this event showed me the another one which is made by creators, I was amazed by the beautiful silver body and sharply. Compare to me, my handmade one was not sharp, beautiful color and like cheap. So I was not so much fun. But, my parents and I have thought this paper knife as cherishing one, not a mere one. Furthermore, there is another reason why I cherish the fact that my name is engraved on it to commemorate the creation of the piece. That's why we have been using it for 8 years. For me, it is very convenient, precious and reminds me of that day.
So, it is good to make something by ourselves. The reason why I observe is that maybe it is just that Sanjo City thrives on manufacturing, from this experience, I could learn the importance of 3R. This activity to make a paper knife is similar to reducing. For example reducing, what we have without leaving any leftovers, buying only what we can eat, and cooking only what we can eat. In addition, we refrain from using disposable products and use refillable products. Thanks for this thought, not only I but also everyone will be able to refrain from buying something extra. And, we might grow feeling that we treat these more carefully regardless of handmade or produced things.
That's saying the most forgettable thing I want to convey is that we live in a future that has limited resources. For living, it is too significant to use the ones well.
Thank you for reading！
