CUTTER, NOODLE

Description: HAND CRANK MACHINE SITS ON RECTANGULAR STEEL BASE. THERE IS A WOOD ROLLER AT FRONT AND BACK OF BASE. THERE IS A VISE ON ONE SIDE OF MACHINE WITH HAND CRANK ON OPPOSITE SIDE. THERE ARE GEARS ON BOTH SIDES OF MACHINE AS WELL. THERE ARE TWO LARGE STEEL ROLLERS AT FRONT OF MACHINE. FRONT ROLLER IS ADJUSTABLE BY TWO BOLTS AT FRONT OF MACHINE. BACK OF MACHINE HAS TWO BRASS ROLLERS WITH DEEP GROOVES IN THEM (CUTTER MECHANISM). ROLLERS TURN WHEN HANDLE IS CRANKED. MACHINE HAS CORROSION AND DISCOLORATION THROUGHOUT. ACTIVE RUST CONCENTRATED ON BOTTOM OF MACHINE AND STEEL ROLLERS.

History: JAPANESE NAME IS UDON KIKAI. STEEL ROLLERS FLATTEN DOUGH TO DESIRED THICKNESS AND BRASS ROLLERS CUT NOODLES. MACHINES LIKE THESE WERE PRODUCED IN JAPAN AND IMPORTED AND SOLD IN CANADA. MODERN BUDDHIST CHURCHES IN SOUTHERN ALBERTA HAVE PUT MOTORS ON MACHINES LIKE THESE AND STILL USE THEM TO MAKE MEIN FOR CHOW MEIN SUPPERS. DONOR STATES MATERIAL WAS AT ONE TIME IN THE POSSESSION OF HANAE IWAASA-ROBBS, WHO OPERATED THE JAPANESE CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION FROM AN OFFICE ON THE NORTH SIDE. MATERIAL WAS ENTRUSTED TO HER BY THE LOCAL JAPANESE COMMUNITY. THE LOCAL OFFICE DISBANDED A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO. *UPDATE* IN 2018, COLLECTIONS ASSISTANT ELISE PUNDYK CONDUCTED AN ARTIFACT SURVEY, WHICH INCLUDED A SERVING DISH AND A JEWELRY BOX DONATED BY THE NIKKEI CULTURAL SOCIETY. AS PART OF THE RESEARCH PROCESS, PUNDYK CONTACTED THE FORMER OPERATOR OF THE JAPANESE CULTURAL ASSOCIATION, HANAE IWASSA. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PERSONAL MEMORY OF THE ARTIFACTS BY THE LOCAL JAPANESE COMMUNITY PRIOR TO THE ITEMS BEING DONATED TO THE JAPANESE CULTURAL ASSOCIATION IS UNKNOWN.