Walnut wood is appreciated by the many for its dark, rich colour and its beautiful figures. But seldom seen in the market is its light coloured sapwood (outer part of wood) nor the bark, a little reminder that it was a tree. When we get hold of a plank with those characteristics of the tree still present, we should celebrate its beauty.

When we were given a brief for the 4th edition of Table Knife Project, we were making wooden trays with a plank of walnut with bark still attached. The outer offcuts with the bark, left from tray making, were just too interesting to put into a bin. In fact they were just the perfect size for knife handles. The intricate pattern found on the cross cut, created by the layered formation of the bark, was as if it was revealing a secret transmission from the woods. And the contrast between the smooth cross cut sides and the complex rough textures outside, felt good in hand.

But who might use such knives?! We thought of mushroom gatherers with their hands and fingers sensitive, and connection to the soil, they too get a secret transmission from the earth, perhaps.

At the imaginary mycological society, friends meet in the early morning at the edge of the woods. Only small patches of sunlight reaching the moss covered roots on the ground, wet with dew. They see, smell and listen for the woods, and spend their morning foraging what nature shares with them. Foragers then take a break for their lunch; spread the finds on the table, hot drink out of thermos, bread and butter shared. Maybe they cook the fresh mushrooms too.

Mentsen is a partnership between Japanese designers Yasuyuki Sakurai and Risa Sano, and a London based practice founded in 2011 working somewhere between craft and industrial design. The studio name, meaning lines and surfaces in Japanese, references the studios work in different mediums and scales; from furniture and product design to one-off hand made objects and flat works.