Niwaki Higonokami Blue steel Folding Knife
Traditional Japanese folding pocket knife from Kanekoma, brass handle, beautiful hand forged 3" folded Hitachi Aogami Blue Steel blade. No locking device, no corkscrew, not even tweezers…whatever next? A great stocking filler. The brass handle starts off shiny but soon mellows to a lovely rich patina. Quite a stiff action that loosens with time, and can be retightened with a sharp rap on the rivet with a hammer. Try sharpening these with Shapton Whetstones - you’ll be amazed.
Why Blue Steel? The addition of a little chromium to the mix increases the “kirenaga” of the blade, which is to say it will stay sharp for longer.
Comes in a nice soft card box, with a heavy duty leather belt sheath as an option.
Specifications
- 47g
- 170 x 6 x 18mm
- 109mm folded length
- 70mm blades
- Aogami Blue Paper Steel
- Made in Japan
Caring For Your Tools
Most of our sharp tools are made from carbon steel - this means they may, through regular use, stain (and eventually rust) and gradually lose their edge. Caring for them involves three things…
1. Correct Use:
- Japanese steel is hard and sharp, and can be more brittle than some people are used to - it will chip if abused
- Do not cut wire, metal, stone, plastic or any other hard material (even bamboo fibres and some very hard woods, especially knots and burrs, can damage steel edges)
- Do not twist or apply uneven pressure
- Cut diagonally across branches (not straight across) so you cut along the fibres
- Pay attention to our maximum cut dimensions, and don’t overdo it (shears are not loppers)
- Use the base of the blades, not the tips, for heavier cuts
2. Keeping Them Clean:
- Remove leaf resin, rust and gunk with a Crean Mate and water
- Dry, wipe over with Camellia oil and store in a dry place
3. Keeping Them Sharp:
New tools won’t need sharpening for some time, but after a while you’ll notice them gradually lose their edge, especially if you’re box clipping (you need REALLY sharp blades to get a good finish with box). Use the Niwaki Sharpening Stones for best results (#1000 grit is best for general sharpening).
- Sharpen Secateurs every couple of weeks
- Sharpen Shears and Topiary Clippers EVERY TIME you use them - the difference is amazing