Sickle-making is a declining trade in Japan, but it shares deep roots with the blacksmith traditions that also produced many of the kitchen knives sold at CKTG. The same forging knowledge, the same steel choices, the same heat treatment discipline - applied to tools built for the rice field and the garden rather than the kitchen. Fujishika operates a blacksmith shop in Ono City, Hyogo Prefecture, a region with a long tradition of blade production, and specializes in these traditional agricultural tools that most Western gardeners have never encountered.
This sickle is made with Aogami (blue paper steel) #2 carbon steel - the same steel used in many serious kitchen knives - with an 180mm blade. The curved blade is designed for pulling cuts through grass, weeds, and small rice plants: you draw it toward you rather than chopping down. Japanese farmers use these for weeding small plots and harvesting rice by hand, tasks that require a blade that stays sharp through extended fieldwork. The carbon steel takes a fine edge and responds well to simple field maintenance. The tool is lightweight and compact - easy to carry in a pocket or garden bag.
Care Instructions: This is a carbon steel tool and will rust if left wet. Wipe and dry after every use. Apply a light coat of camellia or general mineral oil before storage. Keep away from prolonged moisture.
This sickle is made with Aogami (blue paper steel) #2 carbon steel - the same steel used in many serious kitchen knives - with an 180mm blade. The curved blade is designed for pulling cuts through grass, weeds, and small rice plants: you draw it toward you rather than chopping down. Japanese farmers use these for weeding small plots and harvesting rice by hand, tasks that require a blade that stays sharp through extended fieldwork. The carbon steel takes a fine edge and responds well to simple field maintenance. The tool is lightweight and compact - easy to carry in a pocket or garden bag.
Care Instructions: This is a carbon steel tool and will rust if left wet. Wipe and dry after every use. Apply a light coat of camellia or general mineral oil before storage. Keep away from prolonged moisture.
- Maker: Fujishika
- Location: Ono City, Japan
- Steel: Aogami (Blue Paper Steel) #2
- Blade Length: 180mm
- Style: Traditional Japanese Sickle
