Nigara Hamono has a long tradition behind every beautiful, handmade knife it produces. This region of northern Japan has a rich blacksmithing history stretching back 350 years, when smiths forged weapons and tools as noble swordsmiths in service to the shogunate. Master swordsmith Nigara Kunitoshi was widely recognized for his work during the Showa period, and when traditional swordmaking was banned by the US military after World War II, many blacksmiths pivoted to gardening tools and kitchen cutlery to survive. Nigara not only survived but thrived, and today makes some of the finest cutlery in Northern Japan under blacksmith Yoshizawa-san.
This bunka is built from SG2 powdered stainless steel hardened to 62-63 HRC, capable of taking and holding a genuinely fine edge. The stainless cladding carries a tsuchime, or hammered, finish, and the wenge wood octagonal handle with buffalo horn ferrule rounds out a knife with real visual presence and capable everyday performance.
Care Instructions: SG2 is a stainless steel but is hard and somewhat chip-prone at this hardness level. Use wood or rubber cutting boards only. Avoid bones, frozen foods, and hard materials. Hand wash and dry after use. Strop regularly between sharpenings and use quality water stones for a full sharpening.
This bunka is built from SG2 powdered stainless steel hardened to 62-63 HRC, capable of taking and holding a genuinely fine edge. The stainless cladding carries a tsuchime, or hammered, finish, and the wenge wood octagonal handle with buffalo horn ferrule rounds out a knife with real visual presence and capable everyday performance.
Care Instructions: SG2 is a stainless steel but is hard and somewhat chip-prone at this hardness level. Use wood or rubber cutting boards only. Avoid bones, frozen foods, and hard materials. Hand wash and dry after use. Strop regularly between sharpenings and use quality water stones for a full sharpening.
- Brand: Nigara
- Blacksmith: Yoshizawa San
- Location: Aomori Prefecture, Japan
- Construction: San Mai, Hammer Forged
- Edge Steel: SG2 Stainless Steel
- HRC: 62-63
- Cladding: Stainless Tsuchime
- Edge Grind: Even
- Handle: Wenge Octagonal
- Ferrule: Buffalo Horn
- Weight: 5.2 oz (148 g)
- Blade Length: 169 mm
- Total Length: 310 mm
- Spine Thickness at Base: 2 mm
- Blade Height: 49 mm
