Nigara Hamono has roots stretching back 350 years in northern Japan, where smiths at the workshop once served as noble swordsmiths to the shogunate. Master swordsmith Nigara Kunitoshi earned real recognition during the Showa period, and when traditional swordmaking was banned by the US military after World War II, Nigara adapted and persevered, becoming one of the finest kitchen cutlery makers in Northern Japan under blacksmith Yoshizawa-san.
This sujihiki is built from SG2 powdered stainless steel hardened to 62-63 HRC, delivering the kind of edge retention and refined sharpness that suits long, clean slicing cuts through proteins and large ingredients. The stainless cladding carries a kurouchi finish - a darker, more rustic variation on the standard tsuchime hammered texture - and the wenge wood octagonal handle with buffalo horn ferrule is comfortable for extended slicing work.
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 sujihiki is built from SG2 powdered stainless steel hardened to 62-63 HRC, delivering the kind of edge retention and refined sharpness that suits long, clean slicing cuts through proteins and large ingredients. The stainless cladding carries a kurouchi finish - a darker, more rustic variation on the standard tsuchime hammered texture - and the wenge wood octagonal handle with buffalo horn ferrule is comfortable for extended slicing work.
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
- Finish: Kurouchi
- Edge Grind: Even
- Handle: Wenge Octagonal
- Ferrule: Buffalo Horn
- Weight: 5.5 oz (158 g)
- Blade Length: 228 mm
- Total Length: 386 mm
- Spine Thickness at Base: 2 mm
- Blade Height: 39 mm
