Handmade in Japan Higo no Kami Knife

Product Description

Each of these Higo no Kami knives, traditional Japanese non-locking folding blades, are handmade and imported directly from Japan. And if you don't believe me, believe the superb English translation of their product description:... [Read more]

Top Reviews

Old school Japanese blade
by Redleg (5 out of 5 stars)
June 4, 2017

If you are looking for a fast action, corrosion resistant single hand opening lock back blade for survival or self defense, then the Higo no Kami will be sure to disappoint you in every way. It's none of those things. It never was intended to be. What it is, is an old Japanese workman's knife. Hand made. By an old dude with a hammer and anvil. Literally. Some old guy in Japan used a forge, heated some steel, and then banged out this knife on his anvil. It is carbon steel, not stainless, so it will rust if not properly taken care of. Ok, it's an old Japanese technology blade- when these were made it was not even in question that men knew how to properly take care of a knife. If you abuse it, it will rust. Take care of it, and it will take care of you.

It's a friction folder, meaning there is no locking mechanism other than the friction of the blade in the handle. There is a thumb tab for extra security. But truth be told, I've used this knife fairly regularly over the last 2 months and the fact that there is no lock doesn't seem to be a problem at all- but then again I'm not trying to batten wood or build a log cabin with it. Like any tool, it should be used within the limits of it's design. The blade is three layers, the center is hard steel, the outsides are soft- and yes, you can see a hamon line. The non-cutting parts of the knife are rough, in the Japanese tradition of knife making. If the owner wished for a better finish, then they would do that themselves or take it to a knife polishing specialist. That part is up to you. The important part, the edge, is finished out of the box.

Now, with all of that said, it is a very fine blade. Razor sharp and very tough. It's designed to be used for slicing, not stabbing. I ended up carrying this for EDC in my wallet. It seems to fit very nicely right where the wallet folds. It rides very nicely and unnoticeable- I forget I have it, but since it's in my wallet, I always have a blade with me even if I forget my normal EDC.

Bottom line, don't buy a $20 old tech Japanese blade when what you really wanted was a $200 Fallkniven- and certainly don't expect it to perform like one. But do buy the Higo no Kami if you want a really groovy old school vibe knife. For the price, it's worth every penny.
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Fixer-upper, but really an impeccable knife for the money
by Peter (5 out of 5 stars)
September 3, 2016

This is a pretty crazy deal. For about 20 bucks you get a handforged japanese knife from blue paper (high grade) steel. It's got a pretty cool history, and takes a crazy edge. Two things to keep in mind: it benefits from some personal finishing work, and it rusts and reacts with moisture.

For finishing work: go over with a file and high grit sandpaper the back, sides, and finger tong until it's well polished. Then work the primary bevel to a flat surface with a whetstone. Oil the hinge with food grade oil. As a finishing touch, I glued a small strip of bamboo to the inside of the handle, so the blade wouldn't chip against the brass. Then I sharpened it. Pictured is the final result, a knife more worthy of its heritage.
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Great part of knife history you should have in your collection
by Artem (5 out of 5 stars)
June 3, 2018

In my opinion this is a must have for any knife collector, or anyone who appreciates the history of the knife itself, handmade Japanese craftmanship and blade steel. Is it EDC'able? Maybe. Modern folders will take hard use better but this just has a "cool" factor and will bring you joy having it. For me it's my gardening knife, but it does slice like a demon when sharpened right and I can see this easily being used for fishing, light wood work, light edc around the house, etc.

The break down:

Pros:
+Piece of Japanese tradition and culture, knife history, and art
+Can get SCARY sharp relatively easily
+One handed opening and closing using the special extended tang "tab"
+Friction folder but can "lock" it by placing thumb on the extended tang tab while using it
+Super thin and lightweight at only 49 grams, disappears in your pocket.

Cons:
-As is well known and should be expected, it doesn't come finished, have to finish/sharpen/polish it yourself. Sharpening took me 10 minutes on a stone.
-"Thumb lock" makes it that the knife has no lock at all with a full fist grip (you CAN move your fist up towards the blade and have the tab just under your fist but that places your hand way too close to the edge for serious work, in my opinion)
-Handle is thin metal and so not comfortable for extended hard use

So no, this won't be your everyday beater at the construction site, but that's not what its meant for. Get yourself a $30 Ontario Rat 1, Kershaw, etc. in that price range if that's what you're looking for. This is a keepsake.
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A remarkable bit of hand craftsmanship- but remember what it's for
by Archer (5 out of 5 stars)
November 9, 2018

I go to Japan up to 6 times a year but have never actually gotten around to getting one of these. They sell at Tokyu Hands for 14-17 dollars equivalent. I suppose the main thing is I was always unsure about the legality of having one of these in one's possession in Tokyo (as long as the blade is under 3", no problem, as it turns out)

This particular one is very much an exemplar of the genre. A little bit crude, very very sharp, quite respectable for the price.

Now, the key to enjoying this item is to understand that this is the non-disposable but inexpensive utility blade of its time. A "box cutter with character", so to speak, but nonetheless, a box cutter/utility knife from a place and time without replaceable blades, a time when once storied blade makers were forced to more mundane pursuits. This isn't an heirloom, it's an inexpensive tool box knife, and it reflects that reality in many ways.

But darned if it doesn't have loads of character. It makes my Emersons and Hinderers look a bit like soulless mass produced objects.
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very sharp
by Tengo (4 out of 5 stars)
March 26, 2017

Very Very sharp, Very high carbon, but you need couple sharpening stones and maybe diamond sharpener to, because blade is not perfectly flat.

Pros: sharp!!!, good looking and handmade (if it is pro..)

Cons: uncomfortable and very dangerous in use

So, you must definitely buy it, if your pint is razor sharp lade, other ways it's useless for me
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Really beautiful knife for the price, if not always the most practical
by Ed B,Top Contributor: Running (5 out of 5 stars)
December 21, 2016

I saw this knife on a bunch of "curated" trendy shopping websites and was very pleased to find it here at a substantially lower price. It is a beautiful piece of work at a very low price, and the forged steel blade has a great look, as does the stamped brass handle with engraved Japanese characters. The blade holds an edge very well. The handle is not that substantial nor does it have a good form to grip, making this more suitable for occasional use than anything sustained (I keep mine in my top desk drawer for light duty). The blade's thumbpiece in theory makes this a one-handed opener, although the hinge is too stiff to do that comfortably. Be aware that it's not a lockback, which could present a safety issue for your fingers if you're using it in a manner that might result in the blade closing while you're using it. I'm very happy with it though.
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Appreciate it for what it is....
by Chris O' (3 out of 5 stars)
June 25, 2015

Handy friction folder. I purchased this more for the history behind it but do find it to be a very capable blade. Now this is a hand made item by a very old gentleman in Japan so don't purchase it expecting it to have the fit and finish of a machined production folder. That being said, I took a star off for the fit and finish off of the knife I received. The spine of the blade was very,very rough. I actually had to file off some material that was left over (and sharp). The "extended" tang tab to open the knife was just straight up sloppy (which I will eventually reprofile with a file). None of these issues detract from the functionality of the knife. The important parts are covered; the blade grind is even and the there is enough friction at the pivot to prevent it from opening in your pocket.

Now... the last gripe is that the temper seems to be off. When sharpening this knife on very fine ceramic stones, the blade quickly developed small burs (brittle edge). I took it to a leather strop to clean it up. I haven't really done any hard cutting above a few cardboard boxes (which it retained it edge through).

If you want an introduction to friction folders or appreciate old world craftsmenship, then you will enjoy this knife.

If you are looking for a cheap, reliable knife, go buy a Kershaw for the same price.
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Usually the simpler a tool is, the more versatile...
by Robert R. (5 out of 5 stars)
September 14, 2018

It's a nice piece of laminated steel in the bare minimum of a folder handle. It came in the blue and gold box, as mentioned by others.

It does what a pocket knife is suposed to do- CUT. It arrived plenty sharp, but after I polished it on a 10,000 grit jadeite natural stone, moved on to a piece of paper with .25 micron diamond paste and then stropped it on smooth leather a bit, it is SCARY sharp. Bet it stays that way for a while too, if I'm careful no to bang it on a rock or otherise abuse it.

The back story is cool, but I'm a user, not a collector. This is going into my finish carpentry tool roll next to a Japanese marking knife and some very sharp chisels. Disposable razor knife? We don' need no steenkin' razor knife!
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A work of art.
by Constantly Researching (5 out of 5 stars)
June 6, 2012

As the product description states, it is hand forged without question. Anyone can look at mine and still see the marks on the thumb piece where it was held by tongs during the forging process, which adds character to the knife.

Out of the box, it was not as sharp as it could be. The brass handle was open very wide at the bottom, which allowed the last inch of the blade to come in contact with it, causing micro-nicks in the blade. Something that I thought was going to be easily fixed, and it was after much trial and error.

I've sharpened many different styles of blades made out of different types of steel, both stainless and non, and every time I tried to sharpen it, I would find more micro-nicks in the edge, though it was razor sharp. It wasn't a defect in the forging or the steel, but in my sharpening techniques. Anyone purchasing this knife needs to know that you must be very gentle with it. Unlike other carbon steel knives that I own and use on a regular basis, you cannot put pressure on the blade while sharpening. This caused the micro-nicks in mine each time I attempted to remove them. Basically, allow the edge of the blade to rest on the stone or sharpening pad with only the weight of the knife as you sharpen.

To get a real scary sharp edge, I finished it off with a DMT Extra Fine sharpening pad, and I haven't been able to dull it yet.

The only con I can find with this knife is I don't want to carry it in my pocket because of fear of damaging it somehow. The blade is so beautiful as is, that I cannot stand the thought of it developing a pantina from use because I do use my pocket knife for everything imaginable. So, in order to remedy this problem I've already decided to order a second, this time a medium. Higo no Kami Dai(sizeM), Nagaokoma, Import from JAPAN
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Requires initial tuning and care, but good quality in the proper context.
by mikez11 (4 out of 5 stars)
December 29, 2015

Good material and form, but the blade grind could have/should have been better. After some hand work to reshape and hone the bevels, it appears to take and hold a worthy edge. Those who are not familiar with Japanese cutting tool maintenance may find themselves disappointed.

BTW the pivot tension is designed to be maintained by periodic taps with a hammer when needed. This is straightforward given some instruction.

In my opinion, price notwithstanding, this seems more of a traditional craftsman's tool (requiring respect and care) than a consumer article.

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