higo traditional japanese knives

Welcome to the Forums, Patrick!

Seems you have a lot of enthusiasm and questions about knives. No need to start a new thread for every question you may have; try the search function and you'll have access to a plethora of information you may find interesting... :thumbup:

Good luck! :)

-Brett
 
What advice you you looking for? The "Kanekoma" brand is the only "original" Higonokami left of vhe Miki City guild.
But just about every knife maker in Japan makes their own versions, some tradiional and others western-hybrid designs.
They are a rather simple but popular Japanese folding knife going back, in it's current form, to about 1860 or so.
See:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/s...ami-knife-handle-writing?highlight=higonokami
 
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I've been looking at them too. I really like the overall design and blade shapes on them. They look like mini katanas in some cases. I like that they are each unique and imperfect, as if each one has it;s own unique character.
 
I really like the Higonokami knives. IMO the deliver a fantastic quality of steel for the cost. My advice is to buy one. Here is a pic of one I have with a brass handle.
16600563887_2229e600d7_b.jpg
 
^^ cool knife. I looked at these a couple of times and some of the price points between the different models were vastly different, but the knives pretty much looked the same. I am assuming it had something to do with which steel was in it, but I am not familiar enough with the brand to know which one I should have bought, so I didn't buy any.

I do think that they look very nice, and would be something totally different from what I currently collect.
 
Pretty cool little knives huh? If I recall correctly, I got three of them at a temple in Tokyo for about 20$ us each... really superb little knives for the money I'd you ask me, and they're really unique looking too. Your buddy isn't gonna pull one out of his pocket too!
 
patrickthealmighty said:
there isn't another thread on them
Click to expand...

There are hundreds:
https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#safe=off&q=site:bladeforums.com+higo+no+kami

I like my higonokami. It is a very minimalist and utilitarian knife. Mine is a brass-handled one with laminated steel blade (aogami core and some tougher outer layers). It is pretty crudely finished (about on par with my Svord Peasant), but it is perfectly functional. It does certainly have a charm to it. They're generally inexpensive enough that if you are curious, it isn't a huge burden to get ahold of one.
 
There was one in the exchange for $17 if you want to try it out.
 
I have seen them start as low as $5/6.00 for the basic black handle carbon steel traditionals up to $200 for custom versions
in damascus by famous knifemakers. In principle though it was always an inexpensie utilitarian knife and teenagers in rural Japan
use to carry them the way kids carried pocketknives here. Which is basically what they are.
 
For a handmade and very unique looking knife that is functional all for under $20 ( depending on steel and design of course) you can't go wrong with a Higonokami. I thoroughly enjoy carrying and using my 3.5" triple layered SK steel with black handles. :D

 
This one ^ is cool! werd you get it and can yo PM me please.
A guy on fb had a Higo with a Ti handle.
rolf
 
fnzeee said:
If you are not after the "original", I would take a look at the one by Citadel. These are handmade from carbon steel and have buffalo horn handles. I picked one up in Amsterdam and am very impressed by the quality and workmanship. http://casiberia.com/product/citadel-higonokami-horn/kc4025
Click to expand...

Though that is a nice looking piece, if the OP is hesitant about a +/-$20 purchase, one for $100+ is going to be a long shot.

I understand that he would likely be buying a higher quality piece, but if he is looking for a knock around knife that he can fix with a hammer, then spending 5-6 times his expected price would be a difficult pill to swallow.
 
I have one. Get the large size. The medium was quite small IMO
 
They are neat little knives that ride slim in the pocket, but the grind is fairly thick for a knife of it's size. The thick grind does allow you to pinch the handle together so that it hits the upper part of the blade, keeping the edge off of the handle in the closed position. I would rather have a Mercator or Douk Douk than a Higonokami. The folded metal handle knives also aren't very comfortable for extended use.
 
I will ask Daniel Fairly to make a higo like this^ in G10 and a tanto, when his mill drops.
rolf
 
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