Higonokami by Tomita Osamu

[markusd]

Hi,

Das anyone have experience with knives made by Tomita Osamu?

I can not find much online but they do look well made. Would like to know some options before I order.

Best regards
Markus

 

[A.L.]

I had one some ten years ago and I sure regret trading it away. Very nice and sturdy higonokami. Can't say much more than that about it I guess.

 

[markusd]

Do you remember how it kept its edge?
Heat treatment is what makes the difference in Knifes after all.

 

[A.L.]

Do you remember how it kept its edge?
Heat treatment is what makes the difference in Knifes after all.

I used it mostly as gents type of knife (wich I think it is) so I didn't pay too much attention. It was definitely sharp but I think the grind was a bit too wedge like for some tasks (but then again with that zero grind micro bevel).

 

[KenHash]

Tomita Osamu I think uses Shirogami (white paper) as the warikomi core. So one would want to keep it dry and oiled if not in use.

 

[markusd]

Yes, it's Shirogami.
I know th steel, my favorite kitchen knife has it as core steel. It's amazing, if heat-treated well.
The knife needs regular oil anyways, because its handle is made of soft iron.

No one else has or had it?

 

[Locutus D'Borg]

Tomita Osamu I think uses Shirogami (white paper) as the warikomi core. So one would want to keep it dry and oiled if not in use.

Thanks for referring to Tomita-san in the Japanese way with last name first.

 

[markusd]

Thanks for referring to Tomita-san in the Japanese way with last name first.

I am so sorry for offending!
Thank you for mentioning this.

 

[markusd]

Thanks for referring to Tomita-san in the Japanese way with last name first.

Do you have experience with his knives?

 

[Locutus D'Borg]

I am so sorry for offending!
Thank you for mentioning this.

Not an offense to me or Japanese. Japanese traditionally use last name first, like the actor Yasuda Ken, who uses Ken Yasuda because he acts internationally and it makes more sense to fans outside of Japan. Japanese understand this very well and don't mind.

 

[KenHash]

Not an offense to me or Japanese. Japanese traditionally use last name first, like the actor Yasuda Ken, who uses Ken Yasuda because he acts internationally and it makes more sense to fans outside of Japan. Japanese understand this very well and don't mind.

Exactly. English is taught in school from 3rd grade elementary onwards here, and reversing the first and last name is considered "common sense" when dealing with Western nations. A practice that goes back to the mid-1800s. No offense at all.

BTW...you didn't mean Watanabe Ken? Yasuda Ken is from where I live, had no idea he was known outside Japan.

 

[markusd]

No one else has experienced this knife maker?

 

[TC]

Not an offense to me or Japanese. Japanese traditionally use last name first, like the actor Yasuda Ken, who uses Ken Yasuda because he acts internationally and it makes more sense to fans outside of Japan. Japanese understand this very well and don't mind.

Fun fact: Traditional Bavarians often do this as well. (Not the international acting part.)

 

[markusd]

Fun fact: Traditional Bavarians often do this as well. (Not the international acting part.)

Haha, so true!
As Bavarian it took me many years to stop saying my family name first when introducing because every non Bavarian would find that weird

 

[TC]

Haha, so true!
As Bavarian it took me many years to stop saying my family name first when introducing because every non Bavarian would find that weird

Grüaß di! Welcome to BladeForums, and - traditional greeting here - prepare to be induced to spend the grocery money on knives instead!

 

[markusd]

Oh I doubt
I was a blades fanatic when I was late teen to mid 20s and at some point started to make my own knifes. Turned out to be a good idea while living in the countryside but nearly impossible in the city, so the beautiful hobby of knife making had to rest ever since.

But at one point I had to realize that I have enough knifes and not only enough, provi the best option for each task price-value-wise.
So I made the decision to not buy knifes anymore.
My last one was a Laguiole, which got stolen from me last year.
So I wanna replace it, but not with another Laguiole. After the first enthusiasm faded, I came to the conclusion that It's a beautiful looking knife but the blade geometry is not to my liking.
Maybe it was the heat treatment or the flat micro bevel. I like my blades razor sharp and that was just barely possible.

So I gonna replace it with another knife and I like the size and Blade of my cheap Higo. Just the handle is very uncomfortable due to the thin brass.
When I saw the Tomita Higo, I had the feeling that it would be more comfortable to hold .

 

[markusd]

Double post

 

[KenHash]

So I gonna replace it with another knife and I like the size and Blade of my cheap Higo. Just the handle is very uncomfortable due to the thin brass.
When I saw the Tomita Higo, I had the feeling that it would be more comfortable to hold .

I have two Nagao Kanekoma Higos. They are what they are, simple folders that kind of remind me of those German K-55 knives.
But I also have a Higo made by Hattori Ichiro and the build, fit & finish, smoothness, comfort are all on anothre level. Mine is Damascus with a
Cowry-X core as below, but he also offers it with a solid VG10 blade.