Japanese Nata, Japanese Woodsmen tool.

I just found one listed on line at --Hida Tool & Hardware Co., Berkeley, Ca. They call it Kusakichi Noborigama-branch trimming sickle, $55.90 (out of stock)
 
Thanks, the OJIKA is the one I am talking about. I got the 14.2" and re-hung to 16.5" On a closer look it is not laminated (san-mai) but is high carbon.
 
 
I got one for my son awhile back and it feels great in hand.

If you look around you can find them in a smaller length (the Nata 150) which is very handy and only 19oz. (~25 oz with the sheath).

I saw that some folks had an issue with the front of the handle peeling apart/opening slightly during use, and so I added a section of “ranger band” (see below) to keep that from happening. This also makes for a better fit in the sheath which can be a little loose.


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Conrad "Ben" Baker who worked in the CISO (Counter Insurgency Support Office) on Okinawa, is most well known for developing the SOG knife. He also had two forms of Nata's developed and issued to Special Forces in Vietnam. Made in Japan, they had wooden handles , canvas sheaths with a metal throat, and came with either a rounded tip or a squared off tip. I had a rounded of tip, but gave it to a friend when I left country. Very effective chopper. John
 
John A. Larsen said:
Conrad "Ben" Baker who worked in the CISO (Counter Insurgency Support Office) on Okinawa, is most well known for developing the SOG knife. He also had two forms of Nata's developed and issued to Special Forces in Vietnam. Made in Japan, they had wooden handles , canvas sheaths with a metal throat, and came with either a rounded tip or a squared off tip. I had a rounded of tip, but gave it to a friend when I left country. Very effective chopper. John
Click to expand...
Rare-Mac-V-Sog-Bolo-Knife_101786603_30_C034184E724DAB9C.jpeg

I understand these are still made in Japan.
 
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