I've got a daughter who is just about ready for her first pocket knife. She is currently fascinated with all things Japanese. Can any of you give me some hints about what a traditional Japanese pocket knife would be? We are not talking about weapons, but pocket tools, rather. Thanks. Pics would help.
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Traditional Japanese knife?
- Thread starter W.M.B.
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Higonokami knife...Japanese made traditional who's design is over 100 years old. About $45.00 from your favorite cutlerer who carries them.
That's a very kind offer. I cannot seem to send a p.m. my e mail (removed by w.m.b.)
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If you would e-mail me, I would be delighted to discuss this further.
next step is of course a samurai sword 
What I enjoy about the Japanese is they unabashedly adopt things that are already perfectly useful. Hence British SU carburetors on the first offerings of Datsun 240Zs, and Chevy engines and drivetrains in the hugely successful 70s Toyota Landcruisers. Looking at the meagre postings of pictures of uneventful-looking single blade Japanese pocket knives makes me suspect that SAKs sell very well over there and no one (aside from China, for obvious reasons) has even bothered trying to compete with them. Buy her a SAK and get a local engraver to carve some meaningful Japanese script on one of the scales. Researching for this and providing a template in itself will show that you've done your homework. There's even a unique fellow on this forum that specializes in modifying SAKs to have custom blades and accessories, and you could ask for the primary blade to be typically Japanese-looking (Tanto style or whatever).
Sorry to sidetrack this thread on to non-Japanese-made but this is something to consider if their off-the-shelf pocketknife offerings don't amount to much.
Sorry to sidetrack this thread on to non-Japanese-made but this is something to consider if their off-the-shelf pocketknife offerings don't amount to much.
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The reason there aren't too many indigenous modern Japanese knives is that Japan has historically extremely strict knife laws, dating from a particular murder at some time in the mid 20th century, can't remember the details, anyway up until that time every kid had a Higonokami, now there are only 2 makers left, so I think historically that is the perfect knife for someone to have who is into japanese culture. Though I think you are right about their adoption of SAKs. Victorinox did also commission a japanese designer to make some 58mm knives, the frames are rectangular rather than the usual classic shape, and they come with a nice leather pouch.
I can vouch for the fact that SAK's are popular in Japan. Two of our family members have spent time there, and a friend of mine lived in Nagoya for a few years while working for a apanese wood products company as liaison to American importers. Eli was a totally of three years there, and a fellow knife knut when we were kids, Eli reported that he was very disappointed in that any knife he saw in the hands of his Japanese co-workers was a 58 or 74mm SAK. Anything from classics to Executives. Eli was and still is a nut on all things Japanese, and majored in Japanese studies in college. Writes and speaks very fluent Japanese, and is a dedicated Kendo practitioner. As much as he saw little cutlery in daily carry by his co-workers and friends, apparently Japan does have very strict knife laws.
Our niece Allyssa was serving on the U.S.S. Blue Ridge while i the navy when the big quake hit them a few years ago. She was a communications and electronics specialist, and she was one of the sailors sent ashore on aid missions. She worked with local Japanese utility workers in getting communications up and running from a central command point out, and a crew of Japanese workers went with her out in disaster areas. Aside from the shovels the crew carried for using as digging, prying, and other uses, she did report a great deal of SAK's and mulittools on hand. No higonakami's, no samurai pocket knives, no swords. Just SAK's and multitools. And plastic handle versions of our Stanley utility knife with replaceable blades.
As a knife knut who has had a rising interest in the odd friction folders, I am tempted to try a higonakami myself. I've loved the Sardinian resolza, and have found the lack of a back spring to be of no real detriment at all, and in fact it may be a nice thing in a light duty everyday pocket knife. In this day and age of the multi use stuff, the higonakami may be neat to try out.