Nigara Hamono Migaki SG2 santoku

The santoku is a multitasking blade par excellence, its compact size makes it a great ally in the kitchen.

History and curiosity

There is something that sets Nigara Hamono apart from other knifemaking families in Japan. We could first point out that it is the 350 years of history, starting with the making of swords for the Tsugaru clan at the beginning of the Edo period. The transmission of know-how and skills for eight generations has undoubtedly given Nigara knives their cultural DNA, but the long history is not unique to Nigara.

You could say that having a legendary fifth-generation blacksmith – Japan’s national treasure, Mr. Kunitoshi Nigara (二唐國俊) – gives the family brand a high status. The best way to understand why Nigara stands out in the eyes of the current (8th) generation blacksmith – Mr. Tsuyoshi Yoshizawa (吉澤剛). As he stands in the workshop of the family business, with his younger brother and two young craftsmen, feeling inspired to create the most remarkable knives in the world.

The Nigara family has expanded since the days of sword forging – into structural steel mills, steel beam technologies, as well as restorations of historic metal structures. In a nutshell, Nigara is the guru of steel.

Nigara Hamono has many very identifiable ranges of knives. From the swirling pattern of the Anmon Kurozome to the highly sought after Troll Killers, this SG2 kurouchi tsuchime line is no different. What makes this line so recognizable in our opinion is the distinct abstraction excuse, the lower half of a hexagonal hammer (tsuchime) pattern in the kurouchi (rough forge), but what makes it a solid choice of knife to buy is this powder steel known as SG2. Unparalleled sharpness in stainless steel.

The handle

Designed entirely by hand, the handle is made of dyed and stabilized boxelder burl, copper and resin.

Data sheet Nigara Hamono Migaki SG2 santoku

Brand: Nigara Hamono

Blacksmith: Tsuyoshi Yoshizawa

Series: Tsuchime kurouchi

Steel: SG2

Hardness: 63-64 HRC

Type: santoku

Blade length: 16.8 cm

Heel height: 5 cm

Heel thickness: 2 mm

Thickness at the tip: 0.5 mm

Weight: 151 g