Currently on their 8th generation of blademakers, Nigara Hamono’s storied lineage originated in sword-making during the Edo period. Under the guidance of Mr. Go Yoshizawa, this famous knife house in Hirosaki city is known for their striking Damascus patterns and use of both Aogami carbon and SG2 stainless steel.

Thanks to their creative control over their forging and etching processes, stunning patterns like the ones seen in the SG2 line can be brought to life. Unlike most Sakai-made knives, forging and sharpening is also done in-house. Mr. Yoshizawa is never afraid to think out of the box when it comes to designing his knives, with his sources of inspiration ranging from Japanese waterfalls to Andy Warhol paintings.

These blades are fairly low maintenance and sport a long lasting edge. The thin edge lends them excellent cutting performance, but care must be used when cutting as the edge can be prone to chipping. Sporting a squared Tsuchime finish with a convex grind, these blades are excellent for pragmatists looking for a blade to tackle a variety of kitchen ingredients without needing to worry too much about food stickage.

A petty (utility) knife probably gets used most often after your all-purpose knives. It can be used to cut small fruits, vegetables, and even some smaller cuts of meats (and many many more things, like cutting through plastic wrapping from a grocery trip!) If you have one, for a quick meal for two, you may just get it done without a chef's knife.

Brand: Nigara Hamono
Blacksmith: Nigara Hamono 二唐刃物鍛造所
Profile: Kiritsuke Petty
Size: 150mm
Steel Type: Semi Stainless Steel
Steel: SG2, Soft Stainless Clad
Handle: Resin Western
Total Length: 267mm
Edge Length: 139mm
Handle to Tip Length: 150mm
Blade Height: 31mm
Thickness: 1.8mm
Handle Length: 115mm
Weight: 110g
Hand Orientation: Ambidextrous