I really like this Higonokami knife because it’s so simple in design, but I had it in my jean pocket when I jumped over a chain-link fence and realized immediately that the knife had opened and sliced my right testicle clean off. The blade indeed was quite sharp.

@doukdouk2550

4 жыл бұрын

Is this true my friend? Need pics 😂😐

@aloysiusdevadanderabercrombie8

4 жыл бұрын

Lmao

@DieEineMieze

4 жыл бұрын

Wat da fak

@johnnguyen7171

4 жыл бұрын

Thank goodness I have a second testicle.

@user-fs2mh7wk8t

3 жыл бұрын

@@doukdouk2550 yeah me too

Asian here, Higonokami was never meant for conceal carry or EDC. It's just a popular cheap little pocket knife ancient Japanese people use for cutting woods and strings, sharpening pencils and even shaving, some old Japanese schools even give each of their students a higonokami knife as a pencil sharpener. (No, there was never a school killing spree with Higonokami knife) The Aogami (青紙) steel is very hard and very easy to sharpen, though it is a bit weak when it comes to corrosion resistance. Excellent steel for kitchen knifes and razor. Keep in mind that Higonokami is very very old, like feudal Japan old, like freaking Samurai Ninjas old. Some even said that it was the ancestor of modern pocket knifes and straight razors. In my opinion the Higonokami is a must have collection for knife lovers, it is a genuine ''historical folding knife''. Not trying to defend it's issue though (Let's be honest I would never carry this thing with me.), but it was a really nice collector piece, and the Aogami steel is just lovely to work with. Not to mention the whole thing is very very traditional. You can even get the hand forged one (it's pretty rare, even in Japan.) for less than $100. For such a rare collector item it is a freaking steal.

@Nikita13337

6 жыл бұрын

No, it's not feudal Japan old. It first appeared in the end of 19th century.

@icantaim4sht836

4 жыл бұрын

This is an old design. The Buck 110 has issues too. Squeeze it when it's shut. Guarantee when you deploy the blade it's going to be dull.

@Misterz3r0

2 жыл бұрын

@@Nikita13337 considering the Edo period ended in 1868, he's not far off.

I disagree, Nick. I am afraid that you missed the mark on the best attributes of the Higonokame that still make it a great contender for modern EDC: the knife blade and steel. The fit and finish may be poor on the Higonokame, but that's because most of the time spent making this knife is on the forging and tempering process of the knife blade itself, which is done following a tradition that is over 130 years old. You can not say the same thing about any knife in this price range. The handle is probably where the maker spends the least amount of time because it is just a folded and stamped piece. With about 30 minutes of time most of the criticisms you mentioned can be redeemed: the rough edges on the handle can be sanded and smoothed, the pin can be peened and tightened, the blade can be wrapped with a little piece of cotton cloth to prevent the edge from hitting the inside of the handle (This can serve as a way to clean and keep thr blade dry.), and the blade can be sharpened to be razor sharp. Plus, a simple carrying sleeve or pouch can easily be bought, or, if one has the time, made to make the knife safe to carry in one's pocket. The knife steel, whether White or Blue paper steel, has such a high carbon content (+1%, somewhere around 1.25% - 1.35%) and hardness (60-63 RC) on the Higonokami that it simply has the best edge retention you can get for the money ($15-20 shipped with stainless handle). Moreover, this knife is extremely easy to sharpen compared to knives with a super steel or tool steel blade that have comparable edge retention. If you prioritize the quality of the knife blade over the quality of the handle, the Higonokami will outperform any knife in the same price range, especially every Sanrenmu, and probably every knife under $150.

@dennisurabe6696

2 жыл бұрын

Interesting info thanks

@revariox189

Жыл бұрын

Got mine in a local knife shop... Knifewear and they sure do come sharp. As well it as it is well done and closes properly. Paid 25CAD$ for it and it is a perfect knife for that price. Also, suprised it is that cheap price wise.

My higonokami is nothing like this, purchased mine in japan and it doesn't open it's self and it was extremely sharp, no sharp edges on the handle, think you got a dud

@michaelbaerga8932

5 жыл бұрын

Same here, I paid 35 dollars just about and I had no problems with this knife besides of course no blade stop

@d3generate804

4 жыл бұрын

Dont buy knives on amazon or ebay without thoroughly checking it!

@MuradBeybalaev

4 жыл бұрын

@@d3generate804 Checking what exactly? A lemon can be sold with any pics and description and by the time you get it in your mailbox - the listing is delisted and the seller is gone. And you don't buy collector's curios from "trusted sellers". It's not a wholesale game.

@deadWu

3 жыл бұрын

@@MuradBeybalaev on Amazon, the original higonokami are more expensive and are selled with the original box with the blue banner or gold banner. Those are the only ones that comes out from Kamekona Factory.

@user-cr3pn7rk2v

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah. Real traditional Japanese knives aren't sold on Amazon lol

I could listen to this guys voice all day

hammer the pin ligthly and it wouldnt open so easyly. I did that on mine, and it worked just fine. put a piece of leather inside the handle, and the edge wouldnt hit the handle when closed

I love this knife. I own more than one higonokami knife. It's not for everyone. Doesn't have the luxuries of a modern folder knife.

The blade movement is adjustable! Read the instruction sheet or go to the manufacturers website for 'how to'. Are you sure this is a genuine Nagao higonokami? It does look poor quality. My higo is beautiful, doesn't have these faults and was only 32GBP. :)

These are made by two people in Japan last I checked, and they have remained unchanged in design for at least a hundred years. It is what it is, an outdated and inexpensive folder (though they have higher quality ones upwards of a hundred dollars).

@FactFinderGeneral

7 жыл бұрын

DavidMN Second guy cant use the trademark and makes them with much higher quality, harder to find though. The ones with the Samurai are by him. The last copyright holding smith does it by hand. Hence all the issues. The second guy uses a factory I believe.

it will stay closed if you hit the pin a few times with a hamer, it says on their website under maintainance. it did work well on mine :)

@picax8398

3 жыл бұрын

Dangerous profile picture lol

@zwizkit

3 жыл бұрын

@@picax8398 why?

@picax8398

3 жыл бұрын

@@zwizkit looks juuuuust a little like the nazi flag

@winstonsmith6708

2 жыл бұрын

@@picax8398 his profile banner is even worse...

Did you see those warriors from hammerfell? They have curved swords. CURVED swords!

@user-fs2mh7wk8t

3 жыл бұрын

THEY'VE GOT CURVED SWORDS

I have one of these (No. 7) and I use it almost every day. I'm always amazed at the blade steel quality. So easy to sharpen up. I recommend it. Very useful knife. Just make sure you get it from a good seller.

@spaghettieater_

2 жыл бұрын

Where to find a good seller?

@Herr_Gamer

Жыл бұрын

@@spaghettieater_ I got mine from a site called Japanese Taste and I’ve nothing to complain about. Arrived exactly when the estimation stated, no issue with the product. Blade was a little stiff to get out, but the great thing about it is to adjust it either looser or tighter you just smack different parts of it

I like your reviews Nick, even this one. Here, you lost sight of the historical background. In late 19th century Japan, most people were POOR. This is a poor man's pocket knife in a world that was very different from today. It probably would've been picked carried horizontally in a shirt pocket. From an engineering point of view, the simplicity and effectiveness is beautiful, and those sharp edges on the handle take 2 minutes to break with a screwdriver. Yes, the blade dulls itself each time you close it. BUT... Since it it a curved cutting surface only that one tangential point is dulled. Basically, you looked at this from the wrong perspective. It's not a modern $600 Reeve. It's a peasant's knife from a 3rd world country 120 years ago. Take it for what it is.

@NickShabazz

5 жыл бұрын

I agree completely, this is a perspective. What I'm trying to say there is that the Higo is not a great choice for modern EDC. Not that it wasn't a good knife for peasants in Japan, just that, relative to the other knives I put on my table, in the same context as everything else, it's not a great choice. Everything on my table is evaluated in roughly the same context. When it's a Higonokami or an Emerson combat-focused knife or a Cold Steel Espada XL, it can absolutely feel like I'm 'missing the point'. But really, it's just that, in the context I work (everyday urban-ish person modern EDC), some knives don't make any sense.

@jolier1313

3 жыл бұрын

@@NickShabazz I disagree, Nick. I am afraid that you missed the mark on the best attributes of the Higonokame that still make it a great contender for modern EDC: the knife blade and steel. The fit and finish may be poor on the Higonokame, but that's because most of the time spent making this knife is on the forging and tempering process of the knife blade itself, which is done following a tradition that is over 130 years old. You can not say the same thing about any knife in this price range. The handle is probably where the maker spends the least amount of time because it is just a folded and stamped piece. With about 30 minutes of time most of the criticisms you mentioned can be redeemed: the rough edges on the handle can be sanded and smoothed, the pin can be peened and tightened, the blade can be wrapped with a little piece of cotton cloth to prevent the edge from hitting the inside of the handle (This can serve as a way to clean and keep thr blade dry.), and the blade can be sharpened to be razor sharp. Plus, a simple carrying sleeve or pouch can easily be bought, or, if one has the time, made to make the knife safe to carry in one's pocket. The knife steel, whether White or Blue paper steel, has such a high carbon content (+1%, somewhere around 1.25% - 1.35%) and hardness (60-63 RC) on the Higonokami that it simply has the best edge retention you can get for the money ($15-20 shipped with stainless handle). Moreover, this knife is extremely easy to sharpen compared to knives with a super steel or tool steel blade that have comparable edge retention. If you prioritize the quality of the knife blade over the quality of the handle, the Higonokami will outperform any knife in the same price range, especially every Sanrenmu, and probably every knife under $150.

All my Higo are pretty stiff and have never opened in my pocket

I think it's possible you have a knockoff, because mine doesn't rattle in the handle at all or wiggle at the pivot point. I love this knife for its imperfections, though. It's clearly a handmade tool and it does everything I need it to.

I love ALL your reviews Nick. You are really the best

I picked up my brother a higonokami for his birthday. I got it from Amazon and the handles were brass, the blade was nicely ground, and the action was nice. The pivot was tight so friction kept the knife in the handle and it wouldn't fall under its own weight. I've seen these carried in small pouches too. He really liked it, so I was happy.

Hello, The Zenkou series seems to be in stainless steel, but i cannot find which precise steel, does anyone has an idea ? Thanks !

I’m pretty sure you got a knock off. Mine came in the box sharper than any knife I have ever owned benchmade, spyderco, Microtech, CRKT, ACE etc you name it. It came with Camilla oil on the blade for the carbon. Sticker stating the steels on the back of the box, one with blue steele one with white and one with San Mai white. The actuation was sturdy and didn’t just flip out with a flick of the wrist it took some pressure at first to get it to a point where I could even do it with 1 hand. And now it’s looser and lastly it Forsure did not cost $15 it was more like $35 from a reputable knife shop in SF

I think you need to get another one and do another review. I’ve got multiple higonokami and they definitely aren’t as bad as they are made out to be in this review. I don’t carry mine all the time for edc but when I do I feel cooler and better using a higonokami. It can honestly get the job done and look beautiful doing it. You just gotta look close and see the beauty in this wonderful little knife.

@simplytao

Жыл бұрын

I agree. I love mine because it's a workhorse. I would love to see other knives cut cardboard all day like this knife. Especially for the money.

@jamesstephenson2346

Жыл бұрын

"Buy 10 so you can have 10 pieces of junk while looking like a weird neckbeard waifu lover!"... thats you. What a shit take

Your points are well taken and I agree. But I've always wanted one, likely this next few weeks. Love Japanese quirks. Fyi love your sense of humor, to a Canadian it sounds cool.

This knife is the equivalent of a replica of a classic motorcycle from the 1800s. Comparing that to a modern motorcycle wouldn’t do it justice

got mine today as a gift, its very nice

I completely agree with you on this review Nick. I am a collector and I value the importance this knife has in, but I detected all the relevant failiures you have mentioned when I first handled one many years ago.

my higonokami is pretty tight, doesnt just fling open/closed like that. Maybe I bought an authentic. Only 20$ on amazon

The blade hinge is called a "rivet". Just tap it with a hammer to tighten retention and play. Glue a matchstick or a leather strip in for a stop. The 15 bucks is for the sk blade. You can get San Mai also you can see the different steels.

little tip: if the blade is too loose you can tigtnen it by hammering lightly on the pivot's rivet

All you need to do is tap the rivet with a hammer and it will tighten the knife so it doesn't open on its own like that. Very simple

So the closing aspect of the knife is superfluous. How did they manage that?

Nick, this is a friggin $30 knife, hand forged by a Japanese blade master. WTF? Build quality? Are you kidding? It’s a masterpiece. I lost all respect for you as a knife evaluator. A personal note from the Japanese craftsman is just a “nice touch”.

Hey I just thought I'd share my thoughts on the Higonokami. I think the primary appeal is that they're all made by one maker and have a fair bit of work done by hand. I think of mine more as a novelty rather then a serious EDC option. It does seem you got a bit of a lemon, they shouldn't be able to swing open like yours is. Mine requires enough force to open that it's unlikely it would open unexpectedly.

I think you might have got a cheaper quality higo. Mine doesn't rattle at all or is not loose when opened.

I'm a fan of classic peasant or penny knives (I have a couple of opinels, a k55k cat knife, a ratchet lock, etc) and would really love to find a reasonably nice higo but I don't know where to look (as far as a reputable importer/retailer) or the particular craftsmen who make them the traditional way (even if the factory made ones are "better" or more capable, I want it for the historical/cultural significance). Anyone have any suggestions?

@JustIn-op6oy

2 жыл бұрын

I know knifecenter carries them, but I'm not sure if those fit my criteria.

I purchased the Turtleshell enamelled Higonokami knife and so far it's been great, though my situation is quite the opposite to yours, the blade has no wiggle to it at all both when open and closed, the blade is also very stiff to draw, I cannot open the one I have with one hand unless I really try hard, I usually have to use a second hand to pull the knife up out of the metal housing and once drawn the blade is very stiffly held in place even without my thumb on the lever. It was also scary sharp upon arrival, this one only uses carbon steel though rather than white paper steel or blue paper steel like some of the other Higo knives. I think the subtle curve is actually quite nice and I feel like it suits the knife better rather than being a perfectly flat edge, this thing is really handy for all kinds of jobs and great for general use! I use it regularly on a building site and it is miles better than my Stanley and is easy to sharpen. One of my favorite knives, purely for its simplicity, usefulness and history!

Last week I found a Mizushibuki Higonokami (Water Splash) in a local shop and felt immediately in love with it. Pivot was super loose, and I found it really unsecure to see this blade moving so easily. First thing I did, when I came back home, was to smoothly tighten the pressure of the Saya around the pivot with pliers (protecting the metal with a cotton cloth) so that the friction got much better. The blade remains stuck when deployed now :)) It needs a bit of pressure to come down, and even to open, exactly as I like it to be. But I carry this model in a leather pouch, just to be 100/100 reassured. I have two models that are bigger (9.5cm blade instead of 7cm) and the friction was already perfect when I got them. Higonokamis are wonderful knives, that are quite affordable and reliable.

Is the Bowery Boy revisiting this brand? There’s no wiggle in the two I own, and the Japanese steel (one Aogami, the other Shirogami) truly nice, sharpening wonderfully. Lastly, it’s a fraction the cost of over engineered EDC options, and I’m quite pleased.

Depending on the particular Higonokami blade construction, it probably has a tough steel main blade body with a super hard core that extends to the cutting edge. SK5 is probably not a core type, blade, but others are.

Your voice is so nostalgic I love it

My Higonokami isn’t that thin. So it’s comfortable in the hand when really gripping it. I also added a black dyed Q-tip in the back where the blade rests so it protects the sharp edge and keeps it from popping out in the pocket. It’s actually pretty nice.

I really want to get one now

I think you might've got a bad one cause I paid more for mine and it's really sturdy and in general good quality.

I see your point, it's fair. I think the brass one is the real McCoy though and I bet you could tweek it a bit too. As an EDC I would make a pocket sheath....an that would be fun.

Anyone here think it's possible and worth it to modify the knife by putting it in an Opinel handle with the Virobloc mechanism?

You have to free your mind and be touched by the steel gods to apreciate the Higo! It is for the selected few,the enlightened- for less is more and vanity is a sin.For the half blind man can only feel the strong sunlight, but can not see the beauty of the dawn. No but seriously...the blade is awesome and insane whittler.I have three.

Hi Nick, just joined your lovely channel. Admittedly I am not an edc knife guy..yet. I started on watches, then bags, then fountain pens. However going through you entertaining back catalogue I came upon this gem of a review. As noted and confirmed by my missus who is Japanese this knife is considered a pencil sharpener in Japan for children. I bought mine outside a fish market. Mine is roughly made and not sharp but there is more friction than yours and it needs small pressure to open. Interesting the knives used inside the market for tuna are razor sharp and I estimate around 2 foot long. The fish monger cut through a large tuna like it was butter.

A very fine knife and is not as bad as described in the video. I have got my today for 50.00 pounds and is perfect, no sloppiness of blade and very smooth edges.As for the blade touching the metal handle groove, well superglue a bit of rubber or plastic to stop it.

Great review Nick! I don't know if you like traditional folders at all, but one of the best investments I have made this year was buying a pocket slip from KnivesShipFree. it helps enormously with clueless knives and would have nicely solved your pocket opening issue.

My local knife shop have these ,great desk knife

You can tap on the rivet with a hammer to make the knife harder to open, will also prevent the wobble it's kinda intended to be like that but I absolutely understand where you are coming from. It has it's cons for sure but for a cheap knife, hand made at that it's a good value, they are mass produced so quality isn't good but functionally it serves it's purpose.

they're okay little things. I re ground mine and gave it an acid etch, the steel is amazing. Putting a strip of leather inside the brass handle to keep from dulling helps.

@NickShabazz

8 жыл бұрын

+Maxwell Super (Atomedge Sharpening) The leather would help, for sure.

Just got my first one (XL) last month and love it. Came razor sharp and keeps edge maintain very easy with strop. I cut out 3M grip tape on the handle and have no complaints with it.

It seems the quality control isn't so good. Mine came with a nice shaving edge, nice point and great detent. Spine had forge marks that where not too bad but I still gave it a light sand. Nowhere near as lax as yours in terms as grinds, near perfect for me. It's great for pencils and for a pencil case but that is basically what it is designed for, it was carried by schoolkids for sharpening pencils (apparently).

I used to carry it after i did a bit of meddling because reviews said itd open up in your pocket because it's short enough for my school but still long enough to use. I got mine from Amazon abd mine was sharp as fuck when it came out of the box.... I kinda made the pin go down and used wd40 to loosen it and i used a bench vice to stop the blade rattle and fix the bow. Then i also sanded it down. Again pushing the pin in more helps the blade wiggle. The knife is homemade so yours is very different than mine. I fixed everything you mentioned. Don't need s stop pin because you manually stop the blade. I don't carry it only because it's more convenient to have a longer knife for what i need

The Higonokami you got seems to be a defect or most likely a fake. A real Higonokami has alot of friction to it so the blade won't open by itself in your pocket as you need to push the tang to make it open. Also the lettering is mostly manufactur name and so on. Also you are missing the samurai on the otherside where you have nothing on the handle. Wich is also a hint towards fake. Other then this i like the video.

@artheen4713

7 жыл бұрын

A higonokami knife will NOT have a samurai on the other side. That's knives made by a former member of the guild, who left to produce his own knock-off knives. He can't call them higonokami, but calls them higonaifu ("higo knife"). Another way to tell them apart is that on a real one, the lever is hand-hammered, which you can both see and feel. For the spinoff ones, the lever (and much else) is machined.

@FactFinderGeneral

7 жыл бұрын

Piper Amadeus They are both "Real", it's just similar in idea to Victorinox and Wenger. These are lower quality because he mass produces by hand. No time to polish them up. There are fakes of these, I think they lack a blade stamp.

@PivotCyroy

7 жыл бұрын

Nick here seems to be holding onto a fake. There are two real craftsmen left in Japan that make this knife and are from the original clan. One can't use the copyrighted Higonokami name, uses a factory to make them, has an overall better build quality and distinguishes himself by adding a samurai on the handle and the other makes them traditionally by hand, his work is recognisable by the hammered down lever and the maker's mark on the blade. Nick's knife seems to be factory made as that lever is clearly not hammered down, but pressed hydraulically and it lacks the maker's mark is lacking from the blade. It isn't from the factory using guy either as it has no samurai on the handle. So long story short, he got ripped off by his "reliable" seller.

@Defenderzebra

6 жыл бұрын

PivotCyroy pretty sure! I have bought me one and it is notthing like this review. Except te looks..

@mezmerya5130

5 жыл бұрын

it will open. i own better one from Hattori, vg-10 and friction is definetly there. it's shit knife by any standards. There is absolutely no reason to pardon these knives. They are an artifact of a specific historical period (late 1800s), and if you dont need traditional trinket, but need a fuctional knife- you should never look towards those.

I bought a similar knife at a knife shop in Tokyo to take the place of my little opinel during a trip through Japan. Mine came extremely sharp and doesn't show the defects you describe very well. Could it be that they are best bought from a real shop? Or could it be that there is one decent manufacturer and imitators who build these cheap knives in China or elsewhere? In any case, my little knife, although not as useful to me as my equally small opinel with virole , is a good knife for the $10 or so that I paid for it. An honest product and a keeper. It's the knife I keep in my car to peel apples and the such.

Thanks for this interesting review. I love my Douk Douk and Mercator knives, that are build on a similar principle, but I think that a Higonokami is not for me.

I got this knife for Christmas it's awesome for the price but my knife does'ent have any of the problems outlined in this video maybe ye got a really bad one because mine is razor sharp and does'ent open in my pocket if you hammer the rivet it will stay closed no problem!

That is a 肥後守定駒 (and I have no idea what it means), the steel they're using on this knife is probably 青紙 steel. It sounds like same steel they are using on a Japanese sword. that's pretty cool.

Is that carbon steel?

So I got one layered Damascus 4 inch blade birch burl matching Damascus handles linner lock. Put it to the strop it may not be the best at stabbings but it will cut tendons to the bone. Great for sharpening pencils to. Like it so much went and got a brass xl from both makers left in Japan. One in the tool bag one in the door of the car both one is blue paper the other white prefer the blue better edge.

That drop shut action!

they went down in price since 2016. i bought mine from amazon for 6 bucks and it is the exact same knife with the same writing and brass except mine was more of an antique brass or burnished whatever you call it

Everything you said mine says closed mines sharp there's no back and forth play..

i bet this negative review triggered a few weeaboos

@aweblivion1192

7 жыл бұрын

shannonandsheila1 ok i see your point. But i didnt mean anything serious by it, its a nice knife i will admit. but ive seen a lot of people exaggerating the capabilities of japanese steel. and i thought Nick here giving it a negative review would anger them. and about the ninja thing, i find interest in the old japan more than modern japan.

@PajamaPantsMan

7 жыл бұрын

well for all the aforementioned drawbacks of this pocket knife, there are a lot of reason's why this is not a great purchase for 15 dollars. I appreciate the historical sentiment and value in this knife, but it' not a functional knife compared to more modern knives. I would rather treat this as a novelty item to be collected than to be actually used.

@aweblivion1192

7 жыл бұрын

shannonandsheila1 i never was one, but im tired of arguing so lets not argue over a mere comment.

@aweblivion1192

7 жыл бұрын

shannonandsheila1 oh, well 1st things 1st im not agnostic, im a catholic, i had that name simply because i couldn't think of one at the time. And i actually forgot this comment existed when i changed my name. and thank you for understanding, no hard feelings.

@jeremiahshine

6 жыл бұрын

I love mine. I shaved my cheeks with it after unboxing. Mine holds an edge just fine. I strop it for maintenence. It still has friction for staying closed. My only complaint is that coins get trapped between the blade and "handle".

U can solve the blade stop problem with Paracord in the handle. That's what I did

Just hammer that knife in a bit, and it won't open on you that easily? You can press that pin between a vice grip maybe to make it tighter?

@NickShabazz

8 жыл бұрын

+ViceCommando Tried the vice grip trick and it didn't work, but a hammer would probably do the trick.

Love me a front flipper!

I have a Large Higonokami. Really nice, thin knife to carry around. Mostly use it for food.

@bendaniel7739

8 жыл бұрын

+Ben Strelkov Also, I purchased mine at a local Japanese Chef knife shop. It seems to be a lot stiffer than yours as well.

Nick, if you haven't already maybe handle a three or four inch Douk Douk. They've got a similar, traditional, low tech, low cost build but just about the strongest back spring you'll ever run into. Better than the junk in this video in every way I can think of.

Hate to jump on the band wagon of Higo-redeemers here, but that pivot looks particularly loose to me. I am a sharpening apprentice at Bernal Cutlery in San Francisco, and I've handled a few of these. All of the Higonokami knives I've handled, including my own, have had stiff enough action that detent is not necessary.

I know that this is an old video...but that blade doesn't seem to have any markings so it could be just s55s or stainless but those don't seem to come with brass handles. Also the brass looks too shiny compared to every other higo I've seen. Soo... it could be fake.

I own 2 Higonokamis with a 3rd titanium model presently en route from Japan. I wouldn't have ordered a third if I wasn't impressed with their historic simplicity and sharpness, and I'm not that easily impressed. I can understand your frustration. I think that unfortunately you just got a very loose knife. Handmade and not all exactly the same. Both of mine are tighter and with much more friction than your's in the video.

This is the ultra low-end Higo. I know that there are a couple of differences in higher end Higos such as better steel and a few of the components. Does anyone know if they also have better build quality, retain the blade better in an open or closed position, etc? I've heard some say they're basically the same but one costs 10x as much, and I've also heard that the $15 variant is basically only still sold for nostalgic reasons and doesn't even count as being a real Higo nowadays. Opinions?

you should do another one with a legit higonokmi next time. a higo09 is nice, good video though.

I know I’m late to the party but apparently there is only one Higonokami but many Higo No Kami’s. I believe there is a huge difference in quality. Just my extra 2 cents....

yikes, good review Nick.

Thanks for the review on a counterfeit knife

You should have got the brass case one. You need to splurge a little.

Yo nick you should check out the mcusta higonokami. Its a modern higo made in japan and mcusta seems to have fixed all of the ugly you pointed out, anyway great review

To me it's just an interesting little bit of history, like an old pocket watch. You can get a digital watch at a dollar store that keeps better time, but functionality isn't everything. I think anyone who buys one of these out of curiosity or some other type of appeal it has for them already has plenty of fine EDC options.

I live in Japan and basic knives like this are available for about $5. The downside is that I basically can't carry anything this big daily in Tokyo, but it's still useful around the house or when I go out into the woods.

I recently got one, The blade is straight, the pin is solid so it doesnt swing open etc, the grind was crap and I had to take 1mm of steel off it to get it to a straight edge. For the price I cant complain, its a good letter opener on my desk so I dont have it floating in my pocket and opening by itself.

Another good review, Nick. I've been enjoying your channel. My Higonokami came with extremely crude finishing.

I spent 80usd on a brass model and about 140usd on a damascus forged model and there is no play with the blade, the pivot is a lot tighter than what is seen in the video and they came shaving-hair sharp. It must be a get-what-you-pay-for type of deal with these little guys as there seems to be a lot of variation between the price points but even between knives in the same line you can get good and bad. I get that this isn't going to be your go-to for EDC (it isn't for me) but I like 'em enough to want to collect a couple more

This has to be one of my favorite EDC knives, especially since I am usually on a strict budget. I do have a few workarounds for the problem of it opening in the pocket. One is that I made a leather sheath, that I threaded a string through to hang from my neck, which is good especially if I have another, bigger knife on me, as it saves the pocket for that knife. Another solution is just tapping the pin with a hammer a few times. I usually use an iron/steel (ie: not coated with rubber) dumbbell as a makeshift anvil and a regular hammer. Basically just tap it until it isn't so loose that it will just pop open with gravity, but also not so tight that it can't be opened with one hand easily. Probably the easiest solution is how you put it in your pocket. I usually put it in the same pocket as my wallet. If I don't have my wallet, I will usually put the knife in so the opening is facing up, so gravity keeps the blade folded. If I do have my wallet, I put it so the wallet covers the opening, so if it does open, then it opens into the wallet and not onto my leg. Sometimes it will even drift to under my wallet, where I can turn it with the opening upwards to take advantage of both of those features.

Did you say 15 buck's? Are you sure you got a genuine one? Or maybe it's a low grade one? Aside from your point about the stop this is not my own experience at all.

Pretty solid knife for the price..gets rusty quick though

It is not really meant for EDC, especially not these days. The carry laws in Japan are rather fuzzy to begin with, but it is arguably illegal to carry it in your pocket here in any case. It is something people would keep in a draw or a pen case to open packages and sharpen pencils with or just something cool to have in the collection as a keep sake.

If you get one with a brass handle, then the blade will be much more sticky when you open it. Means the blade will not open by itself.

My grandfather inlaw used to shave with his..

Have a look on Lugi B, site on this knife..

When a steel is easy to sharpen, that doesn't nessesarily mean that it's a soft steel. Probably carbon steel, and not just (too) soft ass plain 420.

Having recently got into Higonokami knives I would but money on it that your stainless steel version is a Chinese copy as there should also be markings on the blade saying what type of steel the blade is made from 👍🏻

For $15 you could get an Opinel

Usually the cheapest one is also the worst. This one was 15 bucks including shipping from Japan. There are makers who do better. Peen the rivet to tighten the knife so out won't open in your pocket. A good one will come tight and can be tightened over time. Also, good tight example is a two hand open.

you can just go to Amazon search friction folder or blade hq different brands almost exact same knife you can go to blade hq also there are some that sell for $100 I guess those are the bad sellers or they are just much higher quality and better steal

@Nanchi

7 жыл бұрын

the one you got seems to be the worst of the ones I have seen most of em take a lot more force to open and shut the knife

Please make a review of a real one, not a bad copy.

Super helpful, thank you! Saved me a bunch of money lol I was looking at higher-end ones.

hit the pin a few times with a light hammer and your good to go. its designed to be cheap, user defines the tension. also you didnt end up with the standard steel, looks either bootleg or the sk seriese

Methinks you bought a knockoff. Mr. Nagao stamps the blades of his with the blade steel type, and does the handles in brass unless they are the higher end custom ones. Hammer the pin to tighten the blade.

@theBlueSmokeBand

2 жыл бұрын

I wish this comment would float up to the top so viewers would know this isn't a review of a genuine Higonokami knife. And it's so obvious, as you mention, since the blade isn't stamped.