Higonokami Kogatana Bannou 70mm (2.8″)

Higonokami Kogatana Bannou is a popular small pocket knife in Japan used for various small tasks, usually in the great outdoors.

The blade of this one-piece steel knife seamlessly extends into the handle and everything about it radiates tradition. The handle is clad in a tightly and neatly woven Japanese fabric and rounded off with a tiny brass bell which truly gives this knife a unique look. The classic Japanese weaving technique on the blade is called chirimen.

Kogatana means a “small knife” and it was used by samurai who usually kept it hidden in their katana’s saya. Traditionally, these small knives were used for working with wood, peeling fruit or preparing food.

The knife was forged in the san mai (“three layers”) style, which means that its core is made from the hard Shirogami steel (White Steel 2) that forms the blade’s cutting edge, while a soft, pliable steel forms a protective jacket on both sides of the core. When used correctly, a layer of patina will also develop on the blade, further protecting it from external influences. This is a double bevel blade that is extremely easy to resharpen.

Shirogami #2 white steel is a carbon steel alloy which makes Higonokami ⚠️ not stain resistant ⚠️, but easy to resharpen. This knife needs good maintenance and the blade will develop a light patina over time and use. After use rinse it well and dry it thoroughly, we recommend oiling the blade regularly in order to prevent the development of rust. Read more about how to take care of high carbon knives and patina in our Knife maintenance blog post.