Nigara Kiritsuke Nakiri SG2 Tsuchime Maplewood 180mm (7.1″)

Introducing the Nigara Kiritsuke Nakiri SG2 Tsuchime Maplewood 180mm knife—a true embodiment of a traditional Japanese vegetable chopping knife. With its kiritsuke tip, it offers enhanced precision and versatility in the kitchen. Thanks to the SG2 powder steel core and hamaguri profile, you can count on this knife to maintain long-lasting sharpness with minimal upkeep. It’s a high-quality knife that’s designed to excel and endure in your culinary endeavors.

As soon as you lay your hands on this knife, you can’t help but feel like you’re wielding a seriously fancy cleaver, ready to tackle a mountain of chopped veggies. It’s the kind of knife you want to hold on to tightly, never wanting to let go, ever.

This knife has some seriously cool features that make it stand out. The blade looks awesome with its unique hexagonal tsuchime finish, and the Western-style handle is made from stabilized maple, which adds a nice touch. Speaking of the handle, it’s got these amazing swirls and patterns that make it one-of-a-kind. Plus, thanks to the stabilization process, the handle is super durable and won’t get messed up by moisture, so it’ll stay in great shape for a long time.

BLADE SHAPE:
When you hold this knife, you’ll feel like you’re rocking a mini cleaver packed with a whole lot of oomph. That’s what makes this blade so darn charming. The slightly thicker blade geometry perfectly matches the handle, creating a sweet balance that just feels right.

The knife is characterized by a special tip called the reverse tanto or kiritsuke tip (“K-tip” for short). The profile of the spine slopes down sharply towards the end of the blade, making the knife thin and narrow at the tip. The thin tip is excellent for trimming and chopping paper-thin pieces of garlic, shallots, radishes, etc.

*The length of the cutting edge is 165mm (heel to point), but with this knife the length is measured from the edge of the handle to the tip of the blade, amounting to 180mm.

STEEL:
SG2 steel is a powder steel, renowned for its hardness and subsequent edge retention—due to a high carbon (C) content of 1.5%. The steel is also high in chromium (Cr)—around 15%, which adds to corrosion resistance and Molybdenum (Mo) that improves the blade’s wear resistance. SG2 steel blades will be able to achieve a fine sharpness due to the fine microstructure of the steel and will keep it—without having to worry about maintenance and corrosion.

LAMINATION:
A high hardness of around 64 HRC means that the blade won’t be very tough, so the blade’s core was laminated using the san-mai method to improve its structural integrity and subsequent ability to withstand impacts and prevent chipping. San-mai translates to “three layers” in Japanese, referring to a blade that is composed of a primary, inner layer of harder steel (hagane) and of two secondary, outer layers of softer steel (jigane) that protect the prior.

GEOMETRY:
It has a double bevel (symmetrical) blade with convex (full hamaguri) grind. Hamaguri grind allows superior sharpness that requires delicate handling and helps to prevent food from sticking to the blade. Such a shape keeps a lot of metal behind the edge and makes for a stronger edge, yet it still allows a good degree of sharpness. The downside to a convex grind is that it is very hard to reproduce by anyone other than a very experienced sharpener.

BLADE FINISH:
The surface of the blade was treated with a special textured hammer, leaving complex geometric impressions on its upper part. The Japanese hexagon hammered finish on knives is a stunning technique that involves skillfully hammering the blade’s surface to create captivating hexagonal indentations.

The tsuchime surface helps to reduce friction and prevents food from sticking to the blade during cutting. The textured surface creates small air pockets which allow for smoother and more precise cutting.

In Japan, the hexagon is prized for its aesthetic appeal and structural stability in traditional arts, crafts, and architecture. It is found in various artistic forms and is also used in the design of Shinto torii doors and modern buildings. The hexagonal shape of the kasagi in torii doors represents the belief in strength and stability associated with the number six.

HANDLE:
The knife features a classic Western-style (Yo) handle crafted from exceptionally dense and durable maple wood. To enhance grip and balance, a stainless steel bolster is incorporated. The handle’s luxurious appearance is further elevated by two mosaic pins in copper and brass, providing an exquisite touch.

The handle is designed to provide an ergonomic grip that adapts perfectly to the contours of your hand. Its larger size and thoughtfully shaped profile ensure optimum comfort and control, making it easy to maneuver the blade. The stabilized maple wood handle is more than just a functional component – it adds a touch of sophistication to the overall aesthetic of the knife.

BLACKSMITH:
Nigara Hamono has a 350-year history, making swords since the Edo period. Head blacksmith Tsuyoshi Yoshizawa, who works alongside his father Toshi Yoshizawa, is an eighth generation blacksmith with a passion for art and music as well as knives, and his famous Nigara Anmon design is the result of his love of Andy Warhol’s artwork. Nigara is easily one of the most special knife makers in Japan.