Nagao Kanekoma – Higonokami Folding Knife (Blue Steel Warikomi)

Brand Heritage
Nagao Kanekoma comes from Miki City, Hyogo Prefecture, the birthplace of Japan’s traditional iron-forging techniques in the late Meiji era. Around this time, craftsmen such as Murakami-san and Komataro Nagao-san began forging blades, marking the first production of knives for the general public in the region.

In 1897, a trader named Tasaburo Shigematsu brought back a folding knife from Kagoshima. Its unique design—featuring a tail-like lever and a double bevel edge (unlike the typical single bevel knives of that era)—inspired blacksmiths in Miki, including Nagao-san, to begin producing similar knives.

This folding knife became known as the Higonokami Knife, which quickly gained immense popularity across Japan—even Emperor Taisho was known to own one. By 1902, the Higonokami Knife Association was established, peaking at nearly 40 companies and 200 craftsmen involved in production.

However, the rise of cheaper imitations, imported knives, and new technologies such as electric sharpeners led to a decline in demand by the mid-1950s. One by one, Higonokami blacksmiths closed down or shifted industries, leaving Nagao Kanekoma Seisakusho as the only remaining craftsman legally permitted to use the “Higonokami” trademark.

Specifications

• Type: Folding Knife (Higonokami)

• Blade Material: Blue Steel, hand-forged Warikomi construction

• Blade Thickness: ~3.0 mm

• Blade Length: 100 mm

• Handle/Saya Length: 120 mm

• Handle/Saya Material: Brass flip cover

• Origin: Handcrafted in Miki City, Hyogo, Japan

Features & Benefits

• Authentic Higonokami, forged by the only trademark holder (Nagao Kanekoma Seisakusho).

• Blue Steel core for razor-sharp edge and long-lasting performance.

• Brass handle – sturdy, elegant, and develops a patina with use.

• Compact and lightweight, perfect as a traditional Japanese everyday folding knife.

• Carries over a century of Japanese knife-making tradition.