Higonokami

Pas de ressort, pas de vis, pas de mécanisme, le HIGONOKAMI est sans doute le couteau pliant le plus simple du monde. Une lame, un manche de laiton plié, et une languette qu'on pousse du pouce pour l'ouvrir. Ce dépouillement, hérité de la coutellerie japonaise traditionnelle, fait tout son charme, un couteau brut, honnête, qui se glisse dans la poche et prend une patine au fil des années.

Simplicity as a choice

Where most knives add locks and safeties, the HIGONOKAMI removes them. The blade pivots on a simple rivet and is held open by the pressure of the thumb on the brass tab that sticks out from the back. It’s a gesture, not a mechanism. Confusing at first, it quickly becomes natural, and you understand why this knife passes through generations unchanged. See all pocket knives.

A blade with character

Often made of carbon steel, the HIGONOKAMI blade develops over time a grayish, almost bluish patina that tells the story of each cut. You need to wipe it after use and keep it dry, but in return it offers a sharp edge that’s easy to revive on a stone. The brass handle darkens too, and the whole object ages like a companion. See the French knife OPINEL.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you open a HIGONOKAMI?

You push with your thumb on the brass tab that sticks out at the back of the handle, which pivots the blade outward. During cutting, you keep your thumb on it to hold the blade in place, since there is no locking mechanism. The motion is surprising at first, then becomes automatic.

Is it dangerous that there is no safety lock?

It simply requires attention. The blade is held by the pressure of the thumb on the tab, so you cut consciously, without forcing or loosening your grip. Handled with a bit of care, like any knife, it is safe. That’s the price of its simplicity, and what its enthusiasts appreciate.

Why does the blade darken?

Because it is made of carbon steel, which reacts to air and what you cut by taking on a grayish tint. Far from being a flaw, this is sought after; the patina even protects the blade a little and gives it character. Wipe it after use and avoid leaving it wet, that’s all.

How to sharpen a HIGONOKAMI?

Carbon steel is one of the most pleasant to sharpen. A few strokes on a stone, at a constant angle, quickly restore a sharp edge. It’s one of the joys of a knife, seeing it regain its sharpness easily. A leather strop at the end aligns the edge and extends the cut.