Nigara Hamono Anmon "Raindrop Damascus" SG2 Santoku 180mm

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Nigara Hamono is a company whose founding dates back more than 350 years. "Since the days of Samurai" proudly printed on every Nigara Hamono box references the long history Nigara has of producing swords and blades since the Edo period. 

 

While Nigara has modernised considerably since then, using advanced modern steels like SG2, Aogami Super and most recently SG Strix, the spirit of quality craftsmanship is still present. Under the guidance of current President Go Yoshizawa, Nigara produces blades with stunning finishes. When a Nigara blade has a tsuchime (hammered) finish, you can bet it's not going to be a simple round hammer mark. There are going to be hexagons, crescents, waves and spikes hammered into the blade. It's complex, yet not in-your-face, you'll have to look close to notice it. The same can be said for their damascus patterns which can range from waves to swirls, to complete circles. Nigara Hamono spares no expense in making their blades uniquely theirs.

Nigara Hamono's Anmon Series features a distinctive raindrop damascus pattern that we have not seen replicated anywhere else. Said to be inspired by the Anmon Waterfalls, which flow from the UNESCO World Heritage Site Shirakami Mountains, the blade’s circular damascus pattern resembles water droplets forming ripples across the blade's surface. In an interview however, Toshiju Yoshizawa shared that his inspiration stemmed from Andy Warhol’s painting of John Lennon, particularly the intriguing distortion in Lennon’s glasses, which influenced the development of this design. Either way the blade's damascus finish is extremely captivating.

The Anmon series features a relatively thin, convex grind which ensures a good balance of performance, food release and durability. The easy to maintain stainless SG2 powdered steel core is heat treated to HRC 63 for an excellent edge retention. As a result, this knife not only looks exceptional, its performance and practicality are exceptional as well.

 

Note : Nigara knives tend to be shorter than their stated length because the measurement is from the neck to the tip, instead of the edge length. This feature is also typical of Sakai-made knives.

 

 

Blade Type: Santoku
Core: SG2 / R2 Powdered Stainless Steel
Cladding: Stainless Steel Cladding
Handle: Mono Ebony Octagonal Handle
Spine Thickness at Heel: 2.5mm
HRC: 62-63
Weight: 166g
Blade Length: 165mm
Overall Length: 310mm