"Sushi knife SPG2 Migaki Tsuchime Sujihiki 255, Birch"
Nigara Hamono - Since the Days of the Samurai
The sword and knife smithy, Nigara Hamono, boasts a tradition spanning over 350 years. During the early Edo period, Hirosaki was a bustling castle town with over a hundred forges. Nigara Forging, situated in Tsugaru to the north of Hirosaki, is one such historic forge that has preserved its craftsmanship to this day. The forging techniques employed by Nigara mirror those traditional methods used for centuries to craft high-quality sword and knife blades. The meticulous folding and hammering of soft iron and steel impart a unique beauty to each knife crafted by Nigara..
Kuroshiage Tsuchime Knife Series by Nigara
This series of knives is already by your origin, the forge Nigara, something very special. Visually, it is characterized by the Kuroshiage design and the distinctive hand-beaten hammering. However, you will only experience the full character of the knives when you use them in your kitchen. The knives have a very good, balanced weight distribution, are thinly forged and very sharp. The hard steel of the cutting core, forged to about 62 HRC, offers excellent sharpening potential. Manufacturer of the steel Takefu, Japan. Depending on the translation, the steel is also referred to as SGP2, Super Gold Powder 2. This steel is an absolute premium steel, very high priced and hard to get even in Japan. It is a powder metallurgical high performance steel with a very fine structure. The high carbon content of 1.3% makes it extremely hard, so that up to 65 HRC is possible. Other components are 15% chromium, 3% molybdenum and 2% vanadium. With this cutting core, the series knives offer exceptional sharpness, cutting performance and durability, surpassing even the premium VG-10 steel.
Usage and Safety Instructions
Japanese kitchen knives are made from extremely hard steels and are forged and sharpened thinner than their European counterparts. Some of these knives have very finely ground cutting layers, making them more delicate and suitable only for soft materials. Please refer to the product details for related information. Knives with a very thin edge and hollow grind are particularly prone to chipping. While they are excellent for fine cuts of soft materials, they should be used with appropriate caution. When sharpening on a whetstone, an angled edge is usually formed, which makes the blade more stable over time.
Chipping of the edge can also occur due to leverage forces or when cutting frozen foods, which can significantly lower the steel's temperature. Leverage forces often arise when cutting materials with bones, for example. Check your knife's edge after each use. If chipping does occur, thoroughly check if you have removed all fragments from the food. If necessary, it may be safer to discard the food. Chips in the edge may need to be ground out by a professional.
The knife should generally be used with a pulling or pushing motion, without applying much pressure. To maintain sharpness, avoid cutting on stone, glass, or other hard surfaces. Do not use a honing steel for sharpening. Waterstones are recommended (grit: 400-1200 for rough sharpening, 3000 for fine sharpening, 6000 or more to polish the edge) and possibly a leather strop.
Keep the knife out of reach of children. These knives are extremely sharp, so please handle them with care.
All products are unique, so slight variations from the sample image are possible.
Care Instructions
For knives made from delicate steel types, such as Aogami, Shirogami, or V-Toku, please clean them occasionally with a cloth and water, even during extended use. Acidic foods may still cause discoloration in these traditional carbon steels. After use, wash by hand with hot water and, if necessary, use a neutral detergent. Never put the knife in the dishwasher. After cleaning, dry thoroughly, oil if necessary, and store in a well-ventilated place. Residual moisture can cause rust in non-stainless steels. Please refer to our ORYOKI Japan blog for product care tips.
Clean the knife by hand and do not use a dishwasher. Dry it thoroughly after cleaning.
