Baishinshi Kogatana
Utility Blade

Traditional Japanese knife for general use, forged by 7th generation blacksmiths.

More Information

These beautiful kogatana (literally, small sword) are hand forged by Umeda san, 7th generation blacksmith of Baishinshi, in Sanjo city up in the north of Japan in Niigata prefecture. Similar in use to kiridashi, this is a general purpose knife with a hand-laminated white paper steel blade, suitable for just about everything around the home.

The more we hear about Umeda san, the more we like him - and the more prepared we are to forgive his lengthy lead times. He’s in his 60's and his dad still helps out around the place, fitting and finishing. But the old boy is losing his eyesight and Umeda san has to check his work - but he checks in the evenings, after dad’s gone home, to preserve his dignity.

Clean and dry thoroughly and wipe with Camellia oil to prevent rust. Sharpen on a waterstone.

Tips

Makes a great letter opener, but does far more than that - and can be used in the home, garden, workshop or kitchen.

Options

Baishinshi Kogatana	$205.00
	exVAT

Delivering to US (Paying in USD) Edit

Please note: By law, we are not permitted to sell a knife or blade to any person under the age of 18. By placing an order for one of these items you are declaring that you are 18 years of age or over. These items must be used responsibly and appropriately.

Baishinshi Kogatana

85g
231 x 29 x 17mm
132mm blades
Shirogami White Paper Steel
Magnolia handles
Made in Japan
Includes Magnolia Scabbard

Delivery

UK: (excluding Tripod Ladders)

Free delivery for orders over £100*
£4.00: Standard service via Royal Mail Tracked 48; typically 2–5 working days.
£7.50: Priority service via Royal Mail Tracked 24, DHL, FedEx, or UPS; typically delivered next working day by 6pm (excluding Sat/Sun and UK Bank Holidays) for orders received before 12pm GMT Mon–Fri (excluding UK Bank Holidays).

Global: (excluding Tripod Ladders)

Free delivery for orders over £/$/€100*
Price depends on location - adjust the COUNTRY tab in your basket to see the price.
We use DHL, FedEx, or UPS, and we’ll email you the tracking info.

*Customs fees may apply and are estimated during checkout. Surcharges may apply to some larger or heavier items to some areas.
* Please note Niwaki are not responsible for any import duty, taxes or fees incurred and these will be will be collected by our courier during customs clearance — For EU countries, when possible DHL will provide an estimate on the order confirmation page.

Caring For Your Tools

Most of our sharp tools are made from carbon steel - this means they may, through regular use, stain (and eventually rust) and gradually lose their edge. Caring for them involves three things…

1. Correct Use:

Japanese steel is hard and sharp, and can be more brittle than some people are used to - it will chip if abused
Do not cut wire, metal, stone, plastic or any other hard material (even bamboo fibres and some very hard woods, especially knots and burrs, can damage steel edges)
Do not twist or apply uneven pressure
Cut diagonally across branches (not straight across) so you cut along the fibres
Pay attention to our maximum cut dimensions, and don’t overdo it (shears are not loppers)
Use the base of the blades, not the tips, for heavier cuts

2. Keeping Them Clean:

Remove leaf resin, rust and gunk with a Crean Mate and water
Dry, wipe over with Camellia oil and store in a dry place

3. Keeping Them Sharp:

New tools won’t need sharpening for some time, but after a while you’ll notice them gradually lose their edge, especially if you’re box clipping (you need REALLY sharp blades to get a good finish with box). Use the Niwaki Sharpening Stones for best results (#1000 grit is best for general sharpening).