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Nigara  |  SKU: NIGARA_ANMONB2_SAKIMARU330

Nigara Anmon Kurozome Blue 2 Damascus Sakimaru Takobiki Yanagiba 330mm

Sale price $934.99 Regular price $1,099.00

IMPORTANT: Carbon steel knives can rust or patina quickly if not cared for properly. They require regular cleaning, drying, and oiling. If you are unfamiliar with carbon steel maintenance, we recommend choosing a stainless steel option instead.

Availability

  • St Peters (Online/Showroom)
    2 Bishop St Unit 2 St Peters NSW 2044
  • Crows Nest (Storefront)
    107 West St, Crows Nest NSW 2065
    Pickup only
Detailed Specifications
Line Nigara Anmon Blue 2
Profile Sakimaru Takohiki / Sashimi Knife
Bevel Type Single Bevel
Weight 260 g | 9.2 oz
Edge Length 315 mm | 12 13/32″
Heel Height 40 mm | 1 37/64″
Width @ Heel 4.4 mm | 11/64″
Width @ Mid 3.2 mm | 1/8″
Width @ 1cm from Tip 1.2 mm | 3/64″
Steel Blue 2 / Aogami #2 | Carbon
Blade Construction Nimai- Soft Iron Damascus Clad
Hardness (HRC) 61 - 63
Surface Finish Etched
Handle Ebony Mosaic
Region Aomori
Best for
  • Pro chefs
  • Enthusiasts
  • Free shipping for knives over AU$200 Australia wide.
  • World-wide shipping via DHL Express, 3 to 5 days.


Knives and Stones is proud to bring you Nigara Knife, a boutique knife house based in the beautiful north eastern prefecture of Aomori. With their multi-century long knife making history, and their remote location, Nigara has developed some incredibly unique forging techniques and designs.

This Blue 2 line consists a series of traditional single bevel knives, but combines these formats with a very unique cladding a surface finish combo. The Blue 2 is a very solid core steel, a small amount of alloy added to it compare with the more pure White 2 steel allows it to hold edge longer, but still keep the ability to get a very keen edge and the ease of sharpening.

The Anmon lines' Damascus pattern is one of the most sophisticated patterns that I have seen from Japan makers, and it is called “Anmon”, which translate to "dark figure".According to Nigara, The “Anmon” design was inspired by the rippling water of the Anmon falls, found on the base of the World Heritage Shirakami Mountains. The pattern on this Blue 2 Anmon line compared with other members of the Anmon family, has a bit more shine to it. The brighter alloy takes up a larger portion of the surface area, making the blades look more silver.

For the people who are seeking a more special Yanagiba, this line is something you shouldn't miss, the combination of this cladding and surface finish is something that aren't seen on a typicall traditional single bevel knife. The look of these knives will definitely separate themselves from others, but you will still have all the characteristics of the carbon steel which ensure a good performance.

Pros Cons
  • Great artistic
  • Excellent performance
  • Prone to rust
Care Instruction
  1. Don't cut hard things! Japanese knives are brittle so bone hacking is a NO NO!
  2. Wash with neutral detergent after use, and wipe dry;
  3. Please don't wash knife with dishwasher, it will damage the wood handle;
  4. Be careful not to leave the knife close to a heat source for a long time;
  5. It is a lot more dangerous to cut with a blunt knife than a sharp knife!
  6. It is best to sharpen a Japanese knife regularly on a waterstone.
  7. Oil the (carbon) knife if storing for an extended period of time to prevent rust.

Nigara

Hirosaki sword and knife artisan

Based in the small yet beautiful city of Hirosaki in the northern prefecture of  Aomori, Nigara hamono has been making samurai swords for 350 yearas, with master Kunitoshi  (國俊) being one of the most famous sword smith in his generation. Now headed by the 8th generation mastersmith Go Yoshizawa (吉澤 剛) supported by his father Toshiju Yoshizawa (吉澤 俊寿), Nigara is becoming very popular thanks of its exquisite forging skills and second to none quality control. 

“Katana making family in Aomori carrying their linage with creativity and innovation, known for the striking "Anmon" design and striking high-end, hand forged damascus items”

Est. 1949 | 昭和24年
Known for Glamorous and innovative knife design, inherited forging skills.
Website nigaraknives.com Read more about Nigara
Nigara — Aomori
Profile: Sakimaru Takohiki
Profile

Sakimaru Takohiki

Sashimi Knife

The Sakimaru Takohiki (先丸蛸引き) is a single-bevel sashimi knife — a takohiki (the straight, Kanto-style slicer) finished with a gently rounded "sakimaru" tip (先 saki = tip, 丸 maru = round) instead of the takohiki's square tip or the yanagiba's sharp point. Its long, flat single-bevel blade and concave back (urasuki) draw a clean, uninterrupted slice through raw fish in one smooth pull, and the rounded tip is elegant and safe for plating and finishing a cut. Most run 270–330mm. It does the same job as a yanagiba, but its distinctive rounded tip and Kanto heritage earn it a profile of its own.
Composition

Blue 2 / Aogami #2 Element Composition

Compare with
    Blue 2 / Aogami #2
    1.25% 0.9% 0.6% 0.3% 0
    C Carbon 1.1%
    Primary hardening element. Raises hardness and wear resistance — but too much increases brittleness and corrosion susceptibility. As a reference: German 1.4112 (~0.5%) sits at the low end; VG-10 (~1.0%) is a common mid-range; SG2 (1.25–1.45%) and ZDP-189 (~3.0%) represent high and extreme ends respectively.
    C
    1.1%
    Cr Chromium 0.35%
    Raises corrosion resistance; 13%+ qualifies steel as stainless. Also improves hardenability and wear resistance. In kitchen use, higher chromium levels contribute to a slight drag or sticking sensation when cutting — a trade-off for the rust resistance it provides.
    Cr
    0.35%
    W Tungsten 1.25%
    Forms hard carbides for wear resistance and edge retention. Gives the steel hardness even at elevated temperatures.
    W
    1.25%
    Mn Manganese 0.25%
    Aids hardenability and strength. Acts as a deoxidiser during smelting. Excess can reduce toughness.
    Mn
    0.25%
    Si Silicon 0.15%
    Strengthens the steel matrix and acts as a deoxidiser. Improves hardness and resistance to oxidation.
    Si
    0.15%
    P Phosphorus 0.025%
    Impurity from the smelting process. Even small amounts cause brittleness — steelmakers keep this as low as possible.
    P
    0.025%
    S Sulfur 0.004%
    Impurity that reduces toughness and promotes brittleness. Intentionally added only in free-machining steels.
    S
    0.004%
    C — Carbon Cr — Chromium W — Tungsten Mn — Manganese Si — Silicon P — Phosphorus S — Sulfur
    Hardness 61–63 HRC
    555759616365+
    Steel
    Blue 2 / Aogami #2
    Category
    Carbon
    Manufacturer
    Hitachi Special Steel, Japan 🇯🇵
    Hardness
    61–63 HRC
    Steel

    Blue 2 / Aogami #2

    • Manufacturer
      • Hitachi Special Steel, Japan
    • Nature Carbon
    • Hardness61–63 HRC
    Blue Steel No.2, also recognized as Aogami No.2, is a distinguished high carbon steel produced by Hitachi Metals Ltd, enhanced by the addition of chromium and tungsten to the base of White Steel No.2. This modification brings about an improvement in toughness and the creation of hard carbide molecules, which significantly boost edge retention. Although its sharpness is comparable to that of White Steel No.2, Blue Steel No.2 offers a slight advantage in maintaining its edge.

    Widely favored for its versatility, Aogami No.2 is celebrated for its ease of sharpening and robust resistance to chipping, making it an ideal choice for those new to Aogami steel knives. Containing 1.0–1.2% carbon and achieving a typical hardness of 62–63 HRC on the Rockwell scale, it stands as the benchmark in evaluating Aogami steel cutlery.
    Construction: Nimai- Soft Iron Damascus Clad
    Construction

    Nimai- Soft Iron Damascus Clad

    Nimai(Two Piece) is the Japan's traditional approach to the kitchen knife making, this construction method is typically found on knives with native Japanese origins like Yanagiba, Deba and Usuba. When constructing a Nimai knife, a piece of soft cladding metal will be placed onto a core steel, the two pieces of metal are then forgewelded and shaped into the knife.

    The Nimai knives are usually sharpened in single-bevel fashion, with hardened core steel exposed on the flat/hollow-ground side and soft cladding warping over the other side and over the spin. The soft cladding offers support for the harder yet more brittle core steel so the knive can have a thin, sharp edge while have some overall strength. Since the single bevel Japanese knives usually don't have a secondary bevel, the combination of soft cladding and hollow-grind have made the sharpening process easier than Monosteel and Honyaki knives.

    The typical traditional Japanese kitchen knives have few features: Nimai construction, single bevel, carbon core steel and soft iron cladding. Some knifemakers have made a small twist to this classical formula, by introducing forged damascus soft iron to Nimai's cladding, the timeless look now has a pop of beauty and complexity added to it. However, the core and cladding are still prone to rust, so to maintain these handmade beauties, more attention and care shall be needed from their owners.

    Finish: Etched
    Finish

    Etched

    The etching process starts with the knife being thoroughly cleaned to remove any oils or residues. A protective mask may be applied to the areas not intended to be etched. The blade is then submerged in an acidic solution, such as ferric chloride, which reacts with the different layers of steel at varying rates. This creates a layer of dark oxide on the surface of the blade where the thickness of the oxide varies according to the reactiveness of the steel. After etching, the knife is neutralized in a baking soda solution, rinsed, and dried. The final step involves polishing the blade to highlight the etched design, enhancing both the knife's beauty and showcasing the craftsmanship of its maker.

    Handle
    Handle

    Ebony Mosaic

    • Profile Octagonal WA
    • Material
      • Ebony

    Crafted from a single piece of African Ebony, this ebony elegant handle has the flat Tsukiji Masamoto / Aritsugu style handle. It has a subtle taper which makes it very comfortable to hold in hand.

    The stand out feature of this handle is the simple yet elegant centre square moasic pin, which is extremely hard to manufacture. It is almost impossible to craft out a square pin from a octagonal shape (and tapered!) handle.

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    Frequently asked questions

    Will a carbon steel knife rust, and how do I look after it?

    Yes - carbon steels such as Aogami (Blue) and Shirogami (White) react with food, moisture, and acids. Left wet they can spot or rust, and with normal use they develop a grey-blue patina. That patina is expected and is part of owning a carbon-steel knife; it is not damage.

    Care is simple once it becomes habit: hand-wash in warm water, never leave the knife soaking or sitting in a wet sink, and dry it thoroughly the moment you finish. Avoid the dishwasher entirely, and wipe the blade between tasks when you are cutting acidic foods like citrus, tomato, or onion.

    If the knife will sit unused for a while, wipe a very thin film of food-safe camellia oil (or a neutral mineral oil) onto the blade before storing it. A light surface rust spot lifts easily with a rust eraser or a little Bar Keepers Friend; sustained neglect is the only thing to really avoid.

    Carbon steel rewards this small amount of attention with a keener edge and easier sharpening than most stainless. If you would rather not think about maintenance at all, ask us about stainless or stainless-clad options instead.

    ✓ Verified by Knives and Stones · James Zhang · Reviewed 29 May 2026

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