Hand-made and designed especially for Niwaki by third generation family craftsmen in Miki, deep in Hyogo, one of the heartlands of horticultural blacksmithing in Japan. Niwaki's new generation Hori Hori is forged from SK-5 carbon steel, making it sharper and tougher than other Hori (Horii? Horis?) for digging, weeding, planting and cutting, with a subtly profiled FSC Beech handle for sustained use, and of course the accompanying Canvas Sheath for easy access and safe storage. If in any doubt look for the kanji inscripted Niwaki stamped into the blade for proof of something very special.
SK-5 Carbon steel is the same steel Niwaki uses in our Garden Shears, with just the right proportions of Carbon, Chromium, Nickel, Manganese, Silicon, Phosphorous, Copper and Sulphur to create the perfect balance of tensile strength, edge retention and toughness – the holy trinity when it comes to hori horiing. It’s pretty damn good.
The humble Niwaki Hori Hori has the remarkable knack of instantly becoming everyone’s favourite tool in the garden – the feedback Niwaki gets from happy (read – borderline obsessive) customers says it all, and it’s not uncommon to bump into a gardener at the end of a hard day’s work on a chilly February afternoon, soggy knees, muddy hands, inane grin (you get the picture) who boasts of the number of snowdrops they’ve just transplanted and how their Hori Hori has saved their life.
Caring For Your Tools:
Tips:
The Hori Hori Pro arrives with a splodge of varnish to protect the carbon steel from oxidation during transport. It normal for this to be uneven and to rub off with use.
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 Clean Mate and water
- Dry, wipe over with Camellia oil and store in a dry place
3. Keeping Them Sharp:
We recommend Niwaki Camellia Oil and the Mini Clean Mate
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).
- Sharpen Secateurs every couple of weeks
- Sharpen Shears and Topiary Clippers EVERY TIME you use them - the difference is amazing
