Dragonfly Flipper with Blacklip Mother of Pearl

Product Description for Dragonfly Flipper with Blacklip Mother of Pearl

Maker: Koji Hara (click to see more by this maker)
Item num: 103314
Blade length: 3.10 in.
Cutting edge length: 2.75 in.
Total length: 7.00 in.
Blade height (at heel): 0.90 in.
Blade thickness (near bolster): 0.10 in.
Blade thickness (at midpoint): 0.10 in.
Blade thickness (near tip): 0.03 in.
Item weight: 4.40 oz.
Shipment weight: 5.0 oz.
Blade: Mirror polished Cowry Y stainless steel, heat treated to 67 Rc
Handle: Carved and textured 316 stainless steel with blacklip and goldlip mother of pearl inlays
Sheath: Kimono fabric storage pouch
Style: Liner lock with flipper
Description: Koji Hara's inimitable style has won him admiration from collectors and fellow makers alike. He consistently creates knives that are renowned for their precision, craftsmanship, and performance. Koji-san called this folder Kachimush. Japan is sometimes called the Island of the dragonfly, which says much about the number of dragonflies you can come across in summer. In Japan, dragonflies are symbolic: fearless, swift, and courageous. They are known as the "victory insect" (a direct translation of kachimushi) because of their hunting prowess and also because dragonflies cannot retreat -- they are constantly moving forward. There is an old legend that explains the victorious and good fortune beliefs associated with the dragonfly. The 21st Emperor Yuryaku had a horsefly bite him on the arm while out hunting. Before further harm could come to him, a dragonfly swooped down and captured the offending bug. It impressed and pleased the emperor so much that he renamed the region Akitsu-no (Dragonfly Plain) in honor of his rescuer.
Because modern flippers are not allowed in Japan, Koji makes flippers that are a perfect gentleman's pocket knife. While having a flipper, it is meant to start the blade opening, rather than opening it the entire way.
The steel Koji prefers is a powdered metallurgical steel not available in the United States, capable of a higher hardness without being brittle compared to American steels. Over the last few years, Cowry Y has become increasingly hard to find, even in Japan. The resulting blade has extremely good edge retention. The mirror polished surface is only possible though meticulous polishing with a tooth brush! The knife can be easily opened using the ambidextrous flipper.
The 316 stainless steel handle is carved into the shape of bamboo and and hand textured. The left side is inlaid with blacklip mother of pearl. The right side is inlaid with gold lip mother of pearl. The 316 stainless steel backbar is also carved into the shape of bamboo.
Exceptional fit and finish throughout!


Availability: Not currently available