Niwaki is a Japenese/British company founded by husband and wife Jake and Keiko Hobson. They source, design, and manufacture very fine Japanese garden and woodworking tools, kitchen knives, and gear in traditional styles with modern updates. Their quality is unmatched and the tools are a revelation for western gardeners.
We have always had a Japanese pull saw because Nick did timber framing way back when. It is a basic necessity for garden pruning, smaller woodworking jobs, and chores around the home. This clever little folding saw has a comfortable beechwood handle and a simple locking device to keep the blade open. We love that it folds up to keep the blade safe and fits in a pocket or holster while we move about the farm. The SK5 steel blade has angled teeth to cut both along and across the grain, for a very fast, efficient action. The thin, fine tooth blade is more fragile than what many Americans are used to and needs to be handled accordingly.
Dimensions
Blade: 185mm/7.28 inches
Open: 415 x 16 x 39mm/16L x .6D x 1.5W inches
Closed: 235mm/9.25 inches
Weight
113g/4oz
Made in Sanjo, Japan
FROM THE MAKER
These are made by Shirai san in Sanjo, Japan. He is a 3rd generation saw maker, who has been making woodworking and gardening saws in his workshop for 45 years.
Japanese saws cut on the pull stroke, not the push, which means the blade is under less pressure when cutting, and uses less energy, resulting in a far cleaner, faster cut. They whizz through green wood, but the blades are more fragile than traditional western saws and incorrect use can result in damage.
- Use a smooth, gentle sawing action, doing the cutting on the pull, and gliding back on the push
- Don’t let the weight of the branch pinch or catch the blade
- Don’t twist the blade while sawing
- Don’t use a small saw for a large job. Treat 1/3 of the length of the blade as the absolute maximum sensible cutting diameter
- Don’t use a large saw for a small job. A 12" blade will happily cut a 1/2" branch, providing the branch is rigid - but most 1/2" branches move around a lot, and don’t allow for accurate sawing. Use Secateurs or Loppers instead
- Don’t blame us if you snap the blade. Blades snap through misuse and poor handling, neither of which are covered under the warranty!