This Cult-Favorite American Brand’s Traditional Japanese Knife Is a Minimalist Masterpiece

Best Made’s simple yet stunning Brass Higo folder boasts a look and lineage dating way back to feudal Japan.

Published April 4, 2025

·

Every product is carefully selected by our editors. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more

Founded by modern-day renaissance man Peter Buchanan-Smith in 2009, Best Made Co. quickly developed a fanatical following for the craftsmanship of its axes and many other meticulously made tools and adventure products.

Not surprisingly, that following was thrilled when Buchanan-Smith — who left the brand in 2019 — reacquired it from Duluth Trading in 2023 and officially relaunched it last year.

best made co brass higo full — The Higo’s reverse tanto shape qualifies it for a range of everyday slicing and chopping tasks.

And while Best Made does make a number of fine items here in the States, certain products are best entrusted to artisans beyond U.S. borders.

Such is the case with the exquisite and iconic Brass Higo Knife, which could only be designed and made in the Land of the Rising Sun.

Feudal attraction

Why did Buchanan-Smith need to look overseas for help with the Higo? Because this knife is a true heritage carrier.

The design dates back to the Edo period (1603-1868), a time when feudal warlords reigned.

best made co brass higo folded — The thumb lever enables swift and smooth one-handed deployment.

Their minions toted not only blades but the Rising Sun Flag seen in the background of the image at the top of this page, which has since been adopted as the naval ensign of the Imperial Japanese Navy.

To properly craft the Higo, Best Made recruited a fifth-generation Japanese knifesmith with a lineage dating back to the originators of the short folding knife with a flattened thumb lever and sword-like shape.

best made co brass higo knives boxed — Top to bottom: The Mini, Mid and Max sizes ensure there’s a knife to meet every job and budget.

Handmade in the Yasugi district, this modern interpretation employs a reverse tanto silhouette and two blade steels — SK5 high-carbon steel for the Mini size and Aogami No. 2 blue steel for the Mid and Max sizes. (The latter material boasts better edge retention, durability and rust resistance.)

The Mini’s blade measures 1.6 inches, the Mid’s is 2 inches and the Max’s is 2.95 inches.

True to its minimalist form, the patina-friendly polished brass handle bears only the word “Best” on one side and “Made” on the other.

best made co brass higo in hand — Though there is no locking mechanism, the knife remains secure when the thumb lever is pressed against the handle.

As for use cases, Best Made recommends the Mini for duties requiring surgical precision and the Mid for stashing in a jacket pocket and tackling everyday tasks.

The Max, meanwhile, is a general utility knife best stowed in a pocket or on your workbench and deployed to take on anything else that comes your way — hopefully not a feudal warlord.