"AYA" FOLDING SAW - 180 MM - "HISHIKA" - OUTINOMI x MAGASIN VIVANT!

The AYA folding saw, manufactured by Hishika in Japan, is designed for fine pruning and trimming in the garden, woodworking, or your Bushcraft outings.

The Ibara-me ("briar") teeth are angled to cut on the pull stroke, as with all Japanese saws. They slice through fibers effortlessly, even on wet or complex wood. The handle is made of beech wood and features a locking mechanism to hold the blade in place for safe operation.

Compared to a Western saw, the blade is very thin, and the cut is much cleaner, more precise, and faster. However, the blades are more fragile, and improper use can damage them:

• Use a gentle sawing action, cutting on the pull and gliding on the push.
• Do not let the weight of the branch pinch the blade.
• Do not twist the blade while sawing.
• Do not use a small saw for a big job. Consider 1/3 of the blade length as the absolute maximum recommended cutting diameter.

• Type: Pruning saw, green woodworking, Bushcraft.
• Blade length: 180 mm
• Handle length: 230 mm
• Blade thickness: 0.7 mm (allows for a thin and precise cut).
• Steel: Japanese carbon steel (SK-5)
• Handle: Beech.
• Manufacturing: Semi-artisanal (Miki, Japan).
  

The Manufacturer: HISHIKA (Miki, Japan)

Established for over 120 years in Miki, the historical cradle of Japanese edge tool making, Hishika is one of the last bastions of high-quality saws. Its reputation rests on a rare balance: the use of cutting-edge technology for tooth hardness, combined with traditional hand-finishing for blade flatness.

Exclusive collaboration OUTINOMI x MAGASIN VIVANT!:

Together with Outinomi, we select the best of Japanese craftsmanship and utility design—tools that are as simple as they are intuitive to use for all basic tasks, while ensuring strictly professional quality.

This young company was founded in 2024 by Lucas Hoffalt, a "designer-artisan" who graduated from the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs. Outinomi acts as a bridge between the last great Japanese blacksmiths and Western artisans.

Lucas offers tools that have a soul, often sourced from small traditional forges. His approach is distinguished by a highly specialized selection, ranging from new tools to rare "vintage" pieces (Showa era) that he restores himself, sourced for their exceptional forging quality. He champions Japanese carbon steel, which he considers vastly superior to modern mass production.

For Lucas, a tool is not just perceived as a utility object, but as a piece of functional design endowed with its own aesthetics, texture, and poetry. It is this quest for beauty and excellence that naturally led him toward Japanese craftsmanship, one of the most demanding in the world.