Samurai Steel Nail Clippers Fingernail Curved Blade Made in Seki Japan (Tokugawa Ieyasu)

These Wablade Tokugawa Ieyasu Samurai Steel Nail Clippers with Curved Blade (Made in Seki Japan) with the mon (crest, symbol) of the Tokugawa clan are exceptional! I am a Japanese history nerd so Tokugawa Ieyasu's name for sure caught my attention (Tokugawa Ieyasu established the Tokugawa Shogunate, also known as the Edo period), as did the fact these clippers are made in Seki City - Seki is known for artisans that create the absolute highest quality of blades and cutting tools.These clippers live up to the reputation - they are very well made, the blades are sharp and precise, the file on flip side of the lever handle is well executed and actually functions well as a nail file. The clippers are thoughtfully designed, the action is smooth, the nail trimmings are captured so they can be neatly disposed of and the shaping of the lever handles is both aesthetic and functional - allowing for angling the blades slightly and providing a firm and decisive cutting motion. There is a protective case included that does not impede the use of these clippers but slides on and off easily per your preference.The quality, design and workmanship of these clippers justify the pricepoint - they are the difference between cheap clippers that roughly and unevenly and incompletely cut the nail and leave you with rough edgest that can snag, vs these clippers that trim in one neat cut and with 2 quick passes of the file, the nail is perfectly shaped and smooth-edged.

While this company, Nikken, is not affiliated with Shun or Miyabi, it shares one very important characteristic: it's made in Seki, Japan. This is the city in Japan that is renowned for its centuries-old tradition of blade-making, dating back to samurai times.While some may scoff at the thought of a $20 nail clipper (just as they would a $2000 set of knives), the old adage could not be more true: you get what you pay for. Just look at the side-by-side comparison of this vs. one of those cheap ones you can get in a drugstore. It's not just a cheap mass produced gadget, it's almost a work of art.Of course, the proof is in the pudding. When I tried it out, it cut through my nail quickly, easily, and effortlessly with a beautiful "snip" sound.. The nail didn't go flying across the room either; it just landed obediently on the table under me (they do have one of those "nail catcher" things, but those never work for me). I was skeptical when I saw the picture of the nail file, as it kind of looks like sandpaper in the picture. But no, in real life, it provides an excellent amount of grinding and friction.Contrast that to the cheap drug store model. I'm lucky if the handle on that thing will even stay on, and even when it does, it'll usually twist uncomfortably as I'm using it, making me petrified that it's going to tear my nail off. And after about 2 or 3 uses, the blade invariably goes dull.I'm not sure how long this one will last but from early indications it should last a long, long time. This is the real deal.

Never would I have thought I'd be recommending a $20 pair of nail clippers, seriously. But there is a reason the product page markets these coming from Japan - they know their blades. It would appear that the cultural respect for bladecrafting trickles down to even nail clippers.Let me be clear, this isn't just about a sharp blade. This encompasses the entire set displaying its focus on quality. From a thick rigid body to the sharpened cutters themselves, this set of clippers have been masterly crafted into a pair that you would appreciate owning. And quite honestly, I couldn't tell you the purpose of the plastic case, but they do add a bit of elegance to these clippers.These give some unexplained satisfaction while using that I can't quite place my (now expertly trimmed) finger on. Maybe it's the distinct yet familiar clink you hear when slicing through thick nails with ease. Maybe it's the fact that the clippings don't shoot towards your eyes and not making you regret not wearing eye protection. Or maybe they just simply bring out the Samurai in you.I like how the nail file is embedded into the action lever instead of being a swing-out piece. This helps maintain better control and durability. And the filing pad itself doesn't lack quality either. It almost has this "sticky" cat tongue feel to it, and I mean that in a good way. It performs its task exceptionally well and while I don't use nail files that often (practically never) I did so here for the purpose of review completeness and I will say it's probably the best I've encountered.Glad to have stumbled upon these. I can certainly say that I will never look at clippers the same way again.