The Dew Hara NOAH-ZEN DH-20B Serial Number 015 is a new-in-box first-generation Japanese custom folding knife made in June 2016. This example shares the same rare early NOAH-ZEN platform as Serial Number 014, but it stands apart visually with a warm bronze-tone Duralumin handle finish. Because of that contrast, Serial 015 deserves its own product page language, image metadata, and search focus.
This knife was purchased by We Buy Knife Collections from a Japanese knife retailer that discovered three new-in-box first-generation Dew Hara NOAH-ZEN knives. The retailer provenance letter identified the group by serial numbers 006, 014, and 015. As a result, this knife has more than strong materials and design. It also carries documented early-edition provenance tied to Dew Hara’s first independent custom knife work.
Dew Hara NOAH-ZEN Serial 015 With Bronze-Tone Duralumin Handle
The Dew Hara NOAH-ZEN DH-20B Serial Number 015 has a bold, technical presence. Its blade is Vanadis 4E with an alkaline blackened finish, giving the knife a dark and deliberate look. The angular blade shape adds even more visual tension, while the grind lines keep the profile clean and highly defined.
In contrast, the handle brings a warmer collector look. The stonewashed bead-blasted Duralumin frame appears in a bronze-toned finish in hand and in photos. Black carbon fiber film inlays sit inside the sculpted handle windows. Together, those details create a strong mix of Japanese custom knife artistry, modern tactical influence, and early Dew Hara design language.
This example also features Dew Hara’s own custom pivot hardware. That detail matters because it gives the knife a more complete maker-driven identity. Rather than relying only on blade shape or handle material, the design feels considered from tip to tail.
First-Generation Dew Hara Collector Provenance
Dew Hara grew up inside a serious Japanese knifemaking family. His father, Koji Hara, is a respected name among custom knife collectors, and Dew studied his father’s techniques for years. He later trained under Anthony Marfione, which adds another important layer to his design background.
That mix of influences shows clearly here. The NOAH-ZEN does not look like a traditional gentleman’s folder. However, it also does not feel like a standard tactical knife. Instead, it sits in a distinctive space: sculptural, precise, aggressive, and distinctly Japanese in its presentation.
For collectors, the strongest part of this example may be the combination of new-in-box condition, Serial Number 015, original COA, and Japanese retailer provenance. The included Certificate of Authenticity identifies the model as NOAH-ZEN BLACK. It also lists the blade as Vanadis 4E with alkaline blackening, the handle as Zen-finished Duralumin with black carbon fiber film, the liner material as 420 stainless steel, and the date of birth as 2016/06.
A Distinct Companion to Serial Number 014
This Serial Number 015 example is similar to Serial 014 in build, documentation, and early-edition history. Even so, the visual tone is different enough to make it a separate collector opportunity. The bronze-toned handle gives this piece a warmer and slightly more exotic look, while the blackened Vanadis 4E blade keeps the design grounded and serious.
Because these knives were found together as a small early group, Serial 015 also has a natural story behind it. It is not just a loose single knife with unknown background. Instead, it is part of a documented set of early Dew Hara NOAH-ZEN examples purchased from a Japanese retailer connected to the original discovery.
Specifications
- Maker: Dew Hara
- Model: NOAH-ZEN DH-20B
- Serial Number: 015
- Condition: New in Box
- Year Made: June 2016
- Blade Material: Vanadis 4E
- Blade Finish: Alkaline blackened finish
- Blade Length: 3.54″
- Blade Thickness: 0.16″
- Overall Length: 8.54″
- Handle Material: Zen-finished stonewashed bead-blasted Duralumin
- Handle Tone: Bronze-tone appearance
- Handle Inlay: Black carbon fiber film
- Liner Material: 420 stainless steel
- Weight: 6.70 oz.
- Includes: Certificate of Authenticity, kimono-style cloth pouch, gift box, and Japanese retailer provenance letter
- Provenance: Purchased by We Buy Knife Collections from a Japanese knife retailer that identified this knife as one of Dew Hara’s early NOAH-ZEN editions
Video Introduction: Hara Noah Zen circa 2016
This Dew Hara NOAH-ZEN DH-20B Serial Number 015 is a new-in-box first-generation Japanese custom folding knife from June 2016. It features a Vanadis 4E alkaline blackened blade, bronze-tone Duralumin handle, black carbon fiber film inlays, 420 stainless liners, original COA, kimono-style pouch, gift box, and Japanese retailer provenance.
Collectors interested in this Dew Hara NOAH-ZEN Serial 015 may also want to explore the Dew Hara brand page. To see the entire selection of custom and unique blades the following areas on the WBKC website can help: New Arrivals, Shop by Maker, and Knife Knowledge. Those pages offer a broader look at high-end custom knives, notable makers, and documented collector pieces. For anyone considering the sale of a serious collection, Sell Your Knife Collection and What We Buy explain how We Buy Knife Collections reviews condition, provenance, rarity, and maker significance.
We Buy Knife Collections is proud to support the American Knife & Tool Institute and its work for knife owners, knife makers, and the future of the knife industry through AKTI Premier Membership: https://www.akti.org/news/premium-knife-dealer-boosts-support-of-akti/
