Aogami Blue #2 Carbon Steel Bunka Kiritsuke Kitchen Knife 6.5 165mm Tosa

Just add all items to your cart, and the discount will apply automatically. If this happens, feel free to contact me. Condition : New / Pre-Sharpened (Balanced focus on sharpness and chip resistance). Blade length : 6.5 inches (165mm). Overall length : 12 inches (305mm). 0.06 – 0.15 inches (1.5 – 4.6mm). Item Weight : 4.1 oz (116 g). Blue #2 Carbon Steel with Soft Iron. Country/Region of Manufacture : Tosa (Kami City, Kochi Prefecture, Japan). This is an all-purpose knife made of blue #2 carbon steel, manufactured in the Tosa region (Kochi Prefecture), one of the leading knife manufacturing areas in Japan. It is officially called a Bunka knife. The Bunka knife typically shares the same features as a Santoku knife, such as a predominantly straight cutting edge and a wide blade. However, the Bunka is different from the Santoku knife with its signature’reverse-tanto’ angled tip, also known as a’k-tip’ point. The edge of this knife is made with an emphasis on resistance to chipping rather than sharpness. Of course, depending on how you sharpen it with a whetstone, it is possible to make the edge sharper. The handle of this knife is not a perfect oval but has a chestnut-like shape. This is not a defect but an intentional design. Traditional Japanese knife handles come in three shapes: octagonal, chestnut-shaped like this one, and oval. Octagonal handles are the most expensive, followed by chestnut-shaped ones. Is this different from Kiritsuke knife? Bunka knives and kiritsuke knives look very similar but are different. The Bunka knife is a combination of a traditional Japanese Nakiri knife and a chef’s knife introduced to Japan from Europe. It basically has a double-edged, with a blade length of 6″ (15cm) to 7″ (18cm). The Santoku knife is an improved version of the Bunka knife that is easier to use. By the way, bunka means culture. This is because bunka knives were born as a result of the introduction of chef’s knives to Japan along with Western food culture. The Kiritsuke knife is a combination of usuba, which is used exclusively for vegetables, and yanagiba, which is used for sushi and sashimi. It is generally elongated with a single-edged, and the emphasis is on sushi and sashimi. The blade length of a Kiritsuke knife is generally 8 inches (20mm) or longer. It requires an extremely high level of skill to use. Kiritsuke is particularly complicated. Not only that, but in recent years there has been an increase in the number of knives that are longer versions of bunka knives and double-edged of kiritsuke knives, which makes it even more complicated. Kurouchi is the name of the manufacturing process. While ordinary kitchen knives are polished to a beautiful silver color, Kurouchi is a process that leaves the surface blackened during manufacturing without polishing it. There is no difference in sharpness, but it is less noticeable when it rusts. Scratches are also less noticeable. Even if they do get scratches, I find them cool. This knife is also known as Tosa knives. In Japan, it is called “Tosa Uchihamono”. Tosa is the old name of Kochi Prefecture in Japan. Uchihamono is a traditional manufacturing method inherited from the manufacture of Japanese swords. The material is heated and hammered to create the shape. The process is not suitable for mass production because it requires high skills of blacksmith. However, in addition to being able to produce a wide variety of knives that meet the intentions of the blacksmith, they also have a wonderful sharpness. In Japan, there are seven types of hammered blades that are recognized by the government as traditional blacksmithing. One of them is this Tosa Uchihamono. Kochi Prefecture is blessed with warm and rainy weather and good quality wood. Knives are needed to cut down the wood, so knives have been manufactured since ancient times. Tosa Uchihamono, the same style as today, was first produced in 1621. With the encouragement of agriculture and forestry, the demand for cutlery increased greatly and the quality improved dramatically. However, there is one thing you should be careful about Tosa kitchen knives. That is, there is a large difference in skill among blacksmiths. You can rest assured that this knife was manufactured by a highly skilled blacksmith. In traditional Japanese kitchen knives, the handle is considered a consumable item because the blade is highly durable. If any part of the handle becomes rotten or cracked, it is recommended to replace the handle. The blade is not easily damaged, so with regular handle replacement, you can continue using the knife for 10, 20, or even 30 years. If you prefer not to replace the handle, filling the gap at the joint between the handle and the blade with epoxy glue before use is recommended. This will prevent water from entering the gap, reducing the risk of rust. However, avoid using water-based wood glue, as it can lead to rust development. What is the meaning of the characters engraved on the sides of the blades? There are two Japanese characters engraved on the left side of the blade. The first character means “blue, ” and the second character means to enter. Since no number is written, this indicates that the knife is made from Blue #2 carbon steel. For reference, if the knife were made from Blue #1 carbon steel, the character for “1” would be engraved, and for Blue Super carbon steel, the character meaning “super” would be engraved. What is Tosa Kyohei? The blacksmith was born in 1988, so he is young, but his skills are already recognized, as he is certified by the Tosa region as an instructor in knife manufacturing. By the way, his hobbies are motorcycle touring and fishing. Who I would recommend this knife to. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a uniquely shaped all-purpose knife made of blue carbon steel. I strongly recommend the use of a whetstone when sharpening this knife. By sharpening it regularly with whetstone, you will be able to enjoy the true potential of this knife for a long time. If you sharpen this knife with a rod or a simple sharpener, you will not be able to use this knife to its full potential. This knife is prone to rust, so be sure to wipe it dry after use. If left as is, it will rust quickly. The most expensive steel. If you sharpen it well, you can enjoy excellent sharpness. It is difficult to sharpen, but the sharpness lasts a long time. There are three types: Super, No. Super is the most expensive, followed by No. 1, and then No. The second most expensive steel after blue. Since this is the steel that shows the blacksmith’s skill the most, blacksmith who are confident in their skills often prefer this steel. Therefore, knives made of white steel are sometimes more expensive than those made of blue steel. 1 is the most expensive, followed by No. 2 and then No. However, in the case of blacksmith who have mainly used this steel for a long time, the quality is high because they spend a great deal of time manufacturing it. It is popular as a low-priced but easy-to-sharpen knife, but its distribution is low these days. The least expensive steel. It is inferior in sustained sharpness. However, manufacturers who have been using this steel for a long time are making knives with great care, so it is popular as a low-cost and easy-to-sharpen knife. If you sharpen it well, you can enjoy the same level of sharpness as white steel, although it does not have the same lasting sharpness. The types of steel could be classified more finely, but I refrained from doing so because I think it would be difficult to understand. However, there are some things to keep in mind. A knife’s reputation is not determined by its sharpness alone. Blue Super is a material with excellent sharpness, but it has the disadvantage of being difficult to sharpen. If the knife is not sharpened properly, it will not perform to its full potential. The balance between sharpness and ease of sharpening depends on the user’s preference. I sell only real items. Also, please do not worry about used items. I possess a permit to sell used issued by the Japanese police. About new kitchen knives. About used kitchen knives. I sell items that I think are good and yet difficult to find outside of Japan. Since around January 2020, there have been many airline flight delays worldwide. Please understand that the arrival of your items may be significantly delayed than expected due to this. In the case of the U. Please do not ask me to lower the declared value. I will always try to solve problem so please contact me before you open a case.