Hokiyama Bunka Aogami Super Kuro-uchi 170mm (6.7″)

The Japanese knife Hokiyama Bunka Aogami Super Kuro-uchi 170mm (6.7″) is a great multi-purpose knife with a black Kuro-uchi protective patina and hammer dents. As the original Japanese multi-purpose knife, the bunka blade shape is suitable for preparing large quantities of vegetables, meat, and fish.

This knife is fitted with a traditional Japanese handle of octagonal shape, made of mahogany and zelkova wood. The blade is also available without a handle here.  If you prefer this option, you can order a custom handle separately.

BLADE SHAPE:
Bunka is one of the most versatile and useful blade shapes in the modern kitchen. It has a wide profile for easy food transfer and tends to be fairly flat towards the heel, enabling easy and fast chopping on the cutting board. A pointed tip allows piercing and precise, delicate work. A slight curve between the tip and the midsection makes the belly great for rocking the blade back and forth when cutting. It can be used for cutting meat, fish, and vegetables.

STEEL:
The core of this knife is Hitachi’s Super Blue Steel (Aogami Super), which is the very top quality of traditional Japanese steels. 
This knife was heat-treated to around 63 HRC. It is a very hard steel, meaning that it will retain a super-fine sharpness for a long time. In addition, due to the high carbon content (1.4-1.5%), the knife is very easy to sharpen. Among the high carbon steels, Aogami Super is also the least sensitive to rust. It also contains 0.4% vanadium as an admixture for micronized metal grains, which gives the steel more toughness. Aogami Super is rated as the most advanced carbon steel. The outer layers are of softer, stainless steel, giving the knife extra rust protection.

LAMINATION:
The blade’s core was laminated using the san-mai method to improve its structural integrity and subsequent ability to withstand impacts and prevent chipping. San-mai translates to “three layers” in Japanese, referring to a blade that is composed of a primary, inner layer of harder steel (hagane) and of two secondary, outer layers of softer steel (jigane) that protect the prior.
→ Read more on Blade Construction: Lamination.

BLADE FINISH:
The Kuro-uchi (black) patina on the upper part of the knife gives it a unique and rustic appearance. Kuro-uchi finish, the unprocessed (black) part on the top side of the blade has already developed a dark patina, which protects the blade and gives it a traditional Japanese look. The knife bears visible impressions of the hand-forging process (round hammer dents on the blade), which gives it a beautiful finish and also prevents food from sticking to the blade.

HANDLE:
Fitted with a traditional Japanese handle of octagonal shape made of mahogany and zelkova wood, which are renowned for their strength and durability. The handle has a natural wooden feel and its minimalistic, traditional look will give any blade an added dimension of elegance without drawing too much attention from the blade. The handle is symmetrical, and suitable for both left- and right-handed users.

BLACKSMITH:
Hokiyama Hamono is a leading smithy in Kochi Prefecture in Japan. They have recently celebrated their 100-year anniversary, founded in 1919. Hokiyama Hamono is known for their quality as they follow the tradition of hand-made blades that has been around for over 800 years. They retain the handiwork and traditional craftsmanship that is passed down from generation to generation, while striving for the ever-new knowledge and innovation.