The Blacksmith

Kenshiro Hatono is a young and very talented smith who was working as an apprentice under Katsuyasu Kamo in the Takefu knife village for about 6 years. He recently opened his own business and has begun producing knives under his own name. We are very excited to have his knives in our shop and look forward to seeing him grow as a smith over the coming years. He is able to work with a variety of steels, can produce many different finishes and along with his excellent edge geometry we are expecting big things from him! 

The Shape 

The Bunka can be thought of as the edgier cousin of the Santoku. They serve the same purpose as each other, being general purpose knives at the medium size range and are great for anyone looking for something slightly smaller than a Gyuto that remains very versatile. The more aggressively shaped tip referred to as a "reverse tanto" or "K" tip is largely an aesthetic difference but I do find it very helpful when performing a brunoise on shallots or garlic for instance, the shape and extra height it provides near the tip of the knife give me a stronger sense of comfort when performing such a task. 

The Knife 

The petty knife is the Japanese equivalent of a utility knife. They typically range in size from 90 mm (3.5 inches) to 150 mm (6 inches) and have a slender, easy-to-control, short blade. They are a perfect accompaniment to a Gyuto, Santoku, or Bunka, as they facilitate smaller tasks. Shorter versions are great for in-hand use. Longer versions are great for fine chopping and managing small ingredients on a cutting board. They also handle butchery tasks with ease. 

Knife Care (Stainless Steel)

• Although this knife is made from stainless steel we do still encourage our customers to keep their knives as dry and clean as possible.
• NO DISHWASHER - the high heat will ruin the wooden handle.
• Wash and dry by hand using regular dish soap and warm water using a none abrasive sponge or cloth.
• Ensure the knife is dry before being put away for storage and ensure the edge of the knife is protected to avoid any unnecessary dulling.
• Avoid Bones, Frozen foods, nuts and hard candies or anything other than fruits, vegetables and proteins.