Mutsumi Hinoura Bunka 180 mm

The Blacksmith

Mutsumi Hinoura-san is the son of legendary blacksmith Tsukasa Hinoura-san and is becoming a bit of a legend in his own right! Having been trained by such a highly skilled smith, Hinoura-sans knives are of incredible quality and performance. He works out of a shop in the Sanjo region and his knives adhere to the styling of many of the other smiths that work in this area. They are a bit thick at the spine where handle and tang come together but gradually get paper thin behind the edge. This blade geometry provides an incredible cutting feel and also provides what we feel is an incredibly comfortable feel in the hand and means the blades have a bit more weight to them than what might be considered "normal". The balance point on these blades is quite far forward which we find really comfortable as it makes the knife feel more like it's pulling itself through ingredients. 

This series of knives is made from Shirogami #2 and have a stainless cladding. They can and will rust if not kept dry and clean but only the small portion of carbon steel exposed at the edge is susceptible and only if they are not wiped down after use. Shirogami #2 generally has to be sharpened with more regularity than other steels but its incredibly easy to sharpen and takes a super keen edge. 

The Shape

The Bunka is an all purpose shape that is very similar to the ever versatile santoku. With its more aggressive K-tip, or reverse tanto tip, these guys can do everything the santoku can, but excel in finer tip work for things like brunoise shallots and garlic. These knives are a surprising joy to thin and work on, despite the stainless cladding, and the tall bevels give them a great cutting feel through harder ingredients like carrots and sweet potatoes. 

Knife Care (Stainless Clad)

• This knife is made from 3 layers of steel using a technique called Sanmai (Forge welding). It involves laminating a piece of Carbon steel with two pieces of Stainless steel giving the knife all the benefits of the carbon steel (Edge retention, ease of sharpening, cutting feel) and the Ease of Maintenance from Stainless steel. 2-3 millimeters of the carbon steel is exposed at the edge of the knife and is susceptible to rust and discouloration if not properly maintained.
• Simply Wipe the knife with a damp cloth immediately after use to keep it from rusting or discouloring.
• Wash with regular dish soap and warm water using a none abrasive sponge or cloth.
• Never put your knife in the Dishwasher. The extreme heat will ruin the wooden handle.
• Highly acidic ingredients (Onions, Tomatoes, Citrus) Will cause rust and oxidation to happen faster, thus the user must ensure the knife is wiped clean immediately after working with such an ingredient.
• Should any rust form it can be removed using a rust eraser or a mixture of Baking soda and water to simply scrub it clean.
• Avoid Bones, Frozen foods, nuts and hard candies or anything other than fruits, vegetables and proteins.