Hatsukokoro Kumokage 180mm Bunka Blue-2

Hatsukokoro is a brand from Amagasaki close to Osaka City. They collaborate with various blacksmiths and sharpeners around Japan and develop new series in an attempt to make some of the best knives in the world, but also really good knives in a lower price range to be able to supply all different needs.

The Kumokage series is made with Aogami #2 in the core and soft iron on the outside, so it requires a little care when using it, but it makes up for it in cutting ability and how easy it is to sharpen. Kumokage means "Cloud Shadow" and tells a little about the appearance and expression of the knife. The very raw kurouchi finish on the top of the blade, together with the really nice damascus finish down towards the egg, gives the knife a super nice balance between "unfinished" and incredibly well made.

The stock is a classic Japanese octagonal WA stock in walnut with a buffalo horn ferrule.

The knife here is a bunka of 18 cm. It can be regarded as a smaller chef's knife and is used for the same tasks - i.e. chop and slice both meat and vegetables. It is particularly good for slicing, for example, onions, where you can work really precisely with the tip of the knife.

The knife must never be washed in a dishwasher, must not cut into hard objects such as bones, cartilage, bones and frozen objects as well as hard cheeses. Remember that it is a property of thin, hard metal that it can break.