Mcusta Zanmai
Mcusta Zanmai "Beyond" Aogami Super 165mm Nakiri with Hinoki Twisted Handle
$276.00
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This is a nakiri knife from Zanmai's latest "Beyond" Aogami Super series has a thin spine and beautiful thin grind, giving it laser-like cutting performance. The beautiful brush polished jigane clads Aogami Super (Blue Super) steel core, one of Japan's most superior high carbon steel, enabling superb edge retention and behind the edge thinness. The unique and brand new octagonal twisted Hinoki handle with nickel silver kuchiwashowcases Zanmai's refined production qualities - a result of merging Seki's blade making tradition with innovative technologies. The signature Zanmai fit and finish can be seen all over this knife, from beautiful mosaic pin on the smoothly polished handle to the finely polished spine and choil. The core steel is mirror polished, the the naturally fragrant hinoki handle sports a sharp looking akamaki (red ring). This knife comes in a beautiful Zanmai Paulownia wood box.
Spec:
- Origin (Made in): Seki, Gifu Prefecture, Japan
- Brand: Mcusta Zanmai
- Model No.: ZBX-5008B
- Knife Type: Nakiri
- Blade
- Construction: San Mai
- Grind: Double-edged Blade (50/50 Grind)
- Hagane (Core Steel): Aogami Super (Blue Super)
- Jigane (Cladding): Stainless Steel
- Hardness: 64 HRC
- Hand-sharpened
- Blade Length: 165mm (6.5")
- Blade Height (at heel): 49mm
- Spine Thickness
- Above heel: 1.7mm
- Middle: 1.7mm
- Handle
- Shape: Nejire Hachikaku (Twisted Octagonal)
- Material: Hinoki
- Decorative: Mosaic Pin
- Kuchiwa: Nickel Silver
- Length: 135mm
- Overall Length: 319mm
- Weight: 177g (6.24oz)
- Mark: In Japanese Kanji "Zanmai" (三昧) ; Mcusta Zanmai logo ; "Blue Steel" ; "Made in Japan"
- Comes in a Decorative Wooden Box (Paulownia Box)
About Mcusta Zanmai 三昧
Mcusta Zanmai is based in Seki City of Japan, a town with over 800 years of swordsmithing history. While embracing Seki's blade making traditions, Zanmai is also bringing innovative technologies such as CNC machine and laser cutting into the workshop, making the brand a rare and seamless integration of craftsman traditions and modern technologies. Zanmai knives have unique handles that not only pay homage to traditional Wa handle design, but also brining innovations such as high temperature compressed layers of natural Pakkawood to create polished and strong handles. Zanmai's laser cutting of VG10 steel produces high precision finish on monosteel blades. Mcusta craftsmen finish each knife on Japanese Waterstones to give their knives refined looks.
Care:
Aogami Super (Blue Super) steel is considered the most superior Japanese high carbon steel for knife making. It is not stainless, therefore you must wipe your knife dry after each use, in particular the core steel not covered by the stainless cladding. Patina will develop over time, which will appear as “discoloration” on the cutting edge, but that is the nature of carbon steel - not a defect. The stainless cladding covers a large part of the blade, making maintenance easier but still preserving the cutting and sharpening pleasure of the Aogami Super core. Avoid cutting into bones, frozen foods, hard fruit pits.
Cutting Surface:
Wood, rubberized boards and high-end composites, and quality plastics such as polyethylene make acceptable cutting surfaces, and will help protect and prolong knife’s edge. AVOID glass, metal, countertops, and other rigid, non-forgiving surfaces.
Sharpening:
We recommend sharpening all quality Japanese knives on whetstones, as we believe they yield the best results for your knives.
Customer Reviews
Based on 3 reviews
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J
My wife wanted a Nakiri kife for her birthday. She has bad wrists and wanted this knife to help her process vegetables. After much consideration, she selected the Mcusta Zanmai "Beyond" Aogami Super 165mm Nakiri with Hinoki Twisted Handle. Packaged in a beautiful wooden box, the knife arrived promptly and did not disappoint. As a fine artist, my wife especially appreciates every aspect of the finish. As an avid home cook, she loves the sure grip of the hinoki twisted handle, the solid feel and balance of the knife, and the effortless way the thin blade slices through vegetables. Outside of the discoloration that appeared on the bladed after first use when we cut fruit - (we assume from the acid), we are very happy with every aspect of the purchase.
C
I purchased the Mcusta bunka and was looking for a nakiri. This seemed to fit the bill. OOTB it is extremely sharp and well balanced. Didn't need to do anything to it, I just wiped if off and started cutting. I have used it for about a month and can say I really enjoy using it. With a pinch grip the knife is balanced slightly forward, which I like, and the handle sits well in the hand. The twist grip is very comfortable for my last 3 fingers. Both the blade and the spine are thin and the choil is comfortable to hold and doesn't dig into the skin. As far as care, the edge has formed a really neat looking patina and will rust if left wet but the rest of the blade does not patina or rust. Overall I am very impressed with the knife. Well worth the couple hundred bucks I spent on it.
M
Great knife, very light and thin, a little stropping on an old-school leather strop and it's absolutely razor sharp. Beautiful. I have an old nakiri (that's called an "usuba" but it really isn't) and I love it too, but this is way nicer.