Hatsukokoro / Nakagawa Aogami #1 Damascus 170mm Bunka

This Bunka is handcrafted by Sakai knifemaker Satoshi Nakagawa using Aogami #1 steel core. With an elegant Damascus cladding using soft iron, the knife is beautifully ground with a Kasumi polish and an incredibly smooth choil. With a higher carbon content than Aogami #1, Nakagawa-san was able to heat-treat the blade to a hardness level of 61-63 HRC, enabling superior edge retention. 

Spec:

• Origin (Made in): Sakai, Osaka Prefecture, Japan
• Brand: Nakagawa Hamono
• Craftsman: Satoshi Nakagawa
• Knife Type: Gyuto
• Blade
• Construction: San Mai
• Grind: Double-edged Blade (50/50 Grind)
• Hagane (Core Steel): Aogami #1 (Blue #1)
• Jigane (Cladding): Soft Iron
• Hardness: 61-63 HRC
• Hand-forged, hand-ground, hand-sharpened
• Blade Finishes:
• Damascus
• Blade Length: 170mm (6.7")
• Blade Height (at heel): 47mm
• Spine Thickness
• Above heel: 3.0mm
• Middle: 2.5mm
• Handle
• Shape: Hachikaku (Octagonal)
• Material: Teak
• Kuchiwa / Tsukajiri: Black Buffalo Horn
• Length: 128mm 
• Overall Length: 314mm 
• Weight: 145g (5.11oz) 
• Engraved Mark (Front): In Japanese Kanji "Trademark Hatsukokoro" (登録 初心)
• Engraved Mark (Back): In Japanese Kanji "Nakagawa Made Blue #1" (中川作 青一鋼)

About Nakagawa Hamono 中川打刃物

Satoshi Nakagawa (中川悟志) is a relatively young knifemaker based in the famous city of Sakai in Japan. 16 years ago, he started learning from legend artisan Kenichi Shiraki (白木健一), one of the very best blacksmiths in Japan. As master Shiraki retired and closed his workshop in 2020, the torch has been passed down to Satoshi Nakagawa, Shiraki’s only Deshi (disciple). In April 2021, Satoshi Nakagawa-san launched his own workshop Nakagawa Hamono.

Care:

Aogami #1 (Blue #1) steel is a premium Japanese high carbon steel for knife making. Despite some corrosion resistant quality (for a carbon steel), it is not stainless, therefore you should wipe your knife dry after each use. Patina will develop over time. Rust may develop if left in prolonged contact with water or acidic food. Use a rust eraser to clean if rusts develop. Avoid cutting into bones, frozen foods, hard fruit pits.

Cutting Surface:

Recommended 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.