Mcusta Zanmai "Beyond" Aogami Super 180mm Bunka with Hinoki Twisted Handle

This is a bunka 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-5016B
• Knife Type: Bunka
• 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: 180mm (7.1")
• Blade Height (at heel): 49mm
• Spine Thickness
• Above heel: 1.7mm
• Middle: 1.6mm
• Handle
• Shape: Nejire Hachikaku (Twisted Octagonal)
• Material: Hinoki
• Decorative: Mosaic Pin
• Kuchiwa: Nickel Silver
• Length: 135mm
• Overall Length: 333mm
• Weight: 166g (5.86oz)
• 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.