ZDP-189 // Bunka Black + Saya

ZDP-189 Bunka Black an original SharpEdge design, the result of years of experience with Japanese knives.

Bunka is intended for versatile use in Western cuisine. It has a flexible profile that is wide enough at the handle, a gently designed belly of the blade suitable for making either long or short cuts, a flat back side of the blade, and a thin tip for precise work.

The knife is manufactured at the smithery of Yoshida Hamono in Japan, a family company with an age-long tradition in manufacturing state-of-the-art tools and Japanese swords by hand. Yoshida Hamono has a great deal of experience forging ZDP-189 steel in the traditional manner.

The heart of the knife is made of ZDP-189 steel, which is selected because systematic testing has proven its superior qualities and long-lasting sharpness. The steel is laminated, which means that the core is made of very strong steel covered with an external layer of softer stainless steel. Such a blade remains sharp for a very long time. Its softer external layer makes it easier to sharpen, and it also protects the core steel from external factors.

With a Kuro-uchi finish, the unprocessed (black) part on the top side of the blade has already developed a dark patina, which protects the blade and gives it a traditional Japanese aesthetic. The knife bears visible impressions of the hand-forging process (round hammer dents on the blade), which gives it a beautiful finish and also prevents food from sticking to the blade.

The steel contains as much as 3% Carbon (C), which is one of the main elements contributing strength and typically found in amounts of up to only 1% in other types of solid steel, while the Chromium (Cr) content, which prevents corrosion, amounts to nearly 20%. It also features 1.5% Tungsten (W), which considerably increases the abrasion resistance of steel, 1.3% Molybdenum (Mo), which helps to preserve the strength and power of steel under variable temperatures, and 0.10% Vanadium (V), the key element in increasing steel strength. Heat treatment produces steel with a hardness of 65-67 HRC.

The wooden knife sheath Bunka Saya, made of beech wood, was custom-made for the Bunka. Saya, a wooden knife sheath, protects the knife and its user from damages and injuries. It also keeps the knife sharp and makes it easier to carry around. Its wooden safety pin, which is attached to the body of the sheath by a string, prevents the knife from falling out. Saya is made of beech wood, a firm yet still soft enough wood, making it more durable and resistant than any leather sheath.