Ryusen Hamono is another fantastic maker working out of the renowned Takefu Knife Village, based in Echizen City, Fukui Prefecture, Japan. They fully embrace the tradition of the region and take great pride in every step of the knife making process. They produce knives with excellent fit & finish, and sharpness that are absolutely beautiful to look at and hold. Winners of numerous design awards and supporters of the Japanese national team at the Bocuse D'or their knives are popular with professional chefs and home cooks alike.
Ryusen Hamono works primarily with SG2/R2, a high powder stainless steel that is very hard and grinds super thin behind the edge. The blades generally have a shorter blade height, which makes them great for precise slicing tasks. Their profiles vary quite a bit, from aggressive sweeping k-tips to more traditional yet modern gyuto shapes. The blades are very consistent, as they employ both modern and traditional techniques, each blade is hand sharpened and impeccably sharp out of the box. Every handle has a unique pattern, particularly the Blazen line, which has a distinctly comfortable taper, compared to the Tanganryu line, which is a hybrid western micarta handle, also with a smooth finish.
From the Ryusen Hamono Website...
"— Massive presence and reliable sharpness — The Super Gold II, made by a top-level manufacturing method achieved by the dramatic improvement of steelmaking technology, is adopted for the blade. This ultra-high-end cutting steel material—excellent in terms of the four major properties of hardness, tenacity, wear resistance and corrosion resistance—was forged using the traditional Echizen Uchihamono forging technique. The blade has an edge where ripple patterns as beautiful as those of Japanese swords stand out, and long-lasting sharpness and durability achieved by buffing it to the utmost limit. The Blazen Ryu is a series for professional use finished by artisans with painstaking attention to detail.
The Knife
The Blazen line from Ryusen Hamono have the same level of fit and finish you can expect on all of their knives, top notch! Where this line differentiates itself from their other lines is the incredibly thin grinds on these knives. While they lean more towards the delicate side of things, they put performance first and are some of the best cutters in the shop. With a classic Ryusen contoured handle, R2 (SG2) stainless steel, and a gentle tsuchime to the hira of the blades, these understated knives are some of our favorites!
The Bunka is a mid sized prep machine that is as versatile as it is cool! The K-tip or reverse tanto brings the tip closer to the board making them great for intricate tip work and usually means a flatter profile which is great for chopping or push cutting and makes it a more viable (though still limited by length) slicer. These knives are great for home cooks uncomfortable with larger knives or smaller workspaces, and are great for professionals looking for something a little more compact to reduce the fatigue of longer use sessions for busy prep days!
