Ittetsu Nashiji Bunka 170 mm

The Blacksmith 

Ittetsu is the shop's house brand and we've been working for a long time to find high performing, affordable knives to offer our customers. These knives offer great value and durability, as they are made very efficiently and hand sharpened. Forged by a group of blacksmiths working out of Sanjo City, Japan. Ittetsu Nashiji are a great introduction to Japanese knives, or for the chef on a budget. Clad or sandwiched between two pieces of stainless steel the core Aogami (blue) #2 steel provides some of the best edge retention you can find.

The Knife

The Bunka is an all purpose shape that is very similar to the ever versatile santoku. With its more aggressive K-tip, or reverse tanto tip, these guys can do everything the santoku can, but excel in finer tip work for things like brunoise shallots and garlic. These knives are a surprising joy to thin and work on, despite the stainless cladding, and the tall bevels give them a great cutting feel through harder ingredients like carrots and sweet potatoes. 

Knife Care (Stainless Clad)

• This knife is made from 3 layers of steel using a technique called Sanmai (Forge welding). It involves laminating a piece of Carbon steel with two pieces of Stainless steel giving the knife all the benefits of the carbon steel (Edge retention, ease of sharpening, cutting feel) and the Ease of Maintenance from Stainless steel. 2-3 millimeters of the carbon steel is exposed at the edge of the knife and is susceptible to rust and discouloration if not properly maintained.
• Simply Wipe the knife with a damp cloth immediately after use to keep it from rusting or discouloring.
• Never put your knife in the Dishwasher. The extreme heat will ruin the wooden handle.
• Highly acidic ingredients (Onions, Tomatoes, Citrus) Will cause rust and oxidation to happen faster, thus the user must ensure the knife is wiped clean immediately after working with such an ingredient.
• Should any rust form it can be removed using a rust eraser or a mixture of Baking soda and water to simply scrub it clean.