Hatsukokoro Ginrei Bunka Ginsanko Nashiji Ebony 170mm (6.7")
The Hatsukokoro Ginrei Bunka Ginsanko Nashiji Ebony 170mm is a versatile Japanese kitchen knife designed for preparing meat, fish, and vegetables. The main advantage of this steel is its excellent rust resistance, easy maintenance, and exceptional edge retention, ensuring a knife that remains sharp over time.
The Ginrei series proves that great Japanese knives don’t have to be complicated. At the core lies ginsanko stainless steel (63 HRC) in san-mai construction — known for its carbon-like sharpness, excellent rust resistance, and easy sharpening. The blade features a traditional nashiji finish, whose subtle pear-skin texture was historically introduced by blacksmiths to visually connect classic carbon steels with newer stainless steels like ginsanko.
BLADE SHAPE:
The shape of the blade is called Bunka which means culture in Japanese. Bunka makes for a highly versatile knife suitable for cutting vegetables, meat, and fish.
With its typical functionality, the design of a Bunka blade 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 pointy reverse tanto tip for precise cuts and carvings.
The angle of the spine rapidly changes to meet the tip, which is referred to as a »K-Tip«. Besides looking badass, this shape allows the user precision and makes getting to the hard-to-get-places a bit easier.
STEEL:
Hitachi's Silver III steel, also named Ginsan steel or Ginsanko, was hardened to around 63 HRC. Due to its high content of Chromium (Cr), Ginsan steel will resist corrosion very well. Despite it being a stainless steel, it feels and behaves very similarly to carbon steels, due to its extremely pure composition.
LAMINATION:
The core layer consisting of the harder Ginsan steel was sandwiched between two layers of softer steel. This technique is called san-mai and is used to protect the hard (but delicate) core from outside factors and physical impacts, which could lead to breakage.
GEOMETRY:
It has a double bevel (symmetrical) blade. The cutting edge is sharpened to a 50/50 angle and stays sharp even after hours of constant use.
BLADE FINISH:
A pear‑skin (nashiji) texture on the stainless cladding contrasts beautifully with the polished ginsanko core, separated by a soft kasumi line that highlights the blade’s layered construction. The etched kanji on the right side adds an extra touch of character. The textured surface also hides small scratches that appear with regular use, keeping the knife looking great over time.
The choil and spine have been carefully smoothed, providing a comfortable grip and easy handling during extended use.
HANDLE:
The knife features an octagon Japanese (Wa) style handle made out of ebony wood. The octagon shape of the handle provides a comfortable and secure grip, allowing for precise control during use.
Original: $193.28
-65%$193.28
$67.65More Images
Hatsukokoro Ginrei Bunka Ginsanko Nashiji Ebony 170mm (6.7")
The Hatsukokoro Ginrei Bunka Ginsanko Nashiji Ebony 170mm is a versatile Japanese kitchen knife designed for preparing meat, fish, and vegetables. The main advantage of this steel is its excellent rust resistance, easy maintenance, and exceptional edge retention, ensuring a knife that remains sharp over time.
The Ginrei series proves that great Japanese knives don’t have to be complicated. At the core lies ginsanko stainless steel (63 HRC) in san-mai construction — known for its carbon-like sharpness, excellent rust resistance, and easy sharpening. The blade features a traditional nashiji finish, whose subtle pear-skin texture was historically introduced by blacksmiths to visually connect classic carbon steels with newer stainless steels like ginsanko.
BLADE SHAPE:
The shape of the blade is called Bunka which means culture in Japanese. Bunka makes for a highly versatile knife suitable for cutting vegetables, meat, and fish.
With its typical functionality, the design of a Bunka blade 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 pointy reverse tanto tip for precise cuts and carvings.
The angle of the spine rapidly changes to meet the tip, which is referred to as a »K-Tip«. Besides looking badass, this shape allows the user precision and makes getting to the hard-to-get-places a bit easier.
STEEL:
Hitachi's Silver III steel, also named Ginsan steel or Ginsanko, was hardened to around 63 HRC. Due to its high content of Chromium (Cr), Ginsan steel will resist corrosion very well. Despite it being a stainless steel, it feels and behaves very similarly to carbon steels, due to its extremely pure composition.
LAMINATION:
The core layer consisting of the harder Ginsan steel was sandwiched between two layers of softer steel. This technique is called san-mai and is used to protect the hard (but delicate) core from outside factors and physical impacts, which could lead to breakage.
GEOMETRY:
It has a double bevel (symmetrical) blade. The cutting edge is sharpened to a 50/50 angle and stays sharp even after hours of constant use.
BLADE FINISH:
A pear‑skin (nashiji) texture on the stainless cladding contrasts beautifully with the polished ginsanko core, separated by a soft kasumi line that highlights the blade’s layered construction. The etched kanji on the right side adds an extra touch of character. The textured surface also hides small scratches that appear with regular use, keeping the knife looking great over time.
The choil and spine have been carefully smoothed, providing a comfortable grip and easy handling during extended use.
HANDLE:
The knife features an octagon Japanese (Wa) style handle made out of ebony wood. The octagon shape of the handle provides a comfortable and secure grip, allowing for precise control during use.
Product Information
Product Information
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Description
The Hatsukokoro Ginrei Bunka Ginsanko Nashiji Ebony 170mm is a versatile Japanese kitchen knife designed for preparing meat, fish, and vegetables. The main advantage of this steel is its excellent rust resistance, easy maintenance, and exceptional edge retention, ensuring a knife that remains sharp over time.
The Ginrei series proves that great Japanese knives don’t have to be complicated. At the core lies ginsanko stainless steel (63 HRC) in san-mai construction — known for its carbon-like sharpness, excellent rust resistance, and easy sharpening. The blade features a traditional nashiji finish, whose subtle pear-skin texture was historically introduced by blacksmiths to visually connect classic carbon steels with newer stainless steels like ginsanko.
BLADE SHAPE:
The shape of the blade is called Bunka which means culture in Japanese. Bunka makes for a highly versatile knife suitable for cutting vegetables, meat, and fish.
With its typical functionality, the design of a Bunka blade 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 pointy reverse tanto tip for precise cuts and carvings.
The angle of the spine rapidly changes to meet the tip, which is referred to as a »K-Tip«. Besides looking badass, this shape allows the user precision and makes getting to the hard-to-get-places a bit easier.
STEEL:
Hitachi's Silver III steel, also named Ginsan steel or Ginsanko, was hardened to around 63 HRC. Due to its high content of Chromium (Cr), Ginsan steel will resist corrosion very well. Despite it being a stainless steel, it feels and behaves very similarly to carbon steels, due to its extremely pure composition.
LAMINATION:
The core layer consisting of the harder Ginsan steel was sandwiched between two layers of softer steel. This technique is called san-mai and is used to protect the hard (but delicate) core from outside factors and physical impacts, which could lead to breakage.
GEOMETRY:
It has a double bevel (symmetrical) blade. The cutting edge is sharpened to a 50/50 angle and stays sharp even after hours of constant use.
BLADE FINISH:
A pear‑skin (nashiji) texture on the stainless cladding contrasts beautifully with the polished ginsanko core, separated by a soft kasumi line that highlights the blade’s layered construction. The etched kanji on the right side adds an extra touch of character. The textured surface also hides small scratches that appear with regular use, keeping the knife looking great over time.
The choil and spine have been carefully smoothed, providing a comfortable grip and easy handling during extended use.
HANDLE:
The knife features an octagon Japanese (Wa) style handle made out of ebony wood. The octagon shape of the handle provides a comfortable and secure grip, allowing for precise control during use.
