Misuzu Ko-Bunka 105mm (4.1″)

Misuzu Ko-Bunka is a smaller petty knife that will impress with its versatility and sharpness. This knife is super lightweight (weighing only 50g / 1.8 oz), and features a thin profile with a long and straight blade and a prominent front tip.

Ko-Bunka is a smaller version of the Misuzu Bunka 160mm (6.3″) so if you guessed that “ko” means small or short, you nailed it. Ko-Bunka, 105mm long, is a love child of the Bunka and Petty knife. It has a characteristic Bunka shape with a pronounced tip that resembles Tanto blades.

BLADE SHAPE:
The knife excels at tasks that require a small, versatile utility knife and gives you enough knuckle clearance so that you can comfortably chop herbs, mince garlic, prep smaller veggies or even trim meat. By being such an all-rounder smaller knife, Ko-Bunka will take your kitchen by storm and quickly become the star of your kitchen arsenal.

STEEL & LAMINATION:
The core is made of SKS93 steel, which is high-carbon steel, so it will need some additional maintenance and care, and it will develop patina. However, the two outer layers in this san-mai clad steel sandwich are made of stainless steel, which will protect the core steel from rusting. Only the very end of the edge is exposed and there you will notice patina. As with all high-carbon steel knives, sharpening them is very easy. Super fine and smooth sharpness can be achieved even with those who are still learning the skill. The straight blade with almost no curvature is easy to sharpen and is a great profile to learn sharpening skills on.

GEOMETRY:
It has a double bevel (symmetrical) blade.

BLADE FINISH:
The blade features a kasumi finish on the bottom and was polished on the upper part. The blade and handle are engraved with traditional Japanese bells.

HANDLE:
A basic traditional Japanese wooden handle was fitted on Warikomi bunka. The handle is made of magnolia wood with a black plastic ferrule. Magnolia wood is known for its antiseptic properties, but since it is a soft wood with a light color, it will stain easily, therefore we recommend using the knife with clean hands. Its oval shape makes it especially ergonomic and comfortable to use, both for right- and left-handed users.

ABOUT THE BLACKSMITH:
Misuzu knives are made in a small family-run workshop in Miki, Japan.