Kanjo VG10 Damascus Bunka 180mm

Kanjo Tsukahara is a small maker in Seki City and he's doing some very nice work. Here is a beautiful example. VG-10, or V-Gold 10, is a modern cocktail of carbon, chromium, cobalt, manganese, molybdenum, silicon, and vanadium. Put together, the relatively small amounts of these metals give VG-10 steel its many important properties, including an ability to hold an edge coupled with great durability. VG-10 is a really popular alloy employed in the making of many top brand Japanese kitchen knives including Shun and Miyabi. It is fully stainless and thus really easy to maintain.

Kanjo-san tempers the steel to a hardness of 60 HRC and then adds a cladding of stainless damascus using a san-mai construction. The lovely damascus pattern is enhanced by etching the blade after it is forged. We don't have a saya that fits this knife.

The combination of the tanto-style tip and short, tall blade lend the bunka a very purposeful look. These knives are becoming more popular due to their do-it-all abilities and intriguing looks. They are proficient cutters, slicers, and choppers, while the fine tip allows them to take on smaller ingredients and get into tight spaces.

Brand: Kanjo

Location: Seki, Japan

Sharpener: Kanjo Tsukahara

Construction: Laser Cut, San Mai

Cladding: Stainless Damascus

Core Steel: VG10

Handle: Pakka Wood Octagonal

Ferrule: Black Pakka

Engraving: Etched

Weight: 5.4 oz/154g

Blade Length: 183 mm

Overall Length: 333 mm

Spine Thickness at Heel: 2.2 mm

Blade Height at Heel: 47.2 mm

Edge Grind: 60/40 asymmetric (ok for left- or right-handed users)

Photos by Gustavo Bermudez