Fashionable Hatsukokoro Kurosagi Bunka

First Impressions

Theconsistent flat double bevel grind and relatively thin overall profile perform nicely right from the box and the smoother finishing across the full height of the blade and kurouchi finsh slide neatly through food and all the knives across the range feel light and nimble in hand.

The more adventurous among you might also enjoy working on it to thin it out even further and unleash even more cutting power.

Beauty

The eye catching angled wenge handle certainly makes the kurosagi stand out on a rack (you can buy these separately by the way) but the blade itself is a looker.

Perhaps not the bling of some knives but if you want to truly capture the essence of a Japanese knife then you can’t go wrong with a classichalf kurouchi finish tapering down to a nice migaki and finally polished exposed core.

In Hand

A lot of kurouchi finish knives can be a little rough to the touch where some of the scale has been left in place but these are polished nicely and smooth to the touch and the heel and spine have been worked on to make sure they’re nice and comfortable too.

It’s the small details in the finish that do help with the overall feel and it’s nicely implemented and consistent across the range.

Durability

Aogami Super steel is a popular choice among blacksmiths and knife owners for its durability and relative ease of maintenance and you should expect this knife to last a long time with careful use and maintenance.

Ease of Care

This is a reactive knife so we’d recommend caring for it following the normal rinse and dry routine after use.

It would also be worth applying drop or two ofcamellia oilfrom time to time to help care for and protect it as the patina develops.

Our Verdict

The kurosagi is great value and a fine looking collection of knives and in what’s a very competitive price point for most people who are looking to invest in either their first Japanese chef knife or an additional one for their collection, there’s a lot of quality for the money.

Hatsukokoro are working with a range of blacksmiths and workshops as they expand and in pairing up with the Motokyuuchi workshop to create these, we think much like the smash hit Inazuma knives, these will be a very choice for those seeking great value and a quality aogami super core.