Bunka San-Mai Collection - Santoku Knife - 17 cm

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Santoku 17 cm - Bunka San-Mai collection

The Santoku is a highly versatile knife; Santoku means "3 virtues" in Japanese, as it can be used to cut meat, fish and vegetables alike.

The fine blade of the Bunka Damascus Santoku allows you to slice and finely chop even the most delicate ingredients without ever crushing them, so they retain all their flavour. In addition, the hammered blade reduces friction between the knife and the cut food so that it does not stick to the blade.

"Bunka" knives are recognisable by their angular blade profile (reverse Tanto profile); this distinctive geometry gives them greater precision than a classic rounded profile.

The fine blade of the Bunka Damascus paring knife allows you to slice and finely chop even the most delicate ingredients without ever crushing them, so they retain all their flavour. In addition, the hammered blade reduces friction between the knife and the cut food so that it does not stick to the blade.

The blade is forged from three-layer AUS-10 steel, a premium steel that combines high carbon content for hardness and long-lasting sharpness with the optimal amount of chromium to prevent oxidation.

The hidden full tang – a single piece of steel running from the blade tip to the end of the handle – gives the paring knife ideal balance and exceptional durability.

Japanese precision, Western robustness.

The best of both worlds.

* Handmade

* Three-layer Japanese AUS-10 stainless steel

* Full tang

* ebony handle

* HRC hardness: 61 +/- 1

* Weight: 176 g

* 17 cm blade, 30 cm overall length

* Perfectly balanced

* Bamboo Saya (sheath) included with every knife

* Lifetime warranty

San-Mai - KOTAI’s new collection

« San Mai » means « three layers » in Japanese, and refers to a traditional technique of forging together three steels with complementary properties.

At its core, a high-carbon AUS-10 steel core - hardened to reach an HRC hardness of 61 - gives the blade an exceptionally fine cutting edge and excellent long-lasting performance.

On either side of the cutting edge, two layers of softer steel protect this hard core, reinforcing the blade’s resistance to impacts and oxidation.

Both precise and durable, the San-Mai blade offers an ideal balance between cutting performance, ease of maintenance and durability. Its clean aesthetic subtly reveals the steel join line, the unique signature of its construction.

Bunka San-Mai range

Elegance and tradition are the hallmarks of the Bunka collection, inspired by Japanese culture (文化 “bunka”), particularly traditional cuisine.

Embodying the authenticity and essence of Japanese culture, the collection includes exceptional knives to enhance your culinary experience: Kiritsuke, Santoku, Petty utility knife and paring knife.

The blades in this range stand out for their angular, reverse blade profile (commonly called a “reverse Tanto profile” or “K-tip”), giving them unrivalled precision and enabling careful cutting compared with classic rounded blade profiles.

Bunka knives are also characterised by their hand-polished octagonal ebony wood handle, a material renowned and highly valued for its hardness and resistance to moisture.

Beyond its aesthetic appeal, the “Tsuchime” (槌目) hammering of the blade creates small air pockets between the blade and the food slices.

This ancient Japanese method prevents food from sticking to the blade for pleasant, quick cutting.