Nigara Hamono has a reputation for the absolute highest quality and the level of expertise and skill these craftsmen posses is not often found. The company is led by the master blacksmith by the name of Tsuyoshi Yoshizawa and every knife they make is forged by hand with the utmost care and attention to detail and quality. This combined, helps create knives made to last for years to come. Hand-crafted using VG10 steel and with perfectly crafted custom and wood handles the fit and finish of Nigara knives are second to none.

VG10 is a great type of stainless steel for kitchen knives and is very common. Typically, these knives have an HRC between 60 and 61, good edge retention, and excellent corrosion resistance. Damascus-style knives often use VG-10 as the core, with Damascus steel wrapped around them. VG-10 is a grade of Japanese stainless steel primarily focused on cutlery. The name stands for V Gold 10, where "gold" refers to quality. The approximate content is 1% carbon, 1-3% vanadium, 14.5%-15.5% chromium, 0.9-1.2% molybdenum, 1.3-1.5% cobalt, 0.5% manganese, and 0.03% phosphorus.

The Bunka is the ultimate bad ass as its a multipurpose knife that sits between the nakiri and a gyuto knife. The word “bunker” means “culture” its a very versatile knife and perfect if you want a slightly wide blade compared to the santoku. The blade’s rocking point is around the same place as a santoku but the big difference is the pointed tip. Its sharp scalpel point is perfect for cutting small shallots but has the belly too chop larger foods and so is the perfect addition to any collection.

Weight: 153g

Handle Material: Ebony Mono

Handle Length: 130mm (5.1")

Blade Length: 186mm (7.3")

Blade Depth: 48mm

Thickness at spine: 2mm

Thickness at tip: 0.2mm

Cutting Edge: 50/50

Blade Material: Damascus Vg10

Hardness (Rockwell scale): 60-61