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Iron Clad  |  SKU: MASA_YKW2_BU170

Masakage Yuki White2 Bunka 170mm S/S Clad

$369.95
IMPORTANT: Carbon steel knives can rust or patina quickly if not cared for properly. They require regular cleaning, drying, and oiling. If you are unfamiliar with carbon steel maintenance, we recommend choosing a stainless steel option instead.

Add a saya or K&S Knife Roll to receive $20 bundle discount!

Detailed Specifications
Line Masakage Yuki White 2 Nashiji
Profile Bunka
Bevel Type Double Bevel
Weight 159 g | 5.6 oz
Edge Length 174 mm | 6 27/32″
Heel Height 47 mm | 1 27/32″
Width @ Spine 3.3 mm | 1/8″
Width @ Mid 1.9 mm | 5/64″
Width @ 1cm from Tip 1.1 mm | 3/64″
Steel White 2 / Shirogami #2 | Carbon
Blade Construction Sanmai - Stainless Clad
Hardness (HRC) 60 - 64
Surface Finish Nashiji
Handle Octagonal Ebony with Black Horn Ferrule
Region Fukuyama
Best for
  • Pro chefs
  • Enthusiasts
  • First-timers
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    • Free shipping for knives over AU$200 Australia wide.
    • World-wide shipping via DHL Express, 3 to 5 days.


    Yuki(雪, Snow) is a simple and elegant line offered by Masakage, Nashiji surface, Migaki bevel with soft kasumi polish on the soft cladding, it's a minimalistic design that that aims to display nothing but the organic trace produced by the craft of the blacksmith and the sharpener. This simple silver look almost feels like a gentle snow that takes away colour, leaving just texture and geometry of the blade for you to experience in hand.

    The choice of steel seems to complement the name too. With Hitachi White #2, you can obtain an extremely sharpen edge on these blades. Although bring prone to rust, the stainless cladding on the outside covers up most of the core steel with Kato san's masterful forging, making it relatively easier to maintain compare to knives with iron cladding.

    The spine of these knives are lightly tapered, enough to let you know it is a hand forged knife, the thickness if the blade ensure a good rigidity and gives weight to the blade, make Yuki a line with very solid feel in hand. That thickness doesn't reduce the cutting performance thanks to the sharpening done by Shibata san. In the spine shot we can clearly see the thick blade gets thinned down to a edge with a beautiful concave grind. Combining with the aggressive edge you can get with carbon steel, Yuki is excellent in food penetration. As the food reach the Shinogi line, they would also release off cleanly.

    Fo people look to get an authentically crafted knife, Yuki would be a great option. The hand forging and sharpening feature are strong on these blades while the simple design kept the price relatively affordable. If you are curious about why these knives are beloved by knife enthusiasts and professionals, consider this line as you first step into the world of artisan knives.

    Pros Cons
  • Excellent performance
  • Great OOTB
  • Thin behind the edge
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  • Prone to rust
  • A little bit brittle
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    Care Instruction
    1. Don't cut hard things! Japanese knives are brittle so bone hacking is a NO NO!
    2. Wash with neutral detergent after use, and wipe dry;
    3. Please don't wash knife with dishwasher, it will damage the wood handle;
    4. Be careful not to leave the knife close to a heat source for a long time;
    5. It is a lot more dangerous to cut with a blunt knife than a sharp knife!
    6. It is best to sharpen a Japanese knife regularly on a waterstone.
    7. Oil the (carbon) knife if storing for an extended period of time to prevent rust.

    Masakage

    Masakage is the first original brand created by Takayuki Shibata, aimed to create knives that are all rounders with high performance, fit and finish, beauty and authentic beauty originated from the craftsmanship of masterful bladesmiths. 

    The name of the Masakage Brand originated from a Warring States Samurai General Masakage Yamagata, and this name carries the hope of Shibata san of creating a versatile brand that excels in all aspects, just like how Masakage Yamagata excels in battle, strategy, diplomacy, public order, and domestic affairs. 

    The knives from the Masakage Brand are all collaborations between members of the TAKEFU Knife Village and Shibata san, where the forging and heat treating are done by various big names from Echizen like Yu Kurosaki, Shiro Kamo, Yoshimi Kato or Takeshi Saji. These blades are then hand sharpened at Shibata’s workshop, where they achieve exceptional sharpness and beautiful finish.

    The way that Masakage knives are done are pretty much as handcrafted as you can get while being reasonably affordable, and they do display characteristics that are unique for handcrafted knives. Commonly seen on these blades are the forge-tapered spine, elegant, organic surface finish and complex bevel geometry that offer the smoothest cut. And I have to say I really like the names that Shibata san came up with, Kiri(fog), Yuki(snow), Shimo(frost), Mizu(water), Kumo(cloud)... Each lineup gets a poetic name that triggers your imagery about nature, where that image is reflected on the appearance of the knife through a carefully designed fabrication process. As far as product design goes, Masakage is top notch in my opinion.

    So Masakage is indeed doing what Shibata san want the brand to do: providing knives that are truly excellent in all aspects. They got great balance and handling, excellent sharpness and edge retention, great look and on top of that, a beautiful name to complete them as integral packages.

    • Profile: Bunka

      A pointier version of the Santoku. The Bunka knife features a distinctive profile with a straighter edge and a pointed tip, making it versatile for a variety of kitchen tasks. Its design is a blend of the Santoku and Gyuto knives, with a blade length typically around 165mm to 180mm. The Bunka is particularly adept at slicing, dicing, and chopping fruits, vegetables, and meats, thanks to its sharp edge and comfortable handling. The angled tip, also known as a reverse tanto, provides additional precision for intricate tasks such as julienning. With its unique shape and functionality, the Bunka stands out as a multifunctional knife in the culinary world.

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    • Steel: White 2 / Shirogami #2

      White Steel No.2, also known as Shirogami #2 or White Paper #2, is long regarded as the go-to choice for crafting high-grade Japanese kitchen knives. This steel is celebrated for its capacity to be fashioned into knives that exhibit a sharp cutting edge, moderate tenacity, and long-lasting sharpness, alongside being notably easy to sharpen. While it possesses a slightly lower carbon content (C: 1%) compared to White Steel No.1 (C: 1.3%), it still requires a high level of craftsmanship to manipulate effectively. The expertise of a skilled blacksmith is crucial in transforming this material into a premium quality kitchen knife. Despite its excellent qualities, White Steel No.2 is known to be very reactive; hence, knives made from this steel demand meticulous care, including immediate wiping and drying after use, to prevent corrosion.

      Sanjo and Sakai are known to widely utilise Shirogami #2 in their mainstream kitchen knives.

      Manufacturer:

      • Hitachi Special Steel, Japan

      Nature: Carbon

      Hardness: 60- 64

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    • Construction: Sanmai - Stainless Clad

      Sanmai(Three-Piece) is a common construction for double bevel knives where two pieces of softer cladding steel are forgewelded to each side of a harder core steel. The harder but more brittle core steel will form the hard cutting edge after heat treating, and the softer cladding will support the core to increase the overall strength of the blade.

      The soft cladding enables the thinning process to be a lot easier than a honyaki or monosteel construction. And in the case where the cladding steel are stainless in nature, it can offer protection for the carbon or semi-stainless cores against rusting and discoluoring.

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    • Finish: Nashiji

      The "nashiji finish" on Japanese kitchen knives refers to a unique, textured surface finish that resembles the skin of an Asian pear, which is known as "nashi" in Japanese. This finish is achieved through a specific hammering and polishing technique, giving the knife blade a distinct, matte appearance with a slightly uneven, tactile surface. Beyond its aesthetic appeal, the nashiji finish also provides practical benefits. It helps to reduce food sticking to the blade by creating tiny air pockets between the food and the steel. This finish is commonly found on traditional Japanese knives, such as santokus and nakiris, and is highly valued for both its functional and visual characteristics, enhancing the overall culinary experience.

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    • Handle Specs

      Profile: Octagonal WA

      Material:

      • Ebony
      • Black Buffalo Horn

      Standard octagonal section and profile handle made with black ebony, with a black buffalo horn ferrule.

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