Hatsukokoro | SKU: HT-SHKASDKU-BK170

Hatsukokoro Shinkiro Aogami Super Damascus Bunka 170mm

Name: Hatsukokoro Shinkiro Aogami Super Damascus Bunka 170mm
Brand: Hatsukokoro
SKU: HT-SHKASDKU-BK170
Price: 549.95 AUD
Availability: InStock

$549.95

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.

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K&S Price: AU$549.95^*inc. tax，vs:

Store CE	AU $589.0	-7.29%
Store SS	AU $572.0	-4.19%
Store K	AU $763.66	-39.1%

^*For overseas buyers you pay no GST (10%) and low shipping rate.
Last Update:2026-04-28T17:07:06Z

	Hatsukokoro Shinkiro
	Bunka
	Double Bevel
Weight	178 g \| 6.3 oz
Edge Length	167 mm \| 6 37/64″
Heel Height	52 mm \| 2 3/64″
Width @ Heel	3.6 mm \| 9/64″
Width @ Mid	2.4 mm \| 3/32″
Width @ 1cm from Tip	0.7 mm \| 1/32″
Steel	Blue Super / Aogami Super \| Carbon
Blade Construction	Sanami - Soft Iron Damascus Clad
Hardness (HRC)	62 - 65
Surface Finish	Kurouchi
Handle	Octagonal Birch Burl with Spacer
Region	Hyogo
Best for	Collectors Enthusiasts

Free shipping for knives over AU$200 Australia wide.
World-wide shipping via DHL Express, 3 to 5 days.

Shinkiro(蜃気楼) in Japanese means "Mirage", it is made with an Aogami Super steel core, with a beautiful Damascus iron cladding on the bevel and Kurouchi finish on top. This serie of knives delivers a combination of great Kireaji(切れ味, the "Cutting Taste"), good edge retention and artistic look.

For most damascus knives, makers will polish them with various methods to reveal their beauty across the blade, therefore it is uncommon to see a combination of unpolished Kurouchi finish put on top of a damascus cladding, the end result however, is rather stunning. Holding the knife spine down, the Kurouchi finish becomes this rough and earthy ground, where the organic damascus pattern in the cladding boils and tumbles above it, then dissipate into the sky represented by the hightly polished core steel. I believe this is the perfect recreation of the Mirage under the blazing sun, a highly artistic utilization and combination of forging techinques and a materiality.

The creator of these beautiful Knives Takahiro Nihei is a young smith trained under Sanjo's famous Yoshikane Hamono. Just like Yoshikane, his pays a lot of attention to the details of his work. The Shinkiro has a typical thick Sanjo heel, a very fast taper to the tip and super thin behind the edge. It is a great cutter that doesn't carry the price tag of its more premium "Hyomon" siblings. Although the carbon core steel and soft iron damascus cladding may be prone to rust, the Kurouchi finish can protect the blade partially from that issue.

Pros	Cons
Great artistic Excellent performance Highly collectable	Prone to rust High budget

Care Instruction

Don't cut hard things! Japanese knives are brittle so bone hacking is a NO NO!
Wash with neutral detergent after use, and wipe dry;
Please don't wash knife with dishwasher, it will damage the wood handle;
Be careful not to leave the knife close to a heat source for a long time;
It is a lot more dangerous to cut with a blunt knife than a sharp knife!
It is best to sharpen a Japanese knife regularly on a waterstone.
Oil the (carbon) knife if storing for an extended period of time to prevent rust.

Hatsukokoro

Rising star of the industry

Hatsukokoro as a brand works extensively with the Japanese kitchen knife industry. Through collaboration with makers and manufacturers across the Japan, they’ve designed and created a huge collection of different knives, covering every possible price range while having a great value in many of their product lines. Their capabilities to incorporate resources have built a strong relation with knife makers, and more and more are happy to send their knives down to Amagasaki and have them delivered across the world.

“The rapidly expanding new brand in the industry based in Amagasaki, offering great varieties by working close with different makers across entire Japan to the entire globe while innovating in product design and metal fabrication.”

Est. 2019 | 令和元年

Known for Unrivalled product availability, exceptional performance at a highly competitive price.

Website handk.co Instagram @handk_official Read more about Hatsukokoro

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 K-tip 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 the precision and control enabled by its length and flat edge profile. 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.

Compare with

Blue Super / Aogami Super

—

2.0% 1.5% 1.0% 0.5% 0

1.4%

0.3%

2.0%

0.2%

0.1%

0.025%

0.004%

C — Carbon Cr — Chromium W — Tungsten Mn — Manganese Si — Silicon P — Phosphorus S — Sulfur

Hardness 62–65 HRC

555759616365+

Steel

Blue Super / Aogami Super

Manufacturer
- Hitachi Special Steel, Japan
Nature Carbon
Hardness62–65 HRC

Aogami Super steel, also known as Blue Super Steel, is highly esteemed among Japanese carbon steels for its exceptional qualities. Produced by Hitachi Metals Ltd., this steel surpasses Blue Steel No.1 in its composition, featuring higher amounts of carbon, chromium, and tungsten, with the addition of molybdenum. Aogami Super is celebrated for its remarkable edge sharpness and superior edge retention capabilities. It can achieve high levels of hardness without becoming brittle, a characteristic that sets it apart and endears it to knife enthusiasts worldwide. The steel's enhanced carbon content enables it to maintain sharpness for extended periods, while the added chromium aids in rust resistance. A touch of vanadium increases its toughness, making it less prone to chipping. These attributes make Aogami Super one of the most revered high carbon steels globally, often described as a knife nerd's dream for its balance of hardness, durability, and maintenance ease.

Construction

Sanami - Soft Iron Damascus 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.

Damascus Sanmai utilize damascus steel as the cladding material for the Sanmai construction, which adds aesthetic feature to the blade. However, the damascus cladding found on Japanese kitchen knives with carbon steel core are ususally made of soft iron, which means they too need to be maintained to stay pretty.

The soft cladding enables the thinning process to be a lot easier than a honyaki or monosteel construction. However, when the cladding is made of damascus, whether etched, polished or mirror polished, the thinning process will take a toll on the cladding, meaning the damascus won't look the same as when it was taken out of the box.

Finish

Kurouchi

Kurouchi refers to the rustic, unpolished finish found on the blade of many traditional Japanese kitchen knives. This blacksmith's finish is characterized by its dark, textured appearance, which is the result of leaving the blade forge-scale on the steel during production. Kurouchi finish not only adds a unique aesthetic appeal but also provides certain practical benefits. It acts as a protective layer against rust and corrosion, and helps to reduce food sticking to the blade during cutting. Commonly seen on high-quality, hand-forged knives, the kurouchi finish emphasizes the artisanal nature of the knife and its heritage, making each piece distinctively unique.

Handle

Handle Specs

Profile Octagonal WA
Material
- Birch Burl Stabilized

The stabilized birch burl handle adorning the Hatsukokoro chef knife is a testament to both exquisite craftsmanship and natural beauty. Birch burl, prized for its intricate grain patterns and unique textures, undergoes a meticulous stabilization process to enhance its durability and stability, ensuring longevity and resilience against moisture and wear.

The handle's ergonomic design offers a comfortable and secure grip, allowing for extended periods of use without fatigue. Its smooth contours and balanced weight distribution contribute to precise control and effortless maneuverability during culinary tasks.

The natural variations in color and grain of the birch burl create a visually captivating aesthetic, making each handle distinctively unique. This harmonious blend of functionality and aesthetics not only elevates the chef knife's performance but also adds a touch of elegance to the kitchen, reflecting the unparalleled craftsmanship of Hatsukokoro knives.

Hatsukokoro Shinkiro Aogami Super Damascus Bunka 170mm