Kurosaki Sesame Forged 6.7" Bunka

This was a steel that I never heard of or tried. I'm glad I took the gamble. I was blown away by how well this hand-forged knife cuts. It rivals my Yoshikane as far as cutting performance goes which, in case you didn't know is making a huge statement. However, this steel is more softer and forgiving than SKD , meaning you can pretty much prep anything other than maybe a butternut squash, bones or torquing to remove an Avocado seed. You can also confidently utilize all cutting techniques including a moderate rock chop. The handle is also quite comfortable, which unfortunately is not always a guarantee with these expensive Hand-forged knives. As far as looks go, I think this knife is gorgeous! The handle I received had a dark, atmospheric, fantasy like quality, that you can easily get lost inside of, which happens to contrast beautifully against that unique sesame pattern and shiny cobalt steel. It's why I bought the knife to begin with. I felt like a fish helplessly attracted to a pretty lure. A lure made of great high end steel.

I have been wanting a knife from Yu Kurosaki for a few years, and finally decided to splurge on this. The blade itself was both rustic and artisan; the sasame finish was a joy to look at. However, I wasn't a fan of the look of the stabilized birch handle. From the picture, it leans more toward a natural look, but in person it looked more resin-heavy. This was my first stabilized birch handle, so I unfortunately don't have another birch handle to compare it to.