K-tip point and generous blade height: this bunka in SLD follows the santoku profile and adds a reverse-tip point for detail work. The double bevel suits right-handed and left-handed users alike. The tall blade keeps the knuckles clear of the board and gives a wide working surface for vegetables, while the fine tip handles precise cuts on meat and fish. More agile than a santoku, more versatile than a nakiri.
The sanmai construction pairs a hagane core in SLD with jigane cladding on both sides. The hard hagane forms the cutting edge, while the softer jigane supports the blade behind the edge. This layout concentrates the steel's hardness at the edge and leaves the rest of the blade more tolerant of the stresses of board work. On a bunka, whose blade is tall and compact, the jigane cladding runs alongside the hagane across the full height of the profile.
SLD (SKD-11 Steel) is a semi-stainless tool steel. It resists corrosion better than pure carbon steel and develops little to no patina. On the stone it sharpens like a carbon steel: the edge comes back in a few passes, and the high hardness of this tool steel keeps the edge stable between sharpenings. Like any semi-stainless steel, it is not fully stainless: a blade left wet can stain.
Care
Rinse and dry the blade after each use, then store it dry. Never wash it in the dishwasher. Sharpening on water stones maintains the edge, with regular edge upkeep between sharpenings.
