Kyohei Shindo works alone in Kami City, Kochi Prefecture, in the Tosa region of Japan - a part of the country with deep roots in blade-making. He forges every Enjin knife himself, which keeps production limited and batches moving quickly. CKTG is the first seller outside Japan to carry his work, and every batch sells out. The brand name says what he does: "en" means flame, "jin" means blade.
The 165mm bunka is the most versatile knife in the Enjin range - a format that handles vegetable prep, slicing proteins, and general board work equally well, with the flat heel-to-belly profile suiting push-cut and bias-cut techniques and the pointed tip handling precision work. At 170mm blade length and 45mm height this version has real board presence; the 5mm spine at the heel tapers toward the tip for a distal taper that keeps the knife light and nimble despite the height. The SRK8 carbon steel core is a Hitachi alloy similar in character to Shirogami (white paper steel) #2 with small additions of chrome and nickel for extra toughness, heat-treated to HRC 63+. San mai construction with soft iron cladding. The finish is one of the most visually distinctive in the CKTG lineup: kurouchi (black as-forged) on the upper blade road fades into a sandblasted matte section, with the polished SRK8 core showing clearly at the edge. Burnt oak octagonal handle with urushi (lacquer) finish. 4.3 oz. The steel develops a natural blue-purple patina with use.
What Customers Are Saying: Three reviewers, all with extended use experience. One has used the knife for over two years in a professional prep kitchen on vegetables and mushrooms without a single full sharpening session - weekly honing has been enough. Another praises the thinness and the way food releases from the blade during cutting. A third describes the kurouchi finish holding up well and the steel developing a beautiful blue-purple patina along the edge after the first month of use - and calls out the knife as feeling like a piece of living artwork that handles like a complement to larger knives or a standalone daily driver.
Care Instructions: SRK8 is a reactive carbon steel - wipe and dry after every use. Avoid acidic foods and moisture. Apply camellia oil for storage. Hand wash only. Sharpen on quality water stones; strop regularly to extend time between sharpenings.
The 165mm bunka is the most versatile knife in the Enjin range - a format that handles vegetable prep, slicing proteins, and general board work equally well, with the flat heel-to-belly profile suiting push-cut and bias-cut techniques and the pointed tip handling precision work. At 170mm blade length and 45mm height this version has real board presence; the 5mm spine at the heel tapers toward the tip for a distal taper that keeps the knife light and nimble despite the height. The SRK8 carbon steel core is a Hitachi alloy similar in character to Shirogami (white paper steel) #2 with small additions of chrome and nickel for extra toughness, heat-treated to HRC 63+. San mai construction with soft iron cladding. The finish is one of the most visually distinctive in the CKTG lineup: kurouchi (black as-forged) on the upper blade road fades into a sandblasted matte section, with the polished SRK8 core showing clearly at the edge. Burnt oak octagonal handle with urushi (lacquer) finish. 4.3 oz. The steel develops a natural blue-purple patina with use.
What Customers Are Saying: Three reviewers, all with extended use experience. One has used the knife for over two years in a professional prep kitchen on vegetables and mushrooms without a single full sharpening session - weekly honing has been enough. Another praises the thinness and the way food releases from the blade during cutting. A third describes the kurouchi finish holding up well and the steel developing a beautiful blue-purple patina along the edge after the first month of use - and calls out the knife as feeling like a piece of living artwork that handles like a complement to larger knives or a standalone daily driver.
Care Instructions: SRK8 is a reactive carbon steel - wipe and dry after every use. Avoid acidic foods and moisture. Apply camellia oil for storage. Hand wash only. Sharpen on quality water stones; strop regularly to extend time between sharpenings.
- Brand: Enjin
- Blacksmith: Kyohei Shindo
- Location: Kami City, Kochi Prefecture, Japan
- Construction: San Mai, Hammer Forged
- Edge Steel: SRK8 Carbon Steel
- Cladding: Soft Iron
- Finish: Kurouchi (Black As-Forged) / Sandblast / Polished
- Edge Grind: Even
- HRC: 63+
- Handle: Oak Octagonal, Burnt Finish, Urushi Lacquer
- Weight: 4.3 oz (124 g)
- Blade Length: 170mm
- Total Length: 314mm
- Spine Thickness at Heel: 5mm
- Blade Height: 45mm
Reviews
3 review(s) WRITE A REVIEW (Reviews are subject to approval) By far my favorite knifePosted By: Jorge Blanco
46 people found this review helpful
Originally bought the Enjin Bunka for my prep cook job since id be mainly working with soft vegetables and mushrooms. This knife is a beast i was worried when first getting it because it was so light but after putting it to work its very durable. The thin blade makes slicing effortless no more annoying cut getting stuck to the side everything just slides off. Amazingly with just my own experience I've owned the knife for two and a half years and I've never had to sharpen it. I've done my best to take care of it and only a weekly run with a honing rod is enough to make it razor sharp. The knife feels rewarding to take care of wiping it dry after every use eventually it forms a nice blue color on the carbon steel. definitely was a worth purchase and I'm actually planning on getting a petty once they're back in stock!
46 people found this review helpful
Originally bought the Enjin Bunka for my prep cook job since id be mainly working with soft vegetables and mushrooms. This knife is a beast i was worried when first getting it because it was so light but after putting it to work its very durable. The thin blade makes slicing effortless no more annoying cut getting stuck to the side everything just slides off. Amazingly with just my own experience I've owned the knife for two and a half years and I've never had to sharpen it. I've done my best to take care of it and only a weekly run with a honing rod is enough to make it razor sharp. The knife feels rewarding to take care of wiping it dry after every use eventually it forms a nice blue color on the carbon steel. definitely was a worth purchase and I'm actually planning on getting a petty once they're back in stock!
Love it Fun KnifePosted By: Mike Allen
53 people found this review helpful
This was my first purchase from CKTG and I'm very happy with it. I had never heard of a Bunka before browsing this site and thought they looked so cool I had to get one. What drew me to the Enjin knife was the fact that it is hand made and it has a very well executed distal taper so that it is thick at the heel, but very thin at the tip. Upon receiving my blade I loved the look. It looks very hand made and rustic, but very well executed and the kurouchi finish is nice and holding up well so far. The SRK8 steel can take a nice edge and is very reactive. The first onion I cut reacted strongly with it and after a month of use the steel is already developing a beautiful purple/blue patina along the cutting edge. The handle of this knife is very nicely finished and the fit up with the blade is snug.
This knife is comfortable in the hand and feels insanely light and nimble. When I bought it i was thinking of it as like a smaller, cooler santoku, but in my mind now it's almost like a veggie specific utility knife. I like it because it is a great compliment to a gyuto or nakiri or could definitely stand on it's own to do pretty much everything if you wanted it to.
When I first got the knife I was convinced the blade was a little twisted, but after sending it back for an inspection and sharpening from Mark all seemed to be well and the knife performs wonderfully after his work on it. Apparently it was my novice eye overcompensating for the visible hammering on the blade. I will certainly get his finish sharpening on future purchases.
Overall I am really happy with this knife. It is a champ for small veg prep and I feel like I'm using a piece of living artwork every time I pick it up. The service that Mark provided to ensure I was happy with my purchase is above and beyond any retailer I have every bought from and he has earned a customer for as long as he's selling knives here.
53 people found this review helpful
This was my first purchase from CKTG and I'm very happy with it. I had never heard of a Bunka before browsing this site and thought they looked so cool I had to get one. What drew me to the Enjin knife was the fact that it is hand made and it has a very well executed distal taper so that it is thick at the heel, but very thin at the tip. Upon receiving my blade I loved the look. It looks very hand made and rustic, but very well executed and the kurouchi finish is nice and holding up well so far. The SRK8 steel can take a nice edge and is very reactive. The first onion I cut reacted strongly with it and after a month of use the steel is already developing a beautiful purple/blue patina along the cutting edge. The handle of this knife is very nicely finished and the fit up with the blade is snug.
This knife is comfortable in the hand and feels insanely light and nimble. When I bought it i was thinking of it as like a smaller, cooler santoku, but in my mind now it's almost like a veggie specific utility knife. I like it because it is a great compliment to a gyuto or nakiri or could definitely stand on it's own to do pretty much everything if you wanted it to.
When I first got the knife I was convinced the blade was a little twisted, but after sending it back for an inspection and sharpening from Mark all seemed to be well and the knife performs wonderfully after his work on it. Apparently it was my novice eye overcompensating for the visible hammering on the blade. I will certainly get his finish sharpening on future purchases.
Overall I am really happy with this knife. It is a champ for small veg prep and I feel like I'm using a piece of living artwork every time I pick it up. The service that Mark provided to ensure I was happy with my purchase is above and beyond any retailer I have every bought from and he has earned a customer for as long as he's selling knives here.
