Takayuki Shibata works in Fukuyama, Japan and has built a strong following among cooks who care most about cutting feel. His knives are known for clean design, excellent heat treatment, precise sharpening, and extremely thin grinds that move through food with very little resistance.
The Shibata Chromax Boss Bunka 225mm is a big, tall, high-performance bunka made for serious prep work. At 225mm long and 59mm tall, it has the board presence of a tall nakiri with the added reach and pointed k-tip of a bunka. It works well for vegetables, herbs, proteins, and detail cuts where a sharper tip is useful.
The Chromax core steel is semi-stainless and offers a nice balance of edge performance, sharpening feel, and easier maintenance than fully reactive carbon steel. The blade is made with stainless cladding, a kasumi finish, and a thin laser grind that helps reduce wedging through dense produce. The octagonal rosewood handle keeps the knife comfortable, controlled, and well balanced for extended prep sessions.
Care Instructions: Chromax is semi-stainless, so it is easier to maintain than fully reactive carbon steel, but it is not completely stainless. Hand wash and dry immediately after use, especially after cutting acidic foods. Do not put it in the dishwasher. Use wood or soft rubber cutting boards and avoid bones, frozen foods, hard squash stems, and twisting through dense ingredients. Strop regularly between sharpenings to maintain the edge. We do not currently carry a wooden saya that fits this knife.
The Shibata Chromax Boss Bunka 225mm is a big, tall, high-performance bunka made for serious prep work. At 225mm long and 59mm tall, it has the board presence of a tall nakiri with the added reach and pointed k-tip of a bunka. It works well for vegetables, herbs, proteins, and detail cuts where a sharper tip is useful.
The Chromax core steel is semi-stainless and offers a nice balance of edge performance, sharpening feel, and easier maintenance than fully reactive carbon steel. The blade is made with stainless cladding, a kasumi finish, and a thin laser grind that helps reduce wedging through dense produce. The octagonal rosewood handle keeps the knife comfortable, controlled, and well balanced for extended prep sessions.
Care Instructions: Chromax is semi-stainless, so it is easier to maintain than fully reactive carbon steel, but it is not completely stainless. Hand wash and dry immediately after use, especially after cutting acidic foods. Do not put it in the dishwasher. Use wood or soft rubber cutting boards and avoid bones, frozen foods, hard squash stems, and twisting through dense ingredients. Strop regularly between sharpenings to maintain the edge. We do not currently carry a wooden saya that fits this knife.
- Maker: Takayuki Shibata
- Location: Fukuyama, Japan
- Type: Boss Bunka
- Construction: San Mai, Hammer Forged
- Core Steel: Chromax Semi-Stainless Steel
- Cladding: Stainless
- Blade Finish: Kasumi
- HRC: 62-63
- Edge Grind: Even Double Bevel
- Bevel: 50/50
- Handle: Octagonal Rosewood
- Weight: 6.2 oz (178 g)
- Blade Length: 225 mm
- Total Length: 380 mm
- Spine Thickness at Heel: 2 mm
- Blade Height at Heel: 59 mm
- Storage Note: We Do Not Currently Carry a Wooden Saya That Fits This Knife
