Masahiro Pure Carbon – New at Knives From Japan!
The Masahiro brand is known world wide as one of the three M’s. Along with Misono & Masamoto brands, these are the most respected and prominent brands in Japan. Especially known for their excellent cutlery manufacturing in the past. Why is this important? In todays market there are a lot of so called Japanese knife brands on the market (mainly coming out of China ) some of which are not Japanese at all. Being one of the three M’s not only distinguishes the brand but also sets it apart from the rest. This is a brand that the Japanese people respect and cherish as a part of the Japanese culture – it is manufactured with the highest precision and due to some of the ranges unique features it truly represents the Japanese practice of Ikagi (passion, pursuit of perfection). For us here at Knives From Japan, we enjoy bringing you the best brands from Japan and in the case of Masahiro it represents one of the best out of Japan.
Masahiro produces a wide range of knives and at Knives from Japan we stock their Classic range, The Chinese Chef range and The Pure Carbon range
The new Pure Carbon range, as its name suggests, are made from a high carbon mono steel with a 1.05% carbon content. The steel is ZCD-U, an original material by Masahiro and therefore only available with Masahiro knives.
The trade off with High Carbon/ Pure Carbon VS VG-10 stainless steel: Both stainless and Pure carbon knives contain a high amount of carbon as is required in a quality steel blade, the difference being the added materials in stainless like Chromium to protect the steel from everyday use. The result is that VG-10 stainless steel needs less care and does not need to be dried and oiled after washing. The Pure Carbon steels are more reactive and when used without proper care they can rust. Being a high carbon steel blade, it will soon develop a patina on its surface (oxidisation over a long period of time), this can be quite alarming for those not familiar with this type of steel however a patina adds to the character of the knife and provides an added layer of protection against red rust. Many who purchase mono steel blades celebrate the uniqueness that the patina brings to their own knives.
The handle is made from a reinforced Pakka wood in the western style. The three rivets with the full tang and bolster provide a comfortable grip whilst having excellent balance.
Added care must be taken with the Pure carbon range. They must be wiped and kept dry after every use, especially when used with more acidic foods. Protect your knife when it is not in use for a prolonged period by applying a thin coat of Camellia oil to the blade. A good tip is to clean the knife with a bit of Barkeepers Friend after each use.
The distinguishing feature of Masahiro Knives is the asymmetrical 80/20 grind. The grind differs on each side of the blade making it approximately 35% thinner than a 50/50 grind.
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