K18 Wakiita Bunka Bocho
The K18 Wakiita Bunka Bocho is considered as part of the second tier of Spyderco’s Murray Carter Collection
Appearance in catalogs
Designer
History, mentionings etc. from the forums
- Spyderco/Murray Carter Kitchen Knife Collaboration., posted by forum member fixall
- Murray Carter in December's Byte!, posted by forum member Stuart Ackerman
Information from the Spyderco catalog on the web
K18 Wakiita Bunka Bocho
An all-purpose knife suitable for preparing meat, vegetables, and fish, the Bunka Bocho literally means "cultural knife" because of its role in making traditional Japanese cuisine in the home. Closely related to the Santoku ("three virtues") knife, the Bunka Bocho has a more acute and utilitarian point.
Wakiita literally means “near the cutting board” and is a term used to refer to senior apprentices skilled enough to assist high-ranking chefs. Equivalent to sous chefs or journeyman chefs in Western kitchens, they are accomplished culinary professionals well on their way to becoming expert chefs. As the second tier of Spyderco’s Murray Carter Collection, the Wakiita Series captures the spirit of the journeyman chef by expressing Carter’s highly refined designs with solid stainless steel blades.
The blades of Wakiita Series knives are precision ground from CTS® BD1N – a high-carbon, nitrogen-enriched stainless steel that provides a superior balance of hardness, edge holding, and corrosion resistance. Like all knives in the Murray Carter Collection, they are ground exceptionally thin and straight for superior cutting performance and proudly feature the signature “Carter Elbow” – a distinctive taper from the spine to the point that reinforces the blade’s tip.
In classic style, the knives of the Wakiita Series showcase traditional “wa-style” (octagonal) handles. Painstakingly crafter from solid black G-10, a durable fiberglass and epoxy laminate, the polished handles ensure both comfort and precise control.
A remarkable fusion of time-tested traditional designs and state-of-the-art modern materials, the Wakiita Series accurately translates Murray Carter’s prized custom designs into high-performance cutlery that is sure to please even the most discriminating cooking enthusiasts.[1]
Variations
The K18 is originally made in Seki City, Japan, and:
- features a modified Drop Point Blade shape
- features a polished G-10 handle
- as one of few exceptions in Spyderco's line-up, it does not feature Spyderco's trademark round hole
SKU | Handle | Edge | Steel | From/To | MSRP | Note | Number made | Grind | Collectors club |
K18G | Black G-10 | PE | CTS-BD1N | 2020 - | $335.00 (2021) | Part of Spyderco's Murray Carter Collection | N/A | Full Flat |
Most collectible variation
The original K18 Wakiita Bunka Bocho, complete with original box and papers in mint condition is likely to be the most collectible version.
Questions regarding collecting the K18
Some interesting questions we are looking for an answer to:
Questions with an answer:
Technical information
Measurements (mm and grams) of the K18 Wakiita Bunka Bocho:
Variation | Length overall | Length blade | Length edge | Blade thickness | Weight |
K18G | 309mm | 185mm | 169mm | 1.9mm | 179g |
Measurements (inches and ounces) of the K18 Wakiita Bunka Bocho:
Variation | Length overall | Length blade | Length edge | Blade thickness | Weight |
K18G | 12.15" | 7.29" | 6.67" | 0.074" | 6.3oz |
References
- ↑ The K18 Wakiita Bunka Bocho in Spyderco's online catalog
Pictures
Related
- K15 Itamae Petty
- K16 Itamae Funayuki
- K17 Itamae Nakiri
- K18 Itamae Bunka Bocho
- K19 Itamae Gyuto
- K15 Wakiita Petty
- K16 Wakiita Funayuki
- K17 Wakiita Nakiri
- K19 Wakiita Gyuto