#9 Bernal Cutlery Second Run Black Label 210mm Wa-Gyuto 52100 Ho & Horn Handle

Bernal Cutlery second run ‘Black Label’ 52100 210mm gyuto with octagonal ho and horn handle. This knife has a laser etched stamp.

52100 carbon steel hand forged in Oakland, CA by Bernal Cutlery knife-maker and machinist Eli Sideris and finish ground and handled in our San Francisco shop. Handle is a Japanese made wa handle with ho wood and horn ferrule. 

The Black Label series blends Western and Japanese materials, techniques and sensibilities to make a fine cutting knife with good edge duration and easy sharpenability. Our intention was to make a high performing, not too expensive forged knife with a little more weight and a steeper distal taper than our stock removal Greenfield series for those who like a more forward feel and thicker spine.

Eli has focused on forging 52100 for many many years and we have been big fans of his approach to this steel which can be finished at a big variety of hardnesses, edge taking and edge holding personalities. 52100 can be made very hard and wear resistant but the treatment Eli prefers holds off on excessive hardness in favor of easier sharpening at a variety of edge finishes.

Eli forges in the geometry, heat treats and provides a rough grind that Josh follows up with additional thinning and surface finishing at a utilitarian ‘migaki’ finish with a medium fine scratch pattern on the face that allows for good food release and easy future thinning and re-surfacing without adding the additional expense that an extra fine finish makes. 

Consider the general rules of a Japanese knife for use applications; boneless proteins, vegetables and most fruits (Some fruit don’t play as nicely with carbon steel, I’m looking at you mango). Avoid bones, frozen food, twisting on the board during cutting and general dumb stuff. No dishwasher use.