ZDP-189 Burja - Prosciutto Knife 300mm (11.8")
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We love good knives, we love good prosciutto, and good prosciutto should be sliced by hand using the sharpest knife around. Therefore, we created Burja [pronounced as 'booryah'] - the first Japanese-made prosciutto knife. Burja is designed by SharpEdge, forged by Japanese smithy Suncraft, based in the famous blacksmith town of Seki, made of Japanese steel and optimized for cutting prosciutto.
ZDP-189 Burja is the answer to the challenge of firmer prosciutto that had been aged for a longer time. ZDP-189 steel is our flagship - it's the same steel used for our first exclusive knife, which we developed in collaboration with a renowned chef and talented Japanese blacksmiths.
What does Burja mean?
Burja is a Slovenian name of the local wind, in English known under the name Bora. Burja wind is typical for the Adriatic region. It is a cold, dry, strong and gusty northeast wind without which no prosciutto would ever be produced, no matter where in the world it is dried. With all the characteristics, Burja immediately felt like the perfect name for our prosciutto knife.
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BLADE SHAPE:
The shape of Burja is unique, although at first sight resembles other prosciutto knives. It has an extremely thin spine of the blade at 1.9mm. The blade is 300mm (11.8") long and finishes with a thin, pointy tip, revealing its origins and traditions of blacksmiths that were once forging katanas.
Generally speaking, a prosciutto knife should be flexible enough to allow the cutter to position the arm at the right angle, have a slightly concave blade to glide smoothly through the meat, and have a wider spine to prevent the prosciutto sticking to the blade. The long blade allows the slice to be cut with as few strokes as possible, avoiding sawing marks on the cut surface of the food.
Hand-sliced prosciutto ham (jamón) is a special culinary experience, and hand-slicing is an art of its own. The sumptuous and intense flavor of prosciutto can only develop if it is sliced correctly and evenly. Although it can also be sliced by machine, tradition dictates that prosciutto should be sliced by hand, as this enhance the aroma of the meat and offer a complete sensory experience.
But no worries - Burja is not just a knife for cutting prosciutto. Because of its harder, but still flexible blade, it can be used for cutting other dry meats as well. And due to its thin and long blade profile, it will perform well as a slicer for larger pieces of meat and fish.
Recommended for: Jamón ibérico de bellota, Presunto, Jabugo, Kraški pršut, and similar.
KNIFE FLEX:
Flexibility is necessary to some extent, but we have opted for more rigid flexibility with this Burja since this makes it perfect for denser, dryer prosciutto.
The ZDP-189 Burja has an extremely hard blade. The steel is hardened to an incredible 65-67 HRC, giving the blade unbeatable sharpness and excellent edge retention. This knife shines at slicing dry-aged, firmest prosciutto, which some consider to be the best. These include Spanish, Karst, and Istrian.
STEEL:
This knife was forged out of ZDP-189 steel, which falls into the powder steel category. The ZDP-189 steel has gained a reputation as one of the most technologically advanced steels in Japanese knife making, due to its unique characteristics. The carbon (C) content is around 3%, meaning it can be treated to extreme hardness (65-67 HRC), which results in extended sharpness retention. ZDP-189 steel is also highly corrosion resistant due to its high chromium (Cr) content of 20%. Because of its composition, though, it can be hard to treat and forge, so it can only be trusted to the most experienced blacksmiths.
The steel contains as much as 3% Carbon (C), which is one of the main elements contributing strength and typically found in amounts of up to only 1% in other types of solid steel, while the Chromium (Cr) content, which prevents corrosion, amounts to nearly 20%. It also features 0.60% Tungsten (W), which considerably increases the abrasion resistance of steel, 1.4% Molybdenum (Mo), which helps to preserve the strength and power of steel under variable temperatures, and 0.10% Vanadium (V), the key element in increasing steel strength. Heat treatment produces steel with a hardness of 65-67 HRC.
ZDP-189 composition: C 3.00 % | Cr 20.00 % | W 0.60 % | Mo 1.40 % | V 0.10 % | Mn 0.50 % | Si 0.40 %
LAMINATION:
The technique used to laminate this blade is called san-mai. The core of the blade, which is made of harder (and subsequently more fragile) steel, is sandwiched between two layers of softer steel. This results in a blade that is more flexible, and therefore less prone to breakage and other outside factors.
GEOMETRY:
It has a double bevel (symmetrical) blade.
The profile of the blade is not completely straight. The slight curvature of the sharp edge reduces the point of contact, which greatly eases the cutting. V-edge grind edge helps the knife to glide smoothly when making longer cuts.
BLADE FINISH:
The upper part of the blade was treated with hammer blows, which resulted in an intricate tsuchime (hammered) finish. The lower half is polished down to the hairline, which is the curvy line marking the border between the laminated part of the blade (jigane) and its core (hagane). The kanji on the blade reads “Kouhei-Shinmatsu” 耕平新松, paying homage to the founders of the Suncraft smithy.
HANDLE:
Traditional rosewood Japanese (Wa) handle with a black pakka wood ferrule. Its octagonal shape makes it especially ergonomic and comfortable to use.
ABOUT THE BLACKSMITH:
Suncraft is a family company spanning four generations and specializing in the production of kitchen tools. The smithy was founded in 1948 and is located in a thriving manufacturing area of Seki in Gifu prefecture, where steelwork dates back to the times of the Samurai warriors.
KNIFE EVOLUTION:
Burja knife is a combination of the rich culinary tradition of prosciutto ham with the Japanese tradition of forging knives. Since Japanese blacksmiths are the best blacksmiths in the world, possessing centuries of knowledge and experience of forging steel, it made perfect sense to make our prosciutto knife in Japan. From idea to design, after many conversations with knife makers, trial&errors, finding the right steel and handles, many sliced (and eaten) prosciuttos, visits to Japan, the process finally ended after a good two years.
✔️ Burja will be delivered in a beautiful wooden storage box. |
Blade shape: Slicer
Steel type: ZDP-189
Blade construction: San-mai / v-edge / tsuchime, migaki
Hardness (HRC scale): 65-67
Overall length: 440mm (17.3")
Blade length: 300mm (11.8")
Blade height: 24mm (0.9")
Spine thickness: 1.9mm (0.07")
Weight: 145g (5.1 oz)
Handle length: 127mm (5")
Handle type / wood: Japanese / Rosewood
Kanji on the blade:
Blacksmith: Suncraft
Location of the smithy: Seki / Gifu Prefecture / Japan
☝️ Japanese kitchen knives in our store are handmade from natural materials. Slight variations in color, texture, weight and other dimensions are possible. We try to give a good photographic representation of our products, however computer screen resolution and colors do vary, so products might not look exactly as they are seen on screen.
Blade wear depends on the quality of steel, usage and maintenance of the blade. Japanese knives are made of high-quality steels. Follow these tips to keep your Japanese knife in top-notch shape:
✔ Use a wooden, plastic or rubber cutting board.
✔ After use, wash the knives and wipe them dry.
✔ For storage, use a knife holder or a protective knife sheath (saya).
✔ A good cutting technique is your best bet to prolong sharpness.
✔ Use sharpening stones to sharpen the knife.
❗️Don’t leave the knife in the sink. Wash it by hand.
❗️Don’t wash the knife in the dishwasher.
❗️Don’t use the knife on glass, ceramics, marble or steel surfaces.
❗️Don’t scrape the food off the cutting board with the edge of the blade. Use the spine of the knife instead.
❗️Knife is a tool intended for specific use - cutting food. It is not a can opener, screwdriver, trowel, wire cutter, hammer etc.
→ For more details, read our guide
on Maintenance of Kitchen Knives.
🤙 Contact us if you need some help. We reply within 1 business day.
SHIPPING RATES:
- €10 - flat worldwide rate with DHL Express (express delivery, 2-5 business days).
- FREE - all orders over €300 (DHL Express).
EXCEPTIONS:
- United Kingdom - shipping to UK costs €15. All orders are shipped with UPS Express (2-3 business days). Free shipping on orders over €300.
- Russia (currently not available) - shipping to Russia costs €40. All orders are shipped with EMS postal service.
DUTIES AND IMPORT TAXES:
We ship all orders DDP (duties & taxes paid). This means you will not be charged for any import fees and taxes (including VAT). All our prices are final. The price you see at checkout is the final price, no hidden costs.
DELIVERY TIME:
- Europe: 1-2 business days
- US & Canada: 2-4 business days
- Rest of the World: 3-5 business days
RETURNS:
Our return policy lasts 30 days. If more than 30 days have gone by since the day you received your order, unfortunately we can’t offer you a refund or exchange.
→ Read our SHIPPING & RETURNS policy for more info. We strive to solve any issues fast and with as little hassle for you. If you have some additional questions, please contact us.
PROSCIUTTO KNIVES
Burja
A superb prosciutto requires a precise cutting tool and a certain amount of theatricality in slicing and serving, so a long, thin slicer, resembling a real Japanese katana, is the right choice for the job.
Based on testing and feedback from professional ham manufacturers and cutters, we eventually developed three completely different Burja knives.
The Ethos of Burja knife
The invisible presence of the wind, this great architect of nature who bends mighty trees, invigorates sea waves and creates magical dunes, is also a key component of some of the most distinctive flavors that have accompanied us for millennia. Many times when we look at the beautiful landscapes created by the wind, or at the delicious plates of wind-dried delicacies that melt in your mouth, we are reminded of this humble but undisputed king of natural beauty. Prosciutto makers don't forget to mention their beloved wind - without it, they wouldn't be able to serve their dried delicacies. It is the sharpness of the northeast wind that cuts through the pores of the meat and slowly, with precision, squeezes out the juices and dries the meat until we can call it prosciutto crudo.
Homo Habilis was the first to use (stone) knives as tools for preparing and sharing food with others. Today, the knife still defines the essence of modern humans, but has changed dramatically since its stone beginnings. The prosciutto knife embodies this ancient essence of a rudimentary knife when we cut a dried piece of meat and share it with friends.
Each knife comes with:
✔️ Instructions and knife care leaflet.
✔️ A preventive Band-Aid – the knives are very sharp! 😉
✔️ Original box from the blacksmith, which we wrap in an old Japanese newspaper sheet – so every knife is ready to be passed on as a gift as soon as it hits your doorstep!
✔️ We also offer a special gift wrapping option with the traditional Japanese washi paper.
QUIZ
Still doubting which type of Japanese knife should best fit your needs?
We created a 5-steps quiz to help you find the perfect knife based on your cooking skills and the type of food you prepare.