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We have become very grateful to the fact that the manufacturer Marusho Industry pleases us with a wonderful masterpiece from time to time. Of course with Mcusta or Zanmai tag. There are always few of the best, so without exception these are limited series. We distributors then have an imperial role. Sufficiently assertive to "grab" the largest possible part for one's own market. It sounds simple, but it's just error of sense. We'll explain why right away.
It is typical for the Japanese that, unlike other nations, they do not flaunt their success. They are also not very open to communicating about their plans. Therefore, extracting information about what will happen, what it will be like and when it will happen is often a superhuman feat. They also tend to be economical in providing detailed information about individual techniques and materials. So it's up to us what tactics we choose. Fortunately, many years of experience have shown us where the road leads and where it doesn't.
Platinium Label PL-3 Rex is the name of the newest addition to the MCUSTA brand family. The name already suggests that it will be something exclusive. And it suggests correctly. In the beginning, the material was Rex wood. Quality wood strengthened by impregnation with dyes and resins. The supplier is none other than the world-famous electric guitar manufacturer ESP. In 1975, Hisatake Shibuya opened a workshop for the repair of electric guitar components and called it Electric Sound Products - ESP. Today, the company is based not only in Japan but also in California, and its ESP exhibition limited guitars are played by many rock stars, including Ronnie Wood from the legendary Rolling Stones. ESP uses Rex wood for their high end guitars.
Obtaining material resembling a rough gemstone is a real challenge. Designers from Marusho Industry decided to use it for the handle and balance its textural complexity with the simplicity of the curves of the whole. The knife therefore has a solid blade smoothly passing in one line into the handle. Both the blade and the frame of the handle are made of first-class VG-10 in a San Mai sandwich. By repeatedly etching the surface, the manufacturer achieved a pattern resembling a meteorite crystal. An impressive detail indeed. The right side of the blade bears the name of the brand and the country of origin, the left bears the proud inscription Platinium Label and the serial number of the knife. Well, let's go back to the handle, which is the highlight of this knife, just like it was in the case of the specially made Mcusta Asanoha. The color is grouping is random and will not be repeated on any other knife. Each handle was carved by hand. In addition to color variations, it also stands out with its plastic surface. The polished surfaces resemble the grinding of a diamond. From different angles, you perceive the knife differently. Each knife is an unrepeatable original.
Despite the uniqueness of this product, it is still a functional knife. Therefore, the manufacturer supplemented it with a leather belt sheath so that it is always available to you. You can find both in a tasteful wooden kirbako box.
Mcusta Platinium Label PL-3 Rex is a limited numbered series produced in a final number of 100 pcs.
© 2022 Copyright Roman Ulík, Nippon Knives, www.japonskenoze.sk all rights reserved. Photos and texts are protected by copyright law and their use without the author's consent is not possible.
About producer
The manufacturer of iconic MCUSTA knives is Marusho Industry Inc. from Seki City in Gifu Province. Any connoisseur of Japanese knives knows that this is a prominent area with more than 700 years of tradition. The Hasegawa family clan has been producing the most sophisticated pocket knives you can find here for three generations.
Marusho Industry Inc. has a rarely seen production background in this industry. Since we are lucky, or rather honored, to be a family friend of the Hasegawas, we did not miss the opportunity to tour their factory. We start with the design and construction section, where experienced programmers prepare algorithms for modern CNC machines. The most elegant materials that you can only imagine in a cutlery shop are casually resting in the entrance warehouse. VG-10 steel sheets from nearby Takefu, 33-layer damascene sheets, aluminum alloys, rare woods and high-quality micarta. Laser cutters and CNC mills work in the machining section. However, the most interesting thing for us is the finalization of the knives and their subsequent sharpening. Here, on the contrary, everything is done manually. Even the president of the company, Tomohiro Hasegawa, sits down at the rotating grindstone and skillfully shapes the razor blade. This is followed by a final inspection, where each knife is carefully examined and travels to the dispatch warehouse. The whole world is supplied from there. Today, you will hardly find a brand that is still produced in its country of origin. MCUSTA is among those that have retained this privilege.
©2010-2018 Copyright Roman Ulík, Nippon Knives, www.japonskenoze.sk all rights reserved.
Photos and texts are protected by copyright law and their use without the author's consent is not possible.
