Japanese petty knives are world-famous for their high performance in smaller tasks and are considered one of the most versatile knife shapes. Chefs all around the globe use and swear by them.
Being the smallest knives of the Japanese knife shapes, petty knives are nimble and easy to handle. Other popular terms for petty knives are utility knives or paring knives. The thin blade on a petty knife can vary between 65mm and 210mm in length, but the 150mm variant is the most commonly used. The hardness range can vary around 56~67 HRC, depending on the maker and steel.
The saya, a case usually made of wood, protects the knife’s blade in storage spaces as well as when being carried around. You can easily find a magnetic storage case, such as the Magnetic Poplar Saya, for these knives.
5 versatile tasks that petty knives can perform
Peeling
These small yet powerful knives are ideal for peeling fruits and vegetables. Giving the cook more control over your prep tasks as these knives are highly agile. Cooks with smaller hands love a petty knife for its smaller size.
Cutting
Petty knives are great for smaller cutting tasks and serve as an accompaniment to a bigger knife, such as the santoku, or the gyuto (Japanese chef knife). Given their small size, they are great for cutting herbs with precision.
Slicing
Longer Petty knives (150mm-210mm) are the ideal choice for fine slicing, be it vegetables, meat, or fish. As a bonus, you can use these knives to create intricate vegetable carvings to top off your recipes for the perfect presentation.
Dicing
Petty knives are highly agile, helping you effortlessly dice vegetables (including shallots) or fruits in no time. As they are lightweight, you can easily show-off your dicing skills with these multitasking knives.
Boning
The pointed and sharp tip on petty knives enables the boning of fish with ease. This prep is the main step for so many popular fish recipes out there.
Although professional Japanese petty knives stay sharp for much longer than western knives, regular maintenance is important to keep them performing at their best. Depending on usage, these knives should be sharpened 2-3 times a year, and more often for extensive usage.
The versatile knives are typically made up of high-quality steel blades (such as Aogami Super, Inox Molybdenum Vanadium, SG2, etc.), and wooden handles (such as Western Pakka Wood, Octagonal Ebony, etc.).
Whether you are hosting a dinner party for friends or just making warm comfort food for your family on a cold day, take your pick of knives from The Cook’s Edge. The store offers Atlantic Canada’s largest selection of beautiful handcrafted Japanese knives, including the petty knife. The store also offers knife-sharpening services for petty knives at a reasonable cost.