The petty at 150mm sits at the longer end of the format - compact enough for in-hand work on fruit and aromatics, long enough to function as a capable board knife for small prep tasks that a larger gyuto or santoku is too unwieldy to handle precisely. Ikeda-san now leads Anryu Hamono after 50 years of production under master blacksmith Katsushige Anryu, one of the founders of Takefu Knife Village in Echizen. The AS line is built around Aogami Super carbon steel - the highest-performing steel in the Hitachi Blue Paper family - clad san-mai in stainless steel and finished with the kurouchi (black finish, as-forged surface) and tsuchime (hammered) combination that makes these knives immediately recognizable.
Aogami Super earns its reputation through edge retention. Hardened to 61-62 HRC, it holds a keen edge through extended sessions and sharpens back to a genuinely impressive level when the time comes - AS rewards quality water stones and regular stropping. The stainless cladding makes daily maintenance more forgiving than a fully reactive blade, though the exposed core at the edge still benefits from attentive drying after use. At 149mm with a 3mm spine and 84g, the knife has a comfortable, confident feel in hand without being heavy. The rosewood octagonal handle and black pakka ferrule complement the dark blade finish well and are proportioned correctly for the size of the knife.
Care Instructions: Aogami Super is reactive carbon steel and will develop a patina with use. Wipe and dry the blade after every use and avoid leaving acidic foods on the edge. Hand wash only - no dishwasher. Apply camellia oil before extended storage. Sharpen on quality water stones and strop regularly between full sharpenings.
Aogami Super earns its reputation through edge retention. Hardened to 61-62 HRC, it holds a keen edge through extended sessions and sharpens back to a genuinely impressive level when the time comes - AS rewards quality water stones and regular stropping. The stainless cladding makes daily maintenance more forgiving than a fully reactive blade, though the exposed core at the edge still benefits from attentive drying after use. At 149mm with a 3mm spine and 84g, the knife has a comfortable, confident feel in hand without being heavy. The rosewood octagonal handle and black pakka ferrule complement the dark blade finish well and are proportioned correctly for the size of the knife.
Care Instructions: Aogami Super is reactive carbon steel and will develop a patina with use. Wipe and dry the blade after every use and avoid leaving acidic foods on the edge. Hand wash only - no dishwasher. Apply camellia oil before extended storage. Sharpen on quality water stones and strop regularly between full sharpenings.
- Blacksmith: Ikeda San
- Location: Echizen, Japan
- Construction: San Mai, Hammer Forged
- Edge Steel: Aogami Super (AS)
- Cladding: Stainless
- Finish: Kurouchi (Black Finish), Tsuchime (Hammered)
- HRC: 61-62
- Handle: Rosewood Octagonal
- Ferrule: Black Pakka Wood
- Weight: 2.9 oz (84g)
- Blade Length: 149mm
- Total Length: 278mm
- Spine Thickness at Heel: 3mm
- Blade Height: 34mm
