If a good blacksmith-made knife with a traditional, rustic finish is what you are after, this is a great place to start. The Fugen line is made for CKTG by Yoshimitsu Hamono, a shop in Shimabara, Nagasaki Prefecture, originally founded by five brothers known for self-smelting Tamahagane steel in a traditional tatara furnace - one of the most demanding and historic methods of Japanese steelmaking. Today only one nephew, Yoshida-san, carries the business forward.
This petty uses Hitachi White Paper #1 steel with a soft iron cladding, manufactured to please both home cooks and professional line cooks at an entry-level price. The cladding wears a kurouchi finish, which keeps manufacturing costs down while adding protection to the blade. At 150mm long, this petty handles basic vegetable and herb processing as well as garnish work with ease. The classic profile is matched to an upgraded octagonal oak handle with a burnt urushi finish.
What Customers Are Saying: One reviewer who specifically wanted a White #1 petty at this length calls it a great value-to-performance ratio, noting it was not especially sharp out of the box but came alive after five minutes on an India fine stone - he learned to leave it alone after that rather than chasing a higher finish. A second reviewer calls it a gem at the price, praising the solid feel and the earthy burnt oak handle, and thanks CKTG specifically for tracking down a saya that actually fits. A third reviewer, newer to Japanese knives, says the kurouchi finish delivers exactly the traditional look and feel he wanted in a modestly priced petty.
Care Instructions: White #1 is a highly reactive carbon steel and will patina quickly with use. Wipe and dry the blade immediately after every use. Hand wash only. Apply camellia oil for long-term storage.
This petty uses Hitachi White Paper #1 steel with a soft iron cladding, manufactured to please both home cooks and professional line cooks at an entry-level price. The cladding wears a kurouchi finish, which keeps manufacturing costs down while adding protection to the blade. At 150mm long, this petty handles basic vegetable and herb processing as well as garnish work with ease. The classic profile is matched to an upgraded octagonal oak handle with a burnt urushi finish.
What Customers Are Saying: One reviewer who specifically wanted a White #1 petty at this length calls it a great value-to-performance ratio, noting it was not especially sharp out of the box but came alive after five minutes on an India fine stone - he learned to leave it alone after that rather than chasing a higher finish. A second reviewer calls it a gem at the price, praising the solid feel and the earthy burnt oak handle, and thanks CKTG specifically for tracking down a saya that actually fits. A third reviewer, newer to Japanese knives, says the kurouchi finish delivers exactly the traditional look and feel he wanted in a modestly priced petty.
Care Instructions: White #1 is a highly reactive carbon steel and will patina quickly with use. Wipe and dry the blade immediately after every use. Hand wash only. Apply camellia oil for long-term storage.
- Knife Brand: Fugen
- Blacksmith: Yoshimitsu
- Location: Nagasaki, Japan
- Construction: Hammer Forged, San Mai
- Cladding: Soft Iron
- Finish: Kurouchi
- Edge Steel: White #1
- HRC: 61
- Edge Grind: Even
- Weight: 3.3 oz (94 g)
- Blade Length: 150 mm
- Total Length: 280 mm
- Spine Thickness at Base: 3 mm
- Blade Height: 35 mm
- Handle: Oak Octagonal, One-Piece, Burnt Urushi Finish
Reviews
4 review(s) WRITE A REVIEW (Reviews are subject to approval) White 1 PettyPosted By: Stanley
32 people found this review helpful
I was looking for a White 1 Petty 150mm and just by chance came across this Fugen/Yoshimitsu. Nice, real nice and good value/performance ratio. Not very sharp OOB but 5 minutes on a India Fine and wow.....blistering sharp. No higher grit finishing or stropping on this one. I've learned, leave well enough alone.
32 people found this review helpful
I was looking for a White 1 Petty 150mm and just by chance came across this Fugen/Yoshimitsu. Nice, real nice and good value/performance ratio. Not very sharp OOB but 5 minutes on a India Fine and wow.....blistering sharp. No higher grit finishing or stropping on this one. I've learned, leave well enough alone.
Wow...What a Surprise!Posted By: Steve
31 people found this review helpful
The knife is Beautiful and Super Sharp! The Blade looks ands feels Solid. I LOVE that I found this Gem at such an Affordable price...it's worth Twice as much IMO. "Hitachi" White Steel #1 with an Earthy Solid Burnt Oak Wa handle. Thanks for finding the Perfect Saya for my knife...you said that you would try to find one that fits and you DID!
Thanks Again for you Professionalism and Quality products!
31 people found this review helpful
The knife is Beautiful and Super Sharp! The Blade looks ands feels Solid. I LOVE that I found this Gem at such an Affordable price...it's worth Twice as much IMO. "Hitachi" White Steel #1 with an Earthy Solid Burnt Oak Wa handle. Thanks for finding the Perfect Saya for my knife...you said that you would try to find one that fits and you DID!
Thanks Again for you Professionalism and Quality products!
Nice petty with traditional feelPosted By: Matt Freeman
40 people found this review helpful
I wanted a modestly priced petty and what arrived fills the bill nicely, simple and well made, and the kurouchi finish helps give it that traditional look and feel you want in a handmade Japanese knife. As a relatively new Japanes knife nut I'm not really ready for a pricey work of art I'd be scared to sharpen or chop an onion with. And it arrives plenty sharp out of the box, if that matters. What matters more to me is it simply has that handmade quality you can't reproduce in a factory.
40 people found this review helpful
I wanted a modestly priced petty and what arrived fills the bill nicely, simple and well made, and the kurouchi finish helps give it that traditional look and feel you want in a handmade Japanese knife. As a relatively new Japanes knife nut I'm not really ready for a pricey work of art I'd be scared to sharpen or chop an onion with. And it arrives plenty sharp out of the box, if that matters. What matters more to me is it simply has that handmade quality you can't reproduce in a factory.
Great Balance, Good Value
