Petty knives handle a multitude of tasks in the kitchen, covering for small chef knives, mini slicers, detail or paring knives, and even light poultry boning work. Similar to a common Western paring or utility knife, this format excels at small, detailed cutting tasks and is especially well suited to garnishes and other artistic cutting work.
This Takayuki version is a fine example of the style. The smiths at Sakai Takayuki have fashioned the blade from VG-10 stainless steel with an outer cladding of 17-layer Damascus stainless alloy applied to either side. Some VG-10 knives are harder to sharpen than many other steels, but Takayuki smiths have developed a special tempering technique that results in a hardness of 60 HRC while remaining much easier to sharpen. The softer stainless steel cladding carries a hammered (tsuchime) finish that adds to the already attractive looks of this knife, and the grind allows for fine, precise cutting throughout. A traditional octagonal handle made from maple with a red pakka wood ferrule rounds out the look and feel.
What Customers Are Saying: One reviewer who wanted a knife to bridge the gap between a shorter petty and a small gyuto reports it fills that role well, calling it light in hand and sharp enough out of the box to take a good edge when needed. His two notes for improvement: he would prefer slightly more blade height for additional knuckle clearance at this length, and he found the as-shipped blade finish a bit too shiny and chrome-like for his taste, an issue he addressed himself with some wet sandpaper and expects will improve naturally as the blade develops a patina over time.
Care Instructions: VG-10 is a fully stainless steel - low maintenance and resistant to corrosion. Hand wash and dry after each use. Avoid the dishwasher. Sharpen on quality water stones as needed.
This Takayuki version is a fine example of the style. The smiths at Sakai Takayuki have fashioned the blade from VG-10 stainless steel with an outer cladding of 17-layer Damascus stainless alloy applied to either side. Some VG-10 knives are harder to sharpen than many other steels, but Takayuki smiths have developed a special tempering technique that results in a hardness of 60 HRC while remaining much easier to sharpen. The softer stainless steel cladding carries a hammered (tsuchime) finish that adds to the already attractive looks of this knife, and the grind allows for fine, precise cutting throughout. A traditional octagonal handle made from maple with a red pakka wood ferrule rounds out the look and feel.
What Customers Are Saying: One reviewer who wanted a knife to bridge the gap between a shorter petty and a small gyuto reports it fills that role well, calling it light in hand and sharp enough out of the box to take a good edge when needed. His two notes for improvement: he would prefer slightly more blade height for additional knuckle clearance at this length, and he found the as-shipped blade finish a bit too shiny and chrome-like for his taste, an issue he addressed himself with some wet sandpaper and expects will improve naturally as the blade develops a patina over time.
Care Instructions: VG-10 is a fully stainless steel - low maintenance and resistant to corrosion. Hand wash and dry after each use. Avoid the dishwasher. Sharpen on quality water stones as needed.
- Brand: Takayuki
- Location: Sakai, Japan
- Construction: San Mai, Laser Cut
- Cladding: Hammered Damascus Stainless
- Edge Steel: VG-10
- Edge Grind: Even
- Handle: Octagonal Maple
- Ferrule: Red Pakka Wood
- Weight: 2.8 oz (82 g)
- Blade Length: 152mm
- Total Length: 287mm
- Spine Thickness at Base: 2mm
- Blade Height: 29mm
Reviews
1 review(s) WRITE A REVIEW (Reviews are subject to approval) Well-Made Knife That Fills the Gap Between Petty and Gyuto, September 7, 2025Posted By: Richard F
7 people found this review helpful
I bought this knife to fill a gap between a shorter petty and a small gyuto, a knife that is tall enough for board work and nimble enough for paring and other hand work. It's a very well made knife for the price. It's light in hand and sharp enough out of the box to prove that it will take a good edge when needed. All things considered I could give it 4.5 stars, my deductions are based on two shortcomings. The first is that for a knife of this length I would like a slightly taller blade. There is just enough knuckle clearance to make it acceptable, but at this length a taller blade would be a nice touch. The second issue is aesthetic. The blade out of the box has a shiny, chrome plated look that I think cheapens its appearance. Given its price, I'd much prefer a clean, unpretentious semi gloss finish. I've taken some wet sandpaper to the blade and that's improved it a lot. Over time I'm sure the blade will develop a properly dulled and scratched patina, but, I think, the maker should address this issue. It shouldn't be difficult to tone it down.
7 people found this review helpful
I bought this knife to fill a gap between a shorter petty and a small gyuto, a knife that is tall enough for board work and nimble enough for paring and other hand work. It's a very well made knife for the price. It's light in hand and sharp enough out of the box to prove that it will take a good edge when needed. All things considered I could give it 4.5 stars, my deductions are based on two shortcomings. The first is that for a knife of this length I would like a slightly taller blade. There is just enough knuckle clearance to make it acceptable, but at this length a taller blade would be a nice touch. The second issue is aesthetic. The blade out of the box has a shiny, chrome plated look that I think cheapens its appearance. Given its price, I'd much prefer a clean, unpretentious semi gloss finish. I've taken some wet sandpaper to the blade and that's improved it a lot. Over time I'm sure the blade will develop a properly dulled and scratched patina, but, I think, the maker should address this issue. It shouldn't be difficult to tone it down.
