Yasunori is a small shop located in the Miki region of Japan, producing a limited range of kitchen knives at very reasonable prices. The owner, Yasunori-san, does everything himself, from forging to heat treating, grinding and edging. This man is no one-trick pony!
So far, we have mainly featured knives made from Blue #2 and VG10, so this AUS-10 Petty is a new departure for him, and for us.
AUS-10 is a high carbon alloy with a content of 1.05%, similar to G3. To overcome the fragile nature of a high carbon content, nickel, manganese, and silicon are added to improve the ductility and elasticity of the material. The upside is a steel that is easy to sharpen when correctly heat treated. Other elements in this steel include vanadium, chromium, and molybdenum, which give the steel its elevated resistance to corrosion. It is part of a family of AUS steels that include AUS-4, -6, and -8. Each are high in chromium with reduced carbon content as the number decreases.
This petty features a kiritsuke tip which is most unusual in this style of knife. The inclusion of this tip results in a knife with a longer blade length compared to the spine and a tip that is even more delicate than normally found on a petty. Precision-cutting of specialized garnishes is something this knife is made for, along with the usual jobs at which a petty excels.
These are really sweet knives in both looks and performance, all at a bargain price!
Edge Steel: AUS-10
HRC: 60-61
Cladding: Stainless
Finish: Hammered (Tsuchime)
Edge Grind: Even
Handle: Western Style Blue
Weight: 3.8 oz (108g)
Blade Length: 140 mm
Overall Length: 255 mm
Spine Thickness at Heel: 1.9 mm
Blade Height at Heel: 28.9 mm