One detail collectors look for in knives from Yoshikazu Tanaka is a wider, more visible clad line between the hagane core and the jigane cladding than most other Sakai makers leave exposed, and this 120mm petty shows it off clearly given how much surface area a smaller blade exposes at a glance.
The core is Blue #1 carbon steel, set into a soft iron jigane and finished in kurouchi, with the dark upper blade contrasting against a sand blasted lower face along the shinogi. The handle is an octagonal rosewood with a colored pakka wood ferrule, sized appropriately for a smaller knife. As with most Sakai knives, the actual measurements run a little shorter than the size in the name, so check the spec list below for the true dimensions.
Care Instructions:Blue #1 is a reactive carbon steel and the soft iron cladding is reactive as well, so wipe and dry the blade immediately after every use rather than letting it sit. Avoid leaving acidic foods against the blade for long stretches, and apply a light coat of camellia oil for longer term storage. Hand wash only, and sharpen on quality water stones, since Blue #1 rewards careful technique and holds an edge for a long stretch once it is properly set.
The core is Blue #1 carbon steel, set into a soft iron jigane and finished in kurouchi, with the dark upper blade contrasting against a sand blasted lower face along the shinogi. The handle is an octagonal rosewood with a colored pakka wood ferrule, sized appropriately for a smaller knife. As with most Sakai knives, the actual measurements run a little shorter than the size in the name, so check the spec list below for the true dimensions.
Care Instructions:Blue #1 is a reactive carbon steel and the soft iron cladding is reactive as well, so wipe and dry the blade immediately after every use rather than letting it sit. Avoid leaving acidic foods against the blade for long stretches, and apply a light coat of camellia oil for longer term storage. Hand wash only, and sharpen on quality water stones, since Blue #1 rewards careful technique and holds an edge for a long stretch once it is properly set.
- Blacksmith: Yoshikazu Tanaka
- Sharpener: Tsuyoshi Yauchi
- Location: Sakai, Japan
- Construction: San Mai, Hammer Forged
- Edge Steel: Blue #1 (Aogami #1)
- Cladding: Soft Iron
- Finish: Kurouchi
- Hardness: 62-64 HRC
- Handle: Rosewood Octagonal
- Ferrule: Colored Pakka Wood
- Weight: 2.3 oz (66 g)
- Blade Length: 116 mm
- Total Length: 239 mm
- Spine Thickness at Base: 2 mm
- Blade Height: 28 mm
