ZDP-189 Petty Black 135mm (5.3") - BLADE

ZDP-189 Petty Black 135mm (5.3") - BLADE is a small kitchen knife blade from our ZDP-189 series which we designed in collaboration with the Yoshida Hamono smithy. With this series, we fused Japanese tradition and knowledge of blade design and materials processing, and what came out is a versatile kitchen knife made of powder steel that is simple to use and maintain. To top it off, it boasts incredible properties, characteristic of only the best performing and most practical Japanese blades!

BLADE SHAPE:
Petty or utility knife is basically a smaller version of gyuto or chef's knife, intended for all those smaller tasks where larger and wider knives are deemed unwieldy. A must-have in every kitchen, this small general-purpose knife is used for peeling and slicing fruit and vegetables, while its compact size and a relatively narrow blade also makes it very nimble and thus perfect for filleting fish, cutting poultry, slicing smaller pieces of dry meats and trimming meat. The blade is 135mm (5.3") long.

HANDLE:
This blade comes without a handle. You can fit your own or choose from the large variety of our custom handles here. You can also try out our knife configurator to find the perfect handle for your needs!

STEEL:
The heart of the knife is made of ZDP-189 steel, which we selected because systematic testing has proven its superior qualities and long-lasting sharpness.

The steel contains as much as 3% Carbon (C), which is one of the main elements contributing strength and typically found in amounts of up to only 1% in other types of solid steel, while the Chromium (Cr) content, which prevents corrosion, amounts to nearly 20%. It also features 0.60% Tungsten (W), which considerably increases the abrasion resistance of steel, 1.4% Molybdenum (Mo), which helps to preserve the strength and power of steel under variable temperatures, and 0.10% Vanadium (V), the key element in increasing steel strength. Heat treatment produces steel with a hardness of 65-67 HRC.

LAMINATION:
The steel is laminated, meaning that the core is made of very strong steel covered with an external layer of softer stainless steel - also known as warikomi clad. The softer external layer protects the core steel from external factors.

The hard core of a knife is sandwiched between two layers of softer steel, reaching only up to a half of the blade’s width. This specific type of construction is used for steels that are very challenging to forge, for example for certain types of powder steels. A glowing hot piece of iron is split and a piece of steel is inserted. The material is now forged into one piece. This creates a highly durable kitchen knife with a slightly more pliable core. The main advantage of these knives is that they are thin, sharp and retain their edge very well. Warikomi is also called the “split and insert method”. 

GEOMETRY:
Petty Black has a double bevel (symmetrical) blade with a low profile and a V-edge grind, which gives it a good balance between the ease of cutting and robustness. This kind of grind produces very sharp edges and is wonderful at making very thin slices. 

BLADE FINISH:
Kuro-uchi finish, the unprocessed (black) part on the top side of the blade has already developed a dark patina, which protects the blade and gives it a traditional Japanese look. 

The knife bears barely visible impressions of the hand-forging process (round hammer dents on the blade), which gives it a beautiful rustic finish and also prevents food from sticking to the blade. Kanji  登録 九佐吉作 "registered as work of Yoshida Smithy in Saga Prefecture, Kyushu, Japan" has been chiseled onto the blade.

ABOUT THE BLACKSMITH:
The knife is manufactured at the smithy of Yoshida Hamono in Japan, a family company with an age-long tradition in manufacturing state-of-the-art tools and Japanese swords, i.e., katanas, by hand. Yoshida Hamono has a great deal of experience forging ZDP-189 steel in the traditional manner.