Sakai Takayuki

SAK-13004

Sakai Takayuki Aonikou Blue-2 Carbon Steel Utility/Petty Knife, 150mm (5.9")

5 items left

A perfect companion to a chef's knife or santoku. A petty knife is what the Japanese call our "utility" or "paring" knives. If you already own a small utility knife or just don't find that you use them much, and if you want something that can be more versatile and used like a small slicer or "sandwich knife", then this is the perfect length (it's long enough to be used like a small chef's knife or slicer really). It's a superb example of a knife made with a high end carbon steel, so it is VERY sharp, it keeps this sharp edge a long time, and it resharpens more easily than most stainless steels. The handle and blade are beautiful, well made, and expertly finished, with excellent overall fit and finish. But remember, this is a high carbon steel knife, NOT stainless, which means you need to keep it dry and stored in a dry place to keep it from rusting. Wash by hand, wipe, dry and store after use. It is made from the high-end Hitachi Yasugi-works Blue-2 steel which is a very pure high carbon steel with added chromium and tungsten for increased toughness and durability (making it somewhat less fragile than the "white" steels for example). This steel is also called Aogami or Ao-Ko II in Japanese. Hardness is at least HRC 60. This knife is sharpened mostly on the right hand side and so is not suitable for left-hand use.

I recommend the fine ceramic hone for regular everyday maintenance. 

Customer Reviews

Based on 2 reviews
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Nicholas Kanellos
10 year review

You read that correctly. It's been 10 years, perhaps more - 11, or 12 years since I bought this knife and it's larger 11 inch sibling from Paul (I left a review on that knife's page, too). And in that time, these two knives have been my go-to cutting implements in the kitchen. And I have not been kind to them. They have spent more time out of the drawer than in. I treat them like the tools they are - except that I do hand wash them, and keep them out of the dishwasher. They are stained -- lemon juice will do that to non-stainless carbon steel, and the handles do show a few marks from over a decade of chopping, slicing and dicing, but the handles still gleam, and they keep an edge like nothing I have owned before - Henckels and Wustoffs included. I have had dalliances with other knives -- ceramic blades for example, but they're all gone now, and I've always come back to these two. I take them to the stone every month or so, and hone them with a giant 12inch honing steel that I also bought from Paul. They are trustworthy, resilient old kitchen friends now. I'm glad I stumbled on to Paul's website 10 or 12 years ago, and I'm glad I bought these two knives.

I'll be back in 10 more years for the 20-year anniversary review.

K
K.D.
Underwhelmed

I am quite underwhelmed with this knife. The finish on the handle is dull and the blade (which is double edged, more like 80/20) was not sharp upon arrival. I am quire underwhelmed with this purchase and I don't believe it's worth the price. I would have not purchased it had I seen it in the store.

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