Tsunehisa Petty AUS-10 Nami 150mm (5.9") is a small multi-purpose Japanese kitchen knife, suited for all smaller cutting tasks either in hand or on the cutting board. It also works great as a preparation knife that is then followed by a larger knife such as a gyuto. AUS-10 steel is no-fuss stainless steel with fine sharpness and great edge retention, so knife maintenance is easy.
A very distinct 33-layered Damascus pattern enriches the visuals of the blade – this pattern is unique to every knife and cannot be replicated. The damascus pattern is round and curvy in some parts, hence the name Nami (波), which translates to ‘wave’. Like your fingerprint, not one blade is alike. The entire blade is polished to a reflective mirror polish. In between the damascus waves, you can see yourself!
BLADE SHAPE:
knives are designed for smaller tasks on and off the cutting board. It's an indispensable knife in any kitchen and can be used for peeling, mincing, paring, and decorating food. Petty or utility knives are basically a smaller version of gyuto knives or chef's knives. Due to the length of the blade, it can also be used as a stand-alone knife if you are uncomfortable with longer blades. A must-have knife in every kitchen!
Use for: peeling, trimming, garnishing, carving, chopping herbs, chopping garlic, slicing small pieces of dried meat, trimming meat, filleting small portions of fish, and similar tasks.
You can find out everything you need to know about petty knives in our .
STEEL:
The heart of this knife is made of Aichi's AUS-10 stainless steel, which was hardened to around 59-60 HRC. Due to its high Chromium (Cr) content, AUS-10 steel will resist corrosion very well.
Its composition is as follows: carbon (C) 1.10% chromium (Cr) 14.50% molybdenum (Mo) 0.31% vanadium (V) 0.27% nickel (Ni) 0.49% manganese (Mn) 0.50% and silicon (Si) 1.00%
LAMINATION:
The core layer consisting of AUS-10 steel is sandwiched between two layers of softer steel. This technique is called and is used to protect the hard (but delicate) core from outside factors and physical impacts, which could lead to breakage.
GEOMETRY:
It has a (symmetrical) blade with a flat v-edge grind.
BLADE FINISH:
A mirror-polish ‘swirl ’ finish adorns the blade.
HANDLE:
An octagonal Japanese (Wa) style handle from a single piece of oak wood (without a ferrule) was fitted on the blade. This results in a natural, rustic look. The handle is comfortable and durable and is suitable for both right- and left-handed users. Oak wood is a popular choice for Japanese wa handles due to its high hardness (suitable for heavy-duty applications) and excellent durability.
ABOUT THE BLACKSMITH:
Tsunehisa knives are a brand that combines a variety of high-quality knives from various knife centers of Japan such as Tosa, Seki, and Sakai. Their philosophy is that each region has its own steel and different manufacturing processes. For example, Tosa is best known for its Ginsanko and Aus-8 steels, Seki is famous for making excellent blades from the V-Gold group of steels, and Sakai for its single-beveled Honyaki knives.
