Tanaka Petty Ginsanko Nashiji 150mm (5.9″)

Tanaka Petty Ginsanko Nashiji with a blade length of 150mm is slightly on the larger side, with a wider profile that makes it perfectly usable as a stand-alone knife, not just as a complementary piece to a larger multi-purpose knife. Either way you choose to utilize it, though, it won’t fail to impress you, as it’s coming from the hands of master blacksmith Shigeki Tanaka.

Shigeki-san has collaborated with Kobe Design University in the past, showing his affinity for incorporating innovative shapes into his knives. This is visible in the knife’s unique heel, which is angled forward, towards the tip, instead of finishing in a more perpendicular fashion.

The knife’s aesthetic continues in a gray monochrome palette, the sole distinct characteristic of the blade being a striking hand-chiseled kanji.

BLADE SHAPE:
Petty knives are basically smaller versions of Gyuto knives (Chef’s knife). Petty knives are intended for all those smaller tasks where larger knives are deemed unwieldy. On and off the cutting board. A must-have knife in every kitchen, it can be used for peeling, mincing, paring and decorating food.

STEEL:
Hitachi’s Silver III steel, also named Ginsan steel or Ginsanko, which was hardened to around 63 HRC. Due to its high content of Chromium (Cr), Ginsan steel will resist corrosion very well. Despite it being a stainless steel, it feels and behaves very similarly to carbon steels, due to its extremely pure composition. This also means it will sharpen very well and easily.

LAMINATION:
The core layer consisting of the harder Ginsan steel was sandwiched between two layers of softer steel. This technique is called san-mai 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 double bevel (symmetrical) blade.

BLADE FINISH:
The blade goes from a coarse nashiji finish to a cloudy damascus pattern all the way down to the cutting edge, where the Ginsan steel core is exposed.

HANDLE:
Lightweight western (Yo) style handle made of pakka wood.

ABOUT THE BLACKSMITH:
The remarkable performance of kitchen knives may well be a synonym for Shigeki Tanaka. This young skilled craftsman that can boast with his radical design and mastery makes knives that are beloved by people all over the world. Shigeki Tanaka is the fourth generation blacksmith. Due to his excellent knife-making skills, Shigeki Tanaka is one of the most recognizable blacksmiths in the city of Miki.