The utility knife is the French term for a small precision knife with a short blade; the petty is its Japanese equivalent, slightly longer (sometimes up to 150 mm) and with a thinner profile. Both share the same purpose—small cuts, trimming, peeling. But the petty features a sharper edge angle and a thinner blade, characteristics of Japanese forging. At StaySharp, both formats coexist and are selected by Olivier Caza-Berthelet according to performance criteria.
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Find your ideal knife
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Our quiz guides you according to your needs, usage, and preferences.
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The Japanese utility knife, also known as a petty, is the indispensable companion to the Gyuto or Santoku. Its short blade (70 to 150 mm) and extremely sharp edge make it superior to any Western utility knife for tasks requiring control and precision—peeling fruits and vegetables, trimming meat and fish, finely chopping herbs, and preparing garnishes. The difference with the European utility knife lies in the geometry: the Japanese edge angle (10 to 15 degrees per side) allows for millimeter-precise work impossible with a 20-degree utility knife. The StaySharp collection covers several Japanese artisan steels (VG-10, SG2, Aogami, Shirogami) and several lengths to adapt to your main use, selected by Olivier Caza-Berthelet, training chef, according to real performance criteria.