This 130 mm petty, fitted with an olive wood handle, belongs to the compact format of Japanese utility knives. The name comes from the English "petty" or the French "petit", meaning small knife. Its short blade, fine toward the tip, suits detail work: peeling, brunoise, fresh herbs, small cuts of meat or fish. The double-bevel edge (ryoba) works for right- and left-handed users alike, on the board or in the hand.
At 130 mm, this petty sits in the shortest range of the format (120 to 135 mm). It suits short movements on small items, where a 150 mm knife offers more cutting length. The handle is olive wood, a dense timber whose grain is often pronounced, so the pattern differs from one knife to the next. Paired with a short blade, it keeps the whole knife compact and easy to store in a drawer or on a magnetic strip.
The blade is made from SKD-11 (SLD Steel), a semi-stainless tool steel. Its chromium content places it between two families: it resists corrosion better than pure carbon steel and develops little to no patina, without being fully stainless. On water stones it responds more readily than most standard stainless steels, and quality stones are recommended. A blade left wet for too long can still show marks.
Care
Rinse and dry the blade after use. Never wash it in the dishwasher. Between sharpenings, a few passes on a leather strop realign the edge as part of regular upkeep.
