Hatsukokoro Yauji Damascus Petty Utility Knife 150mm

This is a high-carbon Semi-Stainless steel chef knife designed to cut produce and boneless meats.

Pros: Sharpness, edge retention, ambidextrous handle, easy to keep sharp.

Cons: Fragile

Yoshihiro Yauji forges blades in Echizen, Japan.

The blades are damascus-clad semi-stainless Ginsan (silver 3) Japanese steel. 180mm.

The handles are octagonal stabilized birch with micarta spacer, fitted by Hatsukokoro

The best sharpening tools for Japanese knives are leather strops and fine whetstones.

Japanese chef knives are brittle and the blades can chip if not handled carefully. High Carbon steel chef knives can rust and corrode if not dried promptly and kept dry.