The Kogetsu line of knives is made by a smith working in tandem with his son under a workshop called Goko Hamono. Committed to the path of blademaking in his early 20’s, his philosophy revolves around the pursuit of functional perfection in every knife coming out of his forge. Each knife is individually forged by hand and finished with a rustic look, giving each blade its individual characteristics. The convex (aka. Hamaguri) grind seen on the edge is individually done by the maker. Every time we get these, it’s like Christmas. Made from SK4 steel, these knives are easy to sharpen and retain their edge very well thanks to its hand-forging quality. SK4 steel is commonly used as a tool steel and is not often forged by hand for kitchen knives, but boasts excellent hardening properties and can take on a very fine edge with sharpening. With Kogetsu, what you get is more than what you pay for. A petty (utility) knife probably gets used most often after your all-purpose knives. It can be used to cut small fruits, vegetables, and even some smaller cuts of meats (any many many more things, like cutting through plastic wrapping from a grocery trip!) If you have one, for a quick meal for two, you may just get it done without a chef's knife. Brand: Kogetsu 五香刃物 Smith: Goko Hamono 五香刃物製作所 Producing Area: Chiba/ Japan Profile: Petty Size: 120mm Steel Type: Carbon Steel Steel: Mono SK High Carbon Handle: Pakka Western Total Length: 226mm Edge Length: 118mm Handle to Tip Length: 120mm Blade Height: 28mm Thickness: 1mm Handle Length: 103mm Weight: 83g Hand Orientation: Right-Handed