Paring Knife, 9 cm blade. The paring knife is the most-used knife in a kitchen, right after the chef knife. The “Tsuchime” 槌目 (hammered) pattern creates tiny pockets of air between the blade and the food being cut. This ancestral Japanese method reduces drag, thus preventing food from sticking to the blade. Its 1.8 mm thin blade allows precise and sharp cuts, never crushing even the most delicate food to preserve their full flavor. Forged with Japanese 440C high-carbon stainless steel, the blade will stay sharp up to 10 times longer than other knives. 440C combines a high carbon content for hardness and edge retention with the optimal amount of chromium for corrosion resistance. ABOUT THE MAKER KOTAI was born as a bridge between Asian and Western cutlery. Light, precise, and ultra-sharp like a Japanese knife yet stainless, sturdy and very durable like a German knife.All the pros without the cons, no compromise. KOTAI means “solid” in Japanese; durability and performance are the defining values behind all our creations.