Hitohira Ashi White #2 Petty 150mm Ho Wood Handle

Ashi Hamono, a legendary company based in Sakai. Famed for their mono style and convex grind, Ashi Hamono knives are synonymous with smooth cutting performance. Ashi produces blades from a single piece of steel, known as mono steel knives. It makes for very reliable and strong knives with a very solid feeling. It is true that mono steel knives cannot be hardened to the levels of a San Mai (core-steel w/ cladding construction) knives but Ashi makes up for that with their first-class heat treatment and their superior convex sharpening. Convex sharpening is where the bevels are more rounded instead of flat, minimizing contact between product and blade. This grind, and especially on Ashi level, ensures a smooth cutting performance even when the edge gradually dulls.
In short, Ashi knives are like laser workhorses with surprisingly good edge retention and are a joy to sharpen.
They come in White #2 carbon steel and Swedish stainless steel. Stainless is easier in use, White is slightly more affordable and sharpens the best.

Petty knives (Utilty) have a similar profile as the Gyuto but smaller, commonly ranging from 12 to 15cm. A shape most often used next to any larger all-purpose blade (gyuto & santoku) although there are many households where this is the go-to knife. Very suitable for the smaller cutting tasks such as cleaning, portioning and peeling fruits and vegetables and cleaning smaller cuts of meat or fish. 

Pairing knives are more used for in-hand tasks such as peeling, trimming, scoring and cleaning and fruit or vegetable. 

This is a carbon steel knife. That means this knife is made of non-stainless steel. There is no or an insufficient amount of chromium and/or nickel to protect this steel against oxidation. Steel such as this will react to moisture and oxygen. That on itself is not a bad thing, you might even argue it’s a great thing. The knife will form a wonderful patina, it will sharpen easily and the edge life will not disappoint.

The care for a carbon steel knife such as this is not very elaborate, and very comparable to any other knife. Always store your knife clean and dry, no dishwasher, don’t let it air-dry and avoid extremely hard products like frozen foods or bones. With carbon steel you want to dry your knife also during cooking, never leave it moist or wet for too long. Often a quick wipe a dry cloth or towel is more than enough. A carbon steel knife can rust if not taken care of properly. Rust can removed but it is of course something we want to avoid.

Please note that there are many different carbon steels, just like stainless steels, each with its own properties and characteristics. Each should be judged individually.