The Kikuichi Semi-Stainless Petty Knife combines features of both a paring knife and a chef's knife. The narrow, straight blade and sharp tip make this knife well-suited to a variety of tasks, including paring, slicing, sectioning, and portioning. Kikuichi bladesmithing began in the 13th century, creating Samurai swords for the Japanese emperor. Kikuichi has been making kitchen cutlery for 150 years, with the royal symbol of the chrysanthemum on all blades. This knife blade is made from a proprietary semi-stainless steel, which performs like a carbon steel blade but won't rust as easily. The blade is sharpened to 61 Rockwell hardness for exceptional edge retention. The grey stabilized wood handle is triple-riveted.