Once you’ve spent a year or two honing your knife skills, you start to realize how valuable a good petty knife can be. These handy “all-rounder” knives are firm favorites of collectors and professionals everywhere. On this page, we’ll cover the 5 best petty knives money can buy in 2023 – for our money at least!
We’ve scoured through countless online reviews, testimonials, and product specs to bring you the list below. If it’s featured on this page, we genuinely believe you’ll love it.
What is a Petty Knife?
If you’re dealing with most cuts of steak – or regularly eat cuts of meat that are similar to steak – then you’ll need a decent steak knife set in your collection. They’re used to cut through your delicious meals once they reach the dinner table.
Petty Knife Appearance
Usually with blades between 4 and 6 inches long, most petty knives are small and designed to be a convenient tools that can effortlessly tackle those “quick and dirty” tasks in the kitchen. Their blades range in thickness between 75mm and 160mm. Double and single-bevel options are available.
Petty Knife Main Uses:
- 🔪 Peeling.
- 🔪 Prepping small pieces for plating.
- 🔪 Shaping elements of a dish.
- 🔪 Quick slicing tasks.
- 🔪 Cutting fruits and vegetables.
Our Top Five Petty Knives of 2023
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Right, let’s get into it. The five knives below are our favorite petty knives in 2023. We’ve closely considered the price-to-performance ratio, balance, comfort, appearance, durability, and more to make the suggestions on this page.
1. Tojiro DP Petty Knife – Editor’s Choice
Our editor’s top pick for the best petty knife in 2023 – excellent performance and a friendly price.
Tojiro DP Petty Knife Specifications:
About the knife
At less than $70, this Tojiro petty knife is unlikely to break the bank. Don’t let the smaller price tag fool you – this knife delivers fantastic performance and very respectable durability. It’s perfect for all your petty kitchen tasks like peeling and shaping.
The ergonomic handle feels great in the hand and the overall balance of the product is fantastic. The full-tang handle will help this knife go the distance for many years to come. Backed by a lifetime warranty, this is our favorite overall petty knife for 2023.
Maintenance
This knife is not dishwasher safe. Hand wash with mild temperatures and dish soaps only. Once clean, your product should be thoroughly dried and stored away from other utensils. Follow the manufacturer’s sharpening guidance for the best results.
Pros:
- 🔪 Excellent price-to-performance ratio.
- 🔪 60+ HRC for sharpness and sharpness retention.
- 🔪 Very comfortable.
- 🔪 Excellent balance.
Cons:
- 🔪 Stamped, not forged.
- 🔪 Composite wood handle.
2. Mercer Culinary MX3 Premium San Mai Petty Knife
A fantastic petty knife backed by a wicked-sharp, VG-10 blade.
Mercer Culinary MX3 Premium San Mai Petty Knife Specifications:
About the knife
You get a whole lot of bang for your buck with this petty knife. For between $80 and $90, Mercer Culinary is offering a HRC of up to 62, a forged VG-10 steel construction, and a full-tang design. Unsurprisingly, this results in a knife that performs very well, and should last a long time to boot.
We’re big fans of the handle design used for this product. It’s super comfortable to hold and there’s a great balance across the entire body of the knife. It’s hard to go wrong with this one.
Maintenance
This petty knife is not rated as dishwasher safe. As with any premium knife, hand wash in warm soapy water only. Use a steel or sharpening stone to maintain this knife’s edge. Follow the manufacturer’s guidance here.
Pros:
- 🔪 Very sharp.
- 🔪 Great sharpness retention (up to 62 HRC).
- 🔪 Limited lifetime warranty.
- 🔪 Comfortable and well-balanced.
Cons:
- 🔪 May chip more easily than less sharp knives.
- 🔪 Only the outer layers are high-carbon.
3. ROKUSHIRO Petty Knife 5.3-Inch
A beautiful Japanese petty knife made from high-carbon steel.
ROKUSHIRO Petty Knife 5.3-Inch Specifications:
About the knife
This sub-$50 petty knife from Rokushiro is one of the most comfortable we’ve encountered for a long time. A lot of work has gone into making the handle of this product amazing – it’s equal parts ergonomic and durable. With a HRC of 58+, this knife will have a touch more flexibility for those more intricate tasks in the kitchen.
For more precise cuts and peels, this is a fantastic option. The full-tang, fully forged construction used here is great to see. This means your new Rokushiro should last for many years to come if you look after it properly.
Maintenance
This knife should not be cleaned in the dishwasher. Hand wash only and dry fully before storing. Use a honing rod or fine grit sharpening stone to maintain your knife’s edge.
Pros:
- 🔪 Very comfortable.
- 🔪 Full-tang, forged construction.
- 🔪 Great overall balance.
- 🔪 Looks great.
Cons:
- 🔪 The warranty is only one year.
- 🔪 Customer support isn’t amazing.
4. Spyderco Itamae Petty Premium Kitchen Knife
A premium petty knife that’s designed to impress.
FOXEL Best Straight Edge Steak Knives Knife Set of 4 Specifications:
About the knife
Not everyone will be able to afford the $200-$280 asking price of this Spyderco petty knife. Those that can, however, will be glad they took the plunge. Not only does this knife look beautiful, but it also performs exceptionally well.
Expect a surprisingly comfortable handle, great overall balance, and a blade that’s ridiculously sharp. We think this would make a fantastic gift. It’s sure to turn heads at your next dinner party – just don’t show off too much!
Maintenance
Don’t wash this knife in the dishwasher. The handle in particular will degrade quickly if you do so. Hand wash only and dry thoroughly afterward. Sharpen with a fine grit sharpening stone or honing rod.
Pros:
- 🔪 Looks amazing.
- 🔪 Wicked-sharp edge.
- 🔪 Surprisingly comfortable handle.
- 🔪 Backed by a lifetime warranty.
Cons:
- 🔪 Not super affordable.
- 🔪 Undisclosed HRC rating.
5. Yoshihiro Damascus Petty Japanese Knife
Forged/ hammered steel and a beautiful handle combine in one of our favorite Japanese petty knives.
Yoshihiro Damascus Petty Japanese Knife Specifications:
About the knife
If you prefer Japanese-style knives, this Yoshihiro petty knife is an excellent option for you. For $140-$160, it can be yours. 46 layers of VG-10 hammered Damascus steel are used to produce a blade that looks fantastic and cuts even better than it looks.
The rosewood handle also looks beautiful and will feel very comfortable to those used to working with Japanese knives. We found this knife to be very well balanced and with a durability that will be more than enough for most people.
Maintenance
This knife won’t thank you if you clean it in the dishwasher. Hand wash with mild soaps and dry immediately before storing. Use a whetstone to sharpen this knife. Specific guidance can be found here. Use mineral oil or linseed oil on your handle from time to time.
Pros:
- 🔪 Absolutely beautiful.
- 🔪 VG-10 Damascus steel.
- 🔪 Very sharp.
- 🔪 Comfortable design.
Cons:
- 🔪 Not full tang.
- 🔪 Some customers report not receiving their wooden sheaths.
5 Best Petty Knives – Our Conclusion
We hope you’ve found our list of the best petty knives helpful. All of the options on this page will perform well in the following categories:
- 🔪 Sharpness.
- 🔪 Comfort.
- 🔪 Durability.
- 🔪 Balance.
- 🔪 Overall performance.
Be sure to consider your budget before considering and only buy a knife that you can comfortably afford. There’s always more time to upgrade later on!
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