Kurosaki Petty Fujin SG2 150mm (5.9″)

Kurosaki Petty Fujin is another uniquely looking blade from under the hands of a talented blacksmith Yu Kurosaki. As with all Kurosaki knives, the fit and finish are simply superb, making this another impressive collector’s item from the master blacksmith.

Fujin is the god of wind and one of the oldest Shinto gods in Japanese mythology. It is a most suitable name for the knife since the unique hammered patterns on the blade resemble the blowing of the wind. The knife is made from the popular powder steel SG2, heat-treated to 63 HRC. The bottom part of the blade has a matte migaki finish, which contrasts wonderfully with the dark, octagonal rosewood handle.

BLADE SHAPE
Petty is a small kitchen knife perfect for all those delicate tasks where a larger knife is deemed unwieldy. On and off the cutting board. It’s used for peeling, paring and decorating, coring apples, cutting out potato eyes, and similar tasks. This is a knife you should absolutely consider adding to your collection.Due to the length of the blade, it can also be used as a stand-alone knife if you are uncomfortable with longer blades.
Use for: peeling, trimming, garnishing, carving, chopping herbs, chopping garlic, slicing small pieces of dried meat, trimming meat, filleting small portions of fish, and similar tasks.

STEEL
SG2 steel is a powder steel, renowned for its hardness (63 HRC!) and subsequent edge retention—due to a high carbon (C) content of 1.5%. The steel is also high in chromium (Cr)—around 15%, which adds to corrosion resistance and Molybdenum (Mo) which improves the blade’s wear resistance. SG2 steel blades will be able to achieve a fine sharpness due to the fine microstructure of the steel and will keep it—without having to worry about maintenance and corrosion.

LAMINATION
The blade’s core was laminated using the san-mai method to improve its structural integrity and subsequent ability to withstand impacts and prevent chipping. San-mai translates to “three layers” in Japanese, referring to a blade that is composed of a primary, inner layer of harder steel (hagane) and of two secondary, outer layers of softer steel (jigane) that protect the prior.
→ Read more on Blade Construction: Lamination.

BLADE GEOMETRY
The blade has a double bevel (symmetrical) blade (50/50) with a flat v-edge grind. It has a slight distal taper – at the tang, the blade is 2.3mm (0.09″) thick and narrows towards the tip, where above the shinogi line it measures 1.8mm (0.07″) in thickness. This gives the blade more strength and weight at the handle (meaning we can exert more pressure with the heel) and more precision at the tip, allowing for smooth and precise cuts.

BLADE FINISH
The Kurosaki Fujin blade consists of a unique lined tsuchime (hammered) finish and matte migaki polish. The narrow and straight lines create a sense of motion, evoking the image of swirling winds. This distinctive texture not only enhances the visual charm of the blade but also reduces food sticking to it. 
Fujin is the god of wind and one of the oldest Shinto gods in Japanese mythology. The unique hammered finish on the knife beautifully captures the essence of a windy storm, infusing it with an intriguing aesthetic and a touch of elemental power.

HANDLE
Kurosaki fitted his signature wooden handle on the Fujin. Made from beautiful dark rosewood with an octagonal shape, it fits the hands of both left- and right-handed users. Topped with a dark pakka wood ferrule. 

About Yu Kurosaki:
Yu Kurosaki is a talented master blacksmith, located in Takefu Knife Village, close to the city of Echizen. His knives are well known in Japan and around the world for their beautiful, special-looking design and great quality. Hammer’s dents on the blade are his unique signature, and like snowflakes, not a single dent is alike. Needless to say (but we will say it anyway), his knives not only look great, they are made of high-quality steels and come with a razor sharp, long-lasting edge.

Before opening his own smithy, Kurosaki-san was the apprentice of Hiroshi Kato, a master blacksmith with more than 50 years of knife making experience. Kato-san is one of the founders of the Takefu Knife Village, where now more than 10 master blacksmiths make handmade knives on display for visitors to observe and learn more about their craft. Kurosaki-san is the youngest blacksmith to be granted the title of Master Nokaji by Takefu Knife Village Association and is the senior teacher there.

☝️When you visit Japan, make sure to put the Takefu Knife Village to your itinerary!

Here’s a short video of Kurosaki’s workshop: