The Petty knife, also known as the Japanese paring knife or the Japanese utility knife, is a versatile multi-purpose knife that is typically larger than a western paring knife, but smaller than a western chef’s knife or the Japanese chef’s knife, the Gyuto.

Petty knives are considered to be a smaller version of the Gyuto chef’s knife and are similarly used as an all-rounder knife to peel, slice, dice, mince, peel and trim a variety of smaller fruits, vegetables, herbs, garnishes and proteins.

Particularly loved by line cooks in professional kitchens for its compact size and versatility, the Petty knife is also highly recommended for those who:

• have a smaller workspace
• want a smaller knife for quick use when a full-sized Gyuto or chef’s knife would be unwieldy (to cut a lime, for example), or
• have smaller hands and want a lighter alternative to the GyutoThe history of the Japanese Petty knife dates back to the post-Meiji era after Japan opened its borders and began to trade with other countries. The western world started to influence everyday life in Japan including the Japanese diet, and eventually also influenced Japanese kitchens and their utensils. It is said that the Japanese adapted the Petty from the western utility knife, which originally evolved from the French office knife ‘couteau d’office’. This may be the reason that the Petty knife got its name, as the word ‘Petty’ comes from the French word ‘petite’, meaning ‘little’ or ‘small’. 

What does Petty mean?

The name of the Petty knife is said to be derived from the word ‘petit’, meaning ‘small’ or ‘little’ in French. The Petty knife is seen as a smaller version of the Gyuto, the Japanese chef’s knife. The Petty knife is also sometimes referred to as a Japanese paring knife or a Japanese utility knife.

What is a Petty knife best for?

The Petty knife is best for smaller tasks such as slicing or dicing vegetables, fruits and herbs; light butchery work; and for delicate tasks such as making precision cuts.

In particular, smaller petty knives with blades of 80-90mm are useful for off-board cutting or peeling (‘paring’) fruits and vegetables in the hand, or for fine precise work on a chopping board such as brunoise cuts and slicing herbs and garnishes.
The larger sized Petty knives with blades of 120mm to 150mm are considered to be a smaller alternative of the Gyuto chef’s knife, and are similarly used for a wide variety of tasks including slicing and dicing vegetables or fruits, trimming meat, filleting small fish, and other light butchery work. Petty knives of this size are often used by chefs and line cooks during service as the compact size takes up minimal space on the board but functions as a versatile workhorse.

Petty knife characteristics

The Petty knife is generally larger than a western paring knife but smaller than a western chef’s knife or the Japanese chef’s knife, the Gyuto. Petty knives are available in a wide variety of blade lengths ranging from 80mm to 180mm.

The most common blade lengths for a Petty knife are between 80-90mm, or 120-150mm. A 80-90mm Petty knife is ideal for peeling smaller fruits and vegetables in the hand or for fine and delicate tip work on the chopping board. A 120mm or 150mm Petty knife is best recommended as an alternative option to the Gyuto for those with small hands, or for those who have limited workspace in their kitchen.

The Petty knife shares a similar profile to the Gyuto Japanese chef’s knife and is typically tall and flat at the heel with a slight curve in the front edge of the blade, leading to its pointed tip. The relatively flat heel of the blade makes it well-suited for a variety of chopping styles such as thrust-cutting, while the slight belly towards the tip of the blade allows for easy rock-cutting. The pointed tip of the Petty knife also helps to achieve clean precision cuts.

The Petty knife typically features a double bevel blade with a razor-sharp edge, as Japanese double bevel knives are ground at a much more acute angle of 10-15 degrees than those of a western paring knife or a western chef’s knife.

Handle

Petty knife handles can be categorized into two categories: the traditional Japanese ‘Wa-Handle’, or a Western-style handle.

The most common wa-handle shapes are the D-shape, oval, or octagonal. While some prefer the ergonomic grip of a D-shaped or octagonal handle, the choice of the handle comes down to personal preference.

What size Petty knife should I buy?

We recommend the popular 120mm or 150mm blade lengths as the best size to get the most versatile usage out of your Petty knife. If you’re looking for a true paring knife to peel and slice vegetables and fruits or to do smaller delicate work, a Petty knife with 80-90mm blade length is recommended.

To help make your decision, you should consider factors such as the size of your workspace, the size of your hand, and the size of the produce that you will most commonly work with.