Tsunehisa Ginsan Petty and Hasegawa Cutting Board

When I first started working at KNIFE, I knew I’d soon be acquiring some gear to up my home cooking game. I’d been very faithful to my santoku gifted to me by my parents a number of years ago, so I assumed that would be the shape I would stick to since I’m so used to the size and feel of it. Little did I know how much I would be reaching for my Tsunehisa Ginsan Petty for basically anything and everything that needs cutting, with my new trusty Hasegawa cutting board to provide the most ideal surface.

Some backstory: a few months ago I brought in my santoku for a sharpening as it was struggling to cut through even a bunch of kale. It felt good as new, but within about a month afterwards I noticed it had already begun to dull again. I brought this up to my coworkers, and the first thing they asked me was, “what kind of cutting board are you using?” I was shocked to hear that my wood chopping board was actually the cause of the dulling! Who would’ve thought that the most popular choice amongst home cooks is actually doing the most damage? 

I was then sent home with a Hasegawa soft cutting board and my new Tsunehisa petty, feeling very excited to see what a difference a couple new kitchen tools can make. And let me just say, I was not prepared at all for the sheer night and day difference.

The gorgeous octagonal oak handle and lightweight feel of this petty is unmatched by anything I’ve used in the past. Initially I thought a smaller knife like this wouldn’t be so versatile but, boy, was I wrong. This guy can handle pretty much anything I throw at it, from finely mincing garlic to halving a whole sweet potato. My favourite usage thus far was for making bibimbap, which requires some very finely julienned carrots and thin slivers of green onion. I always felt like the blade of my old faithful santoku was a bit too big for the job, so the slender edge of this knife was perfect for getting those thin little strips.

As for the Hasegawa, it made for the most ideal surface to chop a ton of different veggies. Since there’s a good amount of grip, things weren’t sliding and rolling all over the place like they would on my old wooden board. Another thing I love about it is the smell of garlic doesn’t stick to it, even when I’ve minced it to the point of liquefaction, which is something I certainly can’t say about my old chopping block. 

I can’t recommend these two items enough after introducing them into my kitchen. They make both the smallest and largest cooking tasks such a breeze, and I look forward to using both of them each and every time. You might not think you need a petty knife in your life, but then again so did I. 

Thanks for reading - H