The Zhen Series utility knife fills the gap between your paring knife and your chef's knife — the in-between blade that handles everything those two can't. A 3-layer Blue 2 (Aogami) carbon-steel core sits between SUS410 stainless cladding, hardened to 62-64 HRC and ground to 15° per side. Sized for sandwich meats, citrus, tomatoes, shallots and trimming work where a chef's knife is too long and a paring knife too short.
15° Per Side
Keen Petty Edge
62-64 HRC
Blue 2 Carbon Core
Hidden Tang
Maple + Horn Handle
Nimble, responsive, and incredibly sharp. The Zhen Series 5" Utility Knife (Petty) is the perfect companion for tasks where a large chef's knife feels clumsy. Whether you are peeling fruit in-hand, trimming silverskin from tenderloins, or mincing shallots, this blade acts as an extension of your finger.
Small knives often suffer from dulling quickly due to frequent contact with the board. Not this one. Forged with a core of Japanese Blue Steel No. 2 (Aogami #2) and vacuum heat-treated to 62–64 HRC, this utility knife holds a razor edge significantly longer than standard stainless alternatives. The "San Mai" cladding protects the body of the knife, leaving the reactive carbon edge exposed for precision work.
The handle combines natural Maple Wood with a White Buffalo Horn ferrule. This lightweight construction allows for exceptional agility and fine control, essential for a knife of this size.
Special care is required for this blade. The Blue Steel core is highly reactive.
The perfect sidearm to the PM8M 7" Santoku or 8.5" Bunka.
All our knives arrive in a beautiful, premium gift box that’s ready to impress. (Whether it's for a very lucky cook, or just for you.)
ZHEN SERIES
Most cooks own a paring knife and a chef's knife, then quietly do half their prep with whatever's closest. The Zhen utility blade is built for that middle ground — long enough to slice a sandwich roll or a run of tomatoes, short enough to peel, trim and section fruit with control. The Zhen Series carries Xinzuo's Blue 2 carbon core through every blade, so this petty shares the same steel and heat treatment as its chef's-knife siblings.
In stock. Ships from Australia. Hand-wash only.
WHY A UTILITY
The 15° per side edge is ground keen for clean, low-resistance cuts on soft and awkward foods — citrus skin, cooked meats, soft cheese, herbs and shallots. The hidden-tang build keeps the knife light and nimble in a pinch grip, while the Blue 2 carbon core takes and holds a fine edge that a stainless utility blade can't match. It is the knife that ends up out on the bench all day.
THE STEEL
The cutting core is Blue 2 (Aogami) carbon steel — a Japanese steel from Sanyo Riki prized for how fine and how long it holds an edge. It's clad in SUS410 stainless on both sides for a 3-layer composite blade, then hardened to 62-64 HRC through vacuum heat treatment and a deep-freeze cycle. The carbon core is not rust-resistant: it will develop a dark patina with use, which is normal for this class of steel.
Specification
Hand-wash only — not dishwasher safe.
IN THE HAND
The handle pairs maple wood with a white buffalo horn bolster over a hidden tang — a light, balanced build that suits the quick, repeated cuts a utility knife handles all day. The result is a knife that disappears into the work rather than fighting it.
The difference
Zhen Series Utility
Generic stainless utility knife
In the box
Arrives ready to gift.
Zhen Series
ZHEN SERIES
Add to cart — $129.95FAQs
It is the Zhen Series 5.5" utility (petty) knife — sized to bridge the gap between a paring knife and a full chef's knife.
A 3-layer composite with a Blue 2 (Aogami) Japanese carbon-steel cutting core clad in SUS410 stainless steel on both sides.
62-64 HRC, achieved through vacuum heat treatment and a deep-freeze cycle, so it takes and holds a fine edge.
Ground to 15° per side for clean, low-resistance cuts on soft and awkward foods.
No. The Blue 2 carbon core is not rust-resistant. Hand wash only, wipe dry immediately, and expect a dark patina to form with use — that's normal.
Maple wood paired with white buffalo horn over a hidden tang, for a light, balanced feel.
Forged and finished in Yangjiang, Guangdong — China's city of knives — with Aogami steel sourced from Japan.
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