Miyabi Kaizen II Japanese 3.5-inch Paring Knife
By Miyabi · Kitchen Knives · Kitchen & Cooking · More from Miyabi
- FC61 steel core at 61 HRC
- 48-layer Damascus cladding
- 3.5-inch blade
- 9.5-12° edge angle
- D-shaped pakkawood handle
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Summary
A small Japanese-style paring knife with an FC61 core, Damascus cladding and a Pakkawood handle, aimed at cooks who want a hard, thin edge for peeling and trimming. Check the maker copy inconsistencies and the specialist-retailer criticism of the steel before you buy.
Strengths
- Hard FC61 core rated at 61 HRC with 48-layer Damascus cladding for a thin, hard edge.
- Hand-honed Honbazuke edge at 9.5° to 12° suits precise peeling and trimming work.
- Black Pakkawood handle with mosaic pin, red spacer and redesigned bolster gives a finished Japanese look.
- Handcrafted in Seki, Japan with double ice-hardening for corrosion resistance.
- Lifetime warranty and whetstone-friendly care keep maintenance simple for hand-wash users.
Weaknesses
- No instrumented independent test of this exact knife was found.
- Wirecutter excludes this knife and says inexpensive paring knives do small jobs as well.
- Wirecutter also warns Japanese-style blades are very sharp and awkward to choke up on for in-hand work.
- Knife Merchant states the Kaizen II steel does not meet its quality standards.
- Maker copy contradicts itself on D-shaped versus octagon handle shape and on Honbazuke steps.
- Published blade-thickness figure matches blade width and reads as a maker data error.
Verified specifications
| Collection | Miyabi Kaizen II 5000FCD. |
|---|---|
| Core steel | FC61 fine-carbide stainless steel. |
| Cladding | 48 layers of stainless Damascus around the core; the maker describes the full blade as 49-layer. |
| Hardness | 61 HRC in product copy; spec table states 60-62 HRC. |
| Edge | hand-honed Honbazuke edge, 9.5° to 12°. |
| Blade length | 9 cm / 3.54 in. |
| Product length | 8.07 in; handle length: 4.53 in. |
| Weight | 0.18 lb. |
| Handle | black Pakkawood with steel mosaic pin and end cap; maker copy calls it D-shaped in one place and octagon-shaped in another. |
| Construction | forge-welded, concealed tang. |
| Origin | handcrafted in Seki, Japan. |
| Warranty | lifetime. |
| Sold as | single knife with no included accessories. |
