S90V Steel
CPM S90V is an advanced American powder metallurgy stainless steel originally developed by Crucible Industries. Its composition includes approximately 2.3% carbon, 14% chromium, 1% molybdenum and an exceptionally high 8.75-9% vanadium. This very high vanadium content gives S90V outstanding wear resistance and edge retention.
At around 62 HRC, S90V offers an exceptional balance for high-performance kitchen knives. It combines extremely long-lasting edge retention with greater toughness and better resistance to chipping than very high-hardness steels such as ZDP-189, while also being easier to sharpen.
Petty – Japanese Utility Knife
The Petty is a small Japanese utility knife designed for precise preparation and smaller kitchen tasks. Its narrow blade and pointed tip give excellent control when working with fruit, vegetables, herbs and smaller pieces of meat or fish.
Petty knives are especially useful for trimming, peeling, portioning, slicing small ingredients and detailed cutting where a full-size chef’s knife feels unnecessarily large. Longer Petty knives can also handle many light slicing tasks on the cutting board.
A Petty is an ideal companion to a Gyuto, Bunka or Nakiri, covering the smaller and more precise jobs that are less convenient with a full-size knife.
BTN Chef Knives
BTN chef knives are individually handcrafted in Vietnam in a small artisan workshop, with a strong focus on high-performance powder metallurgy steels, precise heat treatment and cutting performance. BTN specializes in steels such as CPM S90V, combining exceptional edge retention with practical toughness for demanding kitchen use.
The knives are distinguished by their carefully executed convex grinds, thin cutting geometry and excellent food release. Each knife is individually made rather than mass-produced, with considerable attention given to blade geometry, finishing and distinctive premium handles.
Hikari Chef Knives works directly with BTN on specifications, design details and product development. Our BTN knife collection is available internationally for both retail and wholesale.
