Cooking Kanna Carbon Steel Vegetable Peeler

At a glance

• Carbon-steel blade gives a clean, controlled peeling action
• Broad natural wood handle provides a secure grip during vegetable preparation
• Designed to be drawn across vegetables resting on a stable surface

Kyoto Katsugu calls this tool a Cooking Kanna, after the Japanese woodworking plane traditionally used to shave thin layers from wood.

The same basic idea is applied here to vegetables. Rather than using the light pivoting blade found on many conventional peelers, the carbon-steel blade is held firmly in a broad wooden body and drawn across the vegetable for a controlled, knife-like peel.

It works particularly well with firm vegetables such as daikon, carrots and potatoes. Rest the vegetable on a stable surface, hold the wooden handle securely and draw the blade towards you.

The natural wood handle gives the tool a substantial grip, while the simple combination of wood and carbon steel gives it a very different feel from a lightweight plastic peeler.

Carbon steel requires a little more care than stainless steel, but that care is straightforward: wash by hand after use and dry the blade promptly rather than leaving it wet.