It was love at first touch.

She fits in my hand perfectly and is balanced to the point where I can’t tell where I begin and she ends. We’re connected. In complete darkness, she is the only knife I would recognize by the shape and weight.  

And yes, we are talking about a piece of steel but this one has my name written on it.

I was afraid of the length at the beginning, but now it’s the knife I choose most often, for all kinds of tasks in the kitchen. I wouldn’t peel an apple with it, but the rest is fair game. I’m also a girly girl, so when we got a sample pink edition of the stabilized maple burl handles, I put dibs on one immediately.

I love this knife because it's long enough to cut my favorite foods like steaks and brisket. I like the simple, comfortable, and elegant white handle, which sits comfortably in the hand, even in a pinch grip. The knife is very thin and because it is made of VG-10 steel it’s easily sharpened. Being a sharpener, this is very important to me. I like the fact that the blade is a bit wider than usual slicers, meaning I can also use it for chopping - a side dish for a steak or something similar.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen a knife with as many special touches as this Rainbow Damascus Gyuto. The detailed Western-type handle tells of Saji's origin in making hunting knives and 70+ years of experience as a blacksmith can be seen in the intricate damascus pattern of the blade. The combination of brass, copper, and steel layers make every piece unique and a true work of art.

Why Tanaka's Hakata bunka? Simply because it’s different and wider than similar blades.

Its shape reminds me of a nakiri with a point, which makes it shine when chopping vegetables, but it can also easily handle filleting fish or meat.

If (in a cruel, parallel world) I had to own just one knife forever, this one is the absolute winner.

With this knife, Tanaka had yet again established himself as my favorite and remains of the most promising Japanese blacksmiths.

Kato Yuki Gyuto is a knife that impressed me with its unique look: a bright handle with a red ferrule, a wavy line along the blade, a delicate nashiji finish... and the name is also very poetic - Yuki means snow. I especially like the little Ko-Bunka from this line (it’s been out of stock for a while now, unfortunately), which complements this gyuto perfectly.

When you’re surrounded by so many (awesome) knives it’s hard to choose only one but in the end, it can be done. My choice is Kouhei-Shinmatsu ZDP-189 Bunka Silver. As a fan of powdered steel and WA handles it was immediately quite high on the list but when you add the bunka shape and adequate length for most of the home cooking tasks to the equation it quickly got the title of my favorite knife.

I liked the Kumokage nakiri first for its shape. It immediately caught my eye when I first walked into the showroom - it looked interesting and unusual. I like the lightweight, dark Japanese handle, which complements the rustic kuro-uchi and damascus finish of the blade, and reminds me of the manufacturing process. It also gives the knife depth and aesthetic detail. 

The aogami steel develops a wonderful bluish patina that gives the blade character and creates a unique connection between the knife and the chef. But what I love most is the idea and the name of the line kumokage (shadow of a cloud), because it is contradictory and poetic.

They say that you never forget your first one. 😉 ZDP-189 Santoku by Yoshida Hamono was my first Japanese knife and the standard was set really high right at the start. The knife is light, sharp, and super nimble. Even though my knife collection expanded over the years, ZDP-189 Santoku is still one of my favorite pieces.

I chose the Harukaze VG-1 Gyuto mainly because of its polished blade and the blacksmith's choice of blade material. The handle is distinctive with two very contrasting types of wood. The knife is wonderfully balanced, which is made possible by the thinness of the blade and the lightweight rosewood handle.