Sakai Takayuki 33-Layer Damascus Damascus Sujihiki Slicer/Carving Knife, Walnut Wood Handle, 240mm / 9.5"

The Japanese equivalent of our traditional carving knife. A great addition to a growing knife collection, and an important tool in the kit of any working chef. This 240mm (9.5") size is the most popular length -- not too long for home use, but still long enough for most pros too. Great for slicing big meats, vegetables and fruits. Some people even end up using these knives are all-around kitchen tools because they're so comfortable to handle and slice so well (though for tougher items I'd still recommend a proper chef's knife). The blade is low profile and extremely sharp -- a true high quality slicer. As with all Sakai Takayuki knives, I find the fit and finish and overall quality excellent, and the edge is very sharp and precisely ground and finished. A great value overall!

These knives really are very sharp, with excellent construction quality and they just look spectacular with the layered steel, hammered finish and gorgeous walnut wood handle. The wooden handle feels great in your hand and makes for a very light knife for easy and comfortable handling, and the octagonal shape means it's fine for right or left-hand use.

NOTE: Handle colour/finish may vary from the version pictured here. It is natural wood, and so some are lighter or darker than others, and small imperfections are to be expected and are not considered defects. The wood is not sealed and so extra care must be taken to keep it dry and clean... do NOT leave it sitting in a sink or in water!! As with all quality knives, wash, rinse, hand-dry and store immediately after use.

I'd recommend the fine ceramic hone (see below) for regular/daily maintenance of the edge. As with any knife, use the hone regularly and you'll keep the edge in good shape for a LONG time before you need to think about doing any serious "re-sharpening" or real grinding and refinishing of the edge.

NOTE: This knife is sharpened 50/50 (equally on the right and left side), so it's easy to maintain and fine for right or left hand use. If you look carefully at the edge, you'll see a slight right-side bias, this is just because the final edge is so tiny and because of the way they finish the edge; it has NO bearing on right- or left-hand use, sharpening or maintenance and can be ignored, so you should treat the edge just like any standard 50/50 edge.