Sakai Takayuki Sashimi Yanagiba Knife, Aonikou Ebony, 270mm / 10.6"

I just had to share a cautionary tale, but it's also a testimonial. I purchased a Sakai Takayuki 17-Layer Damascus Chef's Knife, 240mm / 9.5" last December for a Christmas gift to ourselves (we both like to cook). First of all, your service was superb. It arrived in three business days at the peak of Christmas shipping. A tip of the hat to you, sir. Secondly, this is the highest end knife we have yet bought. It's very, very beautiful, very sharp, and we consider it an excellent deal for the price. Our previous experience with kitchen knives is quite reasonable, and although this is the best knife we have yet bought, our other knives aren't junk either. We've a Grohmann 8" chef's knife (20 years old, used daily and still looking almost new), a Messermeister granton edged vegetable knife, and assorted others, lesser known, but of a similar quality. Well, except for the Ginsu. It's our guilty little knife secret, it is. Cheap, stamped, and the best bread knife we ever used - but I digress. So, here it is, Christmas season, our new knife had arrived that afternoon, and we had one of those impromptu housefulls that tend to happen in Nova Scotia around any holiday. So, what to do? Well, break out the shiny new knife to both show it off and prep some munchies for folks, of course. This was my first mistake. One should never use a new knife for the first time when distracted by lots of guests - or distracted by anything, for that matter! My second mistake was in assuming that, like with our other knives, I would have that little split second to react if the blade hit my fingernail. Ummm - no. Not with this knife. I was slicing red peppers into sticks for dipping, marvelling at the ease with which the new knife dealt with tough pepper skins, and simultaneously flapping my gums with a friend standing at the stove, who was helping out putting on water for hot beverages. So there I was - eyes nowhere near the work area, new knife, distracted, and boom - the ring finger nail of my left hand was trimmed to the cuticle. Just. Like. That. No pain at all. Just blood. The doctor was very impressed, BTW, with the clean cut. No crushing damage whatsoever. He said it looked as if it had been cut with a scalpel. It's healed completely now, and no scarring, thanks to the super keen blade. Lesson learned. And hopefully by sharing this, I can spare someone else the embarassment and potential danger. The knife, BTW, has become our very favourite. It's just so effortless, well balanced and light in the hand, that it's a dream to use. Thank you, Paul. Cheers, Greg Hamilton Amherst, NS

Greg Hamilton

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