After 5 years of running this business we have finally got this masters knives. He is one of the great makers of Japan and has been awarded the distinction of living treasure. He is also one of the makers who set up Takefu knife village.

SHAPE: Santoku. Named after the three best things to do with this knife - slicing, dicing and mincing. It is the classic veg prep knife with both good breadth and width.

STEEL: SRS13. Powder steels are a relatively new breed of steels generally used in industrial applications where toughness is key. In the knife world this means better edge retention in the form of higher hardness but unlike traditional steels with these attributes they are a lot less chippy.

FINISH: Tsuchime. This is a hand hammered finish that is not only beautiful but also functional. The small depressions stop food sticking to the knife. This finish comes in many different forms from the traditional round hammer marks to more modern patterns.

HANDLE: Western style composite stone handle

SIZE: 180mm

MAKER: Saji - Takefu, Japan

BEST FOR: Owning something that not many other people do.

SAUNDERS SAYS: "Stay away from the bones"

These knives are hand-forged so there may be slight variations in measurements and finishes.