KAI Shun Premier Tim Mälzer Minamo
Angular and clear, just like Tim Mälzer himself. This is how the Shun Premier Tim Mälzer Minamo series presents itself. The idea behind this series was to combine Japanese and European knife shapes. Has this been successful? We'll draw our conclusion later, for now let's focus on the facts.
VG-MAX steel core with 32 layers of Damascus steel
The blade consists of an extremely hard VG-MAX steel core (61 (±1) HRC), wrapped in 32 layers of more flexible Damascus steel. The cutting edge is extremely finely ground, offering the highest sharpness and cutting performance. It glides through the cutting material and shows remarkable durability. Visually, the wild Damascus grain on the blade nicely rounds off the high-gloss finish of the cutting edge.
Blade in Kamagata shape
The Japanese Kamagata shape with its distinctive hump at the tip served as a model for the blade. The cutting edge, on the other hand, is a hybrid of Santoku and chef's knife, with a slightly upward curve at the tip, which allows for precise chopping and the so-called chop cutting technique. The edges are always sharpened on both sides.
Deep dark Pakkawood handle in oval shape
The oval and ergonomically shaped handle is made of dark, almost black Pakkawood. The surface is laminated, making the handle slip-resistant. In addition, the handle is resistant to liquids and meets all hygiene requirements. The full tang, which the handle encloses, is responsible for the good stability. The handle is finished with a stainless steel end cap, on which the Tim Mälzer Küchenbulle is engraved. After all, you shouldn't forget who you have to thank for this knife.
3 blade variants to choose from
There are three knives to choose from with almost identical blade geometry. There is a short 9 cm blade length office knife, a medium 15 cm blade length all-purpose knife, and the Santoku knife with an officially 18 cm long blade. According to our measurements, the Santoku blade is 20 cm long. But what do we know...
Wooden box included
Each knife in the KAI Shun Premier Tim Mälzer Minamo series comes in a beautiful wooden box. You can use it for storage, but in the long run, you should choose a more sensible and safer storage method. Ideally, where the knives are within reach and can be admired by everyone.
Our take on the Tim Mälzer Minamo series
Promises are promises! So, let's get to our conclusion:
The knives feel good in the hand and can be guided precisely. The cutting feeling remains pleasant even over a longer period of time. The very good performance of the blade material is already known, and you don't have to get used to the blade shapes for long. That works immediately, as only the back of the knife is different. The shaping of the cutting edge can already be found in many other knives.
The Shun Premier Tim Mälzer Minamo series is not a world novelty, but exactly what it should be: extremely sharp with very good durability. In use, the knives really show their top qualities. Great job, KAI & Tim Mälzer! Butch is looking forward to more.