Like the other knives in the Komachi line from KAI, the Japanese company best known for making the well regarded Shun knives, this knife is intended to be used to cut only one type of product or ingredient.
The pink color and animal shaped cutouts in the handle are the signal to the user that this knife is meant for raw meats. While this may seem an unusual approach, in larger commercial kitchens which follow HAACP sanitary programs, there are specific color coded knives and cutting boards intended for use with different ingredients and products so as to minimize the possibility of cross contamination. The seemingly odd appearance and cutesy colors of these knives shouldn’t be taken as a sign that these are anything other than serious tools which provide performance beyond what their low price point would imply.
This knife offers the kind of blade geometry that makes Japanese blades so popular amongst professionals. The steel used on a knife at this price point isn’t comparable to Japanese blades which can cost into the thousands of dollars. However, it’s up to the task for which it is intended and if maintained properly should provide the budget conscious cook with performance similar to or perhaps even a bit better than a comparable Forschner.
