Paring knife SHUN PREMIER TIM MÄLZER MINAMO 9 cm, KAI

Product detailed description

Some culinary schools engage in endless debates about which type of knife is the right one. For the MINAMO series, Tim Mälzer chose a much more practical path: take a Japanese Santoku, add the character of a European chef's knife, and leave the rest to Japanese master craftsmen. The result is a series that refuses to be pigeonholed.

Main advantages:

• KAI SHUN PREMIER TIM MÄLZER MINAMO is a premium handcrafted Japanese range that combines Japanese and European concepts of kitchen knives, built on a hard VG-MAX core, Damascus construction and a clean modern design.
• Tim Mälzer is a German professional chef, restaurateur, cookbook author, and well-known television personality who came up with the idea of combining the character of a Japanese Santoku with a classic European chef's knife.
• The name Minamo refers to the Japanese term for water surface - the fine Damascus pattern on the blade is designed to resemble a water surface rippled by rain, giving the entire series its characteristic visual identity.
• The range won the Red Dot Award 2018 and the German Design Award 2019, so its strikingly clean combination of a black handle, polished blade and fine Damascus pattern also impressed from an industrial design perspective.
• The core of the blade consists of VG-MAX steel with a hardness of 61 ±1 HRC, which forms the foundation for high sharpness and excellent edge retention during regular use.
• The VG-MAX core is surrounded on each side by 32 layers of Damascus steel, so the blade combines a hard cutting edge with a more flexible multi-layered construction and the fine pattern typical of the MINAMO series.
• The Peeling knife TMM-0700 has a 9 cm long blade and is designed for precise work with smaller ingredients - peeling, trimming, coring or detailed cutting of fruit, vegetables and herbs.
• The short and narrow blade provides excellent control over both the tip and the edge, making it ideal wherever a larger chef's knife would be unnecessarily long and less agile.
• The double-bevel edge allows natural use with both the right and left hand and does not require the technique typical of single-bevel Japanese knives.
• The knife is handcrafted in Japan and belongs to the premium segment of the KAI range, where, alongside sharpness itself, balance, surface finish and comfort in use are also key.
• The black pakkawood handle is symmetrical, making it suitable for both right- and left-handed users, and its slightly curved underside helps to create a more comfortable and secure grip.
• The forged bolster in the transition area between the blade and the handle helps to balance the entire knife and creates a solid connection between the lightweight handle and the short, precise blade.
• The seamless transition between the blade and the handle allows for a comfortable grip close to the edge, giving you maximum control over the knife's movement during delicate tasks.
• The 11 cm long handle provides ample space for a secure grip and matches well with the compact character of a knife designed for detailed work.
• At a weight of 71 g, the TMM-0700 remains very light and agile, which you will appreciate when peeling, coring and performing other tasks where you work mainly with your fingertips and wrist.
• The TMM-0700 is a small, precise specialist of the entire MINAMO range - it combines compact dimensions with a premium Damascus construction and is ideal as a complement to a larger universal knife.
• KAI does not treat blades as just another catalogue item - for more than a century, it has been developing know-how around cutting edges across kitchen, industrial and other specialised blades.

Additional information:

• blade length: 9 cm
• handle length: 11 cm
• blade material: VG-MAX steel core, 32 layers of Damascus steel on each side
• steel hardness: 61 ±1 HRC
• handle material: pakkawood
• awards: Red Dot Award 2018, German Design Award 2019
• not dishwasher safe

Caring for the KAI SHUN PREMIER TIM MÄLZER MINAMO knife:

• Wash the knife by hand in warm water with a mild detergent and dry it immediately after washing.
• Do not put it in the dishwasher, as high temperatures and harsh detergents can damage the blade, edge and handle.
• Ideally, cut on a wooden or plastic chopping board. Glass, stone, ceramics and metal can dull or damage the edge more quickly.
• Do not use the knife on bones, frozen food, or for prying, twisting or other rough handling of the blade.
• After cutting acidic or salty foods, rinse and dry the knife as soon as possible.
• To restore sharpness, it is best to use a water sharpening stone suitable for Japanese knives.
• Store the knife so that the edge does not touch other metal objects – for example, in a block, on a magnetic strip or with a protective blade cover.
• Do not leave the pakkawood handle wet or submerged in water for a long time; always dry it thoroughly after washing.