Takayuki Shibata is a well known knife sharpener in Japan. Some even claim he is the best. This knife is designed by him and its evident that the main focus is on cutting performance. This knife will cut. The thin and hard blade has an impressive geometry that will make the blade glide through a potato as if it was pre boiled. The downside is that its more fragile than a regular kitchen knife, but if you treat it right it will give you no issues.