I only got a couple of days with the knife, but I was able to use it for a full meal and some odds and ends.
@Tim Rowland, thanks a ton for letting me try out your craftsmanship.
User: Just me (my wife sticks to the Ikea butter knives)
Dates used: July 21-30
Initial impression: Small, laser thin gyuto with a freakin' awesome handle.
Likes: 1. I really, really liked the handle. The finish is pretty grippy, even when wet. The grain on the wood is gorgeous, and the lime green liner adds some color without it being gaudy. The handle is on the longer side for a parer, but the diameter and shape work well for a parer/small prep knife. 2. It peels well - being a parer that matters! Once I got used to the thinness of the blade, I felt really comfortable using it on apples and carrots. With more time, I think a knife like this could be as efficient or even more efficient than the peelers I usually use. 3. The knife has great overall fit and finish and it's clear that Tim takes care with his work.
Dislikes: 1. I didn't find it quite as comfortable to use in hand as the Opinel and Wusthoff that I usually use for in hand tasks. I think it was the combination of slightly longer neck and slightly taller heel. The handle is very comfortable, but I felt slightly awkward at first when trying to peel fruit. But thankfully I didn't nick my thumb on the heel. 2. I am neutral on the blade finish. Pro - it reminds me a lot of my Benchmade's finish and I think it likely adds substantial corrosion resistance. Con - it felt like it added some drag on softer foods like melon.
Sharpened: Gentle touch up on Rika 5k. I've got a long way to go on sharpening, and didn't want to mess up the edge or finish. So I just gave it 8-10 passes on each side to freshen the edge. Felt fine on the stone, but I went really, really light.
Task performed: Did an entire family meal with this little guy. I used it to core and slice strawberries and melon for the kids (used a gyuto to peel the melon). Sliced pork chops, which it did quite well given the length. Prepped a few apples and red peppers. Sliced summer squash. In addition to daily work on fruit, I used it to cut shallots for a salad. Shallots are no match for this knife.
Final Thoughts: First, if every knife that I own had a handle to the similar to the one on this knife, I'd be a very happy guy. I really like the feel and shape of it. Second, I don't think I quite gelled with this knife as a parer, BUT I think a 150mm version of this knife could be my perfect daily prep knife. The profile worked well on the board and an extra bit of length would be great when slicing portioned proteins or dealing with peppers, apples, and larger stone fruit. The blade is thinner than anything else that I own, but it never felt brittle or fragile.