Ok, here is a little bit of feedback from an owner.
I haven't used the knife as much as I would like yet because of out-of-the-house obligations, but I am slowly getting more cutting time in.
First of all the good:
* The fit and finish was amazing and I really love the handle (old-growth redwood) with micarta bolster (which was better than expected). The spine was nicely rounded. It feels exceptionally comfortable in my hand, and is probably more natural feeling in my hand than my other western handled knives.
* I'm really a fan of the profile. I like flatter profiles, and this knife is the right balance and very much in my comfort zone. I find that the edge is such that I (would) use the whole length of the blade and I actually use the tip more than any other gyuto I have. I find it offers great tip control.
* The edge was excellent out of the box (as I expected), and I just strop it before use.
* The blade is pretty thin. Thinner than my TKC and Hiro, and the patina is developing.
* In terms of performance, I have been comparing it to my TKC. They are both about the same weight, and the Martell performs similarly. Wedging and food release so far seem about the same, but as the patina develops things are changing a bit.
Now the bad (yes, I am sorry).
* At first I was a bit confused how the blade would cut through some foods. I didn't know why exactly, but sometimes it wedged more than others, while other times it seemed fine. After examining the blade closer, I noticed that the middle of the blade seemed to be a bit 'chubbier'. Near the heel on the spine the blade was about 1.85mm but just short of mid blade the thickness was just over 2mm. Even measurements at mid-blade showed some bulge. I often like to chop more near the heel, and I think some of my cuts were running into this area of the blade and caused a slight snag.
So, even though the profile is to my liking and I find myself wanting to move from heel to tip while cutting, in reality I cut more mid-blade up to the tip to avoid the heel area. It was difficult to notice at first, but sometimes when I hit just the right spot there seems to be some added resistance when cutting. It wasn't until I took my calipers out that I really noticed it.
All in all, I love the knife. F&F and profile are superb, but the unique blade grind seems to be uneven on my knife towards the heel.
Just my late night thoughts.
k.