Shosui Takeda is a third-generation blacksmith from Niimi, Okayama. His pursuit to improve with each knife he makes is evident in every blade. He and his two workers have been making the same style of kitchen knives for decades. Takeda san has worked to perfect one of the most challenging steels for a blacksmith to forge. Hitachi Blue Super steel boasts one of the best edge retentions of any steel, it is also very difficult to work with. Takeda is regarded as one of the few knife-makers to master this material, and yet he continues to improve.

A slicer is a valuable tool for skinning, trimming and/or portioning protein items (fillet of salmon or turkey breast). Depending on the length, professionals use it as a utility blade or use it during service on the line. For home cooks, a slicer is a great blade for those special times of the year where you want to get even slices without striations on your turkey breasts and other roasts.