Kai celebrates 15 years of collaboration with chef Tim Mälzer with a truly special limited edition: the Shun Premier Tantō TDM-1785 knife, produced in only 6,666 pieces worldwide.

Inspired by the traditional Japanese Tantō (短刀) sword, this model features a straight back and a sharp edge, making it ideal for slicing large vegetables, portioning meat, filleting fish, and much more.

The blade features the characteristic hammered finish typical of the Shun Premier series and is engraved with the special “15 The Legend” commemorative logo, alongside Tim Mälzer's signature. Each knife is individually numbered on the bolster, making it a true collector's item.

The design of the TDM-1785 was awarded the prestigious German Design Award 2025 in the “Premium Design” category.

Blade: VG MAX stainless steel Damascus with a hardness of 61±1 HRC.
Handle: Pakkawood.
Blade length: 255 mm.
Handle length: 120 mm.
Blade thickness: 3 mm.
Total length: 375 mm.
Weight: 220 g.
Notes: not dishwasher safe.

With the two Kohen knives, the Japanese company once again demonstrates its great expertise in producing high-quality kitchen knives. The "Coreless" Damascus blade is made from VG2 and VG10 high-performance stainless steels that are forged and folded to produce 72 layers that alternate sequentially on the edge of the blade to ensure unmatched cutting and edge-holding performance.

A premium material such as pakkawood in red and black colorations was chosen for the handles. Also included in the set are two leather blade protector sheaths and an aluminum case for storing and transporting these two valuable knives safely. 

Blade: Japanese Coreless rolled stainless steel - 72 alternating layers of VG10 and VG2 at 60±2 HRC
Handle: Pakkawood
Kitchen knife blade length: 200mm.
Petty/utility knife blade length: 150mm.
Sheaths: leather, for use as blade covers
Packaging: aluminum case with warranty certificates
Edition: numbered and limited to 3000 pieces worldwide
Maintenance: hand wash only, do not wash in dishwasher

Kai Europe offers another exclusive collaboration with master-chef Tim Mälzer: Small Kiritsuke 13 The Lucky Edition.

A special edition with an opaque brown handle and a 15 cm hammered blade. The edition is limited to only 5555 pieces and each one is numbered. As such, each knife is a unique collector's item.

As with the previous limited edition, the Kiritsuke was chosen, but in a smaller size. This is a type of Japanese knife that combines the design and characteristics of a usuba and a yanagiba. The usuba is used for cutting vegetables and the yanagiba for raw fish, for example when making sashimi. As such, the kiritsuke can be used for many different tasks in the kitchen: cutting vegetables, meat and fish. The tanto inverted profile makes the tip very flexible and perfect for precision tasks. The flat blade is perfect for other cutting tasks.

The superbly sharp blade is made of VG MAX steel with a hardness of 61 (± 1) HRC and surrounded by 32-layer Damascus steel. The Damascus steel makes each knife unique. The matt handle of this special edition is, like the regular knives in the Tim Mälzer Premier collection, made of walnut wood: it is moisture-resistant thanks to the resin treatment. The chestnut shape of the handle is comfortable in the hand and provides a firm grip when using the knife. 

Blade: Damascus stainless steel VG MAX hardness of 61±1 HRC
Handle: Matt walnut wood
Blade length: 155 mm.
Handle length: 120 mm.
Blade thickness: 1.9 mm.
Total length: 285 mm.
Weight: 151 g.
Notes: not dishwasher safe - wooden presentation box