Evolute is right that in "ultimate" knives they do come in "size" bands....

In the 5 inch and below categoty I am lucky enough to have my "grail" knife...
it is a heavily modified Hattori done by the man himself with modifications by me in Cowry X with a smoothed one piece antler handle and reduced guard which I did. The handle is shaped to give me my most comfortable handle on any knife...the skeleton tang and one piece aspect cannot be beaten for comfort...the only toss up mentally is you are never entirely sure of how sturdily the handle is attached to the knife...although I suspect Ichiro Hattori with some 51 years experience knows a thing or two in this respect.

I don't really rave about my customs on here...or anywhere for that matter as they are so expensive as to make them an impracticable proposition for many...
but the steel on this knife is an absolute joy to use. It cuts like it's "unnatural" and the edge just "lasts" seemingly forever...it is RC 63-65 and a proper Rc 63-65...not an idle claim...as a civilian knife choice it is my favourite and is never really even "touched" by any competition...but I cannot insure it for military use otherwise I would not use anything else in this size...hence my alternative love for the RMD...although on edge retention and cutting power they are worlds apart.

It costs more than a KZ though...now the retail on this KD30-2 is over $1000 but available for the mid $850's plus duty if you look carefully...although even with the discount it is not a practical choice...but the steel in this knife is where my forum name came to me from...if I could speak Japanese I would love to meet Ichiro Hattori and spend a few days with him...he for me is my Jerry Busse to many Hogs...he is the only maker who takes the Cowry X steel as the inner core and forges 60 layers of Japanese 420J1 and Nickel Damasucus steel around it, just like the old way Samauri swords are made, and the forge heat treatment and hamaguru grind on the knife edge which is also used on Japanese swords gives a perfect convex shape for cutting.





My greatest day in knife enjoyment came when I decided to make this one a user and modify it...the edge just needs stropping with green compound and a leather paddle...and even then only a few strokes...maybe once a week...and I use it every time I use a knife other than testing my other knives...so it gets some use every day or other day...but there is'nt enough time to do a comparable test on the edge with other knives. Many of my other knives will give a good solid days use...this knife you would measure the use in days...solid days...maybe even into a week if you had the available time. A Butcher or a Chef might be able to tell you the true benefit of this steel...maybe that is why Hattori Chef's knives are regarded as the best in the world and he no longer takes orders for knives as his Chef knife waiting list is now measured in "years"....if you want them made in this steel by the man himself. His knives are "signed"..."made by Ichiro"...so there is no doubt when you get one.

It might not chop through concrete or mild steel without damage...but .... breaking one of these knives to do a test like that is like throwing a work of genius into the bin...a knife like this needs to be apprecited over a life time.