Damascus Sharp Knife(Red), 8 Inch Professional 67-Layer VG10 Damascus Kitchen knives, Hand Hammered Ultra Sharp Japanese Kitchen knife with Red G10 Handle & Gift Box

Every good cook should have a good set of knives in the kitchen. This chef's knife is not only sharp, but has a beautiful finish that resembles a cool wavy texture. It is actually a great product to gift to others too because of the really nice box it was packaged in.I am always hesitant when buying knives online because I can never trust the actual sharpness of them. I've bought sets before only to be disappointed just after a few uses. This Japanese chef's knife is the real deal! It cuts through like butter and feels very sturdy in your hand. Definitely well made!

Now I am by no means a kitchen expert, and can't tell you the ins and outs of a kitchen knife. What I can say about this knife is it cuts very smoothly. It handles well even in the hands of an amateur like me. So I would think someone who does a lot more cooking would get more out of this knife. Even still even I can tell the difference between it and the basic knife I got from a big box store. The other knife is by no means dull, but this one cuts smoother and cleaner, than it by far. It may not be what a professional chef might desire, but for the average home cook, I feel this knife would be a fine addition to their kitchen. It comes in box that is great for storage of the knife when not in use. Not like a nice case, but sufficient enough. Overall I really like this knife and can recommend it.

At the $50 price point this is not a high end professional quality knife. It is more than satisfactory for home use where it is not under stress for hours each day. Being made in China brings some good workmanship and materials at the low price.The knife is extremely sharp. Honed to a steep angle (12 to 15 degrees) the cutting edge is thinner and sharper than your everyday chef knife (normally 16 to 22 degrees). With that goes the need for care. At this angle the blade edge can easily chip or burr if mistreated by hitting a bone or using a hard cutting board. Needles to say do not throw it in a drawer with other utensils. Carefully protect the delicate blade edge. Also, this angle makes re-sharpening difficult and it should not be sharpened by household devices or knife sharpening services that don’t understand this difference. Hand honing would be best.The knife is attractive with an authentic damascene pattern and ebony handle secured to the tang by a decorative full rivet. The handle is quite long but the knife is well balanced at the finger guard. Typically a kiritsuke knife is held not by the handle but by the blade, with your finger against the curved finger guard and your index finger atop the blade’s spine (see my photo). This knife is well shaped for that purpose. Also a typical kiritsuke is not “rocked” but drawn smoothly and lightly toward you in a flat cutting motion, stroked inwards without sawing. This is why the blade edge is normally flat and parallel to the cutting board. This knife has a pronounced curvature to the blade which is not traditional but does make it a bit easier to use by a less than skilled amateur. This takes it away from the “professional” level, but makes its use by the everyday cook a bit easier. The dimples atop the blade reduce friction to easily release thin slices. I would like to see them extend further down the blade to be more effective but these will do.Maintenance is easy, just rinse and cautiously wipe after every use. Do not soak or use a dishwasher and always clean thoroughly after slicing onions as these dull knives.

I ordered this knife for two reasons: I love Japanese knives and it looked beautiful. I regularly use several knives I bought in Japan, and they are my favorite knives. This knife certainly gives those a run for their money! The handle of the knife feels so good in my hand because the octagonal shape gives me more control when using the knife. The handle has a beautiful, small, round inset that adds to its overall elegance. The hammered blade is so attractive and has an unusual wave-like pattern in the blade below the hammered section. I tried to capture these features in the pictures I've attached because they make the knife stand out from a usual chef's knife. It is sharp and cuts through a variety of fruits and veggies with ease. I love this knife and I would definitely recommend it.

This is a beautiful Damascus steel knife. The waves in the metal are really attractive, and this practically sized chef's knife is SHARP! You won't be disappointed, and the heft and feel of this knife is excellent. A real bargain for the price.

This is a beautiful knife. It weighs evenly and the grip feels good.

I like the blade and the octagonal-shaped handle, which makes it easier to hold than a flatter handle, and easier to grip than a round handle.The blade doesn't have a wide cutting area, but it passed the "slide cut through paper" test without sawing the blade back and forth, so it is sharp. The top of the blade is thicker and has a hammered finish to it to make it easier to grip when holding by the top of the blade.

The knife does indeed cut..it isn't as heavy as I thought it would be. The layering of the metals in the knife is very basic and hard to see. It feels solid, but the handle feels like a cheaper plastic.