YoshihiroShiroko High Carbon Steel Kasumi Yanagi Rosewood Handle Sushi Sashimi Chef Knife (11.8'' (300mm))

I have quite a few nice knives in the $200 + range. This knife is the sharpest of them all. BUT you have to look after it. It's not stainless. If you don't clean and oil it after every use, it will rust. If you forget and get up the next morning, it's over. BUT if you know how to care and sharpen a quality knife, you will love it. It's the first knife I have ever had where steeling actually works. After sharpening, you can feel the steel remove the burr and then it's like a razor. This is NOT a knife you would EVER put in a dishwasher. I LOVE this knife. You could spend $500 or more and get a fancy name but not a better knife.

This is a superior, Japanese style sushi knife/sashimi knife. It holds a keen edge, and is made of great materials. You will need to use a whetstone, or send it to a sharpener as it loses its edge.If you are looking at this knife, you probably know a thing or two about knives. Just to be safe though, these knives are single bevel. That means that only one side of the edge is sharp. In America, you are used to having a double bevel, a knife sharpened on both sides. It takes a little, but not much getting used to. It's the best for cutting sushi and sashimi. Considering the prices of other high end cutlery, this is actually a steal. If you treat them right, (don't put them in a dishwasher, wash by hand, dry,) you will be handing this down to your children. This said, there are far superior knives to this, such as this Yoshihiro- Damascus "Kiritsuke" Yanagi Sushi Chef Knife Japanese Sword Type 11.7" 300mm - Made in Japan or THIS Yoshihiro- Ebony Damascus Sakimaru Takobiki Sushi Chef Knife with Ebony Saya13" 330mm in Wooden Box - Made in Japan!Also, you should not be afraid of getting this brand, as they are much more popular and reputable than you would suspect. Generally, you see other brands, the big German and Japanese at most of your local stores. There are two really excellent cutlery shops which service local butchers, and chefs, and they have a plethora of these knives. These are the go-to knives of sushi chefs. No need to be a kitchen snob to use one of these, just someone that loves making sushi at home that is not mangled by a good knife which was not designed to delicately cut raw fish.Recommend.Pros:-Great Construction-Holds nice edge-Light, good hand feel-Single bevelCons:-Pricey (although comparatively a good price)-Limited use in kitchen-Single bevel

This knife represents a great value in a Yanagi, particularly considering how wildly expensive some are. The fit and finish are quite good. The grind, while not perfect shows flaws that would yield usability problems. Mine came a bit overground at the heel and concaved toward the tip.From the factory the knife was sharpened, but not "sharp". With a little work, this yanagi can take an insanely sharp edge.Normally, I'd have awarded 3 stars for the issues mentioned, but the price point makes this knife a solid value.

Arrived a bit dull: Expected from most knives.I sharped it on a whetstone, 1000 to 6000. It took me a bit to find the right angle and get the blade true across the whole length.After sharpening for awhile and working out slight burrs, I started in on doing some test cuts. I tested it side by side with a recently sharpened Victorinox 8 inch chef knife. I tested them on a lemon just to get a good feel.The chef's knife needed some pressure to get through lemon skin. The grip from the stainless steel tore apart the lemon insides a bit.However, this knife made PAPER THIN slices of completely intact lemon. No gripping. No tearing. Weight of blade. No pressure.Now, I don't know a ton about knives. But I do know that I'm super happy with this one, and can't wait to pick up some fish tomorrow for nigiri.The saya is a great touch to boot.HOWEVER! I see a lot of less than perfect reviews due to rust or too much maintenance. Carbon steel requires special care. Sharp, thin knives get dull faster. If you want a knife that will stay sharp for months and never rust regardless of how little you take care of it, get something else. If you want an amazingly sharp piece at a great price point, this looks like it.

Purchased as a gift for our son, who loves to make sushi (and has for many years). The knife came in a beautifully packaged box, with the papers, tags, etc. so nicely and neatly placed, that it was actually artistic! You could tell that the person who packaged the blade & accessories put their "heart" into making this product into a beautiful presentation.The knife itself is outstanding. Our son creats wonderful "sushi feasts" with it, and it performs exactly as it should. It slices the fish effortlessly, and maintains an extremely sharp and "butter-melting" edge. The handle is such beautiful wood, and fits perfectly into my hand, my son's, and my wife's hand. The engraving on the blade is just enough to give it an "artist's signature", but not so much that it seems like a commercial over-statement.We searched many websites looking for an outstanding knife that would last a lifetime with continuous use. We found many that were much more expensive, and didn't seem to have any more quality than this Yoshihiro knife. We also found that this exact knife was highly reviewed by *actual sushi chefs* that use it daily, year-round.We wanted to give our son a gift that he would treasure for decades to come - this Yoshihiro knife definitely fit the bill!

Ordered this for a holiday present. It comes with a tube of blade oil in a little bag. The bag was not sealed and the oil was not sealed well. leaked all over the packaging materials and looks terrible for a present.