8" CHEF KNIFE

I have quite a few of the high-end expensive knives such as Shun, Wustoff, etc, and have found that many of the high-end knives are more expensive because you are paying for a known brand. As I have learned more about kitchen knives, I have found that it is more important to pay attention to the materials the knives are made of, the content of the materials, the manufacturing processes used to produce the knife, and the angle of the blade. Since I am an avid cook, my knives and their quality is important to me. So, I am always on the lookout for new knives that meet my qualifications.This is a knife that meets all of my qualifications and then some.- It has the 10-15 degree blade angle maintained by Asian knives that is much sharper than the blade angle of European and American knives.- It is made of VG-10 steel that results in a harder sharper blade that holds the sharpness much longer than other steels and resists staining and rust.- It is a Damascus steel that increases the hardness and sharpness of the blade.- It is also important to consider the carbon, chromium, and cobalt content of the steel as these add to the hardness and structure of the metal which helps to increase time the blade will hold sharpness, resistance to breakage, resistance to rust, etc. I won't get into the details of these as more info can easily be found on the internet.This knife comes boxed in a very attractive sleeved box that make it perfect for a gift. Since I bought this knife for myself, I won't keep the box, but I do appreciate the supplied protective sleeve. If you keep your knives in a drawer as I do, it's important to protect the blades from damage. In the past for my more expensive knives, I have had to buy protective sleeves separately. So I do appreciate that a sleeve is supplied with this knife. I also like the finger protector that is supplied since I tend to cut myself when I am in a hurry. The finger protector has an adjustable holder for your middle finger on the back so it fits your finger. With this protector, you can do fast consecutive cuts without worrying about cutting your fingers. The weight of the knife feels good in my hand, and the handle is comfortable. In addition to being made very well, I think the handle is very attractive.I have been using this knife almost daily for over a month, and I couldn't be happier with it. It is excellent for slicing even delicate foods such as tomatoes, and is a dream for chopping. As yet, I haven't had to sharpen it and it cuts as well as it did the day I got it.Update 05/20/19:I have had this knife for about 2 1/2 months and use it daily. It has quickly become my go-to chef's knife. As yet, I haven't had to sharpen it, and it's still sharper than some of the knives I have bought more recently. I highly recommend this knife, and am sure it is one you will not be disappointed in.UPDATE 2/21/21:I have been using this knife daily for 2 years, and have had to sharpen it only 3-4 times because I prefer a very sharp knife. I have used it for slicing, chopping, dicing, and mincing, and it has never disappointed me. This has become the knife I use most often other than a couple of specialty knives I have. I would still highly recommend this knife.I hope this review was helpful for you, and I will update this review as to how it holds up over time.

The media could not be loaded. I bought this knife for my son who took it upon himself to learn how to make sushi. He wanted a knife that could be dedicated for that purpose. He shopped Amazon and chose a few that looked like they'd work for him. I chose the Damascus because I thought it looked cool. He loves the knife. He says the little finger guard thing is silly and never uses it. The knife itself is solidly made and heavy in hand. It does not come sharp enough to cut sushi straight out of the box. My son spent a good hour honing it up to where he thought it was good enough. He has also spent more time since the first day, refining the edge. The knife is a full tang with nice scales, and good rivets. The appearance is a little different in real life than in the photos. I think they lighted it to show off the features of the metal. In real light, it is all shiny, but you can see the "grain" as you move the blade around. All in all its a very nice knife at this price point and it has held it's edge well.

All my life, we've had junk knives.I would just sharpen the old ones and keep on cutting.We've been watching "Forged in Fire" ( a show about knife makers) and loved the knives made using the Damascus steel process.This knife is of excellent quality, both in looks and performance. It will slice through meats like they were butter, and tomato skin yields without any resistance.In short, "This knife will KEAL."

This knife is gorgeous!Perfect weight and strength for its size. Well balanced, easy to handle and very sharp!I'm buying another to give to my daughter!

Beautiful and razor sharp

The packaging and knife both appear to be very nice and I think will make a great gift. I have only had this for a week and used once so take it for what it is worth. The knife arrived reasonably sharp and in good condition. The fit and finish are excellent with no noticable flaws. It trimmed the meat with nice smooth cuts. I'll be making stir fry next week and will test it on a variety of veggies and meat, but don't expect any issues. I'll post an update sometime later this year to evaluate the durability and overall satisfaction with the product.

I love the Damascus-style slightly curved blade, which makes for smooth rocking on the cutting board. The Santoku-style form helps keeps food from sticking to the knife. The knife arrived with a super-sharp blade, but will of course eventually need to be sharpened regularly.I also love the beautiful handle. It's weighted quite nicely for a short-blade knife. The handle has good girth and feels great in my hand.I really wanted a 6-inch knife in this style, but Fanteck currently does not have one in that size. Still, the 5-inch blade is sufficient for most small jobs.I like this knife so much that I will likely buy another one to keep in our travel trailer.

Very pretty knife, very sharp and functional. However, the folding that is typical of Damascus is absent from the cutting edge of the blade. It almost has the appearance of a stainless application on top of the main blade.Well made, and very pretty, a good knife for the kitchen.