Samurai 8" Chef Kitchen Knife - Forged Steel, Wood Handle

At 52 years old, when I tell you this is the best general kitchen knife I have used, that compliment does not come easily. I thought I knew a good knife until I got this one! This is my go-to knife for cutting vegetables or other food prep as well as an excellent, over-the-top, steak knife. So much so, I ordered four of them, so when I have guests over and I cook steaks, each guest will have their own amazing steak knife and then I will see how many of my guests take notice of how great this knife is. Not only is it sharp, but it's comfortable and looks amazing!I do not wash these in the dishwasher. I was these by hand only and they are super simple to wash. At $30 a knife, its a bit pricey. But, on the other hand, how often does a person buy flatware? I say spend a little more to get something good and then don't worry about having to replace it for at least the next 10 years (minimum!)As for another reviewer claiming these are left-handed knives, I have no idea what they are talking about. I am right-handed and there is nothing about these knives that suggests to me they would work better in any hand. Perhaps ignorance is bliss. I am not a knife aficionado, but I do appreciate a nicely weighted, attractive, sharp and rigid knife. I have some cheaper steak knives with blades that bend to the sides as use it. That drives me so crazy, because the metal is so thin and cheap. I'd rather spend $30 for one awesome knife than $15 for four cheap knives that I hate using and want to replace before they break or give me blisters from their uncomfortable handles.So you can buy cheap knives over and over until (and if) you find some you like, or just get these. These will be cheaper and save you a lot of time over the long run.

Bought this as I've been on the fence about getting a new paring knife for a while. I have both Japanese and German knives in my kitchen, both used for different needs (I have a Shun and a Henckels santoku and love both- it depends on what I am cutting as to which I use). My Henckels paring knife has bothered me for over 25 years as I just can't seem to get a razor edge on it - but I can with all my Henckels long knives. (it is probably just me.) That's where this knife comes in. After reading reviews and comparing prices- I bought it and it arrived today. It was packaged beautifully in grand Japanese fashion (I LOVE Japanese design and presentation). I opened the magnetic sealed box to stare at one beautiful knife. I took it out of the form-fit cut foam and removed the plastic tip-protector (nice touch, by the way) and gave it the first 2 tests of sharpness I learned as a youth in Boy Scouts and as an adult in the military - I held up a piece of paper in one hand and sliced it cleanly in half, starting from the tip of the blade and ending with the heel. Zero snags a super-clean cut-great sign. next was the 'shave test'- I moistened a portion of my forearm and used the knife as a straight razor-I now have a bare patch on my left arm. Awesomeness right out of the box.As for feel- it is light and fights very nicely in the hand- handle has a firm heft and great balance- sooo nice. I think I picked a winner on the less-expensive yet high quality knife market. Beats some $50 paring knives I've worked with.Comes in a plastic-sealed presentation box. Inside it has a microfiber cloth, tip protector (on knife) on a basic plastic sheath.

Home kitchen use, very versatile, very sharp serrated edged knife. It’s great for vegetables, fruit and really any food prep. The design is very impressive, with a polished wood handle and a blade that is engraved in a wood grain pattern reflecting the grain of the handle. The beautiful packaging adds to the specialness of this product. I recommend it highly.

This is a good knife for the weekend kitchen chef. It's got good balance, a nice edge as well as a good looking flat with all those swirls that imitate a Damascus blade. It's well reasonably priced at $29.99 compared to the Dalstrong which comes in at around $80.Now for the cons...There aren't really that many take-a-ways which bring it down and to be honest a little tweaking on Kessaku's part will make this ever so more worth it, even if they had to charge an extra $3-5.Really it's just one issue in reality: The blade guard/sheath - It really needs to be a sheath with all sides closed in, except for the insertion point, to prevent any possible cutting of your hands. The blade should not be able to slide out the sheath in any form or fashion other than being pulled backward. The current sheath is as though they took plastic and folded it in half, leaving the end where the point of the knife as well as the side where the back of the knife blade sits essentially open. This only gives more opportunity for the knife to slide past and well, there goes a finger.Other than that, this knife seems sturdy enough for the job.

Very nice, sharp, well-balanced, and nicely weighted knife. I'm very pleased and enjoy using it. The blade guard included fits snugly and will protect the cutting edge. Be sure to wash and thoroughly dry your knife before you put it into the blade guard.I think the Damascus design is an etching and not actually Damascus forged. But seriously, what do you want for this price?The magnetic box and cleaning cloth included in the packaging are a nice touch. If I received this as a gift I would guess it is an expensive knife.I needed a chef's knife that was sharp and that I would actually use. I have one good chef's knife that is so expensive I hardly ever use it. After using a cheap knife for so long I'm really happy. The Kessaku knife makes chopping so much easier. I should have gotten one a long time ago. I cut a lot of veggies and this knife is comfortable and cuts very well. The broad side is wide enough to be able to push ingredients easily into a pile.