Yoshihiro VG10 46 Layers Hammered Damascus Gyuto Japanese Chefs Knife (Octagonal Shitan Rosewood Handle) (9.5" (240mm)

This is my 6th Yoshihiro purchase. Some reviewers claim having rust on the Yoshihiro high carbon steel knives. "Yes", this is what happens to high carbon steel knives. A light coating of oil is mandatory for knives of that type of steel. My Yoshihiro Deba is one of those knives. This series of knives is VG-10 and DOES NOT easily rust when hand washed and dried. To date, absolutely no rust. I bought the Santoku in this Hammered Damascus 46 Layer line three years ago. I have used it almost every day and can attest to its ability to keep an edge, resist rust or staining, and solid construction. With this knife, the 9.5 inch Gyuto, I have completed the full set. Last night, I used it to prep vegetables and slice ham. It is crazy sharp! The knife is not cheap, per se. But, it punches well above its price range. Most newcomers to Japanese knives will marvel at its light weight in hand. This Gyuto is versatile, handling veggies and meat slicing with no problems. It is not a meat cleaver, though. Buy a cheap cleaver for that sort of task. Highly recommended, AAA+!

While I'm an amateurish-at-best chef, I do know a few things about blades- former boy scout, shave with a straight razor that I hone and strop myself, I've forged several knives of my own, etc. I'm, er, a bit fond of bladed objects. So when I tell you that this knife is sharp enough to take me by surprise, I hope you'll take my meaning. It passes the paper test with flying colors, it will very easily shave whatever hair you try it on (and the skin beneath if you're not careful!), but it passed my personal favorite test- the overripe blueberry. Forget slicing a ripe tomato, the paper-thin blueberry skin is a real test of a knife in my experience, and this knife handled it with surgical ease. On top of that, it is an absolute show-stopper aesthetically- the pictures don't begin to do it justice. I should note, however, what it is *not*. Do not labor under the misunderstanding that this is a folded steel blade- it is not. It is an extremely high-quality core of Japanese VG-10 steel with Damascus-style layering and a hammered finish to give it better durability and aesthetics. If you're looking for an actual Japanese folded-steel blade, look at a price point 10-20x what you see here and consider yourself lucky if you find one. If, however, you're looking for an extremely high-quality, beautiful, razor-sharp kitchen knife, I highly recommend this one.

Never really had a (short) 180mm chef's knife(bar my four German and domestic knives, but they don't count) before, but I really have come to appreciate it's size, light weight, balance and acuity. For a rather inexpensive knife, I was impressed with the grind and finish on this gyuto. Likewise, for a VG type steel, it is surprisingly easy and fast to maintain the edge at utmost sharpness, provided one does not try to ruin it by using a steel(would probably roll the edge easily) on it, but rather a few light passes on a good stone. The edge I achieve in a couple of minutes, holds excellently for an entire day of intensive prep and still sharp enough to push cut paper. I could not ask for anything more, from a knife that only costs half as much as my favorite petty. The handle, being nice to hold and finished rather handsomely, rounds out this piece, that I've come to reach for, with a smile on my face. It's definitely not the best knife I own, by any stretch, but it garnered a five star rating, for being such an outstanding value, besides it's "flashy" good looks.

I purchased the Yoshihiro NSW 46 knife as a gift for my son several months ago. While not a professional chef, he is a very accomplished cook with excellent knife skills. He thinks highly of this knife — prizes it really. It’s beautifully crafted; definitely a piece of art. Beautifully packaged, too. The first thing my son did was feel for the balance, and gave it a deep-voiced “oh yeah,” (he’s a real under-stated kind of guy). The knife is very sharp, and has held its edge with no rolling or chipping through a lot of use. When I asked my son how he would review it, he said “top marks!” Top marks also for Yoshihiro’s customer service. I received the knife promptly. Yoshihiro called me some months later to make sure I was happy with my purchase after a time of use, and to see if we needed any sharpening services (first one is free if you need it). They then followed with a personal email which was clearly written by the service rep I spoke to (a very nice and professional woman who wasn’t bothersome at all). I have no doubt that if I’d had a problem with the knife, Yoshihiro would have taken seamless care of any concerns. At the time of purchase, I was wavering between Yoshihiro and another brand. What tipped me to Yoshihiro were reviews of Yoshihiro by professional chefs. I’m so glad I followed their advice, and would like to thank them for taking the time to write here. I am a Yoshihiro repeat customer, as I just purchased their NSW 46 layers veggie knife for my son-in-law’s bday gift. This is a brand I’m going to stick with, as they clearly put a lot of heart into what they create.

After nearly two months of daily kitchen grind, this knife is as sharp and as beautiful as it was the day it came out of the box. From thinly slicing beef to finely dicing tomatoes, it mows through every task with ease. The only time i have had an issue with staining was after mincing a large amount of basil, but after a little scrub, knife oil and TLC it was back to gleaming. I also bought a yoshihiro utility knife in blue steel that, and while being very useful, it has not retained an edge like this Damascus steel. I also prefer the handle style to the western of other knives, it's just more comfortable during a long day, but that is of course personal preference. Combine the comfort of the handle with its light weight and it's stubbornly razor sharp blade and you might have the perfect knife. Buy it! You'll love it!