Yoshihiro VG-10 16 Layer Damascus Santoku Multipurpose Japanese Chef Knife

I am very please with the purchase of this paring knife. I have never had what would be called a "good" knife. I am 73 years old and live alone and actually do cook most days either for myself or family/friends. I decided that I wasn't going to live forever and would treat myself to a "good" knife. I watch a lot of Japanese TV on NHK which is a Japanese channel that broadcasts in English. I am fascinated with the sense of honesty that Japanese tradesman put into all their endeavors when creating products. All products. I have long been fascinated by the skill that is put into the creation of the great sword called the Katana. These blades are supposed to be the finest such weapons in the world. The cost of one of these blades can actually be in the millions of dollars! Naturally I don't want such a weapon that after all has but one use, but I thought why not purchase a "good" knife from the country that makes that weapon? I purchased this simple paring knife from Yoshihiro and am so very glad that I did. This knife came in a package that of itself is very impressive and elegant to behold. The knife itself has an etching upon the blade that looks so very much the same as that which is upon the Katana! Very beautiful to behold and even the handle is at once beautiful and sturdy and "feels" good in the hand. The cutting edge is beyond sharp and does a magnificent job of cutting vegetables which is what it is intended to do. I cut raw potatoes into small chunks for making home fries and with what ease!! i have sliced onions and tomatoes and carotts and with such assurance. I am very, very happy to have such a beautiful instrument with which to go about my daily life. I dont have just a "good" knife, I have a "great" knife. Hai!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great little knife starting this one out at 5 stars because I can see the quality of this knife and it deserves 5 stars. Out of the box knife even though sharp enough to shave with didn't have super well polished edge, at least in comparison with any of my Shun knives, this knife actually seemed a little on the dull side in comparison to a Shun factory edge. I few swipes on a 12,000 grit stone and it's in the ball park. Also was led to understand would have a 50/50 edge came with a 70/30 favoring right hand use. Neither of these is anything "big" as both are easy fixes. Now for the good, the balance and weight of knife are near perfection for this size of blade also the belly is deep enough to get a fair rocking action for it's size also the choil is perfect size and distance from bolster to have a great feel reguardless of style of grip. Once I open the edge to my liking and sharpness I believe this will be one of my favorite knives as has all the attributes I was looking for. Also the knife is truly gorgeous. I would highly recommend to people with some skill at polishing a blade to look at this knife as has many very attractive features that are hard to find in this size of a knife. UPDATE: Day one of heavy use knife still didn't have useful edge I was looking for. Spent some serious time on stones with it got edge dialed in where I want it. I want to keep this clear I keep my Shun's at what I call a "stupid" sharp level. This knife exceeds that level after the stone work. I was cutting radishes cleanly thinner than standard paper with ease if you are considering this knife I'd recommend just buying it one of the best knives I've ever used.

The package arrived quickly and was very sturdily put together. No rattling or shaking. I had to get a knife to cut several strips of tape. Loose paper was packed inside the outer shell to ensure that nothing would shake around. Good packaging, and free, too. The knife itself came in a blue box made of finely textured cardboard, complete with gold letting. It was double-secured with rubber bands. Very secure. A piece of foam was inside the case, another measure to prevent rattling during shipping. The knife itself was beautiful. It was very sharp, as I anticipated. I bundled together plastic bags and the knife just slid through it as though I put no weight at all behind my movement. Upon closer inspection, as well as studying the small yellow paper with Japanese instructions, I discovered that the knife is, indeed, double edged. However, the diagram on the paper depicts a single-edged knife, so it was confusing at first. The craftsmanship of the blade is so fine it took me several minutes to figure out if it was double-edged or not. It is. DO NOT ATTEMPT TO USE PULL-THROUGH SHARPENERS ON THIS KNIFE. You'll not only damage a beautiful piece of artwork, but also probably dull the blade more than you will sharpen it. Get a fine-grit waterstone. Look at the picture on the yellow paper slip inside the knife case. Follow those instructions. Overall, the knife itself is great. It cuts like a hot coal through cobwebs and retains a very fine edge. It even comes with a plastic sleeve for the blade, made of high-quality plastic. Just be careful not to cut the case as you sheathe the knife.

I'm a big fan of the Yoshihiro knives. They're extremely sharp and lightweight. If you tend to have smaller asian hands like myself you'll enjoy the smaller handles and sense of dexterity with this knife. Because the knives are so sharp you'll want to take good care of them and hand-wash only, use a knife block or cover, etc. I haven't had any issues with rusting, chipping, and haven't had to get them professionally sharpened yet after a year of use or so. The damascus pattern is beautiful but the hammered texture has more of a stamped feel then hand-hammered look IMO but for the price this knife can't be beat!

Un petty que está hecho de una forma espectacular, viene de fábrica con un filo muy bueno y por los materiales creo que debe tener buena retención