Zelite Infinity Chef Knife 6 inch - Alpha-Royal Series - Japanese AUS10 Super Steel 67 Layer Damascus - Razor Sharp, Lighter Than 8”, Easier to Handle, Ultra Versatile Prep Chefs Knives

This stunningly beautiful knife is very well presented in a flashy box and furnished with a super comfortableand well shaped handle that always makes it a joy to use.The six inch blade length is surprisingly long for a utility knife - at first I thought this would make itawkward to use but the very planted way it sits in the hand with absolute stability offsets this andrenders the Zelite with an agility that is unusually good for this size.It has an essence of solidity missing from many cheaper knives and does cut very well indeed butwith the blade ground at a steeper angle than I personally prefer.Fairness dictates that utility knives are, of course, supposed to be good all rounders thereforeI must grudgingly concede that a steeper blade edge grinding angle is probably a technically correctprovision by Zelite for such a tool.(Steeper blade angles cut for longer and survive tougher Jobs, Shallower blade angles cut smoother but bluntmore easily.)The Rockwell hardness 61 steel core on this knife is really hard and strikes the sweet spot for goodhardness without being too brittle - I think the factory edge undersells the true capabilites of this steelbut I just know I will be able to re-sharpen it even sharper to my preferred shallower cutting angle when thetime comes. - (Yeah, I admit am a bit of knife sharpening nerd etc)Somehow, I think I will be waiting a long time. - Excellent knife - I bought the 10" Chefs knife too.Update July 2017: This working utility knife now been used heavily, still as sharp as bought but I still reallyhate that steep long life factory angle so I have decided to risk re-setting it:It took well over an hour to hand sharpen the edge angle back from 15-20° ? to around 12°: Very, very hard steel indeed.I used 800 grit then 2000 grit then 10000 grit then a light strop on leather. Wonderfully fine grained steel.Result = The sharpest blade I have ever had in my kitchen. About as sharp as a cut-throat razor. Be interesting to see how long that edge holds!

In practical terms it is just that 1mm edge of sharp steel that does all the cutting and the rest is furniture and style. However, beyond that the design of a quality knife is mostly all about ergonomics - the focus being to allow the user to wield a super-fine cutting edge with total control and finesse (and consequently as safely as possible). First impressions are that the balance and secure grip offered by the handle do exactly that, it inspires confidence that a lethally sharp blade isn't about to slip out of your hand and sever a digit or two. The full weight is also reassuring and offers good feedback. Twist it around in your hand and the control of the precise cutting angle you want to apply is assured. None of these features are a given and some other designs (even more expensive ones) fail spectacularly in this regard.Of course any new knife in this price bracket should be sharp out of the box and you would expect that, no surprise then that this knife certainly is but it's hardly the most important feature. So many reviews are harping on about how 'sharp' it is the first time they use it, wow, but no matter how high the quality of steel the cutting edge is not going to stay sharp through your expected many years of ownership without regular maintenance. Even careful use in everyday situations will eventually blunt it. So think about that - you can either have it professionally sharpened or even better: learn to do it yourself. A wet stone is going to offer the best method for keeping it like new but there is a technique which needs to be learned in using one. Avoid cheap electric or manual sharpeners as these may well destroy the edge entirely (despite claims to the contrary), and even the best electric sharpener will only get it back to 'tolerably sharp' - and not original factory sharp. I do own a CatraHone diamond electric knife sharpener which is perhaps one of the best and puts an acceptable edge (say, 90% of the way there) on my other general purpose knives. However I won't be using it on this blade - the grinding angle is wrong for a start, so IMO it is wet stone only for this this blade.Improvements? Well the knife itself is a fine tool and I can think of no particular improvement that is not simply about appearance. Steel hardness, brittleness, ductility and other intrinsic qualities affecting the cutting performance apart there is nothing extra to discuss I think. Some additional instruction on how to care for your blade should definitely be included as it is obvious that some people (reading these and YouTube reviews) think it's fine to cut food on granite worktops, glass cutting boards and ceramic plates! Also, and although I'm not denying the box it is shipped in is cute and protects well during shipping, I would suggest that a simple but sturdy wooden storage case may be a much better alternative, it would last far longer and probably not much more expensive to produce either. As a viable storage option to a knife block or magnetic rail a hinged wooden case would add a touch of class. Personally I don't want to be keeping a variety of cardboard packing boxes around my kitchen, they will go tatty fairly rapidly and thus consigned to a remote cupboard or the recycling bin - if not immediately (like mine) then as soon as it gets stained or scruffy or the possibility of needing to return it fades.Anyway, in conclusion the Zelite Infinity 7" Santoku gets a well deserved 5 stars from me.

I did the research as I wanted high quality Japanese blade, stainless steel kitchen knives that will last and I read all the reviews (it's very reassuring that chefs use these knives) and bit the bullet in buying this 5.5" utility knife along with the straight blade 6" chef knife and both are fabulous. I wanted a good all-rounder for prepping veggies for roast dinners, cutting up fruit and everything else. The packaging is amazing quality as well as the product and a good way to store the knife when not in use, although I've bought a sheath for them (https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B005P0OSVM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) as it is incredibly sharp out of the box and safety first! The utility is a beautiful looking knife with the damascus finish, finely balanced and so comfortable in the hand it's very easy to cut food, no real chopping needed as a little pressure on the blade and it cuts like butter, so easy and enjoyable food prep. I don't mind paying more for quality as I will look after these beauties and hopefully they will last a lifetime. I'm already saving for the santoku and kiritsuke knives to add to my collection. Additionally, the website is very informative on maintainance of the knives and I have also bought a ceramic honing rod and 1000/6000 whetstone. Very highly recommended and beautiful looking. I have become a VIP member so hopefully I can get a good discount for further purchases or review for free, ;)

Wow, this is quite a knife. It exudes quality from hilt to tip. Have not used yet but I’m a knife guy and I’m impressed. It’s heavy,and handle has more Gerth than you would expect . It’s a beautiful blade I will keep box for travel with it (ha ha). It did need honing. Not a problem. In this and all good knives one needs to maintain edge always. Always have a ceramic steel near by and learn to use it properly . When it’s needs more than the steel I use a trizor 15 degree electric sharpener. Only use the honing wheel at first. Later use next wheel as needed and finish with hone wheel always. If you can handle a whetstone with an guide angle ,that provides the best edge . However I don’t use one. Whatever way you choose this knife deserves care, magnetic strip or a block is a must. Pro’s often send out to highly rated sharpening co.Update 1/22/23. Great for slicing boneless meats (get 3-4 cutlets from 1 breast) this is not a chopping knife. Japanese steel is very hard , use german steel for rough use it’s less likely to chip. Try a Mercer 7 inch Santuku.

Wonderful knife and very, very well crafted. Arrived in perfect condition. Knife has a wonderful damascus pattern, very tight and well fit handle and the mosaic pin looks awesome. Might sound trivial but even the box was very tasteful and displays the knife beautifully. This knife is very sharp, like, hair popping sharp. Watch your 10 lunch hooks or they will end up in the meal. My concern was the price but not how you think. I was looking for a really nice knife but in the $500 range. This knife was quite a bit cheaper than I was looking to spend but is honestly worth more than the listed price. Using the knife is where you will realize the quality. Perfectly balanced on the pinch point and a nice mid to mid-heavy weight makes prep actually enjoyable. If your looking for an actual quality knife instead of the typical garbage available on the market, I highly recommend this one.

I bought this knife to impress my brother-in-law, who is a professional butcher. He wouldn't use it because the grip is too small, and becomes very slippery when blood gets on it. Still, the steel is amazing! I've been using it for a few months for cutting and trimming my smoker cooks. I just split some game hens last night and it went through them like butter. One or two VERY light strokes on the steel is all it ever takes to make this thing a hair shaver. I liked it so much much I purchased the matching chef's knife.

Best knife for the money. Great quality and looks great.

Très bien pour le prix