Fuji Cutlery - Narihira - 210 mm (8.27 Inch) Double Edged, Molybdenum Steel Chef's Knife (Japan Import)

The first one I ordered looked like it had been kicked around for a while. The knife blade was in factory shape and quite sharp but the handle was very scuffed up and the packaging looked rough. Not a big deal, but there was bigger (unrelated) issue. The edge of the blade near the choil was oddly curved with the corner sticking out notably. The attached picture doesn't look that bad but in practice it was like having a tooth sticking out the back of the knife. It meant that it would catch the cutting board or food with every slice.I checked for pictures and reviews of the knife on other websites and no one else mentioned this so I assumed this was a one-off factory defect and ordered a second knife to replace it. This one was in much better shape; the was packing intact and the handle was slightly scuffed in places but acceptable. However, it too had a bit of a toothy back edge, though less pronounced than the first one (not shown). I decided to keep it - if it seems to be a problem I will grind it out.Aside from these issues, here's my take on the knife. It's light overall but oddly balanced, with a heavy handle relative to the very light blade. The balance point is just behind the bolster towards the handle. This is a bit atypical for a Japanese gyoto, even with a western style handle, which are usually balanced just at the bolster or even on the blade. I would normally consider this a deal breaker but since the knife is so light it's easy to wield and work around it.The handle is basic but comfortable to hold for my largish hand. The belly of the blade is a bit curved without a clear flat spot but not overly rounded. It's very sharp, easily slicing paper and shaving hair off my arm out of the box. It looks like a 50/50 bevel which makes sharpening easier than asymmetrical grinds on many Japanese blades. The blade is quite thin throughout (it's stamped steel 1.8 mm at the spine) and more flexible than I'd prefer, but in practice the flex isn't an issue for slicing except for large and dense root vegetables. It certainly helps for more delicate slicing.For the price I paid - $38 - I'm willing to accept the minor idiosyncrasies of this blade. It cuts and performs very well and the next step up is to a $75-$100 Tojiro DP or Fujiwara FKM. I cautiously recommend it, but only if you can return it. I'm concerned about the clear quality control issues r.e. the curved rear part of the blade.

Pretty good knife for the price, its pretty sharp

This knife is SO sharp!! I didn’t realize how sharp it would be, but it sliced bristles clean off my dish brush. I’ve never had that happen! My husband absolutely loves this, he’s ready to buy 10 more!

The knife wasn’t very sharp when I first got it, been using it for the past two weeks. Didn’t expect an high quality molybdenum knife that the sharpness could last very long, need to sharpen it once two or three days. Over all, you get what you pay for.

A wonderful experience from ordering to receiving the knife. They contacted me immediately when shipping was going to be longer than anticipated. We had already bought a knife from them, so I did not mind. The knives are affordable & slices all types of foods with precision.

Great knife. Sharp, stays sharp. Consider a whetstone.

Love it

More than happy with this knife. Great quality. Might buy another.