SWITYF Damascus Santoku knife"Professional AUS-10V Japanese steel core material, durable, ergonomic G10 handle, comfortable grip, high-end kitchen knife

Good santoku knife, makes a great 'all around' kitchen knife for those looking for an alternative to a chef's knife.PROS- Blade steel is AUS10, holds an edge very nicely.- Blade isn't too thick, making it great for slicing veggies like carrots & potatos (ie it doesnt just crack them open, but actually slices)- G10 handle is comfortable, well balanced, and easy to grip when wet.- Veggies don't stick too much while slicing- Comfortable with pinch grip- Easy to resharpen.- Doesn't rust (not that i've seen)- Very well proportioned.- Great ''all in one' knifeCONS- Veggies still stick a little while slicing- Edge retention could be betterBut overall its a very good knife. Its a great size at 7 inches. Definitely appropriate for those looking to invest in one knife that they plan on using for all of their kitchen needs. Better than average.

This is as good as it gets in terms of build quality, steel hardness and durability, and overall beauty and physical interest.Having migrated from being a lifetime knife collector/hobbyist (pocket knives mostly) to now a "kitchen and pocket knife" collector LOL, I have learned a bit about steel and build quality over the decades.This chef's knife is super sharp, very solid, strong, and just gorgeous to look at.One question I had is, is this truly Damascus steel? What makes me ask the question is, the heat pattern evident in the blade seems to stop at the handle and revert to a more common polished finish. If you Google images of Damascus steel, you will see that all of the knives have the Damascus patterns throughout the blade--even on the tang portion inside of the handle. And I don't see any kind of weld joint here so I think that this blade, handle, and tang are all forged from one piece of steel. If that is the case, then I have to doubt that it's true Damascus steel. But I am by no means an expert--I only claim to be along time collector.All that said, Damascus or not, this is a very high end piece of kitchen cutlery that is deserving of a 5 star rating. The handle is this G10 composite that some of the knife companies are using today--I think it's designed to ward off germs, have a good grip, and be easy to clean. Whatever it is, it's gorgeous. And I love the octagonal shape.Judging from the weight of the handle and the balance of the knife, I would say it's a full tang blade--or "near full tang". The octagonal G10 composite completely wraps around the blade tang so I'm not sure if that automatically qualifies it as "not full tang"--with full tang usually you can see the top of the blade as it runs through the handle. Full tang, as I understand it, means that the blade runs all the way through the handle AND runs from the top to the bottom of the handle. So if you can't see the blade extension because it's inside of the handle, then by definition it's not full tang. But if it's only a couple of millimeters recessed, that's still a very, very strong connection to the exposed portion of the blade, and I personally prefer the all wood or composite look vs. seeing the metal edge run through the top of the handle. I'm sure that most people would still consider that as full tang.I am calling this a chef's knife more than a Santoku. I might be wrong on this but it doesn't have the traditional look of a Santoku. We're talking semantics here but I prefer to call it a Chef's knife--and an amazing one at that!This would certainly make a fine gift! It comes in a nice, giftable box. I would think that anyone opening up a box and seeing this knife would be super happy--even Uncle Dave, the billionaire LOL!Highly Recommended!!!

Quick Takeaway: After using this SWITFY Santoku knife for a few weeks now I can say, with assurance, that it brings more than just its good looks to the party. It combines thoughtful design with high quality materials and skillful manufacturing. The Damascus blade is both beautiful and a pleasure to use. This is the knife that you’ll reach for first because it works so well. Great looks are the bonus.Key Points:- The knife I received has an easy to manage balance point that is slightly forward of the handle. The handle itself is made of “G10” fiberglass laminate composite and is sculpted in a radial pattern that makes it both very secure and comfortable to hold. I found that this combination of a slightly forward balance point and comfortable, easy to grip, handle made extended times at the cutting board a breeze.One more point regarding the handle ... although it was not expressly stated, the handle’s design appears to be user friendly to both right and left handed individuals. It felt equally comfortable to me in both hands. - The AUS-10 steel used in the blade is well regarded Japanese steel. A two cup of coffee long internet research session/tutorial on this steel showed that has good hardness and edge retention. I found it repeatedly measured against two other highly regarded knife steels, VG10 and 440C. While there pluses and minuses all around, the AUS-10 held up well and, with that crowd, it was nice company to keep ...The santoku I received arrived very sharp. I did a sharpness “press test”* with sheets of copier paper at five positions on the blade’s edge: slightly back from the tip, the 3/4 point, the 1/2 point, the 1/4 point and slightly forward of the heel end.The blade passed thru the copier paper effortlessly when I pressed straight down with no horizontal “back and forth” motion.*The “press test” is a more revealing, and impressive, sharpness test for a blade than simply slicing thru the sheet. Try it for yourself and see ....The Bottom Line: Simply put, this is a well made, handsome, and incredibly useful knife. It is a pleasure to look at, to hold, and to use. It has a home in my knife block.