YoshihiroVG-10 16 Layer Hammered Damascus Stainless Steel Nakiri Vegetable Knife (6.5' (165mm))

Attractive Nakiri.(double bevel) I have been using Shun Classic Santokus and utility knives for almost everything so I felt a need to try something "new." This was it. This blade is quite thin and based on the specs it is made of a good quality steel. It isn't at the very top in terms of hardness, but I hope that also means that it will be less brittle and potentially easier to sharpen. For fit and finish it seems very good. I'll have to get used to the "Western" shaped handle, but it is comfortable. At six ounces the weight is easy on the hand and wrist. I haven't found a downside to it yet, but then again I've only had it for a month. Used it to make slaw and it was faster than getting out and cleaning a mandoline or food processor and cabbage was sliced quite well. I didn't use it to attack quartering the cabbage. I used a heavy cleaver for that. This might be up to it but I think that I'll reserve it for more delicate work. Slicing onions, peppers, other vegetables, boneless chicken or flank steak for stir fry is well within the comfort zone. Having the rectangular blade is also and advantage in that it gives your knuckles something to guide when you are trying to slice things thinly. What more can I say, I like shiny objects...Update: If you have two cooks in the kitchen you need two nakiris... For slicing almost anything that doesn't have bones or hardness that might damage a blade, these are now the go-to knives. My wife found a Shun Classic Nakiri on sale and bought it. Now we can do a contrast and compare. The Shun is a little larger and a bit heavier and on sale it cost less... That said I prefer the Yoshihiro. It is well balanced, comfortable in the hand and overall more attractive. Both are quality Japanese knives, but this looks and feels more handmade than the Shun. (That could be because I am so used to the Shun Classic patterns. There are other more expensive Shun lines.) In any event, if you want something that makes you smile when you take it out of the block and use it, I recommend this one.

I purchased this knife in February 2017. It's now almost October 2019. Since then, it's been the only knife I use for vegetables, so I can say I have extensive experience with it.The look of the knife is beautiful. Ergonomics are very good. Excels in comfort and function with a pinch grip. It cut well out of the box and even better when fully polished. Takes a terrifically sharp edge. I sharpen this with essentially a 90/10 right hand edge. Holds an edge for quite a while, with one very big caveat.That caveat is what knocks off two stars. The VG10 core is horribly brittle in a 1.5 inch section near the tip of the blade and in a small section near the heel. I have been fighting constant chipping in the front section of blade, between 1-2.5 inches from the tip. Typical use in vegetables on an end grain cutting board has resulted in repeated massive edge breakage in this section. It starts small after just a couple uses and quickly becomes seriously damaged to where I have to repair it. Additionally, this same section has also struggled with chipping out during repair on Shapton and Chosera waterstones.Just today, I spent considerable time carefully hand grinding the edge back beyond the damage. I took great care to preserve the gentle front curve and overall original shape of the blade. Reset the bevel on a Shapton 400. Carefully refined with a Shapton 1000. Everything looked good up to this point through a jewelers loop and would push cut printer paper. Polished it out on a Chosera 3000. Took a careful look as I was ready to strop on a Shapton 8000. There's another very small chip in the same tip section of the blade. There's also a chip in the heel that is so small, you cannot easily see it, but can detect it with a fingernail.I am guessing something went wrong during the heat treat of this blade. I am excellent at sharpening knives. Even just off the 3000 (I didn't bother going any further), this will push cut through newspaper.None of my other knives has this issue or anything even remotely resembling this. I've sharpened several Spyderco knives and they are prolific users of VG10. And I have zero issues with blade chipping during sharpening.I'm frustrated with this thing, so I feel I have two choices. Continue to grind it until it's no longer practical to use, or toss it in the drawer and buy something else.

Good solid knife that feels pretty sturdy and has an interesting shape. I think it might work great with root vegetables better than other knives. Will update review after further usage.

I love this knife It is extremely well made. VG 10 is definitely a medium quality super steel. Without having to pay three or $400 for a good knife this one beats them all hands down. I use a diamond stone for sharpening this knife. It is too hard of a steel In must be sharpened on diamond for best results. The diamond stones I got off Amazon the 3 x 8” stones do a wonderful job in sharpening this beautifully made knife. You guys are the best love your work.

I purchased this fine chefs knife in February. A few months later I mistakenly left it overnight in a sink full of water. My snafu caused the blade to pit, as if seven little bites had been chomped off the edge. I called the company to find a remedy and they could not have been more sympathetic! They told me to send it to them for a professional sharpening and since it was so new there would be no charge. I had the knife back in less than a week. The damage I had caused is undetectable, it is as good as brand new. This knife is a pleasure and so is the company.Thank you, Yoshihiro!