4 Inch Paring Knife, Japanese Steel Damascus Professional Kitchen Knives High Carbon Super Steel Carving Knife with Gift Box

Almost supernaturally sharp! Note: If you are at all clumsy, DO NOT buy these knives. These will cut you if you look at them wrong. [Very slight exaggeration.] I am a knife collector (mostly high-end pocket knives) so I'm not easily impressed, but I do like a deal. Simply put: I've never used a better kitchen knife for the money. Period. These things make my Wustofs feel like dollar store knives. The factory edge is literally 'hair-whitling' sharp. Not 'shaving sharp.' That's comparatively easy to achieve. Look up the difference. You will be amazed. With the santoku (Asian blade) chef's knife, you can actually cut a 0.5mm thin slice off of a tomato under only the weight of the knife itself. Just pull back. As to the quality. They seem incredibly solid and well-made. The blade steel is a San Mai 'Damascus' construction, essentially sandwiching an extremely hard cutting edge steel (maybe 62 Rockwell or higher) between two layers of slightly softer multi-alloy swirled (folded) Damascus steel. This is ideal as it allows the cutting edge to be crazy sharp and to stay that way for longer between sharpenings, while the cladding steel is able to take more of a beating without chipping or being damaged. Plus, they just look damned good!! Subtle, but good. The weight is great, if a little on the heavy side. The handle shape is comfortable and confidence-inspiring. The balance is good. Not perfect, but very good. Maybe the tiniest bit tang-heavy. The one BIG downside, if you're not a really festidious user, is that they are not going to be stainless. Many really good steels aren't. This means that you absolutely MUST clean and dry them immediately after use. Not after dinner, letting them sit covered in tomato juice for an hour. I mean right after you make the last cut. For me, it's worth it. I'll update this review in a few months when I know more about their durability and edge retention.

These knives were an anniversary gift for our steel anniversary, and they could not have been more perfect. The SHAN ZU Damascus knife set is absolutely beautiful—the craftsmanship and Damascus pattern really stand out and feel special. My husband has been using them regularly and has genuinely loved them. They are extremely sharp, well-balanced, and feel professional in hand. Cutting and prep are effortless, and you can tell right away that these are high-quality knives made with care. This set made a meaningful and practical gift that we’ll use for years to come. If you’re looking for a sharp, elegant knife set—especially for a special occasion—I highly recommend these.

These knives are heavy and beautiful. Incredibly sharp and flawless. I bought a top German brand chef knife that starts with a Z and it looked used. It had scratches on the blade and the handle. I ordered a second German knife this time directly from the Z in Germany and looked even worse. These are like art and they work flawlessly for a home cook like myself and as I'm told for chefs alike.

I ordered Shan Zu knives about 2 weeks ago and wasn't satisfied with the packaging or condition of the knives. Apparently, I may have received a returned order. I tried again after I sent them back. The order that arrived was perfect and in original wrapping and the box had the red label wrapped around the box. These were new knives. Shan Zu is directly competing with the best kitchen knives such as Wustoff, Mac, Myabi, and Shun. The box that they came in is high quality. The knives were perfect, sharp, and have a nice design on the blade. So far, I’m very impressed with the quality of this set. They are a bit heavier than the knives I own with the 8” chef knife weighing 279g and my Mac chef knife weighing 195g. The blade shapes are similar but the Shan Zu belly is a bit flatter and wider. A flatter knife will work better for chopping onions and celery. I appreciate the wider belly for scooping chopped vegetables into a pot. The manufacturer says the core has a hardness of around 60-61 HRC so I will avoid bones and hard surfaces. I already own Mac, Misen, Myabi knives so I’ll be comparing the Shan Zu against these. As I’ve just received them, I’ve only tested basic slicing tasks and cannot attest to durability or ease of sharpening but I’ll update the review after I’ve used them for a while.

These are great knives at a excellent price. I was looking for a Shun knock-off (thin Japanese blade made of very hard and very strong steel). The description of these say "Japanese" all over the place. They may use a Japanese steel but these are thick (and heavy) knives like the famous Wusthoff brand. If you are looking for Shun-style blades, the Shan Zu Pro series are not that.

Extremely nice quality and sharp. The knives have good weight and balance to them. Well worth the money

Extremely sharp, high quality and thick blade. Great for heavy duty cutting, especially meat. Too thick for delicate work.

Corta perfecto aún siendo de segunda mano. Me compré un kit de afilado y enseguida recupera filo. Muy buen agarre y equilibrio en el corte. Muy contento

English/Polish. I am gonna write this short review in two languages to help you out with your choice. Napiszę tę recenzję w dwóch językach, żeby pomóc Ci w wyborze. The knives are well made and well balanced. The edges are sharp (15 degrees) and I mean it. They easily shave your hand hair if needed. Tomato test passed easily, I believe they will stay with me for a long time. Noże są dobrze wyważone i nieźle leżą w dłoni. Są ostre, naostrzone na 15 stopni, bez problemu golą włosy na rękach. Test pomidora też nie jest problemem. Wyglądają również ładnie Będę używał i testował dalej.

Prachtig mes en vlijmscherp! Kan natuurlijk niet voorspellen hoe het zich op de lange duur houd, maar voelt aan en ziet eruit als topkwaliteit.

J’aime

After years of disappointment with blunt knives or buying new knives but finding them soon lose their sharpness I decided to buy a decent knife set. I was not disappointed. They are very sharp straight out of the box. I have the cut on the end of my finger to prove it! The first time I sliced an onion I was cutting a couple of horizontal slices and the knife penetrated through like it was butter. The tip only just caught the end of my finger and I thought I’d avoided a cut but no. It reminded me how careful you need to be with a really sharp knife but I could get away with not being so careful with my old knives. These new knives will even catch hold of your nail if you don’t fully tuck them under and use your knuckle as a guide. The Damascus pattern makes them aesthetically pleasing and I like the handle which provides a good grip. The knives are heavy compared to my old knives but feel well balanced and robust. I actually bought 4 Shan Zu steak knives after using this set although I’ve not used them yet. They are also weighty with a similar handle although not Damascus steel, which isn’t really required for an eating knife. I’ve done a lot more food preparation since the knife block arrived because I’m no longer frustrated by poor cutting issues. Trimming meat used to be really irritating but it’s a breeze now. I’ve purchased a Whetstone to keep them sharp although there’s no sign of needing it yet. My brother has a set of Global knives but I can’t imagine how they could be much better than these Shan Zu knives to warrant the extra expense. The knife block is fine and functional so all-in-all I’m happy with my Shan Zu purchases.