EnsoHD 5.5" Prep Knife - Made in Japan - VG10 Hammered Damascus Stainless Steel Utility Knife

I bought this knife because of a YouTube review I saw of various kitchen knives. This is my wife's new favorite knife. I think because it is a little smaller than the chef's knives and fits comfortably in her hand. It is razor sharp out of the box and allows very fine slicing to be done easily. I think they could make it even better if they would polish and round off the choyle a little more but this is a minor criticism. The balance is excellent. If you have a very large hand it will feel somewhat small but this is such a useful tool that is used a lot in the kitchen. You still need a chef's knife for heavier work but they did a great job with this one. The Black canvas micarta handle is similar to G10, which I love. Stable and hard, almost indestructible. The CG-10 steel is hard stiff and fairly thin. If you have small veggies to chop this is a joy to use.

The little big knife delivers stunning looks with excellent cutting performance.The Enso HD 5.5 prep knife absolutely lives up to it's name.Packaging - very simple velvet plastic holder in a black box branded ENSO. Does not come with edge guard.Knife - Absolutely beautiful reflective hammered finish. This knife works very well in small kitchen tasks like cutting shallots, spring onions, mushrooms, small fruit, cheese, chopping chocolate bars. It's basically gonna handle anything a pairing knife could do but better at the larger tasks because of the handle leverage as well as the increased blade width that really helps peeling tasks.Edge retention - It seems to hold an edge really well even when butchering fibrous mango cheek after mango cheek. I lent this out to a friend who subsequently rolled the edge on something tough but was able to grind it right out and got even sharper than the factory finish. If you want to put a steep angle on this knife it can certainly handle it. It seems to be a fairly high quality VG-10 they are using. I recommend you but a cheap plastic edge guard for this thing or a knife block to keep that edge in tact as it it thin.Handle - Plenty to grip onto if you have small to medium hands. Really good leverage for a knife this size.This knife is a buy at $80 but when if you can find it for under $70 it represents a good value. Anything under $60 is a steal even if used. It is my most used knife for small task kitchen prep work.Note: Picture for size comparison is the 7.5 Yaxell Dragon Santoku in BD1N (long discontinued, same parent manufacturer)

5.5" prep knife. This knife arrived in good time, in excellent protective packaging, and with a good edge. The hammered surfaces are not as deep as the pictures indicate, which is good. Also the Damascus lines are not as distinct, tho they are plenty distinct for show. Overall a very aesthetically pleasing knife. In the pics the tip seems a bit oddly chopped off but in person it's a good angle. However I would prefer more of a point similar to Kiritsuke for delicate tip cuts. The handle is a bit small but the weight and balance is superb. Makes for a very natural feel.The vg10 core steel sharpens up very well and holds a good edge. I use an 8000 grit stone from bear moo and finish it with polishing compound on a cotton wheel and leather strap.I was able to pick this knife up for around $80. I see the price has gone up and is almost in the territory of Shun's 6" kiritsuke. Just something to keep in mind.This is really a beautiful knife though, with great balance, a versatile and unique (distinctly Asian) blade shape, and superb steel. Highly recommend.

Very well made! Beautiful and a pleasure to use. If you’re going to toil at the cutting board why not put something in your hand that’s a pleasure to hold and use. Expecting great edge retention and as far as being difficult to sharpen my diamond whet stones don’t mind the hardness. Just show it some respect by carefully hand wash and dry after use. Also some diamond stropping paste on a leather strop will help maintain that factory edge without the need for a whet stone just strop often.It won’t cut by itself although it may seem like it. I’ve noticed in slicing various food there is not as much juice or crumbs left on the cutting board, probably because this knife does more cutting and less crushing or tearing. Soft food like tomatoes slice so easy and again less juice left behind.With proper care should last a few lifetimes.

I love these Enso knives-they hold their sharp edges longer than my Shun knives. Love the shape and balance of this kiritsuke knife. It’s my go to knife for most cutting needs. Friends who have come to my kitchen and use them always end up ordering them. I find both sizes very useful.

Love this knife. Very sharp, very good looking. Handle is good for small hands, I wear gloves size L so for me it is a little thin. Also overall it is a very light knife, it is excellent quality. My wife loves it, I tend to grab my chef's knife instead.

Fantastically sharp knife, although a little brittle. Do be careful not to nick bones or other solid objects, else you may see chips in the blade.

Stylish, elegantly light and super sharp..!! Cuts through anything like butter …Awesome craftsmanship eye catching blade finish…!!