FINDKINGDynasty Series Japanese Chef Knife, Professional Kitchen Knife, 9Cr18MoV High Carbon Steel Blade, African Rosewood Octagonal Handle, Sharp, for Meat Cutting, 8 Inches

I recently purchased this and it's bigger brother (the 9" Kiritsuke) and am very impressed with these wonderful blades.I have always wanted a Shun or Yoshihiro VG10 Steel Gyuto style Japanese knife for my kitchen, but my lifestyle had never lent an environment where I felt I could own a multi-hundred dollar kitchen knife and expect it to be all it was meant to be without getting destroyed by misuse, lack of proper care and cleaning, and a potential for it to just go missing one-day. Now, I'm entering a time in my life where I COULD do that, however, I wanted to crawl before I walk before I run.I'm certain this $30 utility knife nor its $57 bigger brother would not hold it's own against one of the previously mentioned knives or anything else offered by those knife makers. That said, I am not a Chef and I do not have to depend on these knives in order to make my living. I do, however, enjoy cooking and when my prep time is reduced by having a sharp blade that can make the work quicker and more enjoyable, it seems the food is better, the mood is better, and everyone is satisfied.I take pride in having sharp knives and my past experiences with even higher-end German cutlery was that of constant maintenance. I had my whetstones out every 6 months, it seems, and was always running the blades across a steele to get that edge to liven up after only a few uses. These blades have not enjoyed as much use as my prior knives because I'm not currently cooking as often as I once did, but I have noticed that they were sharp enough for most people's standards right out of the box. I used them once, enjoyed the experience, but wanted to see how much more I could get out of them. I got out my whetstones and went to work on them. A 300 grit to fine tune the shape and define my edge angle, followed by a 1,000 grit to refine the edge a bit, then a 6,000 grit to remove any stray burs and give a slight polish, then a 12,000 grit to truly polish the edges.These knives are sharp. I've used them quite a bit on a mixture of bamboo and plastic cutting boards for a mixture of fruits, veggies, and meats, and have not had to hone or re-polish the edges since. They're holding an edge perfectly and continue to make me smile while working on prepping for my meals.Did I mention they look cool? The black looks painted on, but it doesn't affect the performance and since I hand wash these, it's not like the high-heat of a dishwasher is testing the durability of the paint (if it is paint). The texture helps with food releasing from the blade, so I like having that too. The octagonal shaped handle is great, not slippery - even with wet hands.Looking for entry level Japanese inspired kitchen knives made of hard steel (not soft German steel)? Look no further. Buy the whole set. That's my next move.

I bought this chef knife for mainly four reasons:1) Findking advertises the steel they use2) Looks great (especially the handle)3) Comes with a leather sheath4) Quality and materialsUnlike other Chinese-made Serbian chef knives, Findking actually advertises a 9cr18mov steel, (others just say "high carbon steel") which is a premium Chinese stainless steel. Basic care like washing and drying and the occasional sharpening is all that's required. Oiling is not necessary. I received this knife, and the quality is excellent from the blade to the handle. It of course came sharp and made quick work of vegetables. The dimpling on the top half of the blade is not just aesthetic but makes it so things don't stick to it when cutting. The wooden handle has a nice finish and is easy to grip. This knife is hefty so keep that in mind. The way to grip this knife is the same you would do with a Chinese cleaver - the index and thumb pinching the steel and the rest of your fingers and palm wrapping around the handle. Also, the leather sheath is thick and is stiff which should break in over time.

Great job

For a $45 knife, you actually get a lot. If we really wanted superb quality or craftsmanship, we would have sprung for a Shun or something else Japanese made. HOWEVER, for our $45 we actually get a pretty well made knife here.I doubt it is hand forged...however, I do believe that it is forged in some way as you can clearly see the waterline on the blade and I don't think it is laser etched on. So some basic san mai. Likely someone is turning out billets in China from maybe Japanese steel? And these folks are making knives out of them.The hammer marks are fun, but the black looks painted on. The handle is everything they say it is. Nice quality wood, nice fit and finish. The thing comes wicked sharp and if the steels are what they say they are, it should hold an edge for a reasonable period of time.So yea, it's a pretty well made $45 knife that frankly is likely to last for years of use.

First clad steel knife I’ve owned. Apparently if you don’t take care of it, it’ll rust. Similar to a cast iron pan I suppose. It’s nothing for me to clean and dry my knives before hanging them up.The knife is surprisingly light and is balanced correctly. It is very sharp. When I unboxed it, I bumped my knuckle lightly against the blade and was easily cut. I wore a bandage for three days until the bleeding stopped. I think if I were to bump it just a little bit harder it might have cut me to the bone. Be very careful.It’s a stylish knife. The grip feels natural. No obvious defects but I can tell and for the price point, I’m very satisfied with the purchase. I’ve only had it for a week so if it turns out to be a dud, I’ll update the review.On a personal note, I normally use cleavers all the time so I’m used to heavier knives. Because this knife is so light it may take some time to get used to.The packaging notes make it clear not to use anything other than a wood cutting board. If you use stone or plastic, it will defect the cutting edge.