JapanBargain 1563, Japanese High Carbon Stainless Steel Fruit Knife, Paring Knife Made in Japan

Sharp, perfect size and shape for its purpose, simple and utilitarian yet aesthetically pleasing. The handle is a perfect size for my size 8 (glove) hand. Will the wood handle hold up; I have my father's butcher knives, with wood (ebony and oak) handles, from the 1950's so I have great hope.

It's a soft stainless steel that sharpens quickly and is light and easy to handle. There are more expensive knives that do not perform as well as this knife does.

Firstly, I should say that I'm a bit of a knife snob, have an enormous stable ranging from top-dollar Japanese knives to free things I've gotten at the supermarket. While this isn't a knife I would begin to compare with high end boutique knives, I think it does have a great deal of merit, especially for a stainless steel knife, which I've come to hate over the years. Anyway, this being my first foray into this style of Chinese vegetable cleavers, I wanted to try something relatively well-reviewed that would answer the question of whether or not it was something I should invest in more seriously. Out of the box, this knife was sharp. I wasn't about to try it for shaving, but within reasonable limits. People have stated in previous reviews that the tang bolt is uncomfortable in the hand, and while I understand that if you were planning to take apart a pig with it using brute force, that's not the intended use for this knife. Holding the blade with your thumb and forefinger, as one should with this style of knife, predominantly using the handle for balance, the stud doesn't even touch my large hands. Another item to address is the pattern on the blade. As with other knives from the lower end of my collection, there are often finishes intended to be decorative, but which detract from the performance of the knives. Again, consistent with this crowd, I have found that the simple process of cleaning the knife removes the sticky finish in short order, exposing the steel beneath, and resolving this issue. Of note, I clean the flats of my knives with a plastic scouring pad, which not only removes discoloration on high carbon steel blades, but also makes short work of these "decorative" finishes. Once I had the edge tuned up and the finish largely removed, this knife began to show its colors. It's actually a very sturdy knife. I greatly enjoy the large flat of the blade for sweeping and carrying large amounts of food to the pan, etc. I also wouldn't hesitate to use it for moderate butchering through raw bone, as it does have a bit of weight to it in addition to solidity. As I used it more, I began to be bothered by a point on the spine where it meets the handle. There it projected slightly, and definitely began to chew up my hand a bit. That said, I took the knife out to the garage, rounded the corner with my rotary tool, and since then this knife has been a workhorse; comfortable in the hand, effective and non-sticky, quick to take an edge and slow to lose it. When gripped properly, it also has a wonderful balance which the price wouldn't suggest. All in all, this is an incredible knife for the price, and I absolutely without hesitation use it over virtually any of my German knives. Despite my bias against stainless, this knife has found a place in my kitchen when stainless is the preferred material. I think for it to be a more true representation of a vegetable chopper, it might benefit from being slightly lighter and faster in the hand, but it is a wonderful performer all the same, which eats up any work in the kitchen. If you are considering expanding your knife collection, and are daunted by the prices some of these fair to middling German knives command, I would definitely recommend this as an eye-opening experience bound to redefine what you pay for in a blade. As for someone just building their kitchen and looking for something better than you can find at a department store, this is it. Bon appetit!

I have read several fair reviews, and they are mostly positive, but owning several of them, I feel compelled to point out a couple of oversights by other reviewers.Firstly, I have read several reviews that describe some of the knives as being "too light" or "less sturdy" than others of the same type. They are indeed substantially lighter than many knives of similar style, BUT this is a positive for those folks who actually know how to use a knife. I'm no professional chef, but I know how to use a knife for cutting. These knives are razor sharp, and hold a good edge for a long time when properly used and cared for. They also sharpen relatively easily. That said, if you are looking to cut through bone, get a saw or a cleaver. These knives are designed for cutting flesh and vegetables, not quartering a steer. If you use these knives for cutting up food, they are wonderful. If you use them to chop down walnut saplings in the back yard, there are other, better knives. Think of them as surgical instruments, not hatchets, and they'll serve you well.Secondly, the handles are raw wood. When you get the knife or knives, buy a small can of polyurethane and simply dip the handles and then hang the knife point up, allowing the excess to run off onto a newspaper. leave the knife hanging for 24 hours to allow the finish on the handle to cure. Steel wool the handle lightly with 0000 steel wool, and repeat the dip-hang-cure-steel wool process to get 3 or 4 good coats of polyurethane into the handle. This brings out the beauty of the wooden handles and toughens them considerably as well. It also prevents oils from hands or foods to build up in the wood's grain. I did this to the first of these knives I bought 4 years ago, and the finish is lasting and makes the knife cleaner as well.Lastly, hand wash and then hand dry these knives. They are not for the dishwasher. the hidden-tang handles hold moisture against the blade's tang and will eventually corrode even stainless steel (which is really stain-resistant, not stainLESS). Oil them occasionally with a drop of mineral oil, and sharpen as necessary.With a little care, these knives will be among the finest you own, and after acclimating to the different weight and balance of them, they will quickly become your favorite knives, lasting you for many years.

It is light and the handle to blade ratio is fine. Since it is 15 dollars, it came with an uneven tip with slight discoloration or rust? I tried the paper sharpness test but it barely cut through with force. I think this is a good starter knife to practice with and to perfect sharpening with a whetstone.

Love these knifes. I bought the whole set. They cheap for those who don't wanna pay 200 each for a knife that does the same thing. The handles are lightweight wood that is unfinished and can be finished by the user. Blade is very sharp on some of the knifes. You will need to sometimes sharpen them once received if you bought a few.

You could easily find a better real santoku for cheaper. Bad edge bad cutting. Not a good gift. Flimsy and not durable. Decent function but loses edge quickly. Terrible grip, like balsa wood. Maybe a cool project for someone to do some extra work on the handle or whatever but seriously it's a piece of crap.