Japanese Gyutou Pro. Handcrafted 8 inch Chef Knife Handmade Forged Knife Japan VG-10 MAX Damascus Steel -Kokoro ser. with Wood Handle

Extremely sharp and very nice

I have several high end knives some costing over 300$ this one is at least there equal, sharp out of the box with good balance and easy to handle out to the very tip. Core material must be a little different because it will not stick to my magnetic knife holder like my other knives so it's in the block. I like this thing a lot and the one I received is an excellent value .

Easy to work with very precise cutting

This is not my first Tenkumum knife. Although I swooned over my previous Tenkumum knife, I ultimately had some serious concerns about its authenticity — as a genuine Japanese knife, made in Japan, “carefully crafted by Japanese craftsmen” with “a lineage of excellent craftsmanship passed down for hundreds of years….”It seemed to me that any company with those bona fides would’ve left an online trace. But I couldn’t find any. No history. No press. No reviews. Not a single vendor of high-end Japanese knives that sold Tenkumum. Not even a Tenkumun website. And especially conspicuous was the absence of any mention of “Country of Origin” — anywhere, not even on the Amazon site, which is rare.So despite loving the knife, I didn’t believe the hype.So here I am now, the owner of another gorgeous Tenkumum knife. This time the handle seems to be made of a resin and wood mix. It’s stunning. And feels incredibly lush and smooth in the hand. The texture changes from smooth-as-glass to wood-grain, making it uncommon and quite special.This Gyutou knife is beautifully balanced, so holding it to chop, mince, and slice feels very natural. As in all the Tenkumum knives I’ve seen, the space where the bolster and heel meet is what rocks my world. I’ve had nasty cuts from holding knives where the heel’s as sharp as the blade. That won’t happen with this knife. The heel meets the bolster on this knife in a gently rounding curve that fits your middle finger very comfortably.As before, I have concerns about the “full tang” of this Tenkumum. You can’t see the blade going through the handle. So how’re we to know? It’s odd for such an expensive blade not to show its full tang, and also not to mention it in the Amazon description of the knife. But, hey, maybe it’s an artistic choice. The knife is weighted very evenly, full-tang or no full-tang.My other Tenkumum knife called itself Gyutou AND Santoku, even though it was neither. It was a Kirutsuke. THIS Tenkumum knife is indeed a Gyutou knife. Gyutou means "cow or beef sword," but it refers to a general-purpose kitchen knife suitable for cutting, slicing, and chopping a variety of ingredients, not just beef. It's the Japanese equivalent of a Western chef's knife. And that’s exactly what this knife is — a Chef’s Knife.There’s still no online history of this company. No high-end Japanese knife vendor that sells this knife. No press. No reviews (except on Amazon). Interestingly, there is now an elegant website for Tenkamum, the content of which mostly replicates the content on the Amazon site — but also lists its only seller as being Amazon, which is odd.Lastly I’ll say that, out of the box, the blade of this knife was dull. It would barely cut a carrot, let alone a tomato. But I’ve had other high-end knives that arrived dull (i.e. a Made In Santoku). As long as a blade takes to sharpening easily — which this Tenkumum blade did in spades — then I know I have a good knife. After a few passes through my sharpener, this Gyutou was slicing tomatoes by just looking at them.If this knife were $59, I’d recommend it highly, if only for its aesthetic value. But at its current price…I don’t know what to say. The knife is gorgeous and imminently sharpenable, so if you love its looks and can afford it — go for it.This Tenkumum knife is either an epically triumphant pretender, a dupe, and a fraud — or it’s the real deal. I can’t say for sure, which.

This knife is absolutely beautiful. From the handle to the extremely sharp blade.It is scarily sharp. Even if you know how to handle a chef’s knife, you have to be careful, because any contact with your hand, even without any pressure, can cut. Having said so, cutting vegetables and meats is effortless and precise. I have also noticed that it doesn’t lose its sharpness, even with substantial use. Also, this knife is really light and very well balanced. It just feels natural in your hand using a pinch position. The finish on the top of the blade and shape of the bottom allows you to hold it on a pinch position to have perfect control. It is really a pleasure to use.Regarding aesthetics, it is a thing of beauty. The handle is stunning in its combination of burl wood and transparent resin. It is very smooth, but not slippery.All in all, a functional and beautiful knife at a reasonable price, given the quality of craftsmanship.

Forged and folded in Japan. Total satisfaction!!!

This was shipped as advertised and quite QUITE sharp

This is very sharp, and has nice balance