Mercer Culinary Asian Collection Yanagi Sashimi Knife with NSF Handle, 10-Inch

I wanted to try this Chinese style knife just to see how to compared to a French chef knife. I was blown away by how sharp this thing is. It sliced through a lemon like a hot knife through butter. I like how high it is so it makes guiding chops with my hand easier. Overall I really like the balance of the knife. It's very easy to use and the grip feels good. I also like that you can use it to scoop food a lot easier than a French knife. I will be using this as my primary cutting knife.

Absolutely love this knife. Came out of the box shaving sharp, which was surprising. My third Mercer knife, and none of them were this sharp out of the box. I ordered this because I don't really enjoy chopping too much. This makes it way easier to chop and scoop. I'm already using more fresh veggies over the pre-chopped packages. It's a large blade, so very easy for larger cutting tasks. I am not the biggest fan of round handles, but the blade makes up for any issues with the grip (which isn't bad, just not my preference). Looks very cool on my knife rack. The balance is solid, considering the handle is pretty small. Have not had any issues with hand fatigue. The blade, so far, does a lot of the work for you. Highly recommend trying this knife out.

i don't normally write reviews but i am so impressed with this knife i had to write it. i've always wanted a chinese chef's knife due to its versatility and practicality. when i did my initial research my top choice was the dexter chinese cleaver, which was very popular. in the end, i opted to try the mercer primarily because of the rubber handle. i was very happy with the knife. over time i got more interested in knives, german vs japanese steel, and i decided to "upgrade" to the ZHEN VG-10 Damascus Cleaver . the steel was noticeably sharper when you touch it, and the damascus pattern was beautiful. however, when it came time to actually cut, the mercer was actually better. the secret here is that the mercer has a convex grind, while the zhen was a more conventional V-grind. this meant that vegetables did not stick to the blade nearly as much. with the mercer, i can half a cucumber, and slice into thin slices by draw cutting through the cucumber. i could not with the zhen -- the cucumber would stick to the other side of the blade. next up, i tried the Wusthof Chinese Cleaver . i disliked it immediately -- it was very heavy. in fairness, heavy is in the title, but i didn't expect it to make that big of a difference. the fit and finish also wasn't as good; the spine was not smooth, and neither was heel...which meant holding the knife properly by choking up to the heel was uncomfortable. the mercer's spine and heel of the blade are smoothed. and speaking of weight, this is when i realized that the mercer is 8.8 ounces, which is super light. it's also only 2mm thick at the spine. still wanting to find "the best" knife, i tried the other german brand, Zwilling . this one was slightly heavier than the mercer, slightly thicker, but the balance was off. i prefer the 7 inch size of the zwilling more, but the size of the handle relative to the blade was awkward and made for weird balance. if you're holding a chinese chef's knife properly, you're pinching the blade, so in the zwilling half of the handle is sticking out the back of my hand. and this was when i realized that i really, really like the non-slip rubber handle of the mercer. next up, was the Messermeister Asian Precision Chinese Knife, 8-Inch . i don't know why i didn't try this one first before the others, since this is the knife that celebrity chef Martin Yan uses. it was the only knife that was competitive vs the mercer. it is a little bit heavier, which makes certain cutting tasks easier as the weight of the knife helps, but not so overwhelming like the wusthof. it's thicker at the spine, but it actually gets even thinner than the mercer (which you can see in the picture, is already very thin). it's full-tang, 3 rivet, with a nice "ping" when you tap on the blade vs a "thud" of the mercer, so it definitely feels like quality in your hand if you're into that kind of thing. i still liked the rubber handle of the mercer more, so i eventually ended up wrapping the messermeister handle with rubber splicing tape. 5 chinese chef's knives later, the mercer and messermeister are my favorites. for the mercer, the only downsides i can think of are not really downsides at all, but personal preference. the tip is a bit more rounded than the others, not a 90 degree angle. this makes rocking and draw-cuts easier because it doesn't dig into the cutting board as much, at the expense sacrificing ease of delicate tip work. it's also 8 inches instead of 7, but i've gotten used to it. if you're looking for a thin and light vegetable cleaver, this is incredible value at this price point.

I purchased this originally with the intent of getting a santoku with more traditional features such as a round handle and a blade without the arguably useless grantons (dimples) present on every western-style santoku. Mercer's Asian Collection offering fits all of the criteria at a very low asking price compared to a blade actually shipping from Japan. Despite the economy pricing, the knife itself is well-made and reliable. I've purchased several of Mercer's knives and they tend to be very consistent for a relatively low asking price. My copy was extremely sharp out of the box, it only needed a light stropping on leather in order to push-cut cleanly through paper. The German/western steel will not have the long-lasting edge retention of the specialty Japanese steels such as VG-10, but a few swipes on a honing rod will keep the edge keen enough to thinly slice tomatoes for several cycles before a full sharpening session on a whetstone is required. On ergonomics, the handle is comfortable, although the blade does not offer any special ergonomic features such as a rounded spine or a smooth choil (the underside corner where the blade and handle meet). People looking to chop vegetables for several hours per day will probably want to look to other options, however this is not unusual for a knife at this price point. Mercer offers a handle selection of either natural wood or santoprene (a rubberized grip). The wooden handle is comfortable and serviceable, however it does not appear to have been treated or stained. The santoprene handle may be advisable if you prefer a more textured handle that is durable and easier to keep clean. Overall this is an easy recommendation if you are looking for a traditionally shaped santoku at a budget price.

My other knife is a Mercer, and this one is as sharp and balanced. My Go-To knife for practically anything. My preference is "short and stubby" which makes the Deba perfect. PS: Get the NSF Handel, if you are cutting greasy slippery meat!

Came in a blister pack with card backing. Super sharp when opened. Point of knife is very sharp. Handle is made of a softer rubberised material. Really comfortable! For US$17, I'm going to be using this knife for everything.

Schönes Messer, mir gefällt der Hartgummi-artige Griff. Nichts für kleine Hände.

Amazing product.. a little lighter that I expected, and blade heavy. But works in my favour

As a culinary student/beginner, finding a balance between performance and practicality is key. This Mercer 12-inch Yanagi is arguably the most economical and sensible entry point into sashimi knives. Technical & Practical Breakdown: Simplified Geometry: Unlike traditional Japanese Yanagibas with complex "Urasuki" (concave) backs, this knife features a simpler single-bevel geometry. This makes it exceptionally easy to sharpen yourself on a whetstone, as you don't need to master the specialized techniques required for traditional hand-forged blades. Steel Hardness (56 HRC): The 56 Rockwell hardness is a "sweet spot" for learners. It provides enough rigidity for clean slices but remains soft enough to take a razor-sharp edge quickly without the fragility or chipping risks of high-carbon steel. Exceptional Grip: The rubber handle is a major upgrade over traditional wood for high-volume work. It provides a secure, non-slip grip even when working with wet fish, which is vital for maintaining precision during long pulling strokes. Economical Workhorse: It delivers the necessary 30cm length for single-motion slicing at a fraction of the cost of professional Japanese cutlery. Verdict: This is a high-utility tool designed for the "real world" of a busy kitchen. If you want the performance of a sashimi knife without the maintenance headache of traditional carbon steel, this is the one.

Great knife for the price