ZHEN D5P Japanese VG-10 67 Layers Damascus Steel Chef Knife 8-inch Cutlery , Brown

Got this for a girlfriend a while back as an xmas present. Used it extensively. Initial impression was pretty good. Packaging is pretty. Fit and finish is good, no rattle. Bevels (ground on both sides) were fairly even at about 17 degrees. Pakkawood handle is quite nice. Medium satin finish on blade definitely detracts from the overall look of "damascus" layered steel, and isn't what I go in for on a kitchen knife. Logo is lightly etched- I'd consider that to be below par for the price point.Onto the steel. Know this much. The Damascus thing? It's mostly bulls***. It's actually called layered pattern welding, "modern" damascus, or in the instance of Takefu Special Steel, the manufacturer of VG-10 steel, "Clad Welding." It's mostly decorative, as in this instance, but sometimes a tougher steel may be clad in weaker, chemicaly inert steel for corrosion resistance, seen in some very high end Japanese cutlery, and Fallkniven outdoor knives. Damascus patterned steels are usually a blend of two or more steels of different visual qualities, chemically etched to expose the contrast. I'm not sure what the other steel in this knife is, but it's probably a 410, 420, or 440 series stainless steel. Doesn't matter anyway, it's all for looks.I'm a big fan of vg-10. It's fairly comparable to Crucible's D2 tool steel. VG-10 combines great hardness, and abrasion-resistance/edge-holding, with pretty good chemical resistance, elasticity, and shock/chip resistance. The chromium and molybdenum form carbides that sort of fuse together and prop each other up, like good buddies with serious character flaws, compensating for each others' shortcomings. The 1% vanadium or thereabouts gives VG-10 it's excellent toughness, and "bite". VG-10 owes it's excellent ability to take an edge to vanadium carbides, which resist sharpening better than the rest of the alloy, producing a microscopic sawblade effect.Zhen says the blade is hardened to 62HRC, which seems a bit higher than it actually is, not that it matters much. Takefu recommends tempering VG-10 no higher than 60HRC.The blade did reasonably well on push cuts, but polishing on a leather polish wheel really gives it a laser-like ability to separate sushi-grade tuna belly, and tomatoes with minimal fuss. The shallow blade angle, about 17 degrees or so, demands less agility and coordination for difficult, delicate cutting tasks. The whippy little tip responds beautifully, almost like an extension of the hand, and the overall balance of the blade is quite good, but I'd prefer a little more weight over the blade.It's not much of a chopper, lacking the mass and wider cross section of choppers like the deba bocho, usuba bocho, and the heavier, more obtusely ground European chef's knives. VG-10 is pretty chip resistant, so chopping bone probably won't do much damage, but won't have much of an effect either. It's a mirepoix mincing machine, it's delicate enough to perform precise carving, it's fairly affordable.I'd probably stick with Shun in this pricepoint. The knives perform nearly identically at the same price, but Shun seems to put in the last 2% into finish. Why make a knife out of more expensive clad steel if you're not going to go to the effort of deeply etching your mark, putting a finer finish on the blade to show off the contrast, and getting the secondary bevel ground more accurately? I don't know.Great but not exceptional. 2nd best thing for the price. Spend twice as much for a Japanese blade or get the Shun, or get this, or go to bed bath and beyond... I don't care, I don't even know you.Regardless, this is a small step above the European offerings in the same price point in terms of raw performance. The bevels are accurate, even, and polished. The blade resists knicks and chips very well. The tip is profiled well-enough that it probably won't break off should you accidentally drop it on the floor.. The balance is quite good for fine work, but lacks the mass and stiffness for heavy-duty chopping, where European chef's knives and Japanese Deba Bocho and Usuba Bocho perform best.

The Zhen Damascus 8" Chef's knife is lovely item to behold. Forged layered damascus patterned VG-10 and high carbon steel look like wood grain. Attractive reddish wood handle with a nice hefty heel piece. The knife is thin, but very strong and well balanced. The VG-10 steel provides excellent hardness and takes a good edge. The style and materials are clearly in the mold of Shun classic knives, but these are made in Taiwan. My only beef is the level of grinding in the handle. The bolster and heel piece extend a bit above the wooden handle. In my opinion the handle should be flush or slightly raised above the metal of the surrounding pieces. Ultimately this is a quibble - but that's the difference. That being said the handle is a comfortable shape to hold. Overall, this knife is an excellent value for the price and a lovely and functional kitchen essential.

I love the look of this knife. It performs mediocrely. I was a cook for years and have used many chef knives, I think this one is middle of the road for performance compared to the major players. It holds an edge fairly well, gets very sharp, and is fun to use... I can't really explain it... but the hand feel for it... the knife just doesn't have IT. It's fairly light, the blade shape is good... but I gave it 3 stars because I feel like for $109 it really wasn't worth it. I'm going to look for a new knife after using this one for a year.

This knife is made in Taiwan. The reason i bought it was because i bought few scissors from Zen and they were excellent. I took the chance and bought this one instead of one made in Japan. Really satisfy. It looks nice and well made. Of course it is sharp right out of the box. I also like the plastic edge cover came with it because i can put it on and protect the knife after each use. Highly recommend.

I own Wusthoff, Global, Shun and other high end Japanese knives, as well as an assortment of not quite so high end knives. I also own a moderate collection of pocket knives, including Cold Steel, Spydercos, Benchmades, CRK's, Kershaws, and Zero Tolerance. So after a time I've acquired a fair to middling taste and knowledge about knives. The Zhen knives in my opinion offer great quality at a very reasonable price. VG10 steel from my experience is first rate: highly resistant to rust and stains (especially if well cared for), holds an edge long and is fairly easy to sharpen. The knives are surprisingly lightweight (a plus in my opinion) and are aesthetically very pleasing to boot. Very highly recommended.

Loving my new workhorse! Everything is now like butter. Very sharp out of the box. Ergonomic handle for long hours of prepping food items without the strain! For the looks, it's a very handsome blade. It is a beauty but definitely a beast! Highly reccomended. I own Shun Premier lines, F. Dick, global, and a custom made... This is definitely going into my knife rotation.

I found it in my mailbox, it’s very nice and delicate

There is better steel available, but not for this price. The attempt at reproducing Damascus steel makes for a very good looking blade. So far the edge, after a little honing, has held up very well with a little bit of maintenance honing every once in a while. The laminated handle seems to be holding up very well.