Yoshihiro VG-10 46 Layers Hammered Damascus Nakiri Japanese Vegetable Chef Knife

Great knife for the money. Love how it fits in my hand and how it quickly chops vegetables. Super sharp and easy to clean.

This is the best knife I’ve ever owned, and I have owned a few. I’ve resisted reviewing for a couple of years to see how the knife holds up. The edge stays sharp for quite a while, I’ve sharpened it and honed it to keep an edge that holds up well overtime. As far as I can tell, it is the real deal.

Beautiful knife. Razor sharp. Good feel and very nice bamboo sheath for taking it with you or protecting it and you in a drawer.

I have only been using European style knives for years, and have been unhappy with the weight and rapid dulling and rolling of my blade edges in relatively short order as well as wrist fatigue. I’ve been a Japanese sword practitioner for over 20 years now, so it only made sense to switch to Japanese forged Damascus blades. A nakiri is a blade style with which I was unfamiliar, but as I am cutting vegetables and fruits as much if not more than proteins, inn no thought I’d try this. The Yoshihiro blade is not inexpensive but also not one which would break the bank if you’re looking for a well made, well balanced blade. I have found this knife to be one of my go-to knifes as it’s incredibly light, easy to manipulate safely, is nicely balanced and cuts reliably paper thin slices of any vegetable really effortlessly. The hammered surface is less likely to stick to the thin slices I cut. I love the more traditional tsuka and it fits perfectly in my hand. I do also appreciate the saya which comes with it so I can choose to store it safely sheathed this way or in a block. I think it’s a great knife for those who know how to manage and correctly slice with a nakiri. So far so good, and time will tell if the edge rolls, but I suspect I’ll continue to be extremely happy with this knife. Thank you!

Bought after seeing this brand on a Master Class show. Super impressive - so sharp, cuts like a dream. Also will easily cut your fingers - be careful! This is probably the best knife we’ve ever owned and will take some getting used to. My better half sliced most of the tip of their finger during their first use. Once you understand it’s different than cheap knives you may buy, you will absolutely love it. Hope to have this one to pass down to the kids.

Great price good for someone that cooks a lot.

Cuts just about anything like butter have yet to resharpen after manyyyy uses

All in all, I highly recommend this knife. It's perfectly functional, being sharp right out of the box, and it has a lot of aesthetic charm to it. In comparison to my Shun Premier knifes, this one is more "rustic." The blade is less polished and refined looking (IMO) than those on the Shuns, but it has a rustic beauty that I happen to really like. The handles on the Shuns are treated, finished, and perfectly smooth right out of the box. The wooden handle on this one, in comparison, is completely untreated and wasn't sanded very well out of the box. Outside of color variations in the bolster (which are clearly stated in the description to happen), my knife looks exactly like the images here - so the description is spot on. I'll start with the blade. The steel has a good sturdy feel to it, and the fit and finish are consistent along the whole length. The edge was sharp right out of the box - which should always be the case, but hasn't been on every brand that I've bought. The layered steel on the bevel is very attractive and polished, and the hammered upper area is an excellent look. The shape of the blade is what got my attention and inspired me to buy it, as I'd never used a knife like this before. My Shuns come to a very fine thin tip, and I find myself worried that I'm going to bend the tip (which certainly could be unreasonable, but I am nervous about it) when I'm cutting through something and the tip hits the cutting board with a lot of force. The lack of a sharp tip at the end makes it easier for me to cut with simply because I'm not worried about damaging the tip, and I can fly right through cutting veggies. Shun makes this same type of knife, and I might like it just as well. Now for some notes on the handle. The wood is completely unfinished, as least as far as I could tell. That surprised me, so I was disappointed. It might be traditional, so I might have had the wrong expectations - but I wanted to note it in case you were also thinking that it would be treated in some way. Although the shape was spot on, the surface roughness was sub-par, IMO. Honestly, I would have gotten a "B" at best in eighth-grade shop class if I had left it like that. Due to the outer finish, I felt compelled to lightly sand it down. After sanding, which took very little time, it looked and felt much nicer. Being untreated, though, it just soaked up water when I washed it. I applied mineral oil three times, and it soaked it up quickly each time. The mineral oil improved things, but it still looked too unfinished to me so I ordered some Howard Butcher Block Conditioner because it contains waxes that coat the surface. After using it, the handle is starting to really look and feel nice to me. I wish that it had been treated with something before it arrived, considering the cost of this knife. Since that might be traditional, I didn't deduct a star - but I did deduct a star because it required sanding. I agree with Rubbertoe that the handle feels light compared to my other knives. That said, I find cutting vegetables with this knife to be very easy and...I've got to say...enjoyable. I've learned to grip it higher up on the handle, which puts it into balance for me. I wanted to make sure that you knew about the handle being unfinished, but I do recommend this knife. The handle can be treated once you get it, and the overall feel and look of the knife is great.

I don’t know what I did without this knife. It has become the number one knife in our kitchen. It hasn’t met a tomato too soft. It slices everything first time, every time. Just beautiful to use.