Mercer Culinary Asian Collection Santoku Knife

comes super sharp, excellent blade geometry. pretty much the only reasonably eastern style santoku

7" santoku wood handle Coming from using a clever for everything, from a block set that cost around $45, this thing is a lot lighter but so much sharper. - double bevel - 58 HRC - generic cheap Japanese handle +1 for authenticity will fill in gap betwean handle and tang eventually - acceptable box to store knife in, if that's your cup of tea - might not be the most comfertable for hours of use at a time but thats what more expensive knives are for - balance is inbetween the logo on the blade and the black plastic ferrule - the bevel looked a little asymmetrical like 30/70 but can be fixed with a sharpening stone and is not a big deal will update after the knife gets put through some good work UPDATE This knife is still greate, stays sharp 4x longer than knives from a cheap $40 block set. can easily take apart a whole chicken. sharpening takes a bit more time because of the stronger steel it is made from but that is a good thing.

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.

I have a set of Wusthof Classic which I find cumbersome and heavy to use at times. I had specific wants - the santoku shape for light chopping and scooping up garlic, light and thin blade. This knife answered all of that and a steal at this price, which means it is easily replaceable. I purchased the 6" blade which is the perfect size for me. On the packaging it is labeled as Made in Taiwan fwiw. I have no bias and time will tell how long it'll last. The only fault may just be the handle feels a tad slippery out of the box. I am a big knife guy with bunch of folders and fixed blades, familiar with steels like VG10 and S30V. Highly recommend this lightweight, agile and beautiful looking knife!

Great knife! After some use, the plastic part does detach from the wooden handle making it unsafe for use. It does work very well when all intact though! I will continue to purchase this knife as needed.

Great value and quality, I have a lot of expensive Japanese knives, and I find myself reaching for this one. As a santoko it does really have three virtues. Thin sharp blade and lightweight design make prep work effortless. I finally added it to my upfront rack with the Shun,s and Henkels.

The knife came very sharp, we've used it for 4 years now. By this time we do need to sharpen it from time to time, and stays sharp. The only con is the handle. The black plastic part of the handle has come off and the wood of the handle starts to discolor over these years from use. Blade is good, but the handle left a lot to be desired...

Bough this knife for one of my chefs as a birthday gift. He has been using it daily with no wear for about 4 months. Perfect size for a carrying case and is sharp right out of the box. Would highly recommend for the price!

very good quality. sharp enough to use

Me gustó todo. Vale la pena. Conserva por mucho tiempo el filo, tiene buen diseño, es práctico y cómodo.

Ligero, resistente, fácil de limpiar.

Really excellent knife. Light, sturdy, and sharp. Would buy again...and have! This is my second after lending my first and never seeing it again. The light wooden handle is a nice touch.

This incredibly cheap knife (bough it on sale for 16.88$) opened my eyes to wa handles. I've always wanted to try this sort of knife, with the incredible lightness of the whole knife (106grams if I recall correctly). Only drawback, and I have to dock a star for that, is that the handle is untreated balsa wood. You will require treatment to use this knife. Even the red portion of the box stained it (went away with a good washing).