Yoshihiro VG10 16 Layer Hammered Damascus Stainless Steel Gyuto 8.25'' (210mm) Japanese Chefs Knife & Petty Utility Knife 5.3'' (135mm) SET

This knife is indisputably beautiful and I have to admit, although we rarely entertain, the aesthetic was tempting relative to a Misono or Kikuichi gyuto knife, which are also highly regarded and functional. Out of the box it is spectacularly sharp. I have done prep work with it about half a dozen times on bamboo and hard plastic cutting boards and it is incredible, laser sharp. I was incredibly excited with how well it cut when I used it once or twice, relative to our Chicago Cutlery set (which is STILL very solid and excellent for the quality, but requires sharpening after each use and is prone to rust spots), but chose not to impart that excitement to my wife. She used it once and thought it was amazing. The Chicago Cutlery knives compared to a cheap no-name set for $20 from Walmart, these are twice as good again. Spectacular. I can't speak to longevity yet but after about half a dozen uses including meat, fish, all sorts of fruits and vegetables, it's still laser sharp. As an amateur cook who sort of knows his way around the kitchen, enjoys good food, good ingredients, almost every cuisine, and cooks good food that make most folks at work say "you're in the wrong profession!" a couple of times a week, these knives are a revelation. I admit there may be better. High-carbon "blue steel" - I'll try those in a couple of years. But compared to any Henckels, Chicago Cutlery, what have you - you can't compare them. These knives are truly spectacular. Beautiful obviously, but incredibly hard, sharp steel. have a whetstone ready but you wont' need it nearly as often as you will with any mediocre set. Other knives may be good; these are excellent, absolutely. You CAN NOT be disappointed with this. So, take that for what it is. Happy cooking!I will also note that the 8.5" is more comfortable for chopping than the 9.5" or 11.8" (I bought all of them) for me - and I am 6' tall. This knife is spectacular. The smaller one is a bit bigger than a paring knife but still absolutely manageable for detailed prep work - cutting the stem out of a tomato, some detailed slicing. This set is VERY good. You need to know what you're buying and why if you want the longer blades. For most folks, these will be perfect and complete for almost all kitchen prep work. Buy this set, a good whetstone, and some other specialty knives. But I can't over-emphasize how good these are. The sharpness is incomparable. The only thing you may be able to beat is the longevity of a laser-sharp edge, if you get harder steel, but I doubt that difference is worth the difference in price. Again, these knives are truly spectacular. You just can't go wrong here.To compare on another more or less scientific basis, after a decent sharpening on a whetstone, this one could shave almost smooth. Nearly properly razor sharp. The Chroma knife we bought could hardly hack a hair off. Different hardness, different sharpness - that proves itself. With shaving cream, I could shave with the Yoshihiro. This is like cutting with a razor, but much, much harder. Proof in the pudding.

I gifted this Yoshihiro 2-knife set to friends as a housewarming present several years ago, and they still treasure and use it regularly . This Gyuto and petty knife set are semi-handmade (assembled and sharpened by hand, with the assistance of forging hammers and grinding/polishing tools). Both knives use a premium VG-10 core surrounded laminated stainless steel and hardened to 60HRC. All components are made in Japan. These are full-tang knives with laminated mahogany scales.While these knives are at the lower end of the Japanese premium kitchen knife market, they're still a substantial step up from most mass-produced chef's knives (Henckels, Mercer, Messermeister, Victorinox, Wusthof, etc.) - and are certainly superior in terms of sharpness and edge retention. They do require more care, so they aren't a good choice for everyone. With their relatively hard blades, sharpening and honing must be done by hand, and they must never be used to cut bone-in or frozen foods, or placed in a dishwasher.My friends have never stopped talking about these knives and their razor-sharpness. One of the few gifts that has actually increased in value with time.

Great shipping. Great looking and nice feel. Super sharp edge and cuts vegetables super thin without smashing them. Highly recommended for a high quality knives.

These knives are scary sharp -- like razor sharp. My girlfriend is afraid to use them, hah! They came in a nice gift box with a thin plastic blade cover, but I don't use it.I've gotten numerous compliments on these hammered, layered-steel blades. I've wanted a quality knife for some time, and these knives don't disappoint. The hammered finish also helps prevent vegetables from sticking to the blade while chopping.My only concern with these knives is that they're meant for more delicate slicing (like fish and vegetables) and may be more prone to breaking because the blades are thinner than western-style knives. So, no chopping through hard bones with these. I'll need to treat them more carefully than my other knives. To prevent staining I make sure to dry the blades after washing and them and then place them on my homemade magnetic knife holder. Also, sharpening these has required a new purchase: I bought the Spyderco Sharpmaker, because these Japanese blades use a 10-15 degree sharpening angle on one side instead of the more typical 20 degree angle (on both sides) of western knives.The blade is full-tang, and the handle is polished mahogany.Overall I am really satisfied. The knives are beautiful, well-balanced, and really well made.

After reading several books on knives and food preparation, I was advised to buy knives a la carte. Most chefs will favor the benefits of slowly building a collection of knives that precisely suit your needs, as opposed to buying a set. The two most important of which are the chef's knife and the paring knife.This Gyuto and petty epitomize the lighter, sharper style of Japanese knives that differentiates themselves from the German styles of major western companies like Wusthof and Henckels. While the petty is slightly longer than the paring, it can serve the same function. Further the craftsmanship is a level above some of the more major brands that have wider distribution. It cuts through tomatoes, onions, and poultry like butter. The Damascus layering is beautiful, and the oak is smooth and polished.These two knives will provide any chef with a solid foundation upon which to build a top-knotch kitchen knife collection.

I had been comparing many VG10 and AUS10 knives for quite some time online and researching. In the end, I decided to go with these because I would get points on my card for the purchase. Definitely not disappointed. They are beautiful, well balanced and razor sharp.