imarku Santoku Knife 5 Inch, Japanese High Carbon Stainless Steel

Just got this and tried it out today and I'm very pleased. Several reviews state that the rivets protrude from the handle and make it uncomfortable to use. The rivets on mine aren't exactly flush with the handle but are only SLIGHTLY raised, felling like a VERY small bump on the handle. The rivets have a very slight domed top, so the edges are flush with the handle while the center of the rivet is slightly raised. The fact that the rivets are dome tells me they did this on purpose and it shouldn't be viewed as a defect. I could feel them while inspecting the knife but not really while using it. Handle fit and finish is great. Other reviews said they were unhappy with the balance, stating the knife is weighted toward the handle. This is true but, if you want a nice substantial handle on a full-tang knife with a short blade, that's what you're going to get. If you want perfect balance, get the 7 or 8 inch version. All of that said, the knife feels nice and solid but certainly could not be called "heavy:. The blade was nicely sharpened right out of the box. I diced some tomatoes and an onion tonight and it worked beautifully. I have quite a few premium knives that I spent $200 or more on (I got this for my wife, she's pretty hard on knives and likes to cut into the board LOL) but this one is such a great deal compared to those I think I'll get another as a gift for my daughter, who uses terrible plastic-handled knives from Walmart, LOL.

It’s sharp, easy handling. It’s a nice looking knife, and my go-to.

Razor sharp out of the box. Great balance and feel, meets all my prep work needs. Hand wash and dry only. This blade is a quality tool that will last me my lifetime. Is comparable to my hand forged Japanese blade costing several hundred dollars. I’m buying their companion paring knife this week.*Sharpening: only at angle in instructions or you will ruin the blade.

It's easier to maneuver than my other knives and it's plenty sharp. However, like others have said you can feel the the rivets and that does take some getting used to. Also when chopping parsley for example, my knuckles do touch the cutting board so I feel the knife needs to be a touch deeper. My hands aren't very large so if your fingers are thicker this may be an issue for you.Other than those two minor gripes, the price was good, the handle is lovely and the knife has good weight to it. I like it and am glad I bought it.

My nephew was a sous chef for a large Division 1 university that would cook for VIP suites. He learned about every type of knife and was very picky about what he bought for himself. I don't have the budget for the quality he uses, so I asked him to do a deep dive into what Amazon had to offer in my price range. He recommended this one and it is by far my absolute favorite knife! Perfect size for my small hands, grips well, easy to use, great quality and definitely priced right! I use it for almost everything except things that require their own special knife like bread, tomatoes, etc. I am adding this to items I'll buy as gifts and even probably buy another one for myself.

Never had a sharper knife. It practically does the job for you. The handle is solid and beautiful. You can tell by just holding it, it’s quality construction and will probably last.

Having only used it a few times, I am pleased with it. Probably the sharpest knife I have had. I accidentally skimmed an index fingernail using it. It cleanly took a layer off the surface of the nail and I didn’t catch or feel anything, until I saw the result after the fact. It feels good, secure and balanced in the hand. I got the 5” and am considering getting a longer one to match it. Keep in mind that sharp is a definite understatement when describing this knife.

I've had to temporarily replace my regular Wusthof knifes which were thrown into storage after a fire, and had been making do with a 7" santoku and two smaller vegetable knives. However, there was a gap in the lineup, something which would work for larger veg such as sweet potatoes for which the 7" knife was a little unwieldy.I tried a handful of smaller knives, and eventually settled on this one for two main reasons (over and above it being of decent enough quality that I didn't want to send it back). Firstly, the size of the blade was exactly what I was looking for. The step down in size is less than the 2" it should have over the 7" knife, but it's still big enough to be sturby enough for more substantial fare. Secondly, it feels good in the hand, and the drop of the bolster down to the heel of the blade is large enough that my fingers don't get trapped under the handle as the blade drops onto the cutting board (I sent a number of knives back for that very reason.) The fit and finish of the scales on the tang could use some work - they don't butt up to the bolster very cleanly, nor the tang itself, but I don't notice that too much in everyday use.Overall, for the price, I think this is a solid option for that mid-size knife I was looking for. Edge sharpened up nicely with a waterstone and a strop. Holds it reasonably well, but in the context of a budget knife.