SabatierForged Triple-Rivet Santoku Knife with Self-Sharpening Blade Cover, High-Carbon Stainless Steel, 5-inch Razor-Sharp Kitchen Knife for Cutting Fruit and Vegetables

We regularly stay at the same lodge during snowboard season. We love everything about the lodge except for the horrible standard cutlery.I get that lodges need to play it safe because they are providing a fully stocked kitchen for all ranges of guests . . . adults, families with kids etc, so I finally decided to buy a knife of our own to keep packed in with all our other our snowboarding gear.I didn't want to pack up one of ours from home. I also didn't want to spend as much on this knife as I do for knives at our home.I read the reviews of this knife and gave it a try. I am so far, very impressed.Comparing it to our knives at home, other than the quality of materials, the major difference I see is the overall weight. This knife is much lighter, yet still very well balanced and it doesn't feel flimsy at all. The grip feels very comfortable in hand for both myself and my husband as well.This particular style, has an exaggerated rocker shape that's more curved than most other chef knives I've used/owned, but that's not necessarily a bad thing . . . just something to get used to.We hand wash and dry it immediately and so far, no issues with rust as some others have reported.At the end of the first winter season, this knife stayed packed in our gear bag. The big question I had, was how it would be when I pulled it out 9 months later. Answer . . . it was just fine. No rust had built up over all those months, even though our gear bag is tucked in the back corner of our garage during those off season months.The sheath that comes with it is essential for our purposes, as it allows safe packing in our snowboard bag.Not sure yet how well a job the sharpening sheath does to keep an edge on it, but we've used this knife on 7 trips over 2 years, and I have yet needed to take it out of the bag and run it through my sharpener at home.

I like to wait until I have used an item for a while before I write a review. I purchased this knife 2 years ago and it has met and widely exceeded my expectations. Other reviewers have pointed out the flaws in assembly, but the quality of the components is evident. Smooth wood handle, and steel that not only holds an edge, but feels solid and firm while using. I would definitely buy this knife again, but there's no need, because I am confident that it is the last knife I'll ever buy.

I have had the 6" knife for over a year and bought the 8" knife because the 6" felt too small in my larger hands.The 8" knife has become my go to for every day use. Sharp and keeps a nice edge with regular maintenance on a honing rod. It's heavier than other chef's knives I've owned but has a healthy bolster and when gripped close to the bolster (see picture) is well balanced and nimble enough for accurate cutting.Handle is solid and smooth with comfortable transitions from the scales to the tang and bolster. The swell is a bit small for me but, as mentioned, I have large hands so this might not be a problem for others. Only downside is the handle is very slick when my hands are wet, so keep that hand towel close.For edge maintenance, don't bother with the built in sharpener. Keep the spine of the knife against the back of the sheath when sheathing and unsheathing the knife and maintain with a honing rod and use a proper cutting board.Finally, these knives are made from carbon steel. They WILL rust if left in contact with water for extended periods of time. I learned this the hard way when I didn't dry the 6" knife completely and found rust spots on the edge the next time I used the knife. Had to remove a good amount of metal to resharpen the blade without the notches in the edge.Are these professional grade knives? No. Are they good knives for a home cook to use, learn with and become proficient at knife maintenance and upkeep without breaking the bank? Absolutely.

In recent years, a 5" santoku knife has become my most-used blade in the kitchen, and I now own three. (Hey, one is in my camper full-time). This is probably the best value of the three. The handle is substantial and very comfortable for my hands. The blade is perfect for chopping or slicing all but the largest vegetables. A couple nits: the edge is curved more than most santoku blades I have used, sort of half-way to a western chef's blade. Not a big deal. I recall that another reviewer mentioned that it was not as sharp as they would like out of the box. Perhaps so, although I found it to be acceptable - new knives are seldom like razors, in my experience. Under magnification, I see that the edge has obviously been mechanically sharpened with a rather coarse grit. Just a few swipes on a steel improved it a lot. This is really a nit for me, because I sharpen knives professionally, and always touch up a new blade a little. UPDATE A YEAR LATER: I would wish it were made from better steel. not just dull after a year, but slight chips in the edge - a sign of cheaper steel. I sharpen knives for a retirement living. Still love the feel, and I, of course, can deal with the edge. OH, BTW - Throw away the sheath. Useless.