MIYABIArtisan 8-inch Chef’s Knife, Made in Japan, Sharp Hanbazuke Finish, Pakka Wood Handle

The large handle and ergonomics are ideal for my over sized hands.I like the 6 inch blade because it gives me more control over finer cuts on small veggies, garlic and onions.The fit and finish and top rate - really well done. The blade sharpens easily on a ceramic rod and when worn down a bit it responds quickly to a Japanese Natural whetstone although ceramic stones like Shapton will also work well - I’ve used both.Really sharp out of the box - I gave it a strop on a leather strop and it was wicked sharp.Overall a top quality blade - hope this helps!!

Overall this knife is fantastic and has become my favorite knife to use... when I can(more on why later). The fit and finish is really good. There are no sharp edges on the spine or choil of the blade. Handle well polished and really comfortable (subjective but still). Moving on to performance the edge out of box was sharp and clean from heel to tip. The edge does seem to have a 70/30 edge which has its pros and cons. The edge retention this knife is really really good! having used it a lot since buying it 3-5 hours a day for about 6 days it may be a trick on my mind (expecting it to be noticeably duller) but it actually feels just as sharp as the first cut. for comparison I have been splitting time with a similarly priced german steel knife and have needed to resharpen that knife once already and it could use a touch up after another day. but the SG2 on the Miyabi shows no sign's of dulling (yet... i know its happen its just a matter of how long until I notice).Now back to why this is not a use it for everything knife. the 70/30 edge makes using it for dense thick tough produce a bit of a pain as the blade will veer off to one side and create a lot of friction and force on the knife that cant be good for it. (read other review on knife snapping in half my guess is this is what happened and he/she tried to twist and force it. (DON'T FORCE IT)Again overall this knife is fantastic. would i buy it at full price ... maybe there are a lot of great knives out there at similar prices BUT would i buy it on sale 100% at sale price its a really great value.final note if anyone in charge of sales sees this. If the 9 1/2 inch ever goes on sale i would buy it in a second.

Beautiful handle - I wanted a handmade Japanese blade with a somewhat more 'modern' handle. This fit the bill. The balance is also perfect and the knife is overall lightweight but still feels substantial. The SG2 steel is spectacular as well, with a really unique "cloudy" finish towards the bottom of the blade. Shouldn't have to sharpen this puppy very much ever. The value for this is exceptional - it may be the "name brand" but it's honestly less expensive than blades of the same quality that I have from smaller smithing shops, plus you get the peace of mind with a lifetime support and warranty backed by a big company.

scalpel like razors edge the difference between using a 30 dollar knife and a 300 dollar knife ,i am a young chef 7 years experience still learning but once someone knows how to properly use a knife and the techniques of holding it i would say that knives between the 30 -100 even 200 dollar range are generally the same , every knife has different grip and handle as well as weight allowing for a different feel to each knife and a different curve and angle at which the steel is sharpened to create a razors edge generally 17-22 degrees while this knife offers a extemely straight edge of 9-12 degrees , bought this knife for myself / for more precision and elegance to my cutting . the difference between using this knife is like using a scalpel or exacto knife versus using a sword or a scissor to cut something the handle and grip have a good weight to it . can cut through raw meat and vegetables like butter.would not reccomend for slicing or cutting cooked meat or prepping raw meat with bones , you will most likely chip and break the razors edge at that point .5/5 stars for the knife and product itself but enough praise the only negative i will say isfor close to 300 dollars miyabi you could atleast provide a wooden case or custom sheath for this not cheap knife

Why I bought it:I picked this knife after speaking with a some friends and family who are Chefs. It came between Miyabi and Shun (I wanted a Japanese Knife). I went with the Miyabi, as one of my friends said it'll hold up better to non-professional chefs, who are not trained in knife technique. The Shun was the highest recommended, but for the home/backyard chef I am, the consensus was that there would be a smaller chance if me ruining this knife.What I Love about it:This is the most comfortable knife I've purchased. I've had it 2 years and haven't sharpened it yet. When I grill or smoke it's always a lot of meat. Anything more than 3 Tri-Tips or 2 briskets, your hand gets tired if you don't hand a sharp, balanced knife. My last family party, I made 5 Tri-Tip. Slicing was a breeze. I'll eventually buy the Miyabi Kaizen Slicing knife, as I'm doing more brisket and I need a longer knife.How I care for my knife:-I make sure to hand wash the knife with a sponge-Dry with a Cotton Towel and leave out to dry for another hour-I only use a bamboo cutting board-I oil the handle after every 5-6 uses-I store it back in the box it came in and put it away