Misono Swedish Carbon Steel Gyutou 9.4" (24cm)

It's a Misono carbon steel blade. Of course it's sharper than anything you've ever used in the kitchen. This is an advanced knife: needs to be oiled after each use, don't cut thru bones, acidic foods like tomato will stain it quickly.When I first started using it, using the classic claw grip I found the sharp corner of the blade kept scraping and cutting my finger. Turns out there is a correct way to grip these knives: pinch your thumb and forefinger on the bit of tang between the handle and blade - the knife should be perfectly balanced there - then curl your fingers around the handle. This grip is less aggressive than the claw, but it's more balanced for this knife and keeps your knuckles clear of any sharp bits.I don't recommend gifting knives of any sort, especially high-end kitchen knives because they're so personal, and especially especially this one because it takes so much maintenance.But I do recommend this knife to anyone looking for a carbon steel blade, it's the best.

I swear the first time I held this that something changed inside my mind. It's like when frodo put the ring on. There is an onion calling my name right now, begging me to mince it. It makes me want to go to work on my day off just so I can cut stuff with it. Just buy the darn thing. You won't be disappointed. And the patina is magical.

This is my favorite knife to use. I'm a professional chef and I've used many knives from German steel to Japanese style knives. This has a great weight and balance, and the high-carbon steel is razor sharp and is easy to keep sharp. Keep in mind this steel will rust if not cared for properly. Expect a patina to form over time and with use, that is normal. Keep this knife sharp and dry and it will last a lifetime!

This knife is an absolute workhorse in the professional kitchen: built to go hard, all day, and never let you down. It's as equally comfortable hacking through a 50 pound bag of carrots as it is mincing and primping your garnishes, it can keep an edge all day--or most of the day, depending on your load--and only need a few quick strops to refresh, and it's built like a brick ****house. At the end of your shift, when you're tired and weary and aching for a drink, this knife will have taken you every step of the way.That said, not everyone needs a workhorse - especially at home. Many of its charms are pointless in a low-volume environment: there are prettier knives, thinner knives, cheaper knives, knives with better grinds and knives with higher hardness; what this knife has, all totaled, is just enough of everything. It's a jack of all trades and master of none - versatile, durable, and affordable.As others have said though, this isn't stainless steel. You can--and should--ride it hard, but don't put it away wet.

Tough, good edge retention and sharpens easily. I'm a home cook whose an enthusiast so take what I say with a grain of salt.I'm not a fan of the profile as it lends itself mainly to push cutting or draw cutting rather than chopping or other techniques. I'm right handed so sharpening this is actually easier than 50/50 blades. The uneven grind isn't a problem unless you're cutting through tall product for example length wise through butter nut squash in which it will veer to one side.I peeled and cubed 2 butternut squash, pushed cut a bunch of carrots, leeks and onion for butternut squash soup and it was still sharp enough to thinly slice really ripe tomatoes.If anything I would like more thinness behind the edge towards the tip for finely dicing onions and maybe a slightly different profile for the cutting techniques I like but I understand that the way it is, is very robust and one can take it to the stones to thin the edge a bit. Would also be nice if it was easier to do a blade grip like on my Japanese handled knives to handle the length(Maybe this is where the UX10 shines?).It does take on a nice patina after a while which makes it somewhat resistant but is initially quite reactive with onions. I also love the dragon on it!

This beautiful knife came in a nice presentation box. It is super sharp, right out of the box. Yes, it stained right away, as expected. After a few uses the initial stains turn into a beautiful patina. Almost like seasoning a cast iron pan. It is still sharp like day one, after using it for over a month almost daily for everything from poultry, to filet, to roots and vegetables as well as for cheese and bread. For the money a bargain.

I love this knife. It arrived razor-sharp and stays that way with occasional touch-up on a honing steel. Perfectly balanced, too. Just be aware that it is not stainless steel, so will become discolored almost immediately, especially when used on high-acid foods like citrus or tomatoes, and will rust if you don't dry it thoroughly before storing. (I like this about it, it gives character, like wear on a leather jacket.) Also, don't use one of those knife sharpening devices on it, you'll ruin the edge. It's a non-symmetrically-sharpened blade, so when it does need to be sharpened (which won't be often), it needs to be done by hand on a whetstone.

Great knife very sharp out of the box! Ignore the negatives about it oxidizing, it’s suppose to do that! The patina helps protect the blade. It’s the natural property of carbon steel! Just wipe it dry after use and never put in the dishwasher. Fit and finish is incredible. Very comfortable to hold. I thought it would be heavier for the size i chose. Cool dragon logo on the blade.