Good knife for the cost.
This knife bears a strong resemblance to the Hatsukokoro Kurogane knives that sell for about the same price.
Upon initial inspection, I found two things that could have been done better. The secondary bevel was ground evenly except the last quarter inch near the heel. Also, the lacquer looks like it was applied with a mop. It was very thick and unevenly applied.
The first things I cut was some tomatoes, onions, carrots, celery, and minced garlic. The knife cut these products almost effortlessly.
Then came the Cosmic Crisp apple. This is where the knife failed. It took an insane amount of force to cut through the apple. Fearing I may have dulled the blade, I cut a few more tomatoes. This knife still sliced tomatoes with just the weight of the blade. This leads me to believe that either the geometry isn’t great or the thick lacquer is causing a lot of drag.
I could have returned this knife but decided to keep it for learning, I’ve removed most of the lacquer. I plan on sharpening the blade to see what results I get. If I’m still having wedging issues I’ll thin the primary bevel.
If you already have a good selection of knives to choose from this knife may be for you. If you’re getting your first or second knife around the cost of this one you’d be better served waiting for a Zuma to go on sale. Those knives are almost as good as my Yoshikane at a fraction of the price.
