Dalstrong Kiritsuke Chef Knife - 9.5 inch - Phantom Series - Japanese High-Carbon AUS8 Steel Kitchen Knife - Pakkawood Handle Kitchen Knife - Asian Cooking Knife - Sheath Included

DISCLAIMER: I *DO NOT* work for or receive any payment, kickback, or benefit of any kind from either Dalstrong or any third-party review farm. I'm just a bored cook in quarantine.Ok so...a few things...1) First and foremost, this (the 9.5" chef's knife) is--simply put--a very, VERY good knife at this or any price point. I've owned and used (yes, in professional kitchens) Wustofs, Messermeisters, Globals, Shuns, Yoshihiros, and JKCs, and this thing was cheaper and works as well or better than all of them. The handle and bolster make it probably the most comfortable knife I've ever used, and the blade...hooooo man...that thing came out of the box ready to work. The *only* thing even approaching a complaint in regards to the knife' performance is that the steep angle and sheer finish tends to make food stick to it a little. That's more of a function of the physical universe we inhabit (simple physics) than any design/construction issue, but full disclosure, blah blah.2) I wrote this mainly in response to the negative reviews on this knife. I realize it's possible/probable that those reviewers received defective items (it happens), but reading them carefully, it seems more likely that they either didn't read the description on the Amazon page, understand what a high-carbon knife is, just weren't really sure how to use a knife in general, or some unholy combination of all of those factors. Yes, using a chef's knife is a specific and technical skill that requires training and practice. No, not everyone has that skill. No, power-bingeing all 17 seasons of "Top Chef" does not miraculously impart said skill. Yes, carelessly handling ANY blade when you have no training or experience WILL lead to injury and/or a damaged knife. BUT...if you handle with care and respect,consider training/learning with this knife; its sharpness and ergonomics make it ideal for that. For the record, there are many...MAAAANNY...free and excellent online tutorials on knife skills. Go get your learn on.3) This is not a stamped-steel, $20 Victorinox or one of those things with Guy Fieri's signature embossed on it. You'll need to take care of it. That means--at a minimum--knowing how to use and store it properly, keeping it as dry as possible, honing it weekly, and taking a whetstone to it at least twice a year. [CAVEAT: Whetstones are a whole other thing; again, YouTube is your friend, here.] The Phantom series is marketed and designed (I think) for professional chefs looking for a good, dependable blade that won't break the bank. That means they're made for work. Yeah, they're pretty and shiny and use "Japanese" steel (more on that in a second), but these are supposed to be workhorses and, from what I can tell so far, they deliver in that regard. So if you're looking for more of a status symbol/vanity piece that you use once a month than a functional knife that will be used in a real kitchen...well then go have one made for you, Moneybags. Also, stop reading and go away. No one cares what you think. :)4) The steel; it says right in the description that the entire Phantom product line uses high-carbon AUS-8 steel with a little chromium added for stain resistance. RESISTANCE. This is NOT a stainless-steel, or even stainless-clad knife. For all of those reviewers who were complaining about rusting/spotting...don't lie...you left it in water, or you let it air dry. <clapping> You. DO. NOT. Leave. Your. Knives. In. Water. Or. To. Air. Dry. You wipe them off after every use (yes EVERY), and dry them with a towel when they're washed. Also, store it in the sheath. If you have an empty slot in a knife block that fits, fine, but be aware that the point on these higher-end knives can and will get bent if you try to drop them into the slot and miss. And for the "it-got-dull" reviewers...yeah. That happens. IT'S A KNIFE. Sharpen it. I'd bet cash money one or all of you left that review after you ran it through a fully-loaded dishwasher cycle.5) BUY IT. I'll come back and eat a bucket of crow if this thing fails on me...but it won't. User error is a thing (see negative reviews).ADDENDUM: A word on steel. If you care, the AUS-8 used in the Phantom series is what's called a "softer" steel, and tends--TENDS--to perform a little less robustly in edge retention than other steels like AUS-10 and VG-10. However, this also means that it sharpens a bit easier, and retains its edge only slightly less than others. I have to assume its use in this series is a function of keeping the price of the knives down, as both of those tend to require more additives/refining. All that said, I've been using the Phantom knife for prep work several hours a day for about a week, and it shows no signs of dulling yet. With proper care, I have no doubt it will perform with the best knives out there.

I admit it. Over the past couple of years, I have become a knife snob. I’m NOT a professional chef by any means, but I do love to spend time in my kitchen and I do love to cook. I have been using Dalstrong knives for over a year now because in my opinion, they are truly the best knives out there. I knew when the Phantom Series of Dalstrong Knives came out, I was going to want them in my kitchen.The Phantom Series knives are different from the other Dalstrong knives in several beautiful ways. The Santoku knife does come in a magnetic closure box that is perfect for gift giving, even if that gift is just for yourself. This is consistent with how the other knives in the other series come. Printed on the inside of the lid you will find detailed information about what makes the blade and handle of your knife so special. As you remove the contents from the box you will find several items included with your knife. New to this series is a small Dalstrong coin on a red string. This coin is unique for each knife in the Phantom series and is not included with the Gladiator or Shogun series knives. You will find a polishing cloth for your knife, a detailed and actually interesting color photo booklet telling you about the history, care and construction/design of your knife. A card is also included that tells you about their VIP program and another card giving you information about reaching customer service.When you remove your knife from it's custom cut cushioning inside the box, you will see it comes inside it's own protective sheath. What is new with the Phanton Series knives is how the sheath is designed. Unlike the sheathes that come with the Shogun and Gladiator Series knives, these are designed to open through a hinged system to expose the blade rather than to simply slide on and off the blade. This is a significant new safety feature in my opinion. Having been in the medical field for over 2 decades, one of the things we NEVER do is recap a needle when we are finished. This was to prevent accidental needle sticks to the practitioner. I see this as a similar safety measure for the kitchen since you are no longer trying to slide the blade back inside a sheath, but you can close a hinged sheath around it and help prevent accidental injury.Once unsheathed, you will see even more definitive design changes. The blade is beautifully engraved and branded on both sides. This engraving does not interfere at all with your precise cuts and the blade cleans up after use so easily. The entire knife is forged from a single piece of steel and it is exceptionally sharp, with fantastic edge retention. Looking straight down from the top of the blade, you will be amazed at just how thin and razor sharp that edge actually is. The traditional Japanese D-shaped handle fits perfectly into the palm of your hand and is made from black Spanish pakkawood. The handle is attached to the knife with a mosaic pin of brass and copper that is also quite artistic and beautiful. There is not one detail that has been overlooked in the design of this knife.Performance - ultimately this is what really counts. I was able to prepare some of the vegetables and the herbs and spices for a beautiful stir fry dinner in just minutes using this knife. The blade is ideal for three specific cutting tasks which the knife performs well: slicing, dicing, and mincing. The Santoku knife relies more on a single downward cut and even landing from heel to tip, thus using less of a rocking motion than other styles of cutlery. The Santoku design is shorter, lighter, thinner, than a traditional Western chef's knife. I used this knife for slicing my zucchini and squash, dicing the onions and herbs and mincing the garlic cloves. Because of the handle design, this can all be done quite comfortably and with uniform precision. Clean up consisted of nothing more than a quick rinse under running water and a wipe with the cleaning cloth. It couldn't have been a more pleasant experience. I would have absolutely no problem recommending this knife to both professionals and amateur chefs alike.