Yaxell Ran 5-inch Utility Knife, 1-Count

Very well made. While the Damascus effect is purely cosmetic, it still looks great. If you are used to using an 8" Henkel or similar western-style 8" chef knife, you may find the 8" Yaxell Ran chef knife to be a little more delicate and slightly lighter (maybe even a little heavier in the handle) as an earlier reviewer mentioned. Handle more ergonomic that a similar sized Henkel. I was swayed to purchase the Yaxell because: 1) it is made in Seki, Japan; 2) it has some impressive reviews; and 3) it is about the same price as an 8" Shun (which spends a lot on advertising and promotion.) I feel I got a better knife for a comparable price. I still like my Shun, but find myself using the Yaxell more. If you are going to buy this knife you must either have access to someone who can properly sharpen it or have the necessary skills and stones to do it yourself.

8 inch chefs knife: After testing knife I noticed it's not balanced well at all not only is it slightly handle heavy it's very handle heavy.. disappointed but after reading other reviews online it's because yaxell uses the same handle for the 10 inch version which is balanced well. My only other observation was that the edge (which was very sharp) was slightly pretty course it wasn't polished off well. There is also a tiny nik in the metal bolster area I took a pictureUpdate: ended up returning product maybe will try the super gou line

Just got this last weekend, and have barely put it through it's paces, but I am in love. Overall, it's a wee bit heavy, but that's fine for a knife of its size. The fit and finish is excellent for a sub $100 knife. It came STUPID SHARP with straight and even bevels. I REALLY like the handle, it just fits my hand perfectly.My only knock is the spine right in front of the bolster could have been rounded a bit at the factory. It's a little sharp and digs into the meat of your finger if you pinch grip it too tight. Otherwise, I love everything about it.

I have very large hand so I use a cleaver for my chefs knife. I have had several over the years of various prices. While this is not a cheap knife (200) it is however the best and sharpest knife I have ever owned. It is also so light you can go all day and not be worn out. Absolutely LOVE IT.

I didn't think any knife could be sharper than the set of Zen's I have (entry level Yaxell knives) but I was definitely wrong, you could shave with this thing! 100% worth the extra few bucks to upgrade.

Said my wife, "This thing cuts raw meat like cutting butter" but it's like a over kill for home use...The knife is very well balanced and perfectly built.

Well balanced, good quality, easy to handle.

I can't stop raving about this knife! I've been using it for several weeks and I couldn't be happier. It comes with a great edge, it's beautifully balanced and feels great in the hand. I already enjoy doing prep work, but this makes it even more enjoyable!