SHAN ZU Damascus Knife Set, Japanese Super Steel 3 PCS Damascus High Carbon Professional Ultra-Sharp Kitchen Chef Knife Set with G10 Handle Gift Box

Almost supernaturally sharp! Note: If you are at all clumsy, DO NOT buy these knives. These will cut you if you look at them wrong. [Very slight exaggeration.] I am a knife collector (mostly high-end pocket knives) so I'm not easily impressed, but I do like a deal. Simply put: I've never used a better kitchen knife for the money. Period. These things make my Wustofs feel like dollar store knives. The factory edge is literally 'hair-whitling' sharp. Not 'shaving sharp.' That's comparatively easy to achieve. Look up the difference. You will be amazed. With the santoku (Asian blade) chef's knife, you can actually cut a 0.5mm thin slice off of a tomato under only the weight of the knife itself. Just pull back. As to the quality. They seem incredibly solid and well-made. The blade steel is a San Mai 'Damascus' construction, essentially sandwiching an extremely hard cutting edge steel (maybe 62 Rockwell or higher) between two layers of slightly softer multi-alloy swirled (folded) Damascus steel. This is ideal as it allows the cutting edge to be crazy sharp and to stay that way for longer between sharpenings, while the cladding steel is able to take more of a beating without chipping or being damaged. Plus, they just look damned good!! Subtle, but good. The weight is great, if a little on the heavy side. The handle shape is comfortable and confidence-inspiring. The balance is good. Not perfect, but very good. Maybe the tiniest bit tang-heavy. The one BIG downside, if you're not a really festidious user, is that they are not going to be stainless. Many really good steels aren't. This means that you absolutely MUST clean and dry them immediately after use. Not after dinner, letting them sit covered in tomato juice for an hour. I mean right after you make the last cut. For me, it's worth it. I'll update this review in a few months when I know more about their durability and edge retention.

These knives are absolutely terrific. Smooth slicing, well weighted, and beautiful. They also seem to stay sharp forever. What was surprising for me is my husband uses them, and he wants his old school, Ontario Knife Works blades. BUT he grabs these knives. He doesn't ever use my other blades, even by accident, and those are 4 Star Henckels. (Yes, we are both knife enthusiasts.)

I ordered Shan Zu knives about 2 weeks ago and wasn't satisfied with the packaging or condition of the knives. Apparently, I may have received a returned order. I tried again after I sent them back. The order that arrived was perfect and in original wrapping and the box had the red label wrapped around the box. These were new knives. Shan Zu is directly competing with the best kitchen knives such as Wustoff, Mac, Myabi, and Shun. The box that they came in is high quality. The knives were perfect, sharp, and have a nice design on the blade. So far, I’m very impressed with the quality of this set. They are a bit heavier than the knives I own with the 8” chef knife weighing 279g and my Mac chef knife weighing 195g. The blade shapes are similar but the Shan Zu belly is a bit flatter and wider. A flatter knife will work better for chopping onions and celery. I appreciate the wider belly for scooping chopped vegetables into a pot. The manufacturer says the core has a hardness of around 60-61 HRC so I will avoid bones and hard surfaces. I already own Mac, Misen, Myabi knives so I’ll be comparing the Shan Zu against these. As I’ve just received them, I’ve only tested basic slicing tasks and cannot attest to durability or ease of sharpening but I’ll update the review after I’ve used them for a while.

This knives are super nice! They are incredibly sharp. You need to be mindful when using them, if you happen to touch the blade you will be cut! Cutting vegetables is a revelation, they slice thru instead of crushing and tearing. I not an amazing or super enthusiastic cook so I've never felt the need to spend a lot of money on good knives. The great thing is these knives were very affordable - I paid about $100 for the set of three during prime day. The styles cover about 99% if what I do in the kitchen. They are beautiful too. The damascene lines in the blade are so cool, and the handles are seamless and solid and the end of the handle is deeply embossed with Chinese characters. Gorgeous! I watched some YouTube videos about maintenance, bought a sharp pebble sharpening stone and a blade steel. The steel is for short term maintenance, and the stone is for longer term sharpening. I've owned the knife for several months now, and have used the steel a couple of times, the blades are still wicked sharp!

These are great knives at a excellent price. I was looking for a Shun knock-off (thin Japanese blade made of very hard and very strong steel). The description of these say "Japanese" all over the place. They may use a Japanese steel but these are thick (and heavy) knives like the famous Wusthoff brand. If you are looking for Shun-style blades, the Shan Zu Pro series are not that.

I asked my daughter what she needed and this is what she said. She loves them. They are very sharp. Great purchase

Exceeded expectations

These knives are heavy and beautiful. Incredibly sharp and flawless. I bought a top German brand chef knife that starts with a Z and it looked used. It had scratches on the blade and the handle. I ordered a second German knife this time directly from the Z in Germany and looked even worse. These are like art and they work flawlessly for a home cook like myself and as I'm told for chefs alike.

English/Polish. I am gonna write this short review in two languages to help you out with your choice. Napiszę tę recenzję w dwóch językach, żeby pomóc Ci w wyborze. The knives are well made and well balanced. The edges are sharp (15 degrees) and I mean it. They easily shave your hand hair if needed. Tomato test passed easily, I believe they will stay with me for a long time. Noże są dobrze wyważone i nieźle leżą w dłoni. Są ostre, naostrzone na 15 stopni, bez problemu golą włosy na rękach. Test pomidora też nie jest problemem. Wyglądają również ładnie Będę używał i testował dalej.

J’aime

Super Sharp Knives, perfect for professionals and the home cook. Make easy work of slicing and dicing your prep. The knives are also beautifull, made with a 'Raindrop Damascus' finish. But be warned, they're so sharp, they will cut you if you are not careful.

Muy buena calidad

Messer waren ein Weihnachtsgeschenk an meine Eltern und sind echt gut angekommen. Gute Qualität, sehr schön und echt scharf.