DALSTRONG Yanagiba Knife - 10.5 inch Sushi Knife - Ronin Series - Single Bevel Blade - Japanese AUS-10V Damascus Steel - Asian Knife - Japanese Kitchen Knife - Red & Black G10 Handle - w/Sheath

I decided to get a deba after watching some YouTube videos and deciding my Dalstrong Gladiator Series fillet knife would not be up to the task of handling large fish like a salmon in a short amount of time. The knife arrived as expected with Amazon Prime. I immediately noticed a pit in the Kireha part of the blade about 9-10mm away from the Hasaki (cutting edge). It was small in diameter. I could barely get a 0.5mm pencil graphite into it. It in no way impaired the blade and unless you magnify it you would think it's a speck of dust. It's a $100 knife and for that price I would expect no cosmetic issues at all. I emailed Dalstrong and they got back to me same day. They agreed that it should have arrived in perfect condition and arranged to get a replacement sent to me. It arrived 5 days after I provided all the shipping information and Amazon receipts. The replacement was in perfect condition. I'm not going to take any stars off for manufacturing. Companies make tens of thousands of units per year and a few defects are normal. Plus, I'm being really nitpicky. Customer service gets an A+ for speed and being understanding about my nitpickiness. A lesser company would have said there is no mechanical defect on the cutting edge and not allowed a warranty claim. They did not ask me to return the damaged one and I decided to use it while waiting for the replacement. Out of the box it is very sharp and I filleted one side of a golden pompano with ease then did the other with a Gladiator Series. The Gladiator Series fillet knife was more precise because it's smaller but it didn't feel easier to use than a larger knife. The factory edge is good and has a sharp feel. After I easily butchered a yellow tail I did a touch up with 6000 and 8000 grit whetstones and it's so sharp I accidentally cut a tracing paper thin piece out of my finger while honing, no bleeding or anything. Never had that happen before. The next fish I worked on was even easier. If you like to super tune your knives you will find a small advantage to some additional honing, but it's not necessary to hone out of the box. Aesthetically it's a beautiful knife that will likely last many years to come. If you're looking for a step above department store grade knives but you don't want to spend $500 on a blue steel Japanese deba knife then this is a great alternative for the price.

The knife looks amazing. It's well constructed and came hair shaving sharp out of the box. It's a bit too large for just slicing some hand rolls though, in my opinion. I think this thing is meant more for breaking down whole Salmon and Tuna than just slicing some rolls. Don't get me wrong, it slices rolls very well, but you only need a few inches of the blade to do that, not 10.5 inches. Most of the length on this blade is never going to get utilized in my kitchen. I'll still keep it as my dedicated Sushi knife, until something better comes along at least. ;)

This product is very high quality and very well balanced. The blade was super sharp right out of the box. 3.5 mm thick but very light and easy to handle. I deboned 4 chicken legs in a shorter time than my other knives would have let me. You dont even feel it cutting the meat. Thats how sharp it is, you dont have to apply your normal pressure for it to cut. Love the product will buy another knife from this company.

I expected this knife to be super sharp. I put on a BESS measuring system and acieved 245 in knife sharpening is what you expect when receiving a pocket knife brand new from the supplier. I expected something in the area of 125 or less, (double edge razor sharp) especially since single bevel. Probably the last Dalstrong knife I'll buy. Disappointed.

UPDATE: I contacted Dalstrong via email from their site and got a response in less than 24hrs. Their rep was polite and immediately said they stand by their product and will send out a new knife, no charge and no return shipping of old one. The next day I got the tracking number and will arrive in 3 days. VERY GOOD SERVICE AND FAST RESPONSE. Knife may not have lasted as long as expected but service and lifetime warranty is high standard. I am changing my review from 1 star to 3 stars.I had high hopes on this knife as it had a thick backbone and held an edge but after around 20 uses of this knife it broke (had it since June 2018 but only used it 20 times as mentioned). You can see where the damage is and how weak the wood was. This knife was hand washed and used to cut and fillet fish.I was extremely happy at first with the value of this knife but now I know you cannot cheap out and buy new brands in the market that have not proven themselves. I would hold off and save up to buy knives from brands that have been in the market longer with better history.

I am no stranger to Dalstrong and have quite a few of their knives. I would not have so many if I did not find their value and performance desirable. Dalstrong packaging is among the best in the business. The Saya on the Shogun S Bevel knives differs from the others as it is wood and magnetic, easier/faster to remove and just feels better. The handle differs as well, is a more traditional Japanese octagonal design, feels excellent in the hand and in use. Fit and finish are near perfect. The blade profile and weight are commensurate with a Japanese deba. The Damascus stainless steel construction is absolutely stunning. The only thing on this knife that could be done better is the edge. Instead of a true bevel grind, as is the standard on a Japanese knife, this knife uses a secondary bevel grind, (like US and European knives), that blunts the cutting edge geometry somewhat. I suspect that choice is due to the expected lack of experience of their intended customer in sharpening a Japanese bevel grind. This is a mild detractor for me but would likely go unnoticed by the majority of people that would buy this knife. (The secondary bevel grind can be seen in the ad photos but you have to be looking for it to notice.)