Sabatier Solid Stainless Metal Chef Knife with Edgekeeper Self-Sharpening Blade Cowl, Excessive-Carbon Stainless Metal Kitchen Knife, Razor-Sharp Knife to Minimize Fruit, Greens and extra, 8-Inch, Black

Easily becoming my go-to kitchen knife
I needed a relatively inexpensive (less than $20 after tax) kitchen for camping and Airbnb trips.The most important requirement is that the steel be able to take and hold an edge. (It does come sharpened from the factory well enough to slice across a sheet of paper.) This knife takes an edge much more easily than my other kitchen knife (JA Henckels International (Spain) 8″ chef) and holds the edge just as well. Neither knife is exquisite nor expensive. My point is that this knife performs at or above par for knives costing 2-3 times more.A minor requirement was to have a durable sleeve for transport. The bonus is that the sleeve has a built-in metal sharpener (embedded in the red part on the back) to help refresh an edge that has gotten dull in the field and one doesn’t have other sharpening tools handy. There’s plenty of space in the sheath where the blade will pass over and not contact the sharpener unless one desires. The sharpener serves double-duty as a retention mechanism – albeit not a fail-safe retention mechanism (did I mention there’s plenty of space in the sheath?). One can find a sleeve on Amazon without a sharpener for about $8-10, but that sleeve won’t fit this well. This is a very practical take-on-the go kitchen knife feature.So how does this knife actually compare with a more expensive and better known brand? Both are forged with through-tangs and riveted handle material. Both blades about the same length from the handle, but the Sabatier Santoku has only a 7″ cutting edge. The Sabatier has a bigger side profile, but it only weighs 1.5 oz more than the JA Henckel. This is because the spine of the Sabatier is 0.7mm thinner. More weight is in the handle for the “palm swell” and a “pommel” at the end. The center of gravity of the Sabatier Santoku is at the forward portion of the handle vs. being farther out at the bolster or heel in the JA Henckel. The Sabatier Santoku has a more pronounced belly that curves more evenly from tip to heel verses an upward angle/takeoff for the traditional chef knife shape. .So what does all this mean? The Sabatier Santoku has:1) Better grip with the beefier palm swell and butt2) Better balance with the CG in the hand rather than in front of it3) Easier to hold by pinching the heel and slice with a rocking motion without banging knuckles into the cutting board.4) Easier to sharpen with no bolster getting in the way.5) Cutting edge from tip to heel with no bolster getting in the way.6) Easy to transport with the sleeve7) Easier to freshen up the edge with the built-in sharpener when in the field in-between formal sharpening8) Less self-loathing for misplacing/losing this knife while on a trip.The Sabatier Santoku isn’t perfect (but it did cost less):1) Rougher finish (circular grind pattern from machining in the surface finish)2) Edge is evenly double beveled more like a Western knife and less like a traditional Japanese knife.Some negatives if the respective feature is important to the consumer:1) No bolster (may be a concern for those who want the additional margin of safety and better thrusting ergonomics)2) Less sharp point (may be a concern for those who want to stab and trust)3) Not as flat/straight of a cutting edge as a traditional Santoku (may be a concern for those who want more of a “cleaver” edge for chopping and dicing) (Ironically, the JA Henckel is flatter for a longer section of the cutting edge, but it’s this flat edge with the handle angle and lack of handle height that results in banging knuckles)4) Some reviews point out that this “stainless” steel is more prone to corrosion/rust than typical stainless steel. I’ve not seen rust – yet. The knife does have a sticker that says to hand-wash and dry immediately, so there may be credence to this complaint.5) Frustrating clamshell packaging.Basically, a well balanced, ergonomic, sharp kitchen knife that is easy to take and maintain on the go. It’s a gratifying purchase for less than $20 after tax.

Better than the price reflects
I like to wait until I have used an item for a while before I write a review. I purchased this knife 2 years ago and it has met and widely exceeded my expectations. Other reviewers have pointed out the flaws in assembly, but the quality of the components is evident. Smooth wood handle, and steel that not only holds an edge, but feels solid and firm while using. I would definitely buy this knife again, but there’s no need, because I am confident that it is the last knife I’ll ever buy.

Sturdy
Nice in the hand, balanced. Sharp. A bargain. It is self- sharpening, honing itself upon removal from the cover. Make sure you rinse it off every time you take knife out of cover.

I do bartending and I like that I can sharpen the blade and when taken cared of as instructed its of good quality and slices through fruit beautifully for garneshes

Good medium priced knife for the novice chef!