7 Best Damascus Chef Knife REVIEW 2022 [Made In JAPAN Only]

One of the most important things that you need to know about any kitchen knife is the fact that Damascus steel is one of the best materials that they can all possibly be made at them. Of course, Damascus steel is by far the best-looking steel out there.

The way in which this type of metal is forged results in very cool patterns across all of the blades. Not only is Damascus steel very beautiful, but of course very strong as well. When it comes down to it, there is really no better material that can be used for a good kitchen knife than Damascus steel.

What we have done here is a whole lot of research into the various Damascus kitchen knives out there, and what we’re here to do today is to provide you with all the information that you need to make a highly informed decision.

To be specific, today we have reviewed seven of the very best Damascus chef knives out there with the aim of providing you with the necessary information to make your own decision. We are here to tell you which knife to buy, but we are here to tell you which one of them is the best.

A Quick Comparison on Top Japanese Damascus Chef Knife

Best Damascus Chef Knife Review in Detail

1. Yoshihiro VG-10 46 layers Hammered Damascus Gyuto Knife

What we have here is a very high-end and high-quality Damascus chef knife straight out of Japan. Now this knife may not be cheap, not in the least, and in fact, it is rather expensive. But with that being said, as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for, and what you get here is the best in quality, functionality, and beauty.

Yes, we do need to say that this is by far one of the most beautiful kitchen knives that we have ever seen. The curved blade that you get here rocks back and forth very smoothly to allow you to quickly chop and mincemeat, fish, vegetables, and more.

The fact that it’s made with VG10 Damascus steel is of course the best aspect of all, 46 layers of it to be precise, which results in excellent durability, hardness, and sharpness. With a blade designed to prevent food from sticking and a handle designed for both comfort and grip, you really can’t go wrong.

Key Features

• This knife is hand hammered, forged with a total of 46 layers of Damascus steel combined with a VG10 steel core.
• The octagonal wooden handle that you get here is very easy to hold onto. It’s comfortable and it looks really nice too.
• Comes complete with a wooden Saya knife cover
• You can purchase this knife in a length of 8.2 inches or 9.5 inches.
• The slightly rounded blade is ideal for back-and-forth rocking cutting for quick mincing and chopping.
• One thing that stands out here is the exceptional beauty of this knife, particularly the blade.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line here is that if you want to add a high-quality chef knife to your arsenal, and you are willing to invest a good bit of cash into quality, then the Yoshihiro VG-10 Damascus Gyuto Knife is something to consider.

2. Shun Classic Blonde Chef’s Knife

If you are on the hunt for a high-end Damascus chef knife, then this is a fantastic option to go with. Moreover, this is an excellent all-purpose utility knife that can take care of more or less any task in the kitchen.

The fact that the blade is a full 8 inches long means that it is ideal any job that you could put in front of it. The many layers of forged Damascus steel are wrapped around a high carbon VG-MAX steel cutting core, thus making this knife extremely hard, durable, and rust-resistant too.

Keep in mind that this knife comes in the shape of a traditional western cooking knife, but with the lightweight nature and the profile of a Japanese chef knife, one that can handle slicing, dicing, rocking, cutting, mincing, and more.

The other thing to keep in mind is that this is a handcrafted knife, complete with a fairly acute 16 degree cutting edge, one that should retain its sharpness for a long time to come.

Key Features

• This knife weighs 11.3 ounces.
• What you get here are 34 layers of forged Damascus steel. This kind of steel is of course very hard and rust resistant.
• The VG Max cutting core that it comes with makes this knife just all that much more durable.
• The 16 degree edge is quite acute and sharp. It has the ability to cut through even the hardest of foods, and moreover the edge will stay sharp for many uses before sharpening is required.
• The blonde pakkawood handle is not only very good-looking, but also ergonomically friendly and very comfortable to hold for prolonged periods of time.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line here is that for a fairly reasonable price, you get a durable, beautiful, and highly functional Damascus steel knife that works well for all kitchen-related tasks.

Related: Shun Knives Review

3. Yoshihiro VG10 16 Layer Hammered Damascus Gyuto Knife

Here we have another very beautiful-looking knife that is made with a combination of BG 10 stainless steel and Damascus steel, for the ultimate in durability, hardness, and sharpness. Let’s keep in mind that this knife comes with a hardness rating of 60, which is extremely high, and therefore, you can rest assure that chipping, cracking, and bending are things that won’t readily happen to this blade.

The plain and slightly rounded edge that you get here works very well for most kitchen-related cutting tasks, and moreover, the blade is also designed to prevent food from sticking to it. Complete with a full tang designed for great balance and durability, as well as a real mahogany handle, the Yoshihiro VG10 16 Layer Hammered Damascus Gyuto Knife is a true force to be reckoned with.

Key Features

• There are several sizes available, including 7, 8, and 9.5 inches.
• These blades are all made with 16 layers of hammered Damascus steel, which are wrapped around a VG-10 stainless steel core.
• These blades feature a full tang design, with the blade tang running all the way through the handle.
• You also get an authentic mahogany wood handle that looks stylish, is easy to hold, and is quite durable too, although a bit smooth.
• The 16 degree edge is more than sharp enough for even the toughest of foods, which combined with the slightly rounded edge makes quick work out of most tasks.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is that here you get a durable and sharp knife with excellent edge retention, one that is comfortable to hold and ideal for virtually any task that you may need it for.

4. Enso Chef’s Knife Review HD Series

If you are looking for a huge 10-inch long blade that can handle nearly any task that you put in front of it then this is definitely one of the best Damascus steel knives to go for. There’s also the fact that the pattern created with this Damascus steel is one of the most beautiful ones that we have ever seen.

Keep in mind that there are 37 layers of Damascus steel used in the construction of this knife, which makes it extremely durable and hard. With Rockwell hardness rating of 61, you can rest assured that this thing is not going to crack, chip, or snap on you anytime soon.

You may also like the black canvas micarta handle, which looks and feels similar to wood, but is much more water-resistant and won’t crack either. It is also worth noting that this is a handcrafted knife that comes complete with a lifetime warranty.

Key Features

• Here you get to choose between an 8 and 10 inch blade. This is a big knife designed for big jobs.
• The rounded blade allows for a fantastic rocking motion for super fast cutting, slicing, and mincing.
• The 37 layers of Damascus steel used here have been hand forged and wrapped around a cutting core of VG10 stainless steel, complete with a hardness rating of 61, thus making this one of the hardest and most durable Damascus knives out there.
• This is a full tang knife complete with a double bevel edge.
• The cutting edge of this knife is about as sharp as it gets, and it also retains its cutting edge for a very long time.
• The canvas micarta handle is about as comfortable and durable as it gets.

5. Miyabi Kaizen Chef’s Knife

If what you are looking for is an extremely durable blade that comes to a very thin and razor-sharp point, one that is ideal for precision kitchen cutting, then this is a great knife to keep in mind.

What you get here is an authentic thin Japanese blade profile complete with 65 layers of Damascus steel and a katana edge. The edge of this knife comes to a 10-degree point, which is extremely thin and fine, thus allowing for awesome precision for the thinnest slices you have ever seen.

All of that Damascus steel is wrapped around a core of BG 10 Super Steel which is ice hard into a Rockwell rating of 60 which makes it extremely hard and durable.

Key Features

• All of these blades are sharpened to an angle between 9.5 and 12 degrees, thus making them extremely fine and sharp. These blades also feature excellent edge retention.
• Both Damascus steel and the VG10 Super Steel are about as durable as humanly possible, not to mention the fact that they have been ice hardened to a Rockwell hardness rating of 60.
• Not only does that my car door handle look very nice, but it’s also ergonomically designed to make it comfortable to hold for long periods of time.
• The full tank design of this knife makes it just that much more durable.
• You may also like how the full 8 inch long blade should be more than long enough to take care of most kitchen related tasks.
• The rounded edge of this knife does make it ideal for most slicing, cutting, and mincing jobs.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line here is that the Miyabi Kaizen Chef’s Knife is well worth the investment considering just how sharp, durable, precise, and multi-functional it is. It might not be cheap, but that said, it may just be the best Damascus steel knife on the list today.

6. Messermeister Mu Fusion Damascus Chef’s Knife

What you get here is an awesome fusion between the East and the West. For those of you who don’t know, in German, Messermeister directly translates to knife master, which is pretty telling no doubt.

What you get here is an awesome 8-inch blade that is fairly rounded and comes to a sharp point, thus making it ideal for chopping, cutting, slicing, and dicing, and it works equally as well for meat as it does for veg. The blade is about as hard and thin as humanly possible, thus allowing not only for extreme durability and longevity but also for great functionality, especially in terms of precision cutting.

You may also like the linen-textured resin handle that is ergonomically friendly and does actually have some traction to it, so you won’t slip when your hands are wet. The knife as a whole weighs just over 6 ounces, thus also making it fairly lightweight.

Key Features

• The knife weighs 6.4 ounces.
• The blade is sharpened to a 15 degree angle for great sharpness and precision.
• The blade itself is very thin, thus also allowing for great precision.
• The resin (plastic) handle here is surprisingly durable, not to mention totally waterproof, and it also features a linen texture to ensure that you have a non-slip surface to grip onto.
• Keep in mind that this knife features a Rockwell hardness rating of 58, which is pretty darn good.
• The sharp point of it means that you can use it for meat cutting, with the rounded blade being ideal for everything else.
• Here you get a satin finish blade made out of high carbon, molybdenum vanadium steel.

The Bottom Line

If you don’t mind investing a great deal of money into what is likely the very best Damascus chef knife out there, then look no further than the Messermeister Mu Fusion Damascus Chef’s Knife, perhaps the best in the world.

7. KYOKU Daimyo Series- Professional Chef Knife [Best Damascus Knife under $100]

What we have here is by far the most affordable Damascus knife on the list today. Now, although this knife is affordable, this does not mean that it is low in quality. In fact, just looking at it, this is by far one of the most beautiful Damascus knives that we have ever seen with an awesome black, grey, and white pattern that looks completely stunning.

Yes, this knife is very affordable, and although it might not be the number one best Damascus knife in the world in terms of quality and sharpness, it does still hold its own, and it’s more than good enough for use for both beginners and professionals alike. Just because it’s not expensive does not mean that this is not a good knife.

Key Features

• Comes in at a weight of 1.3 pounds.
• The blade is made out of 67 layers of Damascus steel, which are wrapped around a core of VG10 steel, complete with a full tang design for the ultimate in durability.
• This particular blade features a Rockwell hardness rating of 60, which therefore means that it offers excellent edge retention.
• This blade has also been cryogenically treated, or in other words, cold hardened, to increase its overall durability just that much more.
• This knife is very well balanced for great functionality.
• The fiberglass-like handle is very comfortable to hold, and very durable too, although it can be a bit slippery.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line here is that if you want a fairly high-quality Damascus steel chef knife that won’t cost you a fortune, but can still get the job done, then the KYOKU Daimyo Series- Professional chef Knife is a fantastic option to look into.

Related: Kyoku Knives Review

FAQs on Damascus Chef Knife 

1. Are Damascus steel knives any good?

Yes, Damascus steel knives are viewed as some of the best in the world, particularly when it comes to use in the kitchen. Not only does that Damascus steel pattern always look awesome, but the forging process of it also allows for great hardness and durability, not to mention great edge retention too.

2. Does Damascus steel get rusty?

One of the unfortunate drawbacks with Damascus steel is of course that it can get rusty, which means that keeping it dry whenever it is not in use is very important.

3. Why buy a Damascus chef’s knife?

You should buy a Damascus knife simply because they are some of the longest-lasting, durable, and functional kitchen knives around. 

Wrap Up

When it comes down to it, we think that the best Damascus steel chef’s knife out there at this point is the Messermeister Mu Fusion Damascus Chef’s Knife. It might be pricey, but you get what you pay for, and what you get with the Messermeister Mu Fusion Damascus Chef’s Knife is the ultimate in quality and performance.