Kyoku Knife Review
(Last Updated On: September 8, 2021)
If you are shopping for good Japanese kitchen knives, you have come to the right place. This article looks at knives from the Japanese knifemaker Kyoku. This is one of the most reputable and popular brands for kitchen knives in Japan for home cooks and professional chefs.
Kyoku makes dozens of knives and knife sets, but we will review the very best of them. So, let’s get to it and help you find the best Kyoku knives that the market has to offer. We have two individual knives, a three-piece set, and a five-piece set for you to check out.
Our Pick of the Best Kyoku Knives/Knife Sets
KYOKU Daimyo Series Knife
KYOKU Daimyo Series Knife Set
KYOKU Daimyo Series – Damascus Nakiri Knife
KYOKU 5-Knife Set with Block
Kyoku Knife Reviews
The best Japanese knives have a different kind of properties and characteristics than the German or other country’s knives. They are likely to be thinner yet hard and extremely sharp. These properties indicate whether the knife is worth it or not. Let’s find out what Kyuko knives give us.
1. KYOKU Daimyo Series Chef Knife
The KYOKU Daimyo Series Chef Knife is made with premium VG-10 Japanese steel, which is very hard, durable, and rust-resistant. Moreover, the blade is covered with 67 layers of Damascus steel cladding, thus making the knife harder, more resistant to damage, and more beautiful.
This blade features a Rockwell hardness rating of 60, making it one of the most durable Kyoku kitchen knives, and it features a razor-sharp blade with excellent edge retention.
You may also like this blade’s slightly curved plain edge because it functions well as a rocker and a slicer, enabling you to work with meat, vegetables, and everything in between. This is a double-bevel blade that has been sharpened to between 8 and 12 degrees per side.
The KYOKU Daimyo Series Chef Knife is an 8-inch blade, which is a perfect size for a chef’s knife, as it’s large enough for most jobs, yet not so large that it is not maneuverable.
It weighs 1.3 pounds, so it’s not the lightest knife, but you know there is a lot of material present (for durability), and thanks to the full tang design, it’s very well balanced for ease of use.
You may also appreciate the ergonomic handle that is made of G10 military-grade fiberglass. This material is strong, waterproof, and comfortable to hold; however, the handle can be slippery when wet.
Pros
- Very durable
- Sharp
- Good edge retention
- Well balanced
- Full tang
- Durable and comfortable handle
- Looks very nice with the hammered pattern
Cons
- Not 100% rustproof
- Not dishwasher safe
Bottom Line
If you need an excellent workhorse for your kitchen, a durable yet affordable knife that can do it all, this is a great option.
2. KYOKU Daimyo Series Knife Set
This set gives you get three fairly high-quality knives for one low price. You receive an 8-inch chef’s knife, an 8.5-inch kiritsuke knife, and a 3.5-inch paring knife. So, whether you need to cut small fruit or chop large veggies, or you need to slice meat or mince garlic, you will have a knife to suit any job you have.
These knives are made with high-quality VG-10 Damascus steel. There is a durable VG-10 steel cutting core, plus nearly 100 layers of Damascus steel cladding. Let’s not forget that the blades have all been cryogenically hardened with a unique process. The result is a blade that features a beautiful Damascus steel pattern with high durability and hardness.
All three knives have a Rockwell hardness rating of 58 to 60. Although the exterior of the blades is not 100% rustproof, they are rust and corrosion resistant, very durable, almost impossible to chip or crack. In addition, the hard material and the 8 to 12 degree double-bevel blades make them highly sharp with excellent edge retention.
In addition, all three knives in this set feature a G10 military-grade fiberglass handle, an exceptionally tough material that is comfortable to hold and waterproof. However, this knife cannot be put in the dishwasher, but a bit of moisture is just fine.
Remember, this is a full tang knife set, which means that they are pretty durable and excellently balanced. So, you get three great kitchen knives for one low price.
Pros
- Good price
- Everything you need
- Very hard metal
- Good edge retention
- Quite durable
- Three knives included
- Easy to maintain
- Very sharp
- Comfortable handles
- Rust-resistant
Cons
- Handles can be a bit slippery when wet
- Not 100% rustproof
- Not dishwasher safe
Bottom Line
If you need a good, high-quality knife set that should be more than enough for any cook, this is a set to consider.
3. KYOKU Daimyo Series – Damascus Nakiri Knife
Suppose you’re looking for a knife that is ideal for chopping vegetables, cutting fruit, and mincing garlic and herbs. In that case, a nakiri knife like this KYOKU Daimyo Series Nakiri Knife is an option to consider. First, you get a 7-inch blade that features a straight and plain edge. This is not a curved chef’s knife, so it’s not a rocker; it’s a straight slicer and chopper, which is more than ideal for fruit, vegetables, and herbs.
The KYOKU Daimyo Series Nakiri Knife features a VG-10 steel cutting core. VG-10 steel is a material that is extremely hard and durable. It is combined with 67 layers of Damascus steel cladding, resulting in one of the most beautiful knives we have seen.
Moreover, this blade features a Rockwell hardness rating of 60, and not only is this blade tough to damage, but it also features excellent edge retention. Finally, it is also worth mentioning that this blade is cryogenically hardened for even greater durability and edge retention.
The KYOKU Daimyo Series Nakiri Knife is honed to an 8- to 12-degree angle from both sides, so it is a double-bevel blade, thus making it ideal for both right- and left-handed people. It is honed using the traditional three-step honbazuke honing method. Should anything does go wrong with it, you get a full lifetime warranty.
Like other models we have looked at, this one has a G10 military-grade fiberglass handle, thus allowing for superb durability, comfort, and ease of use. The full tang and triple-rivet design provide outstanding durability, and the knife is very well balanced. On a side note, while this knife is corrosion resistant, it is not 100% corrosion-proof.
Pros
- Hard cutting core
- Damascus steel cladding
- Rust resistant
- Double bevel
- Very sharp
- Great edge retention
- Cryogenically hardened
- Full tang
- Good balance
- Comfortable handle
Cons
- Not dishwasher safe
- It can be slippery when wet
- Not ideal for slicing meat
Bottom Line
If you want a sharp, fast, and durable knife for chopping vegetables that is comfortable and awesome looking, this nakiri is a great model.
4. KYOKU 5-Knife Set with Block
If you are looking for a very affordable 5-knife set of knives that will allow you to take care of every job in the kitchen (besides fully butchering an animal), this reasonably priced knife set is worth a closer look.
This set gives you 5 really nice knives for a very reasonable price, thus making it the most affordable product on the list today. On a side note, you also receive a natural wooden knife block to keep everything in place. It looks nice, and it’s perfectly functional. We like the acacia wood used here.
In the set, you get an 8-inch chef’s knife, an 8-inch bread knife, a 6.5-inch carving knife, a 5-inch utility knife, and a 3.5-inch paring knife, which is everything that you need as a home cook. Of course, a professional chef could probably do with a few more specialized knives, but that said, for home use, this KYOKU 5-Knife Set gets your jobs done.
All knives in the KYOKU 5-Knife Set are made with Japanese high-carbon steel. However, while high-carbon steel can resist corrosion to a certain degree, it is not 100% rustproof, so you need to dry them properly after each use and cleaning.
That said, this kind of carbon steel is very hard and durable, not to mention that it provides excellent edge retention. All knives in the set feature razor-sharp double-bevel blades that have been honed to between 8 and 15 degrees per side. In addition, these knives are pretty easy to sharpen on your own.
All knives have PakkaWood handles ergonomically designed for comfort, so they’re easy to hold for long periods without fatigue. In addition, they have a pretty good grip. Of course, you don’t want to let the handles get soaking wet too much, but other than that, they should be just fine. Also, keep in mind that while these knives do not feature a full tang design, they are still very well balanced.
Pros
- 5 knives for one low price
- Everything a home cook needs
- Razor-sharp
- Great edge retention
- Fairly durable
- Quite comfortable
- Good balance
Cons
- Limited corrosion resistance
- Not full tang
- Not dishwasher safe
Bottom Line
If you need a full knife set, but you don’t want to spend a fortune, this five-piece set is an ideal choice to consider.
FAQ’s on Kyoku Knife Review
Are Kyoku Knives Any Good?
Generally speaking, this brand is known for producing highly durable and functional knives for reasonable prices.
Do Kyoku Knives Come With Any Warranties?
Yes, all knives from this brand come with a full lifetime warranty.
Are These Knives Rust-Proof?
Although there may be some that are, based on our research, although they are rust and corrosion resistant, whether or not they are 100% rustproof is questionable.
Wrap Up
The bottom line is that if you are looking for very durable, functional, and comfortable knives that should last a lifetime, Kyoku is one of the top brands. Whether you need a single knife or a complete set, it’s a fantastic brand that produces excellent kitchen knives.