imarku Santoku Knife 5 Inch, Japanese High Carbon Stainless Steel

Just got this and tried it out today and I'm very pleased. Several reviews state that the rivets protrude from the handle and make it uncomfortable to use. The rivets on mine aren't exactly flush with the handle but are only SLIGHTLY raised, felling like a VERY small bump on the handle. The rivets have a very slight domed top, so the edges are flush with the handle while the center of the rivet is slightly raised. The fact that the rivets are dome tells me they did this on purpose and it shouldn't be viewed as a defect. I could feel them while inspecting the knife but not really while using it. Handle fit and finish is great. Other reviews said they were unhappy with the balance, stating the knife is weighted toward the handle. This is true but, if you want a nice substantial handle on a full-tang knife with a short blade, that's what you're going to get. If you want perfect balance, get the 7 or 8 inch version. All of that said, the knife feels nice and solid but certainly could not be called "heavy:. The blade was nicely sharpened right out of the box. I diced some tomatoes and an onion tonight and it worked beautifully. I have quite a few premium knives that I spent $200 or more on (I got this for my wife, she's pretty hard on knives and likes to cut into the board LOL) but this one is such a great deal compared to those I think I'll get another as a gift for my daughter, who uses terrible plastic-handled knives from Walmart, LOL.

Never had a sharper knife. It practically does the job for you. The handle is solid and beautiful. You can tell by just holding it, it’s quality construction and will probably last.

Razor sharp out of the box. Great balance and feel, meets all my prep work needs. Hand wash and dry only. This blade is a quality tool that will last me my lifetime. Is comparable to my hand forged Japanese blade costing several hundred dollars. I’m buying their companion paring knife this week. *Sharpening: only at angle in instructions or you will ruin the blade.

It's easier to maneuver than my other knives and it's plenty sharp. However, like others have said you can feel the the rivets and that does take some getting used to. Also when chopping parsley for example, my knuckles do touch the cutting board so I feel the knife needs to be a touch deeper. My hands aren't very large so if your fingers are thicker this may be an issue for you. Other than those two minor gripes, the price was good, the handle is lovely and the knife has good weight to it. I like it and am glad I bought it.

Incredible knife! The size is great and it is as a sharp as could be.

Nice knife and handle. Sharp blade. I'm happy with the purchase!

I like the length of this knife. It fits my hand well. Cuts well.Looks nice.

Its amazing how much better cooking is when you have a quality knife. Did you know that cutting onions isn't nearly as painful with a good sharp knife? I wish I knew that years ago. I don't have a lot of quality utensils in my kitchen, I have 3 different types of plates and 5 different sets of drinking glasses (not including the plastic cotton candy tubs I reuse as tumblers) rather than pay to replace them, but man I wish I had bought a quality knife a long time ago.