Review of Chinese knives.

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Stock Pot

Senior Cook
Joined
Aug 1, 2012
Messages
295
Location
New Hampshire, USA
I took a chance on some Japanese style kitchen knives made in China made from 7CR17 steel. Shipped direct from China via China Post (20 days). Yallabumba is the seller. Don't know who made them.

Well, they are not bad at all, and I am pretty demanding and have been sharpening my own knives for decades. I can tell you that these are responding to my butcher's steel in a way that I don't think they will need sharpening for a long time. Nicely designed, balanced and well made. My expectation is that when they do finally need sharpening they will respond quickly and take a keen edge. They just have that feel.

They are comparable to my Japanese Shun knives made from VG-10 steel. Those are also excellent if you know what you are doing. Of course, it is not just the steel. The heat treatment is also important. Critical.
 
I won't buy anything Chinese if possible. Steel with wrong papers was sent here not long ago, some buildings have had to be pulled down. Coincidence.....I don't think so.!
Good luck with your knives.

Russ
 
I won't buy anything Chinese if possible. Steel with wrong papers was sent here not long ago, some buildings have had to be pulled down. Coincidence.....I don't think so.!
Good luck with your knives.

Russ

Same here! Chinese "Junk" no longer applies to just a type of boat!
 
If you're happy with your new knives, that's what matters most. Time will tell if they hold an edge as well as their Japanese brothers...made with good Swedish tool steel...
 
Back in the early 1990s, My ex bought a Chinese cleaver for $10 in Chinatown. It was my go to knife, until we separated and he wanted to keep it. No, it didn't hold an edge, but it sharpened easily and well. Yes, it could rust and discolour if not washed and dried immediately, but I really enjoyed using it.
 
The Chinese are making some very nice knives recently - but less so in the kitchen category, however. 7Cr17MoV is a medium grade stainless made primarily for corrosion resistance rather than performance. I agree that they should be similar in performance to the higher end Shun knives that also use a medium grade but Japanese stainless steel. These steels usually heat treat to around RC55-57. When you get to the higher grades of Japanese knives with very hard blades you will discover what they are really all about. The blades can be thinner without damaging the edges and they cut like crazy.
 

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