Xinzuo Zhen Series 67 Layer Damascus Japanese Chef Knife with Olive Wood Handle

A chef's knife is one of the most versatile kitchen tools – also making it one of the most popular - and it's a big favorite among both professional chefs and amateur home cooks. The chef knife also tends to be most people's go-to in the kitchen, because you can use it for just about anything. They can be used for chopping, slicing, mincing, and dicing, and you can use a chef's knife with different types of meat as well as vegetables.

This traditional design Japanese Chef knife is a great option for most of your cooking tasks. The wide blade makes quick work of vegetables, just like a Santoku knife, while the point allows you to work easily with fish and meats.

The blade itself consists of a central core that functions as the base of the blade and the cutting edge. The steel used for the core is 10Cr15CoMoV which is China’s equivalent of Japanese VG10. This steel balances the use of Carbon and Chromium with the rarer earth metals Molybdenum, Cobalt, Vanadium, and Manganese for enhanced durability and sharpness.

Layered on top of the core is the 66 layers of 316/316L Damascus Stainless Steel. This helps keep the core secure while adding additional aesthetic accents with a striking Compressed Damascus Pattern. The knife features a double bevel design with 15° bevels on either side. This Golden Angle ensures that the edge will be as sharp and durable as possible, cutting down on how regularly you sharpen the blade.

The edge durability is supported by how the blade is hardened. It goes through a 12 step process to ensure consistency with the goal of 62±2 HRC. This allows for a very sharp edge that isn’t too brittle or too soft. The quality of heat treatment directly determines the intrinsic performance of a knife. Xinzuo insists on using expensive high-quality vacuum deep-cooling heat treatment, which provides higher hardness, better sharpness and more excellent long-lasting toughness than knives heat treated in ordinary nitriding furnaces.

The blade point is at a 65° angle, this gives you more cutting power without having to make the blade longer in addition to letting the tip pierce meat more easily. The balance point of this knife is closer to the tip, making it feel more controllable which makes for a more enjoyable experience. Rounded corners at the tip of the heel of the blade avoids accidental finger cuts during use.

The handle is a traditional Japanese Octagon shape. While it might not sound comfortable, this style of handle is actually great for working with a knife for a long time. It provides a firm grip and multiple hand positions while using the knife.

The Buffalo Horn and Olive Wood used in the handle are a beautiful and durable Materials that accent’s the blade’s Damascus pattern. You will find it hard to not want to use this knife for every task in your kitchen because it can handle them all while looking good.

Whether you are processing fish, meat, or vegetables, a Chef’s knife is a good standalone option or the cornerstone of your collection. Be sure to not let corrosive juices stay on the knife for long. 

Tip: Wash and dry your Chef after use to ensure it stays sharp and rust free. Avoid cutting into extremely dense materials like bone, ice, or coconut shells.

XinZuo has been manufacturing kitchen knives for 20 years and have mastered the core technologies of Damascus knives, including steel and craftsmanship, blade cutting method, handle structure, blade thickness and blade angle. XinZuo has the latest and most advanced technology and design concepts and is committed to researching Damascus kitchen knives. Their products are renowned for their precise cutting, high hardness, corrosion resistance and durability.

To know more about Xinzuo & Hezhen Read my blog article Why Buy a Xinzuo or Hezhen Knife.

For a real deep dive into my journey to find the best manufacturer to deliver Damascus Kitchen knives, that delivers on my decades old business slogan of “The Best For Less shipped To Your Door” Click Here for Xinzuo: The Untold Story of A Great Chinese Kitchen Knife Maker.