Best Damascus Chef Knife for 2020

Any seasoned chef can tell you how essential their knives are for their craft. The best Damascus chef knife can take your culinary skills to new heights. You’re going to need to finest tools if you want to create something that turns heads and demands attention!

You don’t want to fall short of your potential just because you don’t have the right knives to get you there. Our guide takes the guesswork out of finding the perfect knife for your needs. You’ll find in-depth, accurate, and helpful guidance to make sure you get excellent quality and performance.

10 Best Damascus Chef Knives that Unleash Your Potential

If you want to improve, choosing the right knife for you is essential. They might all seem similar to a layman, but some subtleties can make or break the results you get. We’ve gone through countless options to bring you the best of the best. Your needs and style are important, and this list caters to a bunch of different ones.

Let’s take a look at the 10 knives that go above and beyond to deliver exquisite performance and handling that has a lasting impression. Here are our top picks!

Top 3 – Best Damascus Chef Knife

IMAGE	NAME	FEATURES	PRICE
	DALSTRONG Chef’s Knife	Weight: 9.6 ounces Blade Length: 8 inch Handle Material: G-10 Garolite Blade Material: AUS-10V Super Steel	Check Price
	Zelite Infinity Chef Knife	Weight: 9.9 ounces Blade Length: 8 inch Handle Material: G-10 Blade Material: AUS-10 Super Stainless Steel	Check Price
	TUO Damascus Chef’s Knife	Weight: 12 ounces Blade Length: 8 inch Handle Material: Ergonomic Pakkawood Blade Material: AUS10 HC 67 Layers Steel	Check Price

Top 10 Best Damascus Chef Knifes Review in 2020

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DALSTRONG’s Shogun Series Chef Knife

Damascus blades have a long history and over a thousand years of continual improvement and fine-tuning. This chef knife is the embodiment of that development. It has been exquisitely designed and the attention to detail is impeccable. It’s extremely comfortable to hold and doesn’t slide when held with wet hands.

You’ll find the blade to be excellently balanced and seemingly weightless when you’re cutting with it. It holds its sharpness for longer than you’d expect. This knife has struck the balance between weight and handling perfectly. It’s a great tool for the serious chef and complements a skilled set of hands.

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Zelite Infinity Chef Knife

If you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, then you’ve probably got a blister from having to wield a knife like a sword. This knife is a good solution if you blister easily. You’ll be able to slice through raw chicken, 3+ layers of bacon and vegetables with ease. You won’t have to grip the knife like an ax and your forearm isn’t going to seize up after a couple of minutes.

It handles almost all cuts effortlessly and you can plow through tough meats quickly. You’ll save time and won’t have to worry about getting tired or getting blisters. The design is gorgeous and resistant to wear, discoloration, and stains. It still looks pristine long after you’ve bought it.

Also Read: Best Carving Knife in 2020

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TUO Damascus Chef’s Knife

This is a heavy-duty knife that excels at slicing through thick vegetables, large fruits, meat with and without bone, and pretty much anything you put before it. It’s heavy in the hand and isn’t easy to wield without putting your back into it. That being said though, it’s exquisitely well-balanced and ergonomic despite its size and weight.

You get through meats and other food with ease – while other similar sized knives struggle. All this is made even more tempting when you look at the price. It’s on the cheaper side will still taking on knives that cost far more. Overall, you’re getting one of the top options for the best Damascus chef knife for the money.

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Shun Cutlery Chef Knife

Despite the large 10” blade size, this knife isn’t nearly as heavy and bulky as you’d expect. It feels light and balanced in your hand. I find that I’m far more productive with these larger blade sizes as they keep my knuckles above the cutting board and help me to transfer the meat into a tray (on the side of the blade).

If you handle and work with larger quantities of meats/foods, then this knife is more than capable enough to use frequently. It has a classy look and feel. Japanese handcrafted blades like this don’t come cheap, and neither does this.The quality and beauty are jaw-dropping and the performance matches it.

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Yoshihiro VG10 Japanese Chefs Knife

This Yoshihiro knife is a versatile pick for best Damascus kitchen knives. You’ll be able to get through thin-slicing and dicing and then switch over to carving up a turkey right out the oven. This versatility is essential if you’re looking to improve your skills as it helps you develop different techniques with the same blade.

The blade does an excellent job of reducing friction and keeping food from sticking to it. It’s easy and quick to work with. You’ll be able to get a razor-sharp edge by sharpening it yourself. It shapes well and doesn’t take long to get it as sharp as it came in the box. Be sure to keep it dry and out of the sink at all times. It’s a premium knife that needs premium care. Don’t put it in the dishwasher.

Also Read: Best Ceramic Knives Review in 2020

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Mosfiata Professional Chef Knife

Here’s a fantastic entry into the premium knife market. It’s a great fit for using around your home and gives you a taste of the tools a professional chef would have. Though it’s not designed for professional chefs, it’ll help you to start getting some of the results that they do.

You’ve got everything you’d expect from a high-grade premium knife (such as anti-corrosions and discoloration, Damascus finish) packed into an ergonomically designed knife with excellent balance. The best part of this is the price.

All this performance is very affordable. Considering the price, it’s hard to ignore having this knife (or the set) around the house. It’s one of the most affordable picks for the best Damascus chef knife.

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Daddy Chef Damascus Chef’s Knife

It’s well-suited for chopping, dicing and mincing, while still being sharp enough to do some carving and cutting through tough meat. Many knives claim to be usable for both left and right-handed people, but end up with a clumpy dragging feeling while cutting. That’s not an issue with this knife; you’ll be able to use it with your left hand effortlessly.

It’s one of the few knives that cater to ambidextrous chefs. I love the protective box that comes with it. It has a classy and elite look, while still delivering excellent protection against moisture and corrosion.

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Allwin-Houseware Damascus Chef Knife

Here’s another super-affordable entry-level chef knife. It’s very lightweight and excels with basic kitchen work. The double-beveled blade is very sharp but has to be sharpened very carefully to avoid getting any nicks.

A round handle makes it easy to grip with either hand, though it’s better for right-handers. You’ll struggle to cut through thick sinew and boney meat (but that’s not really what this knife is meant for). If you’re looking to save money and still get a knife with premium features and good performance, this might be the best Damascus chef knife to go for.

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PAUDIN Professional Chef Knife

As far as value for money goes, this might be one of the best Damascus Chef knife. You’re getting the same features and capability that is offered by far more expensive knives. The handle fits in your hand well (even fits larger hands well) and is exceptionally comfortable to hold and cut with.

With a slightly lower hardness rating, it’s slightly less sharp than some of the other knives on this list. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing though, as the lower hardness rating makes the blade less brittle – and far more durable. The design and build of the knife are visually stunning.

Also Read: Best Cleaver Knife in 2020

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Mad Shark Pro Kitchen Knife

Here’s the last of our best Damascus chef knife reviews we’ll look at. It’s an ultra-affordable and exceptionally sharp knife. There’s a weightless feeling when handing this knife and cutting through vegetables, meat, and other food. It’s not great at cutting through bones, though you shouldn’t be using an 8” knife for that anyway.

The caveat to the extreme sharpness is that the knife is quite fragile. You need to take good care of it to make sure it lasts a long time. Be very careful while handling and your fingers will be easily sliced if you get them too close to the blade. You’re better suited to this knife if you have some experience under your belt.

How to Choose the Best Damascus Chef Knife for Your Needs

High-quality chef knives have many common qualities that are non-negotiable. We’ll go over some of the aspects to make sure you’re getting the best value for your money. We’ll also take a look at the best knives that might meet different needs and skill sets. You need a knife that complements your level, style, and goals. Let’s go!

What to Look for In the Best Damascus Chef Knives?

There are a couple of features that you need to carefully think over before committing and buying a knife. This section breaks down what to look for in each of these features, and what’s most important. Here they are:

Blade Angle

This angle refers to the slope the blade follows from where it begins at the handle to the point of the knife. Steeper angles (14-16 degrees) means larger blades that are better suited to carving and handling thicker foods. They’re generally heavier and harder to handle, so the skill requirement is higher.

Straighter blades (6-10 degrees) tend to be thinner and are better suited to slicing, dicing, and mincing. They’re easier to handle due to their lighter weight and balanced build. Beginners do well with these blades because they’re easier on your arm and hand.

Handle

Other than being a good fit for different hand sizes, handles need to balance the blade as perfectly as possible. You don’t want a blade that’s too light or too heavy, and the handle has a big role in this. It also should be a non-porous material (for moisture resistance) that has a good grip and doesn’t crack over time.

An ergonomic handle and grip are among the most important features to consider if you’re going to be using the knife for long sessions. Your arms and hands will thank you for it. An ergonomic grip can completely change the experience and “feel” of a knife. The final thing to consider is the finish and other aesthetic fillers that match the blade.

Hardness of the Steel

The key point to remember is that harder the rating of the steel, the sharper the blade will be. The trade-off is that these hard blades are more brittle and might chip easily.

Going too much over 62+ Rockwell hardness will lend to quite a brittle blade. Going under 60 might mean the blade struggles to keep its sharpness well enough to be used consistently. The sweet spot is between 60-62 Rockwell hardness for best Damascus chef knife.

Tapered Bolster

This is the thickened piece of metal leading from the blade into the handle. It helps to smooth the transition to the knife’s handle, make it easier to hold and more durable. The tapered bolster is an important part of the anatomy of a knife and helps to further counterbalance it for better handling and precision.

Full Tang

You need a knife with a full tang design as it speaks to the quality it was crafted with. Full tang knives have one single metal piece that runs through the knife (the blade and the steel in the handle are one piece). They’re extremely durable and very often superior to other knife builds.

They cost more and a common in premium knife sets. You should consider all of these features, which of them are most important to you, and how they affect the price. Finding this balance will help you buy a knife that performs as you’d expect from a premium knife.

How We Chose the Knives That Made This List

It’s not as simple as throwing a random list of knives together. There are quite a few criteria that the knives need to meet to be considered.

Here are the most important aspects we looked at while bringing this list together:

• Sharpness and Brittleness: Harder steel is generally sharper than softer steel, at the cost of being more brittle and easier to break. There are softer steel knives in this list, and some hard ones that you can make exquisitely sharp.
• Durability: This refers to the durability of both the steel and the handle. There shouldn’t be too many places on the knife where gunk and dirt can build up, causing corrosion and possibly contaminating your food. The steel should be high-quality and the handle needs to be made from well-treated woods, and given finishes that are bacteria-resistant and moisture resistant.
• Aesthetics: Damascus steel has unique and beautiful finishes on the steel. We’ve picked knives that have unique looks that are genuine and won’t fade over time. We also considered the aesthetics of the handle and how it complements the overall looks of the knife.
• Weight and Ergonomics: This is probably one of the more important aspects of kitchen knives. They need to be super-easy and smooth to use. The knives in our list have excellent balance, ergonomic grips and are suitably heavy for their purpose.

What are the Differences between Damascus Knives and Japanese Knives?

The Japanese were among the first to use carbon in their steel. This allows excellent levels of sharpness and a very unique and darkened look to the steel. The main issue with this is carbon steel rusts quite easily, meaning that the supreme sharpness and utility is counter-balanced by having to be ruthless in how you care for your knife.

It needs lots of attention and just takes a little negligence to ruin the knife. Damascus steel on the other is the refinement of centuries of steel-working development. The actual formula for creating real Damascus steel was lost around 200 years ago.

Now Damascus steel is made by folding the steel into itself over and over again. The result is the wavy water-like finish of the steel that can be very sharp. Damascus holds its edge well and is resistant to rust. It’s not as sharp as carbon-steel, but this is the trade-off for improved durability and resistance.

What are the Different Types of Damascus Kitchen Knives?

If you’re looking to kit yourself out thoroughly and have all your bases covered, you’ll need to know about the different types of knives for your kitchen.

Each of them has specialized roles and different strong and weak areas. Here they are:

• Chef’s Knives: This is the most versatile and commonly used knife in the kitchen. They’re probably the most important knife to have in your kitchen and will handle almost all cutting jobs you give it. They range from 6-14” in size.
• Utility Knives: These are smaller than chef’s knives and usually around 4-7”. They’re light and excellent at handling smaller slicing jobs like buns, herbs, vegetables, and sandwiches. They can’t cut bones and loaves of bread due to their smaller size.
• Paring Knives: These small knives range from 3.5-4”, though you can find some smaller ones. They’re used to peel fruits, gutting prawns, taking the seeds out of fruits, and cutting herbs. You can’t use these small blades for cutting meat or tough, large vegetables.
• Vegetable Knives: They’re broad knives that are exclusively used for chopping and slicing vegetables. You won’t find knives that are better at slicing and dicing vegetables and fruits.
• Cleavers: These thick, sharp, and heavy knives are used to chop and prepare meat. They can break and cut through bones and very thick meat. You shouldn’t use them for any kind of delicate or light cutting work.

Final Thoughts

That’s all for our guide! Well done for taking the time to go through the options we’ve brought before you. Chef’s knives are essential in any serious kitchen, and this is a very important choice.

You’ve seen our top overall and top budget picks for best Damascus chef knife. Bear in mind that this is our opinion after spending hours going through the options and bringing you the best ones. Ultimately, this is a choice you’ll have to make that’s based on your experience, budget, needs, and style.

What matters is that you keep moving forward. Don’t get too caught up in the deciding process. Go with the choice that feels right for you. Remember that many of these knives have money-back returns that take all the risk away from you.

Take what you’ve learned from our guide and make your decision. Once you’ve got the best Damascus chef knife in your kitchen, your experience and skill sets will grow to new heights!