Dalstrong Chef Knife - 7 inch - Gladiator Series Elite - Forged High Carbon German Steel - Razor Sharp Kitchen Knife - Full Tang - Black G10 Handle - Sheath Included - Chef's Knife - NSF Certified

The media could not be loaded. I am not a professional cook. In fact, the closest I’ve ever gotten to working in a professional kitchen was working as a waitress in a family style restaurant while I was in college over 20 years ago. But with age and life experience comes cooking wisdom and in that time I have come to understand the importance of good quality knives in the kitchen for everyone, not just professional chefs.So why would a non-professional choose a 10” chef knife to use in their kitchen? Truly, it can look quite intimidating when compared to the more common 8” chef knife chosen by many home cooks. I believe it comes down to the amount of food, type of food and the technique one uses when you prepare your food.If you have a large family or prepare food for dinner parties, a 10” chef knife can really save your hands from blisters and fatigue. Because the knife is a bit heavier it actually aids in doing the work of the heavy cutting by giving you more leverage. While some 10” chef knives can make you feel clumsy if you are not used to working with a bigger, heavier blade, I can tell you that for me I was very pleased with how easily it was for me to adapt to using a knife of this blade size. Originally, I bought this knife for my husband who has much bigger hands than mine simply because I thought it would be a better fit and feel more comfortable to him. I have smaller hands, even for most women, and I do not at all feel awkward with the grip, balance and cutting power of this knife.When it comes to cutting technique, a 10” blade is nicer for cuts where the tip of the blade is on the board and then the knife is rocked downward to make the cut. An 8” blade on the other hand is better for knife cuts that start parallel to the board and are pushed straight downward. That makes a 10” blade perfect for deboning and despising a chicken, cutting long veggies lengthwise (cucumbers, squash, zucchini), cutting cabbage or even cutting a sheet cake.You will know from the moment this knife arrives that you have made a wise investment. Dalstrong sends this knife to you in a magnetic close box that is custom foam padded to keep your knife in perfect condition. Upon opening the box you will find not only the knife with it's protective sheath, but also a beautifully done colorful booklet on the creation, detailed craftsmanship, uses and care of the knife. They also send you a polishing cloth, a logo pin and customer service/feedback materials. This company truly cares about making the purchase of this knife an overall excellent experience, from initial presentation to comfort of use.When you remove the knife from it's BPA free protective sheath, you will find so much attention to detail. From the highly polished blade that keeps food from sticking to it during use, to the ultra smooth 3 rivet laminated pakkawood handle that fits beautifully in your hand, this knife is a dream to use. You will love it’s blade, which provides effortless cutting with excellent edge retention. The spine is smooth and polished allowing for a comfortable pinch grip. I would have absolutely no trouble recommending it to either the seasoned professional or the at home cook. Dalstrong does provide both a Lifetime Warranty and a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee on their knives. I did a short video for you so that you will be able to see all of the features of this knife as well as the knife in action.

I have been wanting a unified set of kitchen knives for some time. I happened upon the Dalsrtong knives here on Amazon. I started with their 10" chef's knife. It’s a very handsome knife and I found it to be well balanced and a joy to use. Dalstrong pitches their knives as premium knives and in fact the Dalstrong Gladiators, like their German counterparts, are fully bolstered, forged knives with full-tang construction. They are presented in a fancy box with some swag, - including a Dalstrong medallion, and a polishing cloth, and very nice sheath. Also, most people, including myself, find them to be strikingly handsome knives. But, moving past the past the “unboxing” awe that so many reviews bog down in let’s critique them as tools. First, let’s consider the steel. According to Dalstrong they are forged from one piece of “premium high carbon Thyssen-Krupp steel.” It has a Rockwell hardness rating of 55-56 which is a moderately hard steel. Please note, the steel is designated “high carbon”. I mention this because some people have labored under the impression that its a simple high-carbon steel. A simple high-carbon steel will stain up quickly, this steel does not. The steel is obviously a High-carbon alloy with stainless qualities. Like high-carbon steel it takes a nice edge and yet is also fairly stainless. I personally would never put these or any edged tool I cared about in the dishwasher. If you clean and dry these knives before storage, they should remain stain free. Also, the steel on the Gladiators is a bit thinner than on comparable German Knives. This could be good or bad depending on your point of view. A thinner knife slices much nicer, but in some situations may not be up to cleaver-like chopping. The Gladiators IMO hit it just right - they slice like a nice Japanese knife, but have enough spine to withstand any kitchen use I can conceive of. The steel takes an edge willingly, so I suggest investing in a quality honing steel/ceramic for the daily maintenance of these knives. This is a good idea for any knife in this RC hardness range. When it comes time to sharpen on a stone I found with care and practices a 1000/3000 Japanese waterstone combo will give these a brand-new edge very quickly. I doubt I will ever have to send these out for sharpening.As to the handles they are handsome and ergonomic. They are full-tanged with pakkawood scales. Pakkawood is a resin impregnated wood laminate that is durable and has the beauty of wood.So, I have one nice knife and the price was great.