Zhen Japanese VG-10 Light Slicer Chopping Chef Butcher Knife 6.5"

The Zhen light "cleaver" isn't a cleaver at all. It's a Chinese vegetable knife the Asian version of the chef's knife that coincidentally has the same profile as a western style cleaver. Unlike a cleaver the blade is thin and the grinding is a much more narrow angle. This means that the blade is too delicate to operate as a cleaver, but is excellent for fine dicing and thin slicing when used as a chef's knife. Like a chef's knife the blade is slightly curved and is used with a rocking motion. Chinese vegetable knives have the edge over chef's knives because their higher mass and blade height give them more inertia and cutting power. Their high blade height makes them a bit awkward for newbies however. You must hold the food carefully on one side of the blade and feed it into the blade. That's where the Zhen light cleaver comes in. With it's lower blade height it feels more agile and has less of a learning curve for western cooks learning to use this excellent type of blade. Held choked up on the handle the balance is perfect. The factory grind on the edge is excellent. The edge is razor sharp and has held for dozens of uses so far.

Zhen is a Taiwanese knife company that specializes in knives reminiscent of the Japanese line called Shun. They have two main lines: a carbon stainless steel series and a fancier prettier damascus steel series (not the item on offer here). The carbon stainless series uses 3 layer construction, with a core of high carbon "VG-10" stainless steel in the middle (to constitute the edge) with layers of high carbon stainless on either side. The use of VG-10 steel and the 3 layer construction is a definite homage to Japanese high end knife manufacturing. The principle benefit of VG-10 steel is that its high Rockwell hardness value which means it will hold an edge better than normal stainless steel. The downsides are that it is more easy to chip, and will be less stain resistant. The handle is made of a rubber type material which is comfortable to grip. The edge of the blade is heavily frosted on the grinding bevel above the edge. I don't know if this is meant to hide the fusion line of the two types of metal or improve the release properties of food on the broad surface of the blade but it is attractive and does help vegetables release. The blade is surprisingly thin and light for such a broad profile. The thin-ness translates to agile slicing. I doubt it has the strength to chop bones or other very tough food items (such as the stems of winter squash, for example). Indeed the instruction sheet for this knife specifically warns against using it for bones underscoring the fact that is is a Chinese vegetable knife and not a cleaver.

All in all, the construction is amazing for the price. I will follow up on how well it holds up over time. I will say for the moment that initial quality is surprisingly high for such a reasonably priced item. At this price level you usually get rustable carbon steel with a rat tail tang and a cheap wooden handle with rings of loose metal as the bolsters. Here you get an exotic fused blade of the type used in the manufacture of Samurai swords, using an exotic type of steel I've never seen outside of Japan before. The blade shape is clearly forged, not stamped, with impressive grinding and finishing. The full tang and nice heel piece are also unusual at this price. Performance in use has been in line with the luxury appearance: excellent. So far I'd rate this item as an extreme bargain when used as a chef's knife not a cleaver. It's a taste of high end Japanese materials and construction, but made in Taiwan, with a price to match.

My wife is very happy with me for buying her this knife. It is sharp and beautiful. I do like using it, and I think the way it was built to last.

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I love to cook and like anyone who spends a decent amount of time in the kitchen experimenting and trying to turn our culinary delights to impress family and friends, you come to rely upon your tools. And a good knives are one of the key items. I have a few good ones that I have invested in. I wasn't so sure about a 'cleaver style' knife and if it would work for me, so I liked the price point of this, it seemed enough to get a decent knife without paying a kings randsom for something I wasn't sure I was going to like.

I'm so glad I did, this is a fantastic knife. It's really light and easy to use, but the edge is razor sharp on arrival. I've had it 3 months and have used it nearly every day since then, and it hasn't needed sharpening, its still as sharp, so I'm very impressed. If you do a lot of vegetables and want to get through them fast, this is a great slicer and dicer that you won't regret and shoots way beyond the price point, its more comfortable to use and keeps an edge better than knives that I have that are 3 or 4 times the price. I recommend it to anyone.

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