The chef knife has a material and comes with an outer cladding from the same material. The cladding is very visible and adds to the aesthetics of the knife. The blade has a brushed vertical finish, which also helps break down water content from food so that it sticks less on your blade. The knife comes with a full-tang G10 handle with three rivets. The middle rivet has a mosaic pattern.
Knife Rockwell Hardness and Core Material
The knife Rockwell hardness is specified with a Rockwell of 58 + or – 2. But during my testing, the Rockwell came close to 58. If used at home, you can get away with 3 to 4 months before needing a whetstone touch-up if you regularly hone your knife with a honing rod. The 440C core material is also very sturdy and durable, so you don’t have to worry about chipping your blade. There is also no noticeable flex during use.
Blade profile
The is unique, it has a lot of similarities with the western chef’s knife but then fused with a Japanese approach. The blade profile is more in line with a Gyuto since it is straighter than a western chef knife. The knife also comes with a full-tang handle for extra durability. Even the balance point has been adjusted to accommodate the rocking motion. They also have included a distal spine taper, which I expect on a chef’s knife or Gyuto.
Japanese features or Just a Gyuto?
They have added Japanese features to the blade design of this chef’s knife. They went for a narrower spine with a thickness of 2.1mm at the back of the blade. And the weight of 225grams of the knife is on the lighter side. The idea is interesting, and I have to say that it feels more like a Gyuto than a western chef’s knife. But they are selling this knife as a Chef’s knife.
Knife balance point
The balance point of this knife is at the bolster. If you pinch-grip at the blade or in front of the slightly curved bolster, the knife will become back heavy, which will accommodate the rocking motion.
Knife handle
The knife handle is made from a texturized G10 material that sits comfortably in your hand. It has a slightly curved belly that sits snugly around your fingers. It also has a butt at the end of the handle, which prevents you from slipping. The curved bolster also adds extra grip.
Finish and quality control
Everything is nicely flushed, there are no protrusions on the handle or at the rivets. The polish on the spine and the choil are slightly sharp, but with the pinch grip at the front of the bolster, it is not noticeable.
Optional Saya
also offers an optional Saya for this chef’s knife. The Saya is nicely finished and comes pre-coated with a black layer of paint. The knife sits nicely and firm in the Saya and doesn’t come loose while shaking, which is interesting since the Saya doesn’t come with a pin that you can lose.
Suitable for home cooks?
The knife is excellent for home cooks since it is durable and worry-free. You don’t have to worry about rusting or chipping the blade. It is also light and thin and suitable for the majority of the prep work for home cooks.
Suitable for professional cooks?
Unfortunately, the knife’s weight of 225 grams and thickness of 2.1mm makes it less sturdy for heavy-duty work. But if you are a professional cook and want to test a Gyuto, then this knife is an excellent cheap alternative for you to try.
Final verdict of the Xinzuo Chef’s Knife (Gyuto)
With a price of around $30, it is very affordable, and you can’t go wrong with it. It is excellent for home cooks and great for professional cooks that want to test a cheap Gyuto before committing to buying an expensive one.
🛒S H O P:
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I bought this knife some days ago. I am very surprised of the great finish.
The knife is beautiful and well sharp out the box.
This is maybe a bit heavy, and I prefer the balance point toward the blade for a pinch grip. Anyway, the balance point is not far from my ideal position.
I paid 38€, which I think is a good price.
Thank you for your review.
Thank you for sharing your experience with it.
I got it for a slightly lower price but that was before they included the EU sales tax.
So overall for 38 euro it is a fair price for what you get.
How you’ll compare this knife with the 1.1146 version? Wich you like better?
I prefer 440c over most 1.4116. However, Xinzuo 1.4116 version is actually good but compared to other brands claimed 1.4116, they come very close to 7cr17mov (lower heat treatment or just different steel than specified in this case 7cr17 selling as 1.4116).