Flat edge, shorter blade, and it chops rather than rocks · review
A Damascus-clad santoku with a 10Cr15MoV Japanese core and 67 forged layers, and a maker who states explicitly that the pattern is forged rather than laser-etched.
What we would actually buy The right things are published: the core, and the fact that the pattern is real. The missing hardness figure is the one gap.
An 18 cm (7.1 in) santoku with a Japanese 10Cr15MoV Damascus core, clad in 66 further layers of carbon steel for 67 in total, with the maker stating the pattern is forged rather than laser-etched.
Everything you feel on the board comes from the core steel and its grind. The cladding gives stiffness and the pattern. A listing that names a layer count and never names the core has told you nothing — this one names both.
SHAN ZU states the pattern is genuine. That matters because printed patterns fade with use and washing, and they are sold at a premium that buys nothing.
A hardness figure. 10Cr15MoV is commonly stated around 60 HRC by other makers; this listing does not say, so nothing is claimed here.
On sale at around $90 on the American Amazon store at the time of checking.
Prices and availability are what Keepa reported on the date this page was updated; both move.
Prices quoted in this text were read on 3 September 2026. The live price is at the top of the page.
| Blade length | 18 cm (7.1 in) |
|---|---|
| Core steel | Japanese Damascus steel 10Cr15MoV |
| Layers | 67 forged layers — 66 of carbon steel around the core |
| Pattern | Maker states genuine forged Damascus, not laser-etched |
| Amazon reference | B072K2HDKS |
| EAN | 0714757573518 |
A listing is not an offer: the reference exists on these stores, availability changes daily.
An etched pattern is perfectly uniform, identical between knives, and stops at the edge bevel. A forged pattern varies from blade to blade and flows through the bevel, because the layers are structural.
No. The core steel and its hardness decide the edge. The layers give stiffness, corrosion resistance and appearance.
8.4/ 10
The right things are published: the core, and the fact that the pattern is real. The missing hardness figure is the one gap.
Someone who wants a beautiful knife and wants to know what is underneath the pattern.
Specifications: the manufacturer sheet for cookware and kitchen knives and the matching Amazon product page. Prices and availability: Keepa. Every figure on this page names its source.
17.8 cm (7 in) blade · 5Cr15MoV steel · 13° double bevel · pakkawood handle · left- and right-handed
A 17.8 cm (7 in) santoku in 5Cr15MoV steel ground at a stated 13° per side, with a pakkawood handle and a symmetrical bevel that suits either hand.
Best for: Vegetables and fish, from someone who will keep it off bones.
18 cm (7.1 in) blade · 10Cr15MoV Japanese steel · stated HRC 62 · 5-layer laminated · stated 12° edge
An 18 cm (7.1 in) santoku in 10Cr15MoV Japanese steel stated at HRC 62, with a five-layer laminated blade and a stated 12° edge — the hardest blade in this hub.
Best for: A cook who sharpens their own knives and will keep this one for vegetables and fish.
≈ $70
17 cm (6.7 in) blade · granton hollow edge · light, balanced · ergonomic handle · stainless
A 17 cm (6.7 in) santoku with a granton hollow edge, from a maker whose knives are the default in professional kitchens for their grip and their weight.
Best for: Long prep sessions, and anyone who values grip over heft.
Prices quoted in these summaries are dated readings. The live price is shown next to each product.
