Anolon Imperion Damascus Steel Cutlery Santoku Knife Set, 2-Piece

This is my second review (after second purchase) of these knives. I originally bought them as a gift for my wife, who's a retired professional cook, but sent them back without opening the box, because I saw that she wouldn't like them for two reasons: (1) she prefers a contoured handle more like that on German knives; (2) she prefers a Japanese blade shape with less belly (these Anolon knives have a shape closer to German knives). I bought them a second time to save as eventual gifts for someone else, because if you're not bothered by those factors, they're excellent knives at an amazing price (when they're offered for around $100, which they occasionally are). So I wanted to update my original review with that new purpose in mind.First, the steel appears to be exactly as advertised: 67 layers with the central core being Japanese VG-10 steel. This is an excellent hard steel (harder than most German knives) that can ground to a sharper angle and hold it longer between sharpening with a stone. And it's not as brittle as other hard steels used in less expensive knives, so less likely to chip, but it still could.Next, the shape of the blade is essentially that of German knives and is well-suited to a rocking motion as opposed to the sawing motion that is easier with the less curved blade shape of Japanese knives. This is a matter of personal preference, and some people will like it, but some, like my wife, don't. However, the bolster is a half bolster, like most Japanese knives, which allows the blade to be easily honed or sharpened right to the handle.The handle, as I mentioned, is not contoured, which can make it harder to hold when greasy. But the material itself has a soft non-slip feel that's not as slippery as it might look, so it's not really that bad. Also, the handle is very slightly asymmetrical, being a bit easier to use if you're right-handed. This wasn't mentioned anywhere, and while it still won't be difficult for a lefty to use, it's something worth knowing. It improves the grip a bit for right-handed people. But while the handle is a righty shape, the edge of the blade appears to be ground symmetrical - some Japanese knives are ground so that they're intended to be used only by right- or left-handed people. These knives don't have that feature, which means that anyone can use them.Overall, these are relatively heavy knives - noticeably heavier than many of the better Japanese knives (like Yaxell, Miyabi, and others). Some people may like this (probably men more than women) and some won't. They definitely have the feel of German knives, not Japanese.As one would hope, they came very sharp out of the box. Not as razor sharp as some knives that we've bought (a Yaxell Gou being the best so far, and a Henckels Four Star being the worst - both expensive knives). But sharpness out-of-the-box is, strangely, not something that you can really count on no matter how much you spend, and even very inexpensive knives can be sharp at the beginning. Virtually all knives need to be honed to properly align the edge before first use, and some may even need to be touched up with a stone (no excuse for that, though, in my opinion). So I have no complaint about these knives even though I honed them with a steel before first use (and after every second or third use after that, which is completely normal if you demand sharp knives for your work). I noticed that these knives appear to be sharpened to a 20-degree angle to centerline, which is the angle typically used for German knives; Japanese knives are usually sharper at around 15 degrees to center. So they're not quite as sharp as standard Japanese knives even though they're made from Japanese steel.In summary, these are excellent knives with a few features that some users will prefer and others will not. In a sentence: German blade shape, weight, and edge angle, with Japanese steel and Japanese style handles. They will be five-star for some people and less for others. My original review was four stars reflecting that they're not a good choice for my wife. But they're amazingly good value, and will probably be among the best knives that most people will ever own.

I love these knives. They are very sharp and they hold their edge very well. The other knives I have are a J.A. Henckels Classic set and a Shun  Shun DM0718 Classic 7-Inch Santoku Hollow Ground Knife  Damascus steel Santoku. The Shun knife is pretty comparable in that it holds its edge and that it's Damascus steel but it's not as sharp. The Henckles set is sharp but the knives require I sharpen them with a steel every time I use them. The Anolon knives are the sharpest ones I have and they hold their edge. I only need to use the sharpening steel occasionally. The Anolon knives come with their own plastic sheaths which is a nice bonus. The only thing I'm not completely thrilled about is the finish on the handles. I can feel the edge of the rivets. It's really a minor thing and I think most people wouldn't notice it. Would absolutely buy again and I have recommended them to friends.

Very sharp and great quality. A little high priced but well worth it.