Japanese Gyuto Chef Knife C6

Japanese Gyuto Chef Knife Model # C6 Size: 9.5" x 2.5 mm with Micarta Handle
The C6 model is from Zhen Premium Knife company's Carbon Stainless Steel Series.

This knife has a very nice edge and good balance. The Micarta handle is beautiful and very tough, but slightly uncomfortable to someone not used to using a barrel-shaped handle. Lots of clean cuts with this knife, although there is a slight “pulling” as if it has micro-serrations on the edge. Overall the Japanese Gyuto Chef Knife C6 is a nice, above average chef knife. I would put this blade equal with or a little above a Henckels 4 star.

Zhen Premium Knives use VG-10 (HRC60~62) steel imported from Japan, which is harder and can hold a sharper edge for a longer period of time than AUS-8 and AUS-6. This VG-10 (HRC60~62) “super steel” contains carbon, chromium, cobalt, manganese, molybdenum, silicon, and vanadium.  The blade combines the best attributes of high carbon steel and stainless steel to make a tougher knife which is more rust-resistant, takes a killer edge and holds the edge longer.

The Carbon Stainless Steel series is made with 3 layers forged steel. The middle layer VG-10 Stainless Steel is clad with 2 layers of high-carbon steel on each side, creating superior sharpness and edge life which lasts longer than normal knives.  The handle is made of Micarta, which is a quality high pressure laminate composite made of linen, canvas, paper, fiberglass, carbon fiber.

 

Japanese Gyuto 9.5" Chef Knife model C6
E	5	Carrot-Lengthwise Test	smooth, could feel a slight resistance, needed some applied pressure
O	5	Carrot-Crosswise Test	smooth, could feel a slight resistance
E	6	Shallot Test	smooth, but had some "pulling" during slicing, clean dice w/o smashing the shallot
E	5	Potato Test	smooth, very slight resistance resistance
O	7	Green Onion Test	smooth cuts all the way thru all strands w/ no bruising
E	5	Red Bell Pepper Test	smooth, but left some skin uncut on the julienne
E	5	Salmon Test	cuts cleanly but sticks slightly to the blade
O	7	Paper Test	cut all the way thru 8 1/2" x 11" paper the long way
A		Comfort	round handle is slightly awkward, had to choke-up and adjust a few times
E		Balance	nicely balanced in the hand
E	5.6	Total
Comfort is so subjective that I chose not to give it a detailed rating which would effect the overall score, and I chose not to rate Balance either.

 

Ranking Code

Overall Ranks O - Outstanding (7) E - Excellent (5-6) A - Average/Normal (3-4) P - Poor (0-2)

Detailed Ranks 7 - Outstanding, rarely attained. No effort is needed, hot knife thru butter realized. Makes you smile. 6 - Excellent, far above average. Almost no effort is needed. 5 - Above average. Some resistance is felt but cuts cleanly. 4 - Average professional knife. Takes a little work, may not cut cleanly all the time. 3 - Lower end professional knife. Have to focus on making the cut correctly, bruises, tears. 2 - Typical cheap knife. Almost worthless except for the most basic cutting. 1 - Sub-standard knife. Why bother. 0 - Garbage. Toss it.

 

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