FDick 8144821K Premier Plus Chef's Knife with Hollow Edge 8"

I received this knife several weeks back, and it quickly became one of my favorites. However, it is more specialized than traditional western knives. When it comes to tasks like slicing red peppers and dicing onions, it is unparalleled. But if you're looking for an all-purpose chef knife, I recommend the FDick 9 inch Premier (https://www.tigerchef.com/fdick-8144723-9-chefs-knife.html). Read on for a full explanation.

Right out of the box, this knife glides through foods effortlessly. The blade is extremely thin above the bevel, measuring in at just .015 inches. That's half the thickness of what you see in typical European chef knives. Because of this, this knife feels like the sharpest one I have (even though I've honed all of them to split hairs).

The other big difference is the blade shape - it is much straighter. Both of these characteristics are common in Japanese knives, making this item ideal for slicing and chopping. However, the straighter blade profile makes this knife less suitable for rocking (though it still works for smaller tasks). And like a Japanese knife, it should not be used for tasks like cross-chopping that place lateral stress on the blade edge.

Specs:
Full tang, no bolster, with classic triple rivet handle
Material: X50CrMoV15, Tempered Carbon Steel
Weight: 208g
Handle length: 4 7/8 inch
Blade length: 8 3/8 inch
Blade width (top-to-edge, at handle): 1 3/4 inch

Functionality: 5/5
+slicing with this knife feels frictionless. The thin blade combined with the gratton edge makes the knife glide through foods.

+perfect balance

+blade is sturdy and doesn't flex.

+blade is fairly straight with only a slight curve. Ideal for chopping.

+the low weight combined with the balance makes this knife feel feather light.

+comfortable handle

-thin edge profile makes sharpening less forgiving.

Fit and Finish: 4/5
+no sharp edges on the handle or on the top of the knife. I didn't have to do any polishing to get this knife ready to use.

+bevel on the edge is consistent along the full length of the blade, on both sides

+angle on the edge profile looks perfect. 15 degrees on each side. It is a little difficult to gauge though since the blade is so thin - so sharpen with caution.

+sharp out of box and ready to use.

+no chips or scratches on the handle

-handle integration. Small gap between the handle and the tang at the connection with the blade. Looks like a QA issue.

Value: 5/5
+similar price to German-made gratton edge knives of this size (using Wusthof 8 inch gratton edge as comparison)

+lower cost than Japanese knives with hammered finish (used to reduce friction like gratton edge).

Note, the geometry of this blade is not forgiving when it comes to sharpening. Abrasive sharpeners that are ideal for thicker blades, will damage this one. A fine sharpening steel, or a 1000-3000 grit whetstone will give you excellent results. A fine diamond steel can also be used, but with lots of caution keeping the angle and pressure perfectly consistent.

If you don't have expertise in sharpening, there are some great tutorials on YouTube to get started. I suggest practicing on other knives first and refining your technique before attempting to sharpen this one.