Victorinox 5.2003.25 10 Inch Fibrox Pro Chef's Knife, Black, 10"

I will start by saying I am not a kitchen knife connoisseur but after using this knife I now know what the difference is in using a quality knife! I grew up knowing Swiss Army knives are one of the best brands of pocket knives and I am glad that comes across on all their chef knives too.Shipping took extra long (3 weeks) I guess since the manufacture was back ordered, I am still waiting on the BladeSafe Cover and its been over a month on that item (fyi if you considering ordering the combo like me).On to the knife; As you can see its a rather simple design, I went with the 10" since I already had a decent 8" with a knife set. It fits in my hand very comfortably and with the textured grip I don't think I will have an issue with slippage, even when wet. I went out and purchased fresh veggies and couldn't get wait to get chopping. 1st slice - WOW!! It cuts sooo silky smooth through red potatoes, onions, and grilled chicken the 1st time around. Now THATS how a chef knife should cut, it's razor sharp right out of the box. Yeah this thing is probably not the absolute best knife out there.. but for around $30 I am VERY pleased with my purchase.I highly recommend this knife as a very good alternative to the expensive german steel knives out there. It was also the same price as the crap you get at local stores like target/walmart which I almost purchased. I knew a quick browse of knives on Amazon sorted by customer reviews would be the best way to find a knife for my needs/budget and man was I right. I will be buying one of these Victorinox 40521 10-Inch Chef's Knife for the parents too!

This is not a sexy knife but it's comfortable, it holds an edge, and it is a terrific bargain. For that, I love it.I have large hands and this fits me very well. You can see from the pictures that the handle has a straight top and contoured bottoms. It might not be apparent that the sides are straight, too. That makes the handle blocky. For me, this makes my grip much more secure than knives that have rounded sides. This shape fits very naturally in my hand, so it is secure and it is not fatiguing to use.The handle has a rough texture, but it's not raspy. I don't feel like I had to build up calluses just to use it. The texture, plus the shape of the handle, makes it easy to keep a safe grip, even when my hands are wet or greasy.There's not bolster on this knife. Instead, the handle flares down where it meets the blade (just down, it doesn't get any wider). That flare is big enough that I've never felt that my hand would slip forward and contact the blade.The knife feels sturdy. If I grab it in both hands, I can flex it about a quarter inch. It weighs about 6 5/8 ounces, which is is enough heft to keep me aware of it, but is light enough for my daily use. I use it for veggies and meat and am very satisfied with it. I haven't tried to butcher a chicken with it.I find the curve to be workable. I have no problems rocking it for chopping. The blade is tall enough that I don't worry about rapping my knuckles when chopping, either.I have had no problems with it keeping an edge. I hand wash it and it hasn't developed any stains or rust spots.Overall, it's a good knife and a great bargain. Probably the best thing about it is that at this price, I can hand it to guests and not cringe in fear when they bang away on the cutting board.

Update, T+4 Years: still chopping!While starting life as a graduate student, I made the decision to get more serious about cooking to eat better and save money. A functional kitchen begins with quality cookware and a good set of knives; toward that end, I considered purchasing several of Victorinox's knife sets:Victorinox 46892 Fibrox 3-Piece Chef's Knife SetVictorinox 8-Piece Knife Block SetVictorinox 7-Piece Knife Block SetVictorinox Swiss Classic 15-Piece Cutlery Block SetIn the end I found that, at Amazon's heavily-discounted prices, it's just as economical to construct a 'custom set' by purchasing the knives individually. This also ensures that you get exactly what you want, and you don't waste money on knives that you don't want or need.In the end, I purchased:Victorinox 40521 10-Inch Chef's Knife, Black Fibrox HandleVictorinox Fibrox 7-Inch Granton Edge Santoku KnifeVictorinox 5-Inch Mini-Chef's Knife with Fibrox HandleVictorinox Honing Steel 12-Inch Round Regular Cut, Black Plastic HandleHenckels 20-Slot Super Knife Storage BlockAll of these products are very highly reviewed, and together they form an excellent introductory knife collection at a reasonable price.This 10" Chef's Knife is definitely the workhorse of the set. While its large size is rather intimidating, it is incredibly light and very easy to handle. The cutting edge is amazingly sharp and, when cared for properly with handwashing and regular honing on a quality steel, it maintains its edge extraordinarily well. This knife far exceeds the quality of anything you will find in a brick-and-mortar store at a similar price point. While I'm sure that you could spend $100+ on a professional forged chef's knife that would perform better, this product more than meets the needs of the typical at-home cooking hobbyist.

Keeps sharp edge, handles very comfortably. Will last my lifetime...

sharpest chef knife I've own.