Damascus Kitchen Knives: 11 Singles & Sets You’ll Love

The Zelite Infinity eight inch Damascus steel chef knife is one of the sharpest on the market and it will last any professional or home chef a lifetime with basic care. The blade is made using 67 layers of Japanese AUS-10 high-carbon super stainless steel that gives it both a gorgeous look as well as serious strength and durability. This chef knife will give you the kind of cutting confidence you want for tasks large and small.

The full tang, double-bevel blade has been finished using the traditional Honbazuke method, a three-step process that leaves it scalpel-sharp and ready to take on any kitchen slicing project from the toughest meats to the tiniest tomato. The handle is well-weighted and ergonomically designed to fit hands of all sizes. 

While this knife has all the traditional characteristics of an Asian style knife, it has the heft and feel of a Western knife, combining the aesthetics and performance you’ll love. Zelite gets rave reviews for quality and performance, so if you’re considering buying more Damascus kitchen knives as your budget allows, consider their 10 inch and 6 inch chef’s knives as well as the Honesuki knife which we find indispensable in the kitchen. 

If you know someone who has dived head-first into the bread baking game, consider the Zelite Damascus steel bread knife as the ultimate gift for them.

If you’re tired of sawing through steaks, and seeing a portion of your expensive cuts of meat stuck in those pesky serrations of ordinary steak knives, you’ll want to consider investing in this set of Damascus steel steak knives from Enso. Their supreme sharpness means the blade literally glides through meat like it’s cutting through butter. No tedious or frustrating sawing required (even if you like your meat well-done.)

This set of six knives is hand-forged with 37 layers of top-quality Damascus steel with a VG10 cutting core. They’re finished with the classic Tsuchime design, a traditional Japanese hammered finish used in many artistic metalwork endeavors. Double bevel edges make these knives easy to use for both left and right-handed folks, and the black micarta handles feature stainless steel rivets, bolsters, and end caps. They mimic the look and feel of wood with none of the fussiness. 

These knives rate 61 on the Rockwell hardness scale, so they’ll be durable additions to your table anytime you’re serving meat or tender tough veggies.  You can get them in two, four, or six-piece sets, so no need to overbuy if you only need a small set. If you’ve been searching for a cool gift for someone who’s old enough to appreciate the value, this set would be ideal.

The KYOKU Daimyo seven inch Damascus steel santoku knife is the ideal tool for chopping, slicing, dicing, and mincing.  While it looks much like a Damascus steel chef knife, this santoku knife has some distinct differences. This knife design originated in Japan, per this blog post, and it often has a thinner blade with a bit heavier heft. 

You’ll note the blade has a curved rounded end that comes to a sharp point. Rather than rocking the blade as you might with a chef knife, this shape makes cutting in a single slice simpler. This beautiful tool is made with 67 layers of super strong VG10 Japanese steel and features the common dimpling above the blade edge. The extra wide blade helps to alleviate hand exhaustion if you’re going to be chopping for hours to prepare a large meal.

The ergonomic handle is impervious to heat, moisture, and cold is secured with a beautiful triple-riveted mosaic pin.  The knife is handcrafted using the three-step Honbazuke method, and then nitrogen cooled to ensure extreme hardness. If you’re curious about this sharpening method, this video offers an informative primer.

Because this knife is so sharp, you’ll appreciate that it comes with a protective sheath to keep the blade from dulling and your fingers safe at the same time.

If you’re ready to bite the budgetary bullet to outfit your kitchen with a top-quality knife set, this 9-piece set of Damascus steel kitchen knives offers one of the broadest varieties of blades we’ve seen. Each knife blade is forged with 67 layers of Japanese AUS10 Damascus steel and has a 12 degree razor edge on each side. They register 62+ on the Rockwell hardness scale.

The breathtaking blue handles are made of G10 high-pressure fiberglass laminate to deliver lightweight and durable performance. Included in this set are an eight-inch chef knife, a seven-inch santoku knife, an eight-inch bread knife, an eight-inch slicing knife, a six-inch boning knife, a five-inch utility knife, and a 3.5-inch uniquely shaped paring knife. 

All the knives feature that signature Damascus folded steel look in a stunning raindrop pattern. The set comes with an AUS10 knife sharpening steel and it, as well as the knives, store safely in a beautiful narrow-profile wood knife block. While the price might seem large, when you consider buying these quality tools separately, it’s really quite a good deal.

If there’s one tool that’s essential to most chefs and more casual kitchen cooks as well, it’s a razor-sharp boning knife that allows you to filet meats and remove poultry bones, and separate joints without destroying the meat. This wicked sharp Dalstrong Damascus steel boning knife would be an awesome addition to your collection that doesn’t usually come in most knife sets. 

The eight-inch blade length is ideal for many tasks. It’s forged from 67 layers of premium high-carbon stainless steel with a 62+ hardness value. The precisely tapered blade minimizes surface resistance and curves inward to maneuver close to the bone, ensuring separating bone and meat is ultra-efficient, while the fine tip allows you to easily get between joints. The blade offers just enough flex to let you maneuver into even the tightest spaces.

The G-10 handle is moisture, heat, and cold impervious. It’s also hand polished to ensure the grip is smooth and comfortable with no rough edges. 

Dalstrong also makes a wicked Damascus steel butcher-breaking cimitar knife with a ten-inch blade. It would be an ideal gift for hunters who quickly need to process their game, breaking down large parts into smaller cuts of meat. They also make this knife in a smaller eight-inch blade size as well as a whopping big 12.5 inch blade for larger game.

When so much of the beauty of Damascus steel knives is found in the intricate patterns of the blade, this eight-piece set of Damascus kitchen knives features a unique wooden knife block that shows their beauty front and center.  We also think the wood handles are a total stunner and the mix of wood and patterned steel gives them an artistic leg up over others that have a more mass-produced appearance.

The blades are forged from 67 layers (the most common) of VG10 Japanese stainless steel with a super steel cutting core. Again, these fine kitchen tools register 62 on the Rockwell hardness scale, so you know they’ll last a lifetime without blade distortion. The shadow wood handles are another gorgeous feature of these knives. Handles are smooth to the touch and feel solid and well-weighted with the blades.

This set features a really unique open-design knife block with a slatted top that easily fits the seven knives plus a few additional ones if you’re keeping some of your old favorites. The set includes an eight-inch chef knife, eight-inch bread knife, seven-inch santoku, six-inch nakiri knife (similar to a cleaver,) a six-inch boning knife, five-inch utility knife, and the block.  

If you’ve been searching for that quintessential gift to impress the in-laws, you couldn’t go wrong with this knife set.

Damascus kitchen knives can be budget busters but if you’re looking for a superior cutting tool at a more affordable price point, this hammered Damascus steel chef knife is a great buy. It features an eight inch blade that is highly polished hammered steel on top and finished with the distinctive Damascus steel patterning near the knife edge.

With a 67 layer Japanese VG10 super steel core, this knife has the hardness and durability to last for a lifetime of cooking adventures. With an HR62 rating on the Rockwell hardness scale (HRC.) According to this interesting article, most premium knife steels are in the 59-64 HRC range. If you’re wondering why that matters, the harder the steel, the less likely it is to warp or distort over time.

This well-priced chef knife has an ergonomically designed Pakka wood handle around a full tang, giving it a substantial albeit a bit heavy feel. One thing that was mentioned by users frequently was the handle rivets protruded from the wood a bit. If you’d prefer a black handle, this Damascus chef knife is also well-rated and at a similar price point.

If you want to upgrade your kitchen knives, but you don’t want yet another big set or you already have a knife block at the ready, this five-piece professional set of Damascus kitchen knives is an easy compromise in terms of price but there’s no compromise when it comes to quality. These knives offer 73 layers of high-quality carbon steel with a hardness of HRC 60+2. 

This beautifully boxed set is geared to do many of the daily kitchen tasks you frequently perform. The blades, while featuring a hammered upper blade, reflect the Damascus patterns throughout. The set has an eight-inch chef knife, a 6.5-inch vegetable knife, a seven-inch santoku knife, an eight-inch sashimi knife, and a five-inch utility knife. 

They feature Dalbergia handles, which are a type of rosewood prized around the world. The handles are designed to fit the hand comfortably, creating a nice weight balance between the blade and handle. Keep in mind, these knives are not dishwasher safe as those wood handles will be damaged by harsh soaps and extremely high temperatures.

When you’re ready to dice a huge pile of veggies or you want to whack open a spaghetti squash or melon, there’s nothing that works better than a cleaver, and this beauty is going to do the trick with next to no effort. The seven-inch blade is forged with 67 layers of high-carbon Damascus steel with a hardness rating of 60 ± 2HRC, meaning it will deliver stable performance for the long haul.

The big blade is perfect for chopping and dicing, but it’s so seriously sharp, you can do fine cutting and slicing as well. It’s design gives you the ideal size without weightiness that can create hand exhaustion. The gorgeous wave pattern extends from the top to the bottom of the blade, right down to the cutting surface.

This cleaver has a lovely rosewood handle that’s riveted to stay secure, but does make it a hand-wash-only kitchen tool. If that’s a deal-breaker, the KYOKU Daimyo Series vegetable cleaver has a moisture impervious handle. Keep in mind, sharp knives in the dishwasher can be a bit of a dangerous reach.

People are always looking for the unique and unusual, and if you’re one of those people, you’ll appreciate this amazing handmade Inupiat Ulu knife hand-forged with Damascus steel and featuring an antler handle. The blade is handmade from superior 1074 carbon steel and 15N20 steel along with 2.5% nickel that makes it tough, durable, and able to withstand years of punishing use.

While this knife is smaller in size, it’s ready to tackle big kitchen tasks from making impeccable slices to chopping and dicing. The rocker effect of the blade also makes it ideal for mincing. Rated between 55 and 60 on the Rockwell hardness scale, the impressive thing about this knife is that it has between 196 to 225 layers. That means the beautiful blade pattern is especially impressive. 

The design of the Ulu knife is especially efficient because it places the force of your hand directly over the blade, meaning less wrist and grip fatigue. Its compact size is ideal for smaller kitchens. It comes with a perfectly fitted leather sheath to protect the blade, and your fingers, should you store it in a drawer. 

Want to more about the history of the Ulu knife? This unique knife design dates back to 2500 B.C. according to this article from the knife experts at Lamson.

The Tuo eight inch Blackhawk S chef knife shows all the hallmarks of a quality Damascus steel knife, with the classic patterned blade that is unique to each and every knife and a big part of the attraction factor. This one features a dramatic ripple pattern formed with 67 layers Japanese AUS-10 high-carbon steel which has been special-forged with a high-tech vacuum heat-treatment and nitrogen cryogenic tempering. That process ensures extreme strength, flexibility, durability, and maximum performance.

This knife’s handle is made with a G10 fiberglass composite that’s heat resistant and ergonomically designed and weighted to be comfortable in the hand. The blade is super sharp right out of the box and will stay that way despite regular use. You’ll also love that it’s rust and corrosion resistant – an important consideration for daily kitchen use. 

We also know you’ll appreciate the 100% satisfaction and money-back guarantee. Our other favorite Damascus steel kitchen knife from this company is the Fiery Dama seven inch cleaver, which combines both a hammered and traditionally patterned blade. It’s a wicked foe in the kitchen for chopping, dicing, and cutting through dense meat and bone.