FINTISO ZEUS® 7" Santoku Knife, 67-Layer Japanese Damascus Steel

67-Layer Hand-Forged Damascus Steel

Performance comparable to classic Japanese VG10 steel, high toughness & anti-chip performance, excellent rust resistance for daily kitchen use.

Pre-Sharpened 10Cr15CoMoV Core Blade

60±2 HRC hardness, 12° edge angle, long-lasting sharpness with minimal sharpening upkeep.

Balanced Full-Tang G10 Handle

Ergonomic grip relieves wrist fatigue, ultra durable and completely dishwasher safe.

Uncoated Natural Black Damascus Grain

Permanent integral black finish that never fades; stylish blue handle inlays for exclusive art design.

Upscale Gift Box & Lifetime Quality Guarantee

Ideal gift for pros and home cooks; professional after-sales with full lifetime warranty.

1. How to Care for Knives on a Daily Basis

• Hand Washing Is The Only Way to Go: The high temperatures, strongly alkaline detergents, and impact from the water jets in a dishwasher can severely damage the blade and handle.
• Wash Immediately After Use: Rinse the knife immediately after cutting acidic foods (such as lemons or tomatoes) or foods with high salt content. Acidic substances can quickly corrode the blade, causing spots to appear even on stainless steel.
• Dry Immediately: Do not leave the knife on a dish rack to air-dry after washing. Thoroughly dry the blade and handle with a clean cloth; this is the most effective way to prevent rust (especially critical for high-carbon steel knives).
• Choosing a Cutting Board: Knives often become dull not from cutting food, but from striking a cutting board that is too hard. We recommend using wooden or high-quality plastic (PE/PP) cutting boards. These materials can moderately “absorb” the impact on the blade.
• Avoid: Glass, marble, ceramic, or tempered glass cutting boards. These materials are much harder than the blade, and even a single cut can noticeably dull it.
• Proper Storage: Avoid letting the blades knock against each other.

2. Daily Care for Wooden Cutting Boards, Knife Blocks, and Knife Racks

I. Cutting Boards

• Washing and Drying: Hand-wash with warm water and a neutral dish soap. Never put them in the dishwasher, and never soak them in the sink. After washing, dry them with a cloth and be sure to stand them upright to air-dry. If laid flat, uneven moisture levels between the top and bottom surfaces can cause the board to warp or crack.
• Deep Maintenance (Oiling): Every 1–2 months, when the surface of the cutting board appears white and dry, it needs to be oiled. Use only: food-grade mineral oil or specialized cutting board beeswax. Never use: olive oil, peanut oil, or other cooking oils. Over time, these vegetable oils will oxidize and go rancid, causing the cutting board to emit unpleasant odors and harbor bacteria.

II. Wooden Knife Block (Mold Prevention Is Key)

• Prerequisite for Storing Knives: Only knives that are 100% dry should be placed in the knife block. Even a tiny bit of moisture on the blade can accumulate over time and cause mold to grow inside the block. Therefore, wipe the knives dry before placing them in the block. Clean the Slots: Every few months, turn the knife block upside down to remove dust and debris from the slots.
• External Cleaning: Wipe the surface with a slightly damp cloth, then dry it immediately. Frequent oiling is not necessary.

III. Magnetic Knife Blocks and Strips

• Handling Tips: The condition of the magnetic strip depends on how you handle the knives. When removing or placing a knife, flip it using the spine as a pivot so that the spine makes contact with the wood first, rather than letting the sharp blade slap or scrape directly against the wooden surface. This protects the blade and prevents deep scratches on the wood.
• Daily Cleaning: Occasionally wipe the surface with a slightly damp cloth to remove dust and oil splatters.
• Crack Prevention: If you live in a very dry climate, or when you’re oiling your cutting board, you can also apply a thin layer of mineral oil to the surface of the magnetic strip to maintain the luster of the wood grain.

3. The Effect of Blade Bevel Angle on Knives

Standard Bevel Angles for Kitchen Knives

The smaller the edge angle, the sharper the blade; however, it is also more prone to damage: when encountering hard objects (such as bones, hard wood, or sand), the blade is highly susceptible to chipping (curving or deformation of the cutting edge) or fracturing (cracking of the cutting edge). To achieve optimal performance, knives designed for different purposes are selected with the edge angle best suited to their specific use.

4. The Effect of Tool Hardness on Cutting Tools

If the “cutting edge angle” determines how sharp a tool is initially, then the “blade hardness” determines how long it stays sharp and what kind of damage it can withstand. However, higher hardness isn’t necessarily better; rather, it’s important to find a balance between hardness and toughness.

I. High Hardness (60 HRC and above)
Advantages:
Excellent edge retention; highly wear-resistant; remains sharp even after cutting a large volume of materials; requires infrequent sharpening; allows for a smaller bevel angle.
Disadvantages:
① High brittleness makes it prone to “chipping”; although hard, the steel is brittle. If the blade strikes bone, hardwood, or accidentally falls onto tile, a piece of the edge can easily chip off.
② Difficult to sharpen: The steel is too hard for ordinary whetstones to sharpen effectively. Once the blade becomes dull or chips, it takes a significant amount of time and specialized tools to repair it.

II. Low Hardness (Below 55 HRC)
Low hardness means the steel is relatively “soft,” but this is offset by extremely high toughness.

Advantages:
Good impact resistance; the blade is more likely to “curl” rather than “chip.” Because the material is soft, it is easy to sharpen.
Disadvantages:
Poor edge retention; it dulls quickly with even light use, requiring frequent sharpening, and cannot be sharpened to a small bevel angle.

Different steels have different standard hardness ranges: 3CR: 52–55°; 5CR: 54–57°; VG10: 58–62°

5. Distinguishing Between Damascus Patterns and Laser-Etched Textures