Zwilling J.A. Henckels Bob Kramer 7 Inch Santoku Knife Euroline Carbon Steel

Very Impressed So Far
I had been knife shopping for a long time before I finally settled on Zwilling's Kramer santoku. I knew I wanted a santoku and I knew I wanted something I could count on lasting a lifetime. I don't tend to agonize much over any of my purchases but I found myself struggling to find the knife I wanted. The market seems lately flooded with a multitude of high quality knives featuring a bewildering variety of blade and handle designs not to mention different steel types! I was eventually drawn to this particular knife because the European style chef knives from the same line seem to earn such high praise. Oddly, Iv'e had little luck in finding many impressions of this particular model on the internet. I gambled that Zwilling had put as much care into the crafting of the santoku as apparently went into their other Kramer designed knives. I have not been disappointed.

This knife feels wonderful in my hand. It is well balanced and comfortable in any of the grips I normally use...

Regrets to Bob Kramer Zwilling Santoku Knife
Twice I ordered this knife and twice I returned it--the most recent of which occurred just on hour after receiving the product and inspecting it. I fell for the hype and PR which was embedded in a site featuring Bob Kramer. You know the one--featuring Japanese artisans pounding hot steel and forging brilliantly attractive and razor sharp knives. Well this knife is far from what you see in the hype piece. The knife handle had the rivets sticking out by about a mm such that any prolonged use would cause a blister. But that is not all. The top part of the blade tongue extended beyond the wood handle which added to the discomfort. The tongue was higher than the wood handles. I wanted to make sure that I was not overly critical about the knife and showed it to someone who has owned Bob Kramer knives and worked with them and liked them very much. He is an accomplished cook in the Napa Valley. Upon handling the knife, he declared that it must have been a "second" or that...

Don't be surprised at what happens if you misuse it
Brockenb, the fault is indeed yours. You DID misuse the knife. This kind of knife cannot be used for cutting bone and doing so will break the blade, which is what happened to you. Also, a carbon steel knife will acquire a patina, and requires proper care.
It sounds to me like you had no idea what you were buying, or how to use it properly. In the future, I suggest Target -- they have some very nice knives for $25 or so that should be perfect for you.

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