Marea · Damascus Chef Knife 8", side view
Marea · Damascus Chef Knife 8", on white background
Marea · Damascus Chef Knife 8", in the kitchen (photo 2)
Marea · Damascus Chef Knife 8", in the kitchen (photo 3)
Marea · Damascus Chef Knife 8", in the kitchen (photo 4)
Marea · Damascus Chef Knife 8", in the kitchen (photo 5)
Marea · Damascus Chef Knife 8", in the kitchen (photo 6)
Real Damascus · 67 layers 2-year warranty-23 % 01 / 07

MareaDamascus Chef Knife 8"

$99 $129 Free tracked shipping
Blade length
8" (20 cm)
Steel
67-layer damascus, 10Cr15CoMoV core
Hardness
60 ± 2 HRC
Handle
Burl wood and blue resin, stainless steel bolster

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With an 8-inch (20 cm) blade, this Marea chef knife is the easiest size in the series to handle for everyday cooking: vegetables, chicken, herbs, on a regular cutting board. Its 9-inch sibling takes over on big roasts; this one stays quicker on a shallot or a clove of garlic. It is a sensible place to start if this is your first damascus knife. The round handle brings burl wood and lagoon-blue resin together, joined by a stainless steel bolster.

The chef knife (gyuto in Japanese) is the do-it-all kitchen knife: dice onions, chop herbs, slice meat, portion fish. The long, gently curved blade rocks on the board for fast chopping. If you could only own one knife, this would be it. Japanese-style blade, thin and hard.

Blade and Handle

The Marea Damascus Chef Knife 8" has a blade made of 67 layers of damascus steel around a 10Cr15CoMoV steel core, hardened to 60 ± 2 HRC. The rippled pattern comes from the layering, so no two blades look the same. The round handle pairs burl wood with lagoon-blue resin, split by a stainless steel bolster. Every handle is one of a kind: the wood-to-resin mix changes from piece to piece.

Shipping and Returns

Damascus Knife ships free with tracking across the United States: 1 to 3 business days to prepare, then 8 to 14 business days in transit, import duties included. You have 30 days after delivery to return your order.

See also: Damascus Chef Knives · Marea Blue Resin Damascus Knives

In the kitchen

Our knives at work

salmon in a tiny kitchen
Marea · salmon in a tiny kitchen
the board after dinner
Magma · the board after dinner
watermelon on the terrace
Azur · watermelon on the terrace
the Christmas gift
Iris · the Christmas gift
steak at the campsite
Cobalt · steak at the campsite
a late-night tomato
Carmin · a late-night tomato
first cooking lesson
Cosmos · first cooking lesson

Our models in use (styled scenes).

Marea · Damascus Chef Knife 8", side view

Fig. 01 · Damascus Chef Knife 8"

Specs

The blade, by the numbers

Steel67-layer damascus, 10Cr15CoMoV core
Layers67
Hardness60 ± 2 HRC
Blade length8" (20 cm)
HandleBurl wood and blue resin, stainless steel bolster
EdgeDouble bevel
SKUCD-RB-CHEF20

Care

3 habits, years of sharp

01

Hand-wash it

Warm water, a drop of dish soap. Never the dishwasher.

02

Dry it right away

One towel, ten seconds. Never leave it in the sink.

03

Sharpen on a stone

1000 grit rebuilds the edge. Low, steady angle.

Questions

Before you buy

What size chef knife should I get?

8 inches suits most home kitchens: long enough for a cabbage, nimble enough for a shallot. A 9-inch blade is more comfortable on large cuts of meat and big boards.

Chef knife or santoku?

A chef knife is longer and more versatile, with a tip for fine work. A santoku is shorter and flatter, popular for vegetables and smaller hands. Many cooks own both.

Is the resin and wood handle water resistant?

The resin is waterproof, but the burl is still wood: a quick rinse is fine, a long soak is not. Hand wash the knife, dry it right away, and never leave it in the sink or put it in the dishwasher.

Do I need to oil my Damascus knife?

You only need to oil a Damascus knife regularly if the blade is carbon steel or the handle is unfinished wood. A thin coat of food-safe mineral oil or camellia oil protects against moisture. Stainless Damascus needs oil only now and then, for storage. Avoid WD-40 and cooking oils that turn sticky on a kitchen knife.

Can Damascus knives go in the dishwasher?

No, Damascus knives should never go in the dishwasher. Heat, long exposure to moisture and harsh detergents dull the pattern, encourage rust and damage the handle. The blade also knocks against dishes and loses its edge. Hand-washing with warm soapy water and drying immediately takes under a minute and keeps the knife in shape.

Can you sharpen a Damascus knife?

Yes, you can sharpen a Damascus knife like any kitchen knife, ideally on a whetstone. A medium grit around 1000 rebuilds the edge and a finer stone polishes it. Japanese-style blades are usually sharpened at a lower angle than Western knives. Skip pull-through sharpeners, which are too harsh for hard steel, and use a ceramic honing rod between sessions.

Which Japanese-style knife should I buy first?

The best first Japanese-style knife is a chef knife (gyuto) or a santoku. Both slice, dice and chop meat, fish and vegetables, so one blade covers most daily cooking. Pick a gyuto if you like a longer blade and rocking cuts, a santoku if you prefer a shorter, lighter knife. Add a nakiri later if you cook a lot of vegetables.