Imarku Wooden Hammered Knife Set Review: Razor-Sharp Performance with Striking Design

What it is

The imarku Wooden Hammered Japanese Knife Set is a set of 14 knives with a sharpening rod and kitchen scissors in a wooden knife block. They’re full tang, made from German stainless steel, and double riveted into laminated wooden handles.

What’s included

• 8″ Chef Knife
• Serrated Bread Knife
• Slicing Knife
• Sharpening steel rod
• Santoku Knife
• 6″ Chef Knife
• Kitchen Scissor
• Utility Knife
• Paring Knife
• Steak Knife (x6)
• Knife Block

Design and features

The imarku Wooden Hammered Japanese Knife Set felt much nicer than our aging knife set the first time I removed them from the packaging. I noticed no issues or defects. The blades were all razor-sharp, and there was not a spot of corrosion. The hammered effect looks great on all the knives. The 8″ chef knife shown above is our workhorse, and it easily cut through all sorts of fruits, vegetables, and meats during the review period.
The handles are aligned to the blade tangs without any gaps or ridges, and the wood finish looks and feels great.
The blade tips on all the knives are a nice point, and I didn’t notice any rapid deterioration of sharpness despite constant use over a couple of weeks.
The serrated bread knife was great for baguettes and sourdough loaves, and the flat edge near the tip makes short work of any tougher crust. Applying the force I usually use resulted in a nice deep cut into our cutting board, I had to get used to using less force with these knives.
The steak knives are MUCH sharper than I’m used to. We usually sous vide our steaks so we don’t need super sharp knives, but it’s nice to have the ability to cut through just about anything.
The kitchen scissors are heavier duty than our previous set, and seem like they’d be able to crunch through bone if needed. The blades are sharp and thick, and a locking clasp keeps them shut when not in use.

We were more than happy to donate our old knife set after using the imarku Wooden Hammered Japanese Knife Set just a single time. Several weeks later, there are no regrets in our household. All the cooking is a bit faster and easier and the set looks great on the counter.

Highlights

• Great finish
• Stainless steel build with full tang
• Santoku knife included – nice for vegetables

Conclusion

The imarku Wooden Hammered Japanese Knife Set met and exceeded all expectations. They seem to be holding their edge well, handles are comfortable and ergonomic, and the set is a nice mix of sizes including the scissors. While they’re not multi-hundred dollar Japanese knives, they’re a big step up and should get us through the next few decades!