Miyabi Birchwood SG2 Japanese Prep Knife, 5.5-inch, Precision Kitchen Knife, Karelian Birch Handle, 100-layer flower Damascus pattern, Handcrafted in Seki, Japan

Alright, fellow kitchen adventurers, gather 'round. I already had a couple of the bigger, showier Miyabi knives (the ones that make you feel like you could chop down a small tree, or at least a very stubborn butternut squash). But I kept finding myself needing something... more nimble. Something for the smaller, more intricate jobs. Enter the Miyabi Birchwood SG2 5.5-inch Prep Knife.When this little beauty arrived, I was immediately smitten. It's like the perfectly proportioned, slightly less intimidating sibling of the bigger knives. The Karelian Birch handle is just as gorgeous, and that Damascus pattern still makes me swoon. It feels substantial in the hand, but also incredibly agile.Using this knife is pure joy. It's the ultimate sidekick for all things prep. Mincing shallots? Effortless. Slicing garlic cloves paper-thin? Like a hot knife through... well, garlic. Hulling strawberries? Precision personified. It's the knife I reach for when I don't need the full power of a chef's knife, but still demand scalpel-like sharpness and control.The 5.5-inch size is surprisingly versatile. It handles delicate tasks with grace, but still has enough blade length to tackle things like slicing smaller vegetables or trimming meats. It's become my go-to for about half of my kitchen work, leaving the big knives feeling slightly neglected (sorry, guys!).Like its larger brethren, this knife is ridiculously sharp right out of the box. It holds an edge beautifully, and the quality is exactly what you'd expect from Miyabi. It's a pleasure to use, makes prep work faster and more enjoyable, and looks absolutely stunning sitting on my magnetic knife strip.Yes, it's an investment, but if you spend a good amount of time doing detailed prep work, this knife is worth every penny. It's a little powerhouse of precision and beauty. My only complaint is that it didn't magically teach me how to chop like a professional chef, but I'm pretty sure that's a "me" problem, not a knife problem.Five out of five perfectly prepped ingredients!

The knife alone is the epitome of all good qualities in a knife: sharpness as you've never experienced, hardness, stunning looks, I believe perfect proportions, the shape of the blade is one other particular reason I felt attracted, long 9.5" blade, the handle is exquisite too, asymmetrical, all details and craftsmanship.Notes: (not very important)Maybe there are two things, I'd have to mention as observations. One, I'm not sure I'm right, but the handle seems like finished natural birch wood but it doesn't seem waxed, glossy, you know. Perhaps what I am trying to say, it doesn't seem very well protected gainst water. Or, maybe it is, I'm not sure. My other Miyabi, a 5000 FCD 8" Gyutoh has a black handle that is like that, glossy and impermeable to water and I was wondering if this one wouldn't be better the same way.Secondly, I believe the box doesn't do justice to this marvel of a knife. I'm not asking for a encrusted wooden box, but at least for a sponge like form in which the knife would sit in its own custom shaped cutout, as the other Miyabi came in.Anyway, overall the knife is important and it is the most beautiful knife I've seen.

To begin with I am not an expert on knives, particularly Japanese ones. All I know is that I tried the Misono UX-10 recommended by Cook's Illustrated a few years ago and I was hooked. So when it came time time for a birthday present I asked for another Japanese knife. I was going to get a second Misono but decided to do some research and find another brand just for variety. I settled on the Miyabi after reading the reviews of others here.First of all it is indeed gorgeous. And very sharp. But to me it does not quite perform as well and easily as the Misono. Full disclaimer, I only cook vegetarian so all my knife work is vegetables of every sort and lots of herbs. I have compared both knives extensively and the Misono is just a lot more nimble and quicker.The Miyabi is heavier although not overly so, but I do notice the difference. I am a woman with medium size hands and I would not recommend this knife to someone with small hands. The grip might be a bit challenging. Whereas the Misono is very easy to grip firmly and securely. Maybe also due to the more squareness of the handle versus the rounded one of the Miyabi.The lightness of the Misono also made cutting extremely fast. It felt like an extension of my hand whereas with the Miyabi I always was aware that I was holding a knife. Also if you look at my pictures the blade starts further down from the handle. This means that you can't grip as close if this is the kind of cutting that you like to do.The Misono stayed sharp seemingly indefinitely. If I thought it needed sharpening then I gave it to a professional to do. This is why I wanted another knife. I just did not want to be without the Misono even for a week!If I had to pick one I would actually chose the Misono but since I can have both I am very pleased with the Miyabi as a complement. It is just one gorgeous knife! FYI, once I got my first Japanese knife years ago I never touched my Wusthof and Henckels again. Why bother?

I ordered a 7 inch Santoku, relieved a rocking Santoku with a criminally dull blade and a handle that is falling apart. I'm just beside myself, how does this happen? I have to assume this was a return item but how does a defective piece go out like this? It was even shrink wrapped, made to look straight from the factory. Hopefully Miyabi makes this right, otherwise they need to be written off for bad business practices.

Bought as a gift, there really happy with the knife, works great.