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8.5" Chef Knife - Li Series (X04)
The X04 Li Series 8.5" chef knife is built around a Böhler M390 powder-steel core, clad in 145 layers of water-wave Damascus and ground to 15 degrees per side. At 215mm it is the everyday workhorse for rock-chopping, slicing and the bulk of kitchen prep. The Damascus here is structural, not decorative: the patterned 316L cladding wraps a genuine M390 cutting core hardened to 60-62 HRC.
$406.95
or 4 interest-free payments of $101.74 with
30-day returns
Free shipping over $100
Lifetime warranty
FAST SHIPPING
IN STOCK
15 Degrees
Per side edge
60-62 HRC
M390 powder core
145 Layers
Real Damascus
DESCRIPTION
The 8.5-inch chef knife is the one knife you reach for all day — rock-chopping herbs, breaking down vegetables, slicing proteins, and powering through your entire prep list. This Li Series blade gives you the length and authority that serious cooking demands.
A Genuine Böhler M390 Super-Steel Edge
At its core sits authentic Böhler M390 MICROCLEAN powder-metallurgy super-steel from Austria, heat-treated there to a hard HRC 60-62. Clad in a stunning 145-layer Damascus (316L stainless), it delivers the extreme edge retention and corrosion resistance M390 is renowned for — fewer sharpenings, more cooking.
The Angel's Eye Handle
The Wa-style carbon-fibre and resin "Angel's Eye" handle is balanced by a steel bolster and a mosaic copper-flower inlay. With a full tang running through, this 8.5-inch workhorse feels secure and beautifully weighted through long sessions.
Specifications
- Blade length: 8.5 inches
- Type: Chef knife
- Core steel: Böhler M390 MICROCLEAN powder-metallurgy
- Cladding: 145-layer Damascus (316L stainless)
- Hardness: HRC 60-62
- Handle: Carbon-fibre + resin "Angel's Eye", full tang, steel bolster, mosaic copper inlay
- Heat treatment: Austria
As Xinzuo's premium flagship in collaboration with Böhler, the Li Series is the pinnacle of the range. Explore the full collection to build a set worthy of your kitchen.
READY TO GIFT
All our knives arrive in a beautiful, premium gift box that's ready to impress. (Whether it's for a very lucky cook, or just for you.)
THE NERDY BITS
- Blade length: 8.5 inches / 215mm
- Blade thickness (spine): 2.0mm
- Core steel: Böhler M390 powder steel
- Cladding: 316L stainless Damascus, 145 layers (72 each side)
- Damascus pattern: black-and-white water wave
- Hardness: 60-62 HRC
- Edge angle: 15 degrees per side
- Heat treatment: vacuum heat treatment and deep freeze
- Handle: black resin carbon fibre with mosaic copper flower rivets
- Knife weight: 189g
- Care: hand wash only, dry immediately (not dishwasher safe)
- Origin: Guangdong, China
- Warranty: lifetime
Li Series · X04
The 8.5-inch everyday workhorse
The Li Series sits at the premium end of the Xinzuo range. The X04 chef knife is the one you reach for first: an 8.5-inch, 215mm blade long enough to break down a chicken and nimble enough to mince herbs. A 2.0mm spine keeps it agile rather than heavy. This is a do-everything blade with powder-steel edge retention most chef knives at this price never offer.
Add to cart — $406.95
In stock. Ships from Australia. Hand-wash only.
Why this knife
Powder steel that holds its edge
The core is Böhler M390 powder steel, hardened to 60-62 HRC with vacuum heat treatment and a deep-freeze cycle. That combination is what keeps the 15-degree edge biting through weeks of prep before it needs a touch-up. Long sessions, dense vegetables, repeated cuts: the edge stays predictable.
- M390 powder core
- 60-62 HRC
- Vacuum + deep-freeze heat treat
- 15 degrees per side
The steel
M390 core, 145-layer Damascus
This is real Damascus, not a printed pattern. A Böhler M390 powder-steel core does the cutting, wrapped in 145 layers of 316L stainless Damascus cladding (72 layers each side) folded into a black-and-white water-wave pattern. M390 is a high-vanadium powder steel chosen for edge retention and corrosion resistance, and at 60-62 HRC it takes a fine 15-degree edge. The pattern is a by-product of the layered forging, not a surface etch.
Specification
The details.
TypeChef Knife
Blade length215.0mm
Spine2.0mm
Weight189g
SteelM390
Cladding145-layer Damascus
Hardness60-62 HRC
Edge angle15° (per side)
HandleBlack Resin Carbon Fiber Handle
Made inGuangdong, China
Hand-wash only — not dishwasher safe.
In the hand
Carbon-fibre grip, copper mosaic rivets
The handle is black resin carbon fibre, set with mosaic copper flower rivets. At 189g the knife is balanced toward control rather than weight, so it stays comfortable through a full prep session. Hand wash and dry immediately, as with any high-hardness blade. Backed by a lifetime warranty.
The difference
Why this knife
Xinzuo X04 Li chef knife
- Genuine M390 powder-steel cutting core
- 145-layer 316L Damascus cladding, water-wave pattern
- Hardened 60-62 HRC, vacuum heat-treated and deep-frozen
- Ground to 15 degrees per side
- Carbon-fibre handle with copper mosaic rivets
- Lifetime warranty
Typical budget Damascus chef knife
- Patterned or etched cladding over plain mid-range steel
- Layer count and core steel often unstated
- Softer heat treat, edge dulls faster
- Wider factory edge angle
- Generic pakkawood or plastic handle
- Limited or no warranty
In the box
Everything it comes with.
- 8.5" (215mm) Li Series chef knife
- Acacia wooden presentation box
- Lifetime warranty
Arrives ready to gift.
Li Series
Ready when you are.
Li Series · X04
Add to cart — $406.95- 30-day returns
- Free shipping over $100
- Lifetime warranty
FAQs
Is the Damascus real or just a pattern?
It is real. The water-wave pattern comes from 145 layers of 316L stainless Damascus cladding (72 each side) forged around the core. It is a by-product of the layered forging, not a printed or etched surface.
What steel is the cutting edge?
A Böhler M390 powder-steel core. M390 is a high-vanadium powder steel chosen for edge retention and corrosion resistance, hardened here to 60-62 HRC.
How sharp is the edge and how long does it hold?
It is ground to 15 degrees per side. The M390 core at 60-62 HRC, with vacuum heat treatment and a deep-freeze cycle, holds that edge through extended prep before needing a touch-up.
It is made in China. Is the quality there?
Yes. It is forged in Guangdong, China, with genuine M390 powder steel, a layered Damascus cladding and a vacuum-and-deep-freeze heat treatment, and it carries a lifetime warranty.
Can I put it in the dishwasher?
No. Hand wash only and dry immediately. A dishwasher will damage the edge and finish on any high-hardness knife.
Why an 8.5-inch chef knife?
At 215mm it is the everyday workhorse: long enough to break down larger ingredients and proteins, nimble enough for daily chopping and slicing. It covers most of what a home or restaurant kitchen needs from one blade.
What is the handle made of?
Black resin carbon fibre, set with mosaic copper flower rivets. At a 189g total weight the knife is balanced toward control through long sessions.
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