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Retro Series - 8.5" Chef Knife - Xinzuo Australia 14% OFF

8.5" Chef Knife - Retro Series (PM8S)

4.68 Stars (63 reviews)

The 8.5" Retro Series chef knife is built for daily kitchen work: vegetables, fruit, soft proteins and herbs. The blade is a three-layer 10Cr15CoMoV composite with Damascus-patterned stainless cladding, hardened to 60±2 HRC and ground to 15 degrees per side. A stonewashed retro-frosted finish with a visible hamon line sits over a full-tang body and a traditional octagonal wa-handle in red wood and black buffalo horn.

$72.21

$84.95

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8.5" Chef Knife - Retro Series (PM8S)

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30-day returns
Free shipping over $100
Lifetime warranty
FAST SHIPPING IN STOCK
Detail Icon 1

15° Per Side

Razor Sharp

Detail Icon 2

60±2 HRC

Vacuum Treated

Detail Icon 3

Full Tang

Wa-Handle

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DESCRIPTION

This is the workhorse of your kitchen, reimagined with timeless style. The 8.5-inch Chef Knife is the ultimate all-rounder, the one knife you will reach for daily. Its classic Western profile features a gentle curve, perfect for "rock-chopping" herbs, slicing proteins, and dicing vegetables with ease.

High-Performance Steel, Classic Feel

At its heart is a high-performance 10Cr15CoMoV steel core, vacuum heat-treated to 60-62 HRC. This hard-cutting core takes a razor-sharp edge and holds it, giving you precise, effortless cuts long after other knives have gone dull. The outer layers of softer steel add durability and corrosion resistance.

The "Retro" series is defined by its stunning, octagonal handle. Crafted from a classic combination of deep red wood and genuine black buffalo horn, it’s designed for an incredibly comfortable, secure grip, giving you confident and precise control over every cut.

  • Blade Steel: 3-Layer 10Cr15CoMoV Composite Steel Core
  • Hardness: ~60–62 HRC (Vacuum Heat Treated)
  • Blade Profile: 8.5-inch all-purpose chef knife
  • Handle: Red Wood & Black Buffalo Horn (Octagonal)
  • Use: Your go-to for all daily chopping, slicing, and dicing.
  • Series: Retro (PM8S)
  • Model: PM8S-CS

Complete Your Core Set

Pair with the Retro 7" Santoku and Retro 8" Bread Knife for a complete daily prep trio.

READY TO GIFT

Yep. All our knives arrive in a beautiful, premium gift box that’s ready to impress. (Whether it's for a very lucky friend, or just for you.)

THE NERDY BITS
  • Blade length: 8.5 in / 215 mm
  • Total length: 368 mm
  • Spine thickness: 2.4 mm
  • Net weight: 181 g
  • Core steel: 10Cr15CoMoV
  • Construction: 3-layer composite (SuS410 Damascus-patterned cladding)
  • Hardness: 60±2 HRC
  • Heat treatment: vacuum
  • Edge angle: 15° per side (30° inclusive)
  • Tang: full tang
  • Handle: red wood + black buffalo horn, octagonal wa-style
  • Finish: stonewashed / retro-frosted with hamon line
  • Origin: Yangjiang, Guangdong, China
  • Care: hand wash only, not dishwasher safe
The everyday workhorse chef knife

RETRO SERIES

The everyday workhorse chef knife

An 8.5" blade is the all-rounder: long enough to slice and portion, short enough to control. The Retro Series pairs a 10Cr15CoMoV core hardened to 60±2 HRC with a stonewashed, retro-frosted finish and a hand-fitted octagonal handle. It is the knife you reach for first, every day.

See it in action

The everyday workhorse chef knife

Add to cart — $72.21

In stock. Ships from Australia. Hand-wash only.

Length and balance that do the work

WHY THIS KNIFE

Length and balance that do the work

At 215mm the blade covers long slicing strokes and rock-chopping alike. Net weight is 181g with a 2.4mm spine, so it stays nimble through a full prep session without feeling heavy in the hand. The 15-degree-per-side edge bites cleanly into vegetables, fruit and soft proteins.

  • 215mm blade
  • 181g net
  • 2.4mm spine
  • 15° per side
10Cr15CoMoV core, 60±2 HRC

STEEL & EDGE

10Cr15CoMoV core, 60±2 HRC

The cutting core is 10Cr15CoMoV, a cobalt-molybdenum-vanadium stainless that holds a fine edge and resists corrosion. It is hardened to 60±2 HRC by vacuum heat treatment for consistent grain and edge stability. Clad in two outer layers of SuS410 stainless, the blade is a three-layer composite with a Damascus pattern and a visible hamon line, finished in a stonewashed retro-frosted texture.

Specification

The details.

TypeChef Knife
Blade length215mm
Total length368mm
Spine2.4mm
Weight181g
Steel10Cr15CoMoV
Cladding3-layer Damascus
Hardness60±2 HRC
Edge angle15° degrees per side (30 deg inclusive)
ConstructionFull Tang
HandleRed Wood + Black Buffalo Horn
Made inChina (Yangjiang, Guangdong)

Hand-wash only — not dishwasher safe.

Octagonal wa-handle, full tang

IN THE HAND

Octagonal wa-handle, full tang

The handle is a traditional Japanese octagonal wa-shape in red wood with a black buffalo horn bolster, sitting on a full-tang construction for a solid, balanced feel. The eight-sided profile locks into the grip without rolling, so the edge tracks where you point it.

The difference

Why this knife

Xinzuo Retro PM8S

  • 10Cr15CoMoV core hardened to 60±2 HRC
  • Vacuum-heat-treated for edge stability
  • 15° per side, ground sharp
  • Full tang, octagonal wa-handle in red wood + buffalo horn
  • Lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects

Generic supermarket chef knife

  • Unnamed stamped stainless, softer edge
  • No stated heat treatment
  • Wider factory edge, duller out of the box
  • Riveted plastic or pakka handle, often partial tang
  • Limited or no warranty
In the box

In the box

Everything it comes with.

  • 8.5" Retro Series chef knife (PM8S)
  • Branded gift box

Arrives ready to gift.

Retro Series

Ready when you are.

RETRO SERIES

Add to cart — $72.21
  • 30-day returns
  • Free shipping over $100
  • Lifetime warranty

FAQs

Is the Damascus pattern just cosmetic?

The blade is a genuine three-layer composite: a 10Cr15CoMoV cutting core clad in two outer layers of SuS410 stainless that carry the Damascus pattern. The cladding is structural, not a printed or etched surface, and it frames the hardened core that does the cutting.

What steel is the blade and how hard is it?

The cutting core is 10Cr15CoMoV, a cobalt-molybdenum-vanadium stainless, hardened to 60±2 HRC by vacuum heat treatment for a stable, fine edge.

Is it made in China?

Yes, it is made in Yangjiang, Guangdong, China, a region known for knife manufacturing. The steel grade, hardness and construction are verified to spec.

What is the edge angle?

15 degrees per side, 30 degrees inclusive, ground for clean slicing through vegetables, fruit and soft proteins.

What is the handle made of?

A traditional Japanese octagonal wa-style handle in red wood with a black buffalo horn bolster, mounted on a full tang.

Can I put it in the dishwasher?

No. Hand wash and dry the knife. Dishwashers damage the edge, finish and handle, and dishwasher use voids the warranty.

What does the warranty cover?

A lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects such as layer delamination. It excludes misuse, dropping, and dishwasher damage.

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