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8" Chef Knife - Zhen Series (X05Z)
The Zhen 8" chef knife is the workhorse you reach for every day. A 210mm blade built on an original Japanese ZDP-189 powder-steel core, hardened to 65-67 HRC and ground to a 15° edge per side. The core is forged between two layers of SUS405 stainless in a three-layer san-mai construction, then dressed with a hand-brushed finish and a mirror-polished edge. Handle in North American desert ironwood and white buffalo horn. Hand wash only.
$429.95
or 4 interest-free payments of $107.49 with
30-day returns
Free shipping over $100
Lifetime warranty
FAST SHIPPING
Low stock
65-67 HRC
ZDP-189 Core
15° Per Side
Mirror-Polished Edge
8" / 210mm
Everyday Workhorse
DESCRIPTION
Experience the pinnacle of cutting performance with the Zhen XZ05 Series 8-inch Chef Knife. Crafted with a ZDP-189 super steel core, this knife offers exceptional sharpness and edge retention, making it an indispensable tool for any serious cook.
Unrivaled Sharpness and Durability
The secret to this knife's performance lies in its three-layer composite blade. The core is made of premium ZDP-189 powder steel, vacuum heat-treated to an impressive 65-67 HRC. This ultra-hard steel ensures a razor-sharp edge that lasts, allowing for effortless slicing, dicing, and chopping.
Exquisite Handle Design
The octagonal handle is crafted from desert ironwood and white buffalo horn, providing a comfortable and secure grip. The natural beauty of these materials adds a touch of elegance to your kitchen.
Specifications:
- Series: Zhen XZ05
- Blade Length: 8.27 inches (21 cm)
- Blade Material: ZDP-189 Super Steel Core
- Handle Material: Desert Ironwood and White Buffalo Horn
- HRC: 65-67
- Blade Thickness: 2.1 mm
- Total Length: 14.33 inches (36.4 cm)
- Handle Length: 5.43 inches (13.8 cm)
- Construction: Three-Layer Composite Steel
Complete Your Set
Explore other knives in the Zhen XZ05 Series to build a complete and high-performing kitchen collection.
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" / 210mm
- Knife type: Chef knife
- Core steel: Original Japanese ZDP-189 powder steel
- Hardness: 65-67 HRC
- Heat treatment: Vacuum heat treatment and deep freeze
- Construction: Three-layer san-mai (not Damascus)
- Cladding: SUS405 stainless steel, 2 outer layers
- Edge angle: 15° (±1) per side
- Blade finish: Hand-brushed cladding, mirror-polished core edge
- Spine thickness: ~2.1mm (2.2mm heel, 1.9mm near tip)
- Handle: North American desert ironwood + white buffalo horn
- Tang: Hidden tang
- Knife weight: ~170g
- Packaging: Paulownia wooden gift box
- Origin: ZDP-189 sourced and heat-treated in Japan; ground and finished by Xinzuo in Yangjiang, China
- Care: Hand wash only, not dishwasher safe
ZHEN SERIES
The 8" Chef Knife You Reach For First
An 8-inch chef knife is the one blade that does almost everything: rock-chopping herbs, slicing onions, breaking down a chook, portioning fish. The Zhen earns that spot with a 210mm blade on an original Japanese ZDP-189 powder-steel core, hardened to 65-67 HRC. This is the top of the Xinzuo range. Premium steel, premium handle, built to be used hard.
Add to cart — $429.95
In stock. Ships from Australia. Hand-wash only.
EDGE RETENTION
Powder Steel That Holds Its Edge
ZDP-189 is a high-carbon powder steel, sourced and heat-treated in Japan. Vacuum heat treatment plus a deep-freeze cycle take it to 65-67 HRC, near the hard end of what kitchen steel reaches. A harder core takes a finer 15° edge and holds it through far more cutting before it needs a touch-up. The trade-off is honest: keep it dry, hand wash only, hone it on ceramic or a fine stone rather than steel.
- 65-67 HRC
- ZDP-189 powder steel
- 15° per side
- Vacuum heat treat + deep freeze
BLADE CONSTRUCTION
ZDP-189 Core, San-Mai Build
Three layers, not Damascus. A ZDP-189 cutting core is clad on both sides with SUS405 stainless in a three-layer san-mai construction. The hard core carries the edge; the softer stainless cladding adds toughness and protects the spine. The finish is hand-brushed across the cladding with the core edge mirror-polished, so the steel transition reads clean rather than decorative. Spine tapers from roughly 2.2mm at the heel to 1.9mm near the tip for a controlled, agile feel.
Specification
The details.
TypeChef Knife
Blade length210mm
Weight170g
SteelZDP-189
Hardness65-67 HRC
Edge angle15° (±1) per side
ConstructionHidden Tang
HandleNorth America Desert Ironwood + White Buffalo Horn
Made inChina (Yangjiang)
Hand-wash only — not dishwasher safe.
IN THE HAND
Desert Ironwood and Buffalo Horn
The handle pairs North American desert ironwood with a white buffalo horn bolster, a hidden-tang build that sits the weight back toward your grip. Desert ironwood is one of the densest woods used on knives, so it shrugs off kitchen moisture and wears in rather than out. At around 170g for the knife, the balance lands near the bolster for a neutral, controlled feel through long prep sessions.
The difference
Why this knife
Zhen 8" Chef (X05Z)
- Japanese ZDP-189 powder-steel core
- Hardened to 65-67 HRC
- 15° edge per side, mirror-polished
- Three-layer san-mai, SUS405 cladding
- Desert ironwood + buffalo horn handle
- Hand-finished in Yangjiang, China
Generic German chef knife
- Stamped X50CrMoV15 stainless
- Typically 54-56 HRC
- Factory 18-20° edge
- Single-piece blade
- Moulded polymer handle
- Mass-produced, softer edge
In the box
Everything it comes with.
- 8" Chef Knife (210mm blade) - Zhen Series
- Handmade paulownia wooden gift box
- Care guide (hand wash only)
Arrives ready to gift.
Zhen Series
Ready when you are.
ZHEN SERIES
Add to cart — $429.95- 30-day returns
- Free shipping over $100
- Lifetime warranty
FAQs
Is this a Damascus knife?
No. The Zhen is a three-layer san-mai blade, not Damascus. A ZDP-189 core is clad on both sides with SUS405 stainless. The hand-brushed finish shows the steel layers but the construction is functional, not a decorative Damascus pattern.
Why does the 65-67 HRC hardness matter?
Harder steel holds a finer edge for longer. At 65-67 HRC the ZDP-189 core sits near the hard end of kitchen steel, so the 15° edge stays sharp through far more cutting than a typical 54-56 HRC German blade. Hone on ceramic or a fine stone rather than a steel.
It is made in China. Is the quality there?
The ZDP-189 steel is an original Japanese powder steel, sourced and heat-treated in Japan. Xinzuo grinds and finishes the blade in Yangjiang, the historic centre of Chinese knife-making. You get genuine Japanese core steel with hand-finishing, at a price below comparable Japanese-built knives.
What length is this and who is it for?
The blade is 8" / 210mm, the standard chef-knife length and the best single all-round size. It suits most home cooks for everyday chopping, slicing and prep.
How do I care for it?
Hand wash and dry immediately, never the dishwasher. The high-carbon core takes a keen edge but rewards care. Store on a magnetic strip or in a block, and touch up the edge on a fine whetstone.
What is the handle made of?
North American desert ironwood paired with a white buffalo horn bolster on a hidden-tang build. Desert ironwood is extremely dense and resists kitchen moisture, so it wears in over years of use.
What is in the box?
The chef knife in a handmade paulownia wooden gift box, ready to give or to keep.
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From the journal
Guides to help you get the most from your knife
