If you have been in the market for picking up a new chef’s knife, you have undoubtedly seen the Dalstrong brand show up continuously in your search on Amazon marketplaces. No one would blame you for not knowing the Dalstrong brand, as they are relatively new to the chef knife scene in general.
If you have been wondering about the longevity, quality and durability of the Dalstrong Gladiator Series and Shogun Series X, have no fear as The Culinary Cook has taken an entire year of alternating use of both knives to give you a comprehensive review of both products.
Dalstrong provided us two chef knives for us to use, both 8″ chef knives from the Gladiator Series and Shogun Series X. Here are our impressions after an entire year of use.
The packaging of both knives was quite well done, and I was impressed with the presentation of the product. Both knives came with a blade sheath. The Shogun Series X had a much more intricate sheath, with a protective notice preventing accidental slippage of the blade during transport.
The Gladiator’s sheath, while not as high quality as the Shogun Series, was adequate. However, I ended up tossing both sheaths out at around the one month mark as I preferred to have them hang from my magnetic knife rack so no pictures, sorry.
It is important to note that both knives came incredibly sharp. While this is to be expected, this was a much sharper knife than many that I have seen before. I was doubtful of how well the edge would hold up upon first holding the chef knives in my hands, especially when it came to the Gladiator Series chef knife.
Anytime I get a new chef knife, I will always be sure to put it in its paces immediately. The Gladiator Series chef knife had a light feel. Almost too light. The blade felt thin and brittle. I was a bit disappointed in the amount of flex as well as I would expect to see such heavy flex in a boning knife or fillet knife. Definitely not an 8″ chef’s knife. Despite that, it was very sharp and the tang of the knife felt good, although the wood felt grainy and a bit on the cheaper side. The bolster looked like it was made of good quality steel, which I liked.
It gave it a decent balance and I felt agile. Being used to a heavier chef knife, I got used to the light weight of the Gladiator Series. What was interesting to note was that when this knife was tapped, it gave off a ringing sound. I did not feel entirely confident in a blade so thin that it vibrated at a frequency when hit, however, I could see how this could appear to be a positive feature for the home chef or novice.
Daily use was good, although the heel of the knife was angled a bit odd. This made high-speed production chopping a bit difficult as many items chopped towards the heel of the knife remained uncut. If you are a home user, this is not a big deal. But for anyone who is involved in commercial prep work or needs a quality knife for the line, you may want to look at the Shogun Series X or perhaps a name brand, such as Wusthof or Henkel.
The Shogun Series X is a very pretty knife, but the Damascus steel-style pattern looks to be more an effect than a byproduct of production. This knife was considerably more rigid and durable, living up to what I would consider a standard for a chef’s knife. The heavy blade must be offset with a balanced handle and this chef knife did it very well.
The knife is a bit blade-heavy which was likely due to the quality of the blade. The handle seemed to be made of higher quality material as well. There was very little flex in this blade and gave off no ring when hit, unlike its Gladiator brother.
Daily use of this knife was a pleasure to use at home but did not hold up as well as other knives when it came to holding an edge. It came out of the box incredibly sharp and did keep that edge for quite a while with careful use. For higher speed production, it fared quite well and it earned a place in my knife roll as my #2 knife behind my Wusthof.
It is important to know that these knives are manufactured and sourced from China, despite the clever claims of being Japanese or German steel. While it may be true that they are manufactured according to proper specifications required to be named as such, they are at the end of the day, made in China as evidenced by the origin of the product.
While Dalstrong sources materials from all over the world, Dalstrong knives are made in China. Don’t let the “made in China” reputation fool you, though. Chinese knives are not as well known as German or Japanese blades, but China still has an ancient knife-making history and modern, world-class factories.
Dalstrong Gladiator Series 8″ 5 out of 5
Pros:
Cons:
- Thin Blade
- Durability Concerns
- Better Alternatives
Are Japanese kitchen knives made in China any good?
FAQ
Where are Dalstrong products made?
Who is the owner of Dalstrong?
What type of steel does Dalstrong use?
Is Dalstrong a Canadian company?
Are dalstrong knives made in China?
Knives made in China may be a sticking point for some, and Dalstrong knows it. That’s why the company spends time explaining the rich knife-making history of the region and how the factory in Yangjiang stands heads and shoulders above all others due to their standards and practices.
Does dalstrong use Chinese steel?
However, these complaints are rare, and the majority of Dalstrong knives sold produce satisfied customers. Dalstrong does use some Chinese steels, such as the 7CR17MOV-X for the Shadow Black series, and 9Cr18MOV, used on the Call of Duty, Delta Wolf, and Valhalla series.
Is dalstrong a good brand?
Compared to many of the other top knife brands, Dalstrong is a rather young company. But it hasn’t taken much time for them to make a big splash in the industry. They quickly became known for their beautifully designed kitchen knives that are made with the same high-end materials that the established, top brands use.
What knives does dalstrong sell?
Dalstrong’s range includes everything from the essential boning knife, bread knives, butcher knives, and even the versatile bird’s beak paring knife to the serrated utility knife. Additionally, the collection features the highly sought-after Dalstrong steak knives, all of which can be conveniently stored in a knife block.