Premium Handmade Damascus Steel Alaskan Ulu Knife - Traditional Crescent Blade with Stabilized Wood Handle - Perfect for Chopping, Pizza Cutting & Kitchen Prep - Authentic Mezzaluna Ulu Design for Culinary Enthusiasts

So I'll start with the good; this is actually a beautiful product. You can genuinely tell this was shaped by hand, as the witness marks from the grinding and sanding on the handle suggest. The handle is gorgeous, with a solid hardwood expertly cut, rounded, and sanded to match the blade's handle section, with a grip feel that's pleasant to hold. The pins holding the handle to the blade were clearly driven through with a hammer. The Damascus pattern is attractive and legitimate, showing off the layers of the two different alloys of steel used in the making. However, because this is high-carbon steel and not stainless, most foodstuffs will cause it to rust so fast that it will need immediate cleaning and oiling to protect the steel and the pattern. If rust forms, almost any way of removing it will also remove the etching used to reveal the pattern. Restoring it once lost isn't impossible, but will require specific chemicals to re-etch the surface, something that can be challenging once the handle is attached. As for maintenance, the seller suggests light machine oil (not food-safe save in specific cases) or vegetable oil. Vegetable oil, especially if the knife is stored in the leather sheath or left unused for long periods, can rot due to bacteria that can eat it, and produce acids that will damage the blade; food-safe mineral oil is likely the best bet, and Amazon has volumes up to a gallon. If you're gifting this, make sure the person for whom you get it is really into knives like this, as the maintenance is somewhat greater than a stainless steel blade. Not something you can just toss in the dishwasher, as it will come out nearly completely ruined. I'm personally not up for that, but if you know someone with a burning love for the ritual of maintaining a knife like this, it's right up their alley. Finally, there's the price. Quality Damascus kitchen knives have a wide range of costs, and this one's on the higher end of that. This one is likely worth the price, but only if it's your thing to use these kinds of blades. In summary, it's genuinely well-made, by hand, arrived sharp and ready for service once washed. Will look great in a collection of these as it's fairly unique, but definitely an eclectic item, as either yourself or the person receiving it will need to be up for the increased work necessary to maintain it.