Have You Heard Of Tuo Cutlery? Are Their Knives Good? 

Glad it was useful, I wish the company at least responded to me after the review but they went radio silent after it. I had a long email with all the points and improvement suggestions mailed to them just to get ghosted :)

Thanks :) Happy to see you in the comments section!

Thank you for sharing your experience, it seems like they need to do something about Quality control on the other series too. I was wondering if you could see inside the cracked handle? I felt like it was hollow while I was using the Cleaver from them, defeating the full-tang purpose. (since I could not confirm this feeling I did not include it in the video).

@@chefpanko the small Parry knife broke after 2 weeks of light use. Inside was a thin Tang and yes the handle was hollow. Almost a half inch of clearance between the handle and Tang. Very unsatisfied to say the least. The smaller Santoku constantly chipped even with light usage. The larger 8' Santoku had the same issues and the handle has began to crack. Only knife that has held up after a year is the Nakiri and it's solid. They have basically become a house cooking knife. These should not be used for professional use...ever. Very unfortunate but it's what you get for the price. Hope that helps Chef Panko

@@livindametal1 That helps a lot thank you for sharing your experience since this confirms pretty much what I felt. Since the handle is entirely intact I could not confirm the hollow feedback I got from the cleaver-styled knife. (unless I saw the handle open).

@@chefpanko absolute pleasure Chef Panko. Love your videos and hope you put out more sooner. Cheers!

Tojiro makes very good knives for a very reasonable price, like the DP line. If you're on a budget or just want something to use their DP Bolsterless line is a good stamped knife, and they have a second label called Reigetsu (formerly Fuji Narihira) that are made in China and finished and inspected in the Tojiro factory in Japan. I have several knives from each line and they're quite good for the money. The DP is VG10, the Reigetsu 4116. For western-style knives I've had very good luck with Mercers. They have good lines at every price point, with chef's knives comparable to a Zwilling or Wusthof at a third of the price. They're made in Taiwan to very high standards. They also have stamped budget models that are good performers. I know of other good options but these are easy to find anywhere and you can't go wrong.

Thank you for sharing your experience :)

Yeah, I feel bad for uploading the video tho as my contact person is very nice. But these problems need to be fixed and I can't make anything out of it since all 3 had QC problems if it was one out of the 3 I could say it may be an accident but all 3 across various versions and knife styles...... Hope that my contact person did not get into any trouble for it, but I have to do my part as an independent knife reviewer with a growing following. Told them what they can improve but did not hear back from them, but they were working on a new collection so hopefully, they can fix the QC with it and improve more things that I suggested.

@@chefpanko It's nice of you to be considerate but as you obviously realize ultimately your responsibility is to the visitors here who trust your opinions. I don't mind saying it was the Serious Eats site that recommended the Tuo slicer. I guess they got a good copy; I can't imagine a bent slicing knife being much fun to use. Like I said, there are plenty of reasonably priced alternatives from reliable producers. Just ordered a slicer from the Mercer Millennia line for under $30 USD and I know exactly what I'll get-not a beauty queen, but a very competent knife that'll do the job well. That makes he happier than looks without performance and I suspect most of your subscribers are the same. By all means keep an eye on Tuo, though, and if they improve let us know. Thanks!

The one in the video is an AUS10 and that particular version was fine I had no problems with it and the design was intriguing, especially with the handle. I had hoped that they could transfer the same aspects to the other series but as you have seen in the video.... Especially that Cleaver-styled knife was very intriguing with its shape.

@@chefpanko Yes, looked at my amazon receipt. I had the Tuo red ring damascus Nakiri AUS10. It was very sharp but chipped very easily, im not easy on knives. It did hold an edge. I wasn't fond of the balance. But it is still ok, I gave it to my mother in law and she loves it. Anyway, thanks for the info on these models.

I had mixed results with Keemake and after they rebranded Sunnecko knives to Keemake it defeated the purpose of having a sub-brand. Hezhen is made by Xinzuo which is their sub-brand where they try different aesthetics and have slightly different focuses like having a more premium raw material on the Hezhen line. I have recommended Xinzuo multiple times in the past but in terms of improvements, they have pushed a lot of new knives and series and interesting core materials (which I can't recommend yet as I can only recommend the knives I have tested). With their own developed powdered steel called 14Cr14MoVNb. Very interesting to see how much they have developed and improved even managing to get a contract to get the ZDP189 steel from Japan. So far they were the most consistent in the Rockwell Hardness claims and one of the best 10crcomov came from Xinzuo compared to some other brands with the same steel. That being said Xinzuo contacted me and asked if I wanted to try their newest collection which I did not try. They should arrive very shortly there will be 12+ knives from various styles and collections including the ZDP189, Sandvik 14C28N, 110 layers coreless steel, and Japanese SRS13 Powdered steel. Bohler M390 steel will be sent over at the next delivery (as they were out of stock). I also have a chance to test their Yanagiba (F2 110 layers Coreless series) which was unfortunately also out of stock, but they wanted my feedback on it as they were very proud of their grind and finish of creating an anatomically correct Yanagiba (which in my experience a lot of other Chinese brand failed to do so). Very curious if they can keep the Q&C across all the knives that they are sending over for review. As for some designs I'm worried about the comfort of the overall knife, very daring designs judging from the pictures. Hopefully, I can provide enough feedback so that they can improve on future series but first have to test them all one by one. And as always, they won't get to see the review until it gets uploaded on youtube.

@@chefpanko I only have one Keemack and it was fine, even good. I totally agree on Xinzuo and Hezhen. We've chatted on them before. Hezhen Classic Nakiri is probably my favorite knife. I also really like my Xinzuo 6.5" chefs knife. I'm also very curious about their new steel types. Looking forward to your reviews.

@@rexseven93 one coming up very soon in a few days (Grandsharp knife with Japanese AUS10 + Abalone shell handle). I also had 2 Xinzuo knives that I bought and completely finished testing but I want to wait on those two as one of the other versions they were sending over involved the same knife with some minor differences so may try to combine those 2 in one video. If I'm correct it was the core material and handle material that was different which is also why the price was higher on one of them due to the premium pricier materials. I really hope they can keep up the QC, I will be able to see it very soon according to the latest tracking update from FedEx it is planned for delivery at my door on May 1st (currently still stuck in transit at the airport). It will take a while before I have tested them all.

The curvature on the Vegetable cleaver was a lot, I had to move my hand far further to get my clean cuts. To be fair due to the strange crooked part I could not test the knife to its full extent. As you can see with the Cucumber, it was on that particular area where it pushes the blade. the rest was fine. Overall the blade profile reminds me of a ''Mezulluna'', as the knife was great for a rocking/mincing motion. But as a general-purpose knife, the curve is too much IMHO a slight curve is fine. Is Tuo Cutlery active in the Chinese market? Very interesting in terms of pronunciation and the meaning behind it thanks! :) I really never understood the ''Tuo'' naming especially what they have on their website. (+ I can't read any Chinese at all, hence why I don't know if they are active in the Chinese market or not). But thanks to you I understand the meaning behind Tuo a lot more!

@@chefpanko Well darn it I have better things to do with my time but your comment sent me on a Internet sleuthing trip. So after an hour or so these are the results... Tuo Cutlery/TBT/tuobituo/Tuo Brand Knife are the same company or a few companies headquartered in the same location in China, Guangdong. They do sales internationally and apparently a large part of their business is in North America (Probably the US). They have a couple of different logos depending on who they're targeting, different websites... Wholesale dropshipping with customizable handles, logo (probably), steel etc. Of course, they also sell to their domestic Chinese market. I suppose what the Chinese are great at are taking products, figuring out how they were done, and amping up production to flood the market with cheaper and slightly inferior products, that still serve the needs of those who don't know better. They occupy a certain niche and are very good at it. In this context this company is sterotypical. (Being part of the Chinese diaspora, I am trying to give an objective view of things) In any case, however they found you, they're a big company and some enterprising marketing executive probably found you and decided to send some new products your way to get a review and ideally increase their brand awareness. With regards to the cleaver - I've never seen or touched a mezzaluna, but I believe they come with two handles... lol... Maybe Tuo was trying to cater to the Western market who traditionally use rock chopping motions. Anyway, that's that.

@@jiahaotan696 seems like they are a very big player, thank you so much for the valuable information! Well, brand awareness is what they get indeed, not sure if they were expecting this video as it addresses the problems I found. Also looking at the tuobituo and it seems like they can improve a lot of the design flaws with the many other massive knife designs collection that they offer for various brands. Varying from low-quality to higher-quality knives. Very interesting and thank you again for the information!

​@@chefpanko I'm pretty sure I typed a reply to this but somehow it did not update. Sometimes RU-vid eats my comments... Basically my point was, I think the day Chinese makers manage to get good knives done for a price point lower than what the Japanese can do, Japanese knife makers will be in trouble. At the budget range they'll be competing with the likes of Tojiro (and Masutani I guess... not sure how big Masutani is) - midrange knives, a whole host of companies and that will be much more exciting to look forward to. I wonder if it is even possible to automate and replicate the work of mid-range artisanal blacksmiths though, and still keep the same level of quality. Again, regarding tuobituo, it feels like they just hired some people working for the paycheck, who referenced knives from the world, took what they felt was best and interesting, and proceeded to randomly slap features/vomit out designs and knives while cutting corners in the quality area. It's a pity. You are welcome. It's an opportunity to engage in meaningful discourse.

​@@jiahaotan696 ​ If that happens the knife industry, especially the ones focusing on mid-range knives will have a problem. A lot of the processes can be automated, or at least make the handmade process easier. Especially since you can buy pre-laminated steel, to get a more consistent Damascus pattern directly from the steel manufacturers. And a lot of knives (while the most manufacturer does not indicate it), are stamped but still delivers great value knives. The handle will be welded together, especially with the full tang handles. As of right now, there are a few golden nuggets around the Chinese-made knives but also with the push of a lot of new designs/concepts/experimental phases? from blade to handle they lose the focus. That is also why I usually have mixed opinions about brand XYZ and why I can't recommend a specific brand other than recommending the exact same version I have tested. Design-wise can be a hit or miss, Quality differs a lot from series to series and blade material. As of right now, I haven't seen any Chinese brand being consistent in what they want to deliver (questionable decisions where I'm like why???? you went the correct way in improving but then you release this new series which goes the opposite direction???? ie; Design over comfort, functionality, and quality). They are more flashy and aesthetically intriguing to home cooks (mass market). Targeting those that have no knowledge about knives but would love to have a matching knife block, matching knives, and something that looks good at their kitchen counter rather than looking at the performance ie: comfort, functionality, quality, and durability. While I did not include this in the video, the handle felt hollow during usage, indicating the claimed full tang might be hollow from the inside defeating the hidden-full tang design. (not included as I did not saw the knife open, but if this is the case then there will be a durability issue, especially for those that hold the knife at the handle instead of the bolster resulting in a weak breaking point between the bolster and handle). In the end, there are a lot of bad Chinese-made knives, wichs a lot of them I did not review since I don't like to spend my time on something bad. (Some of them I can literally throw away especially when it came to the Yanagiba's, and Deba's they were unusable). As of right now, I think they are focusing on the mass market, those with 0 knowledge about knives don't even know how to sharpen a knife and most likely will use things like a pull-through sharpener or just replace the entire knife set with something new. If a knife gets dull they will grab another knife from the entire set of 13+ knives in one block. There are good-made Chinese knives but right now out of the ones I tested it is just a select few from the 80+ I tested. (where a lot had the same quality as other brands but then different in design, and those that went in the right direction, either pulled the more expensive to make knives out and then went the other route in going for design over quality). So it is indeed as you said cutting corners in quality, and not to forget the ones I thought were going in the right direction went 180 degrees back to quality corner-cutting decisions and back to flashy designs in their newer collections. It is like they are saying we can earn more money per knife if we just deliver a flashy design. Cut corners in quality sponsor a lot of influencers around FB, Instagram, TikTok, and RU-vid and focus on those with no knowledge. (I'm not sponsored btw did get the knives for free as shown in the disclosure, but I always tell them that they will not get a preview and all opinions will be mine, as I have been offered money to make a ''fake'' review that was pre-written ie; basically, a sponsored commercial and they wanted me to sign an NDA too, it's ridiculous at the other side of Social Media). All reviews I do are non-paid but I did get the knives for free in return for a review that they have no control over. PS: I get that sometimes when YT deletes my comment out of nowhere even when I pressed reply. And I hate it when that happens especially when I type a lot like now! My fingers are crossed for this one.

Yeah, I had no problems with the AUS10 Ring series but these 3 knives (1 of them I bought myself the other 2 were also given for a review) I tested all had the same problem whereas the Cleaver one has an extra crooked part. Without the Quality control issues, the knives would be good for home use, but the comfort level for extended use is not great, especially on the 2 german steel versions. The vegetable Cleaver one, I really like the design, but hope that they can add some improvements to it if they decide to do a new knife series. The hardness on the German steel is also lower than I anticipated, the AUS8 was good no problems with that and if they can get a consistent Rockwell of around 57 then it is a good knife. But the other design element is the handle design, using the same but then a bit smaller handles on different styles won't work all the time. Design-wise very daring, functionality, and comfort should be better. I will be emailing them with suggestions if they plan to update or create a new knife line. It did not feel good to make this video, since I'm critical in it but I can only review what I get and experience. Pretty sure they would just replace the knives with quality control issues under warranty or money back. But it is strange that all 3 review samples had the same problem. It indicates that something is wrong in the manufacturing line.

PS: They told me that they are not related to Dalstrong at all.

@@chefpanko It was originally part of the promotional material from Dal Strong. They list their manufacture in the Yangjiang region of China. Both TUO Cutlery and Dal Strong list the same manufacturer address on their web sites. Maybe the contract has ended?

​@@docgiggs Yeah it is sometimes very confusing but Yangjiang is a big industrial area with a lot of subcontractors around it. A big portion of that area is owned by Yangjiang Shibazi Group Co., Ltd, they offer OEM/ODM white labels, etc, they make steel like 3cr, 5cr, 8cr, etc. While they own a large portion of the Yangjiang area there are multiple manufacturers out there but most of the Chinese steel types are directly from the Shibazi Group. While I can't speak for Tuo Cutlery or Dalstrong, they may or may not have used the same manufacturer in that area and their contract may or may not have ended. Al I can say is that Tuo Cutlery told me that there is no connection between them and Dalstrong etc. (that is all I know from Tuo Cutlery's side).

@@docgiggs You may want to look at Jiahao Tan comment in the comment section. Or look at ''Guangdong Tuobituo Technology Corp., Ltd.'' and, you will see Tuo and Dalstrong in the promotional video. (so you are indeed right) and Jiahao Tan's comments add more depth to it.

unfortunately not, so I can't give you any opinions about the other knives in their line-up. As I have discovered with multiple Chinese brands, some are good, and then when you switch to other series/steel the knife performs below my expectations. even with the newer series, they often are below my expectations, instead of building and improving, it often feels like they prioritize design over functionality. That being said I'm revisiting some of the older brands one of them is Grandsharp a brand that I had mixed feelings about, but their newest line improved a lot. PS: the knife was given to me by Grandsharp and I will be doing a short Q&A with them, asking them about the things I have discovered with their knives in terms of mixed feelings and quality across their knives and what they changed with the newest version since it seems to have been improved a lot since I tested them a few years back. Testing their Chef's knife abalone handle with Japanese AUS10

@@chefpanko Thanks for the reply! Looking forward to seeing your take on the new Grandsharp models!

I haven't tested the newer Xinzuo versions. Design-wise sometimes questionable but their 440C Chef's knife/Gyuto is great which I have recommended before. Overall their heat treatment seemed consistent so far, with the knives I have tested. I have no idea about their powdered steel or the coreless versions that they now offer. As I have a lot of reviews to do right now I won't be adding more to the collection until I'm done with the knives I have now and have done the reviews from brands that have sent over a knife for review. As I do the knives first that were given to me by the brands and after that, I do the ones I bought myself. If Xinzuo ever decides to send me a review sample I would gladly accept it, if they can accept my conditions (that I won't sign an NDA or contract and that they won't get a preview of the video so that I can give my honest opinion/feedback about their knife). the only thing I have no control over is if they cherry-pick a knife specifically for a review or not. (which I don't think any of the brands I worked with did, as most of them were sent directly from one of their warehouses). But TLDR: Xinzuo Din 1.4116, 440C, 10crcomov10 have good heat treatment no complaints about them (based on the knives I have personally tested). Design-wise is sometimes questionable for some of their knife series.

It is hard for me to recommend a particular Chinese brand, especially with the tremendous amount of new collections, series, and sometimes strange design choices. Therefore I don't want to recommend a specific brand as some knives are good but some of the same brands can go in the other direction. One of the knives I can recommend is the 440C from Xinzuo: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-2GIIJe4xkIY.html It is a knife that is designed to function as it should, with no extra flair it is just a good value. The balance is good, and the blade profile is what you expect it to be for a chef's/gyuto knife. The handle adds to the comfort, unlike other designs. Just to give you a context of the price I bought them for 35 euros and that included a Saya. (The prices have been going up now but are still a good value at around 40/45 euro without Saya). And with the current exchange rate, it would be $35 since I need to pay 21% VAT (which at that time did not include the 21% VAT until Europe changed the rules). As for Japanese-made value knives, Masutani knives are great value with VG10, the handle are on the shorter, smaller side so not ideal if you have a large hand size (more ideal for home use). Edge retention could be better but overall still a good value for the price of around $70/80: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-D8TZSg70i3g.html Other knives to consider Misono Handmade series (softer than VG10 but still a good knife). I will see if I can make a video about it. But the first priority is getting to know what you need and look for. For example Stainless or Carbon knives? That should be the first question and after that, we look at comfort, functionality, and durability. at this particular order. It is comfortable to hold and does it function as you expected it etc. The last thing should be edge retention (as those I don't weigh a lot in my knife purchasing decision, it matters but not as much as comfort and functionality). As with finding a Golden nugget, with these types of knives you have to be fast and willing to take a risk. Since the price will increase very fast once the popularity goes up. (some of the golden nuggets I found went up by 100%+ in terms of price).

I am not Panko, but I have had really good experience with Xinzuo and Keemake (Sunnecko). With Keemake I would stick with the Aus10 knives they do a really good job, their "VG10" is a bit sus. Xinzuo is a quality knife maker and they are always improving their heat treatment processes. With Xinzuo there are really decent 440C knives, but also their Chinese 10CR15MOV is pretty good (Not VG10 good but decent. I would call it more a generic AUS10). For Japanese knives I really like Shun and Miyabi, but you are going to pay $100+ for them. You might find some of their smaller series under the $100 mark or if you can catch a really decent sale somewhere. I tend to use a Japanese Utility knife for the nice metal and to do precision and delicate work. Getting a smaller knife like that will keep the cost down.

@@redfoxindy8359 I had mixed feelings with Keemake/Sunnecko, AUS10 was ok the Japanese VG10 was questionable but not bad for the price.

​ @ChefPanko Thank you ChefPanko! I am a cooking science and newly kitchen knife enthusiast. I need your suggestion, i have a plan to buy my first Japanese stainless steel kitchen knife for home cooks and the journey as a kitchen knife enthusiast. I prefer "push forward" cutting motion for precise cuts, and cross chops for mincing (garlic etc.). After doing some research, the availability in my country, and its simple design (similar to MAC superior series, but better material and way cheaper), i decide it between Tojiro A-1 F-301 170 mm Santoku OR Tojiro A-1 F-300 165mm Nakiri. All knives are VG-10 clad, half tang, and wooden handle with 2 rivets. The Santoku is more versatile (can do all cutting motions), but the edge curvature is slightly too curvy (it should be start to gently curve in the mid of the edge), and the pointy tip is little bit too high (it around 50% of blade's height, it should be just around 25%, just enough to do smooth rock chops motion). The Nakiri is less versatile (can do all cutting motion except the rock chops, and no pointy tip), but it has clear straight edge line, and start to gently curved just around the tip area (enough to do mincing motion), and also it has sharp rounded tip (i saw and zoom it from a Russian RU-vid video). The Nakiri will make clean cuts with simple cutting motion ("push forward" and "push down"). The Chef's knife, Gyuto, and some Santoku sometimes need to "push forward and down" motion just to make clean cuts. Can you give me some advice what to choose? or in your opinion the Santoku will do fine ( i actually like and prefer straighter and less curvy edge curvature of Santoku or Bunka), thank you!

​@@redfoxindy8359 Thank you! 1). Can you list and rank Chinese stainless steel by its quality for kitchen knife? 1. 10CR.. 2. 9CR.. etc. 2). Do you know Chinese stainless steel equivalent to VG-10, AUS-10 and AUS-8? 3). I like the Miyabi Koh series (Santoku and Nakiri) for its blade shape, the curved bolster and the handle! (wa handle-esque, and it seems more durable), the handle similar to Mcusta Zanmai Nakiri (ChefPanko has review it). 4). Because of rare to find good, straigthter and less curvy Santoku, i think Nakiri and utility/petty knife or even paring knife will do almost 100% for home cooks.

Got a very interesting new knife from Grandsharp, I was surprised that they contacted me as I had mixed opinions about their knife line (bought the knives myself in the past and from various resellers). The knife they send is their newest Chef knife with an Abalone handle design. Still need to test them they are still in the original sealed box, so no idea or first impressions other than that they have changed the packaging design (or at least the covered sleeve of it) and their own logo. I still have a few Japanese knives for review ranging from $70/$150.

Tipje van de sluier? Misschien een idee om een lijstje te maken/publiceren op je site van de volgende messen die je wil reviewen. Eventueel met (ordered/received/review in progress/editing/published) o.i.d. Dan vragen mensen je ook niet steeds om merk X of Y te bestellen/reviewen als ze weten dat t in de pijplijn zit.

@@bermuda1980 haha goed idee!! weet niet of het haalbaar is (miss toch maar een pagina maken met updates op me website, ik gebruik op dit moment ''Notion'' dat ik gebruik om alles bij te houden). Ik heb al moeite om me Instagram bij te houden (maanden niks gedaan) 😅. Plan voor instagram was om wat te revealen van wat er aan komt. Maar op RU-vid probeer ik wel het meest actief te blijven met de comments. Laatste tijd ben ik meer heen en weer aan het emailen met bedrijven, ieder bedrijf dat contact opneemt moet ik weer zelf dubbel checken of ze betrouwbaar zijn etc en of ze onder mijn voorwaarden toch een mes willen opsturen. Maar zeker een goed idee! Heb het in me to-do list staan!

After this video, I'm pretty sure I won't receive any review samples anymore. In the past, I bought one of their knives myself, and after that, they contacted me to review other knives which both were higher-priced knives with AUS10 steel. I had no problems with those and for their price point, they were good knives. Fast forward a few years later, they contacted me again and asked me to review the other series and share my thought. And that thought is put into one video, and especially their Vegetable Cleaver was intriguing. I will be emailing them with suggestions for improvements if they plan to release a new knife line or if they want to improve on the current design. Thanks for sharing your experience.

@@chefpanko It could very well be that some of the hardness of some blades is being reduced by overly aggressive polishing by an inexperienced worker. Excessive pressure on a buffer or grinding belt can create enough heat to lower the rockwell hardness or even destroy the temper at the cutting edge. You may want to mention that to Tuo.

@@chopsddy3 I will pass it on, along with something I could not confirm and therefore not included in this video. While using the Cleaver styled knife the handle gave me some hollow feedback. So if the handle is indeed hollow on the inside and not engulfing the hidden full-tang handle. Then the purpose of having a hidden full tang handle is defeated in terms of adding durability. since this will create multiple weak points in terms of durability.

Yes. With all the observable flaws, I am suspicious of the hidden tang also. I couldn’t help but wonder if the butt cap (pommel) was just glued on or actually attached to the hidden tang. It might be worth a youtube search to see if anyone has cut one apart.

Hi! :)

Yeah, the prices have been increased by a lot also with the extra cost for the steel-type besides the mandatory VAT for Europe. One of the knives I reviewed in the past increased the knife more to 100% doubling what they cost back then.

Noted thanks 🙂