Rankings, computed
One ranking per knife type. Each knife gets a score out of 100 from four things you can check yourself: its price against the median for its type, the core steel the seller states, the layer count, and how complete the listing is. No tasting notes, no paid places.
| Type | Listings scored | Top score | Price of no. 1 | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Damascus chef knife | 913 | 97 / 100 | $119 | $206 |
| Damascus santoku | 397 | 96 / 100 | $119 | $200 |
| Damascus nakiri | 266 | 95 / 100 | $70 | $190 |
| Damascus utility knife | 343 | 100 / 100 | $79 | $160 |
| Damascus paring knife | 130 | 95 / 100 | $40 | $89 |
| Damascus slicing knife | 237 | 100 / 100 | $109 | $299 |
| Damascus bread knife | 95 | 95 / 100 | $47 | $107 |
| Damascus kiritsuke | 166 | 100 / 100 | $119 | $259 |
| Damascus bunka | 94 | 95 / 100 | $105 | $249 |
| Damascus cleaver | 96 | 95 / 100 | $70 | $140 |
| Damascus boning knife | 64 | 87 / 100 | $66 | $94 |
Rankings by budget
| Ranking | Listings under the cap | Top score | Price of no. 1 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Damascus chef knife under $100 | 200 | 95 / 100 | $66 |
| Damascus chef knife under $150 | 337 | 97 / 100 | $119 |
| Damascus santoku under $100 | 78 | 95 / 100 | $60 |
How the score works
Price, 40 points. We divide the price by the median price of the same knife type in the same market. A knife at half the median or less gets 40 points, one at the median gets 20, one at 1.5 times the median or more gets none. Listings under 30 % of the median are left out: at that level they are usually accessories or data errors.
Core steel, 30 points. A powder steel named by grade (SG2, ZDP-189, S35VN and similar) gets 30. A named cutlery steel with about 1 % carbon (VG10, AUS-10, 10Cr15CoMoV, Aogami and similar) gets 25. Any other named steel gets 18. No steel stated: 0.
Layers, 10 points. The listing states a layer count: 10. It does not: 0. More layers do not earn more points, because layers do not cut.
Listing, 20 points. Blade length stated: 10. Handle material stated: 10.
Ties go to the cheaper knife. Specifications are the sellers' own statements; we have not tested these knives. The full rules of the survey are in the methodology.