Bought this as a companion for my girlfriend's 8" chef's knife - she positively loves it. It's been used for months now and still looks new, holds its edge well, and now looks all kinds of sexy with her other Wusthof Classic knives in her new Wusthof knife block.The Wusthof Classic 4.5 Asian Utility Knife is a beautiful and functional cutting instrument. This clever fusion knife is made with thin, strong, sharp steel, comfortable handle and is well balanced. Great for cutting vegetables, fruits, and even more difficult tasks as separating fat and skin when roasting meat. Exercise caution as I could probably shave with this knife and it will bite if not handled correctly. Another classic from one of the world’s best knife makers.This is a great little workhorse knife. It’s perfect for smaller tasks like cutting up smaller fruit/vegetables or mincing garlic. The slightly taller blade profile means I can pinch grip it to slice up mushrooms or pistol grip it to get more leverage to cut up some cheese. I have some expensive, but fragile, razor sharp Japanese knives. But sometimes I just want to grab a knife that doesn’t need to be babied. These thin German knives are sharp enough, without being scary sharp, and I don’t have to worry about washing them right away after use or chipping the blade if I’m not really careful. It’s not the cheapest knife but the blade profile is worth paying a bit more for.This was a gift for my daughter. She had asked for a really sharp kitchen knife 6-7 inches long. She has had several knives that would not hold an edge. I ordered this for her and mailed it to her.When she called to thank me, I said "Be careful, it's really sharp." She said "I know, I already cut my finger washing it before I used it. It really does a good job too."So, although I haven't used it myself, and she has only had it 5-6 weeks, I'd say it gets 5 stars.I love it but had to sharpen it other then that I love itThis is a mini knifeOn the small side, but very sharp. It became my favorite everyday knife.I used this knife mainly for cutting vegetables, fruits and garlic. I think this knife does the job well. The knife is light-weight, easy to control and it is razor-sharp out of box. The knife shape is good. There is enough space for fingers to grip the handle.I used this knife for a short period so I am unable to comment for the edge retention for the moment.The only issue for me so far is the handle may get a bit slippery when I use the knife with a wet hand.