This is what mine looks like after whole lot modification. I finally got it thinned enough where it can cut and has bit finesse. As it came from pkg, it had sharp edge, but so chunky above the edge, took lot effort to use it. Cracked carrots rather than cut them and wedge trying to make horizontal cuts when dicing an onion. A knife that wedges in food will feel duller sooner, even if the actual edge is sharp. As you can see, I am also not big fan of the bow type edge curve on cheaper vegetable cleavers. The way I changed it more like traditional western Sabatier type knife edge. This fits my style of cutting better.I am only giving it 3 star cause few people are prepared for this kind effort. Heck people are complaining they actually have to sharpen it and round over the spine and choil, they sure arent ready to do extensive thinning of the blade. And yea, it could use yet more thinning. But at least I consider it usable now. And by way for those thinking this is carbon steel, NO, its stainless, I would hazard a guess at some variation of 420. Real carbon steel is defined to have less than 10% chromium in it and will rust at drop of a hat if you leave it wet for any serious amount time. Also will stain/patina from acid foods. Has to be washed and dried with towel when you are done cutting with it. Now traditional carbon steel holds an edge better than stainless, well most stainless. But takes more maintenance.I also am not impressed with the short tang and handle only attached via friction, no epoxy, no rivet/pin. Probably best thing you could do when you get it is to knock the handle off and put epoxy in the hole and then put it back together and let it cure. But new out of package, the handle seems pretty firm with no wobble.Winco knows better too. Look at their KWP-100 knife. https://www.amazon.com/Winco-USA-KWP-100-Stal-Cutlery/dp/B00ZVUOUSW Full flat grind and distal tapering. Thats how you make a functional chef knife.If you want a project or if you have a professional belt grinder so modification is trivial, then its good enough steel to be serviceable. I dont have a pro grinder, but I do know how to use an angle grinder to good effect. At time writing this review, I have smoothed it even further on my mini belt sander. Nice thing is, for $13, you can take some risks, if you completely ruin it (unlikely), well you are out $13, big whoop.Small update, I am adding pics of choil and spine. Shows how much I have thinned it. Not easy getting a choil shot that shows up in picture. Least not with my phone and its mediocre camera. I did thin the Winco one more time. Noticeably less weight than it had. I am probably close to what a normal #4 vegetable cleaver would be like, though they tend to be a bit shorter. Oh and I sharpened the end edge. Some have traditionally done this to nakiri and Chinese cleavers, more to let them function as a spatula I think than actual cutting. But I had to experiment and yes standing cleaver on its end and rocking it, you can finely cut small stuff. I doubt I will do that much but it was interesting. Never heard of anybody doing that before. It definitely now cuts much like a chef knife would be expected to cut. Not sure if thinning it further would really gain much. Its the right weight at this point for me so probably wouldnt want to remove much more metal. Anyway yes the Winco can definitely be made to cut like a $50 knife. But you earn it, it takes lot effort. Well unless you own a high dollar high speed pro belt grinder that can remove metal very fast. Can of course be done with a coarse whet stone or sandpaper wrapped around a flat iron bar, but take LONG time. Took long enough with angle grinder using first grinding wheel, then coarse flapper disk. I did finish the edge using whetstone. Oh and if you use power tools, especially something like an angle grinder, you want to frequently dip blade in bucket water to protect the temper of your blade. It generates heat lot faster than you would think.