Pros: So sharp it's a liability, light (feels CHEAP it's so light) amazing steel, superior handling.
Cons: MSRP is about double that of other high end knives. That's it's only flaw.
I purchased this blade at 6am. I was unable to sleep and needed a replacement for my workhorse J.A.H.
It was on sale down from 380 something. I can tell you this, from the day it arrived in it's gleaming black box I haven't regretted a single moment. The factory edge gave my arm a clean shave in one pass. Listen, I'm a professional. Sharp knives aren't too big a deal for me. For the first week I owned this thing I just looked at it, I held it in my hand, put it next to my board and used my old knife out of fear and respect for how ridiculously sharp this knife is. Once I began to familiarize myself with it I came to realize that the knife is so well designed and built that it feels like nothings in your hand at all, you sort of just let the knife do it's thing without thinking about it too much and all works out well. I've now had this knife coming up on 5 months now. It's my primary. I have never once cut myself with it. The two other cooks that have picked it up starred at it in awe in their hands expecting a monstrous weighty german thing. My chef picked it up in anger to chiff basil on the fly and filleted his ring finger.
Just buy the $&$^ thing. If you're on this page, and have gotten this far that you're considering it then you already know it's specs: VG10 supersteel core, 15 layers on each side of jesus steel, pakawood 3/4 tang handle (aids in weight and balance) yada yada yada. Buy it. Better yet, find it on sale somewhere and buy it. It's a tank. Best knife I've ever owned.
I hated to use my SG0418 at first too. It really can be considered to be a work of art.
But once you cut with it --wow! it feels so good with a pinch grip.