These knives are an excellent value for the money. Prior to ordering this set (three years ago!) I had a set of very expensive forged Henkels that I sadly lost in a divorce. Being on a budget, I purchased these and expected a mid-grade knife commensurate with the price point.



I was pleasantly surprised to find that these knives compared favorably against my old set and less than a third of the price. They are solidly forged, thick spined, well-balanced, full tang with nice bolsters. They feel great in the hand, came shaving-sharp, and have held an edge through daily use (I love cooking) for three years. In fact, I am just now getting ready to sharpen them for the first time, and they still aren't that dull (I recently cut myself down to the bone when I slipped while washing my chef knife, and my babysitter didn't heed my warning and got a nice set of stitches from the paring knife).



To address some of the negative reviews I have seen, I'll share some information about good knives. First, these are stain-free steel, NOT stainless. Stainless steel is generally far inferior for forging knife blades. The fact that "surgical stainless" is stamped on every junk knife is not a coincidence. A knife that doesn't rust when abused is probably not a great knife, will be difficult to sharpen, and won't have good edge retention. These knives will rust if you don't take care of them. Use your knife, was your knife, dry your knife thoroughly, and put it away.



Secondly, these have excellent edge retention if used properly and maintained. Learn to use a honing steel and use it before each session with your knife. It will realign the microscopic serrations that are on the very edge of the blade and keep it sharp MUCH longer. Don't cut on glass, stone, hardwood, or cheap plastic boards. Get a bamboo cutting board and use it. Again, your blade will stay sharp almost indefinitely.



Finally, never put your knives in the dishwasher. You are blasting them with abrasive soap and minerals and letting them rattle against other metal and glass objects before subjecting them to extreme heat and humidity. This will ruin your knives. Instead, get a long handled nylon brush and wash with hot water and mild soap. Don't use scouring pads, ajax powder, steel wool pads, or harsh cleaners.



Take care of your tools and they will take care of you, and provide years of trouble-free service. Get a cheap set of beater knives and keep them in the drawer for the abusive tasks.



If I had to find a complaint, after many many many hand washes, the logos on the blades have significantly faded. I can easily see which knives I use most. Do I care? Nope. This is a fantastic set of knives appropriate for any level chef and an incredible value.