# I love my Cutco Knives



## shay235 (Jun 29, 2014)

I am not a professional chef, however, I cook a lot and love to cook.  I love and enjoy using my Cutco knives.  I am sure there are many other knives that are as great and greater, however, for the value and using it at home, they are everything I need.  Their design is great, their sharpness is great, and they sharpen them for me yearly...  I am just sad I did not buy them years ago.  Most of all they are made in America... so, it is a great way to support our own workers a bit...  So, happy cooking and to good food..


----------



## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

Are you selling something...


----------



## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

I already flagged the post--which incidentally is shay235's very first post.


----------



## pioneer1496 (Jul 15, 2014)

Alright, first let me begin by introducing myself as this is my first post on this website. 

I'll come right out and say it: I do work with CUTCO/Vector.  Fear not, though, I am not here to sell you anything.  If I'm honest with you, the only reason I am on here is because one of my coworkers told me a potential customer saw some not-so-great things and after reading a couple myself, I feel that this forum could use a CUTCO rep who is knowledgable about the product but is also open-minded to others' opinions.

This is my opinion on our product:  While there may be other brands of cutlery that may suit some professional chefs better than ours, I personally believe that ours is the best product for the average person in their kitchen.  The same way you wouldn't put the average driver behind the wheel of a formula one car, you wouldn't give "Mrs. Jones" the same tools as a professional chef.  

As far as the price is concerned, for the service we provide, I feel that our price is more than fair.  Again, keep in mind that we're talking about the average person who does not have the wherewithal to sharpen other high quality knives to the point where they work effectively for the price they would cost them.


----------



## mrbushido (Apr 24, 2014)

Buy a victorinox instead when it gets dull break it get a new one haha


----------



## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

Thank you for your honesty and welcome to Cheftalk.

It's true, many of us here--both professional and non-professional have a, uh, less than stellar view of Cutco for reasons I'd be happy to discuss--again.

As you may have guessed, most posters here are very passionate about food, about cooking, techniques and tools.  While we do groan and gripe about the cost of say, a Kitchen aid mixer (+/- $400-600) no one complains about the value or performance.  Same holds true for fancier knives, which can get very pricey.  True, they do cost, but they are worth it.  Sadly, not many on this forum can honestly say that your products are worth the money that they are selling for.

The issues are always the same:  Weird, uncomfortable handles, hollow grind (and very coarse grinding at that) and no taper to the blade thickness, and while I am no metallurgist, many others can tell you what type of steel the blade is made of, and what it should cost.  I am sure someone will chime in on this subject.

But I do like your analogy of an automobile.  What would you say if I tried to sell you a gasoline powered car that never needed an oil change?  Factory guaranteed, but if it ever needs an oil change, just send it off to Detroit, and we'll change the oil, free of charge. 

Now, any mechanic can tell you that cars need regular oil changes, it's just regular maintainence, and it's prudent to do so.  And anyone--male or female-- can tell you that a razor's edge won't last forever.  Either it needs to be sharpened or replaced.  A knife is no different.  Use it and eventually the edge will fatigue and fail.  This is no fault on the maker, the steel, the edge, or the user, it's just a fact of life.  Edges don't last forever.  As most people on this forum are very familiar with knives, they know this fact, and are very suspicious of claims of knives never needing sharpening.  Some do sharpen themselves, and some get it done locally, but anyone who uses a kitchen knife knows full well that an edge will eventually fatigue and fail.

Hope this helps


----------



## dcarch (Jun 28, 2010)

The time it takes to wrap a knife, buy a box, seal the box, address the box, go to the post office to send it, is enough for me to sharpen 10 knives.

dcarch


----------



## grande (May 14, 2014)

And if people aren't comfortable freehand sharpening, there are many jigs and guides and angle setters that are a breeze to use. I've got a Gatco kit that a monkey could use. Maybe it's not for everyone, but I think any serious home cook could maintain a chef knife with relatively little effort. It would be easier to teach people that if they weren't constantly being sold 30 knives they don't need to get three they do. Obviously cutco is not the only culprit there.


----------



## alaminute (Aug 22, 2013)

You're right, the 'average joe' chef who comparatively doesn't need a formula one car, doesn't similarly need a GOOD knife in a kitchen doesn't work in a kitchen that requires it's employees to buy there own tools. Most commercial and -no offense- casual/low end restaurants provide knives which are either sharpened by companies who come in every one- two weeks or sharpen themselves. I would completely disagree that anyone who works as a cook with an air of seriousness would ever use a Cutco. Ever.


----------



## pioneer1496 (Jul 15, 2014)

foodpump, I completely agree with your oil-change analogy. Where people get this misguided belief that Cutco's edges never go dull is from the sales reps who don't pay attention during their training. To my knowledge, the actual company Cutco (very important to make the distinction between Cutco and Vector) doesn't advertise that their knives will NEVER go dull, that would be ridiculous. Since I'm not a master of _all_ things knives, can you explain what hollow grind is as well as a comparison between the taper of Cutco and another popular brand? It'd be much appreciated.

As for the others who have replied, if you think you can sharpen your knives with less time, hassle, etc. that is just fine with me and I'll accept that. That is your opinion and everyone is entitled to one.

What I can't accept, though, is alaminute's comment


> You're right, the 'average joe' chef who comparatively doesn't need a formula one car, doesn't similarly need a GOOD knife in a kitchen doesn't work in a kitchen that requires it's employees to buy there own tools. Most commercial and -no offense- casual/low end restaurants provide knives which are either sharpened by companies who come in every one- two weeks or sharpen themselves. I would completely disagree that anyone who works as a cook with an air of seriousness would ever use a Cutco. Ever.


If you don't like Cutco, again, that's your decision and whatever you do in your kitchen is quite honestly no concern of mine. While reading your response, I noticed a few things.

1) You clearly have no respect things that you don't understand

2) You don't understand how Cutco or Vector operate

3) You don't know the preference of every "cook with an air of seriousness" (but that is to be expected)

Vector doesn't have their sales reps purchase their own tools, they are loaned out. I can show you proof of this but before you accept my offer, realize that by doing so, that will take away what seems to be your best/only argument against us. Also, I have many customers who enjoy using their Cutco in their business's kitchens. They may also be slightly offended by your claim of not having an air of seriousness!


----------



## foodpump (Oct 10, 2005)

Hi Pioneer,

I have explained what hollow grounds are , and why tapering blade thickness is so important in previous Cutco posts.  However, I will explain again.

Most engineers will agree that the two most important inventions are the wheel and the wedge.  We'll discuss the wedge in this post.

Anyone who cuts firewood can tell you there is a huge difference between a splitting axe and a felling, or cutting axe.  A splitting axe has a very "fat" or wide "V" shape to it's body.  In use, a splitting axe doesn't rely on a sharp edge, rather it relies on it's wedge shape to split the wood apart.  And so firewood is split apart along it's fibers--a rough surface, but when you burn it, who cares?  A cutting axe can not split wood, it has to sever or cut through fibers.  For this purpose, you need a very keen edge and a very slim "V" shape to work properly.

O.K., now knives...

If you look at the spine of your knife, you will see it has thickness, usually somewhere from 1/8" to 3/16" Thick.  The thicker the knife, the more stiff, stable, and heavier it is, the thinner the knife, the lighter and more manoeverable it is.  And somewhere in the middle is a good balance.  At the opposite end, the edge, is no thickness.  Where two surfaces meet is nothing, and that nothing is your edge.   A good knife will taper in thickness from the spine to the edge gradually, like the slender "V" shaped cutting axe.  All Cutco knives I have examined and used do not taper at all.  The edge is ground on the blade, the handle put on, and that is it--no tapering thickness from the spine to the edge.  Thus, the knife behaves like a wedge, with more energy being required to push the wedge through the food item, and rough surfaces on the food being cut.  Every other commercial kitchen knife in the Cutco price range tapers in thickness, many commercial knives below the Cutco price range taper in thickness, and every knife above this price range taper in thickness.  The tapering in thickness is what adds to the cost of the knife, either this slender "V" shape is forged or it is ground, either way it is work, and it costs, Cutco knives don't have this.  Yet a $50.00 Victorinox or a Russell Dexter, or even an Ikea knife, will.

Hollow grinding is something you will not find on many commercial kitchen knives, and certainly not on any knife in the Cutco price range.  What a hollow grind is, is a concave surface along the edge, and it leaves less metal to support the edge. Hollow grinding is popular on woodworking tools, like chisels and plane irons, but these are very thick pieces of metal, and the hollow grind aids and speeds up the honing process a woodworker uses several times a day to keep the tool sharp. It's not ideal for a kitchen knife, and certainly not one in the Cutco price range

I was also a bit alarmed at serrated edges on Cutco Chef's knives.  When cutting firm, moist foods like cheese, ham, h.b. eggs, etc., a serrated knife will leave grooves or gouges in the food it cuts.  Not a deal breaker for cutting an onion, but definatly one for a slice of pate, or a slice of prime rib.

I hope I provided you with some insight.


----------



## knifesavers (Oct 5, 2011)

3) You don't know the preference of every "cook with an air of seriousness" (but that is to be expected)

Every serious cook I have ever run into uses a pinch grip on their chef/santoku and the Cutco handle, while ergonomic for some applications on butchers/slicers and some items like ladles and spoons, does not work with a pinch grip on a chef at all.

A local Cutco rep out here at least admits this shortcoming. Foodpump covered it all on hollow grinds.

Jim


----------

