Cutco knives

I have tried the cutco knives and although they have a great edge I never cared for the handle. When I first started out I purchased a set of carbon steel Sabtiers and I still have those knives today. I prefer them to a set of Henckels I have since they are not as heavy and seem to keep a great edge.

http://www.sabatier.com/

Cutco knives

I had a great Henckel knife in 1968. It was the last Henckel I've been satisfied with. I have had the fortune to find a few decent carbon steel knives that one can actually put a good edge on, but the maintenance is high, of course.
The Victorinox "saw" knife with the rounded point & slightly offset handle is one of my favorites, but they do wear out & ya lay out another 25 or 30 bucks & get a new one- no problem. I worked with an entremetier at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta who bought "Old Hickory's" or something like that for about $7 or $8. Real plane cheap wooden handle, lower grade carbon steel; his were always the sharpest in the kitchen. When a guy would chip it whacking through a lamb rack bone, or one got stolen, he'd just blow another whole eight dollars at the army surplus store, next to a girlie magazine shop.

I bought a set of Cutco several years ago, and man they are really sharp! The handle doesn't do anything for me one way or the other, but I never have any trouble with it. It is the only knife I know that you can get sharpened up or repaired for free (forever), and is guaranteed forever, not for your lifetime, forever. Their pricey as ****, but so's Henckel, Sabatier, all of 'em.
I've also bought those trick sets off the TV, where the guy saws through hammers, and they've got their features. I've bought sets for $5.00 from yahoos walking in off the street (good to throw in the trunk of the car, for when the staff forgets to bring something to cut the cake, or whatever). Those cheesy, cheap 8" french knives with the fine teeth actually will get a lot of work done, and stay sharp a surprisingly long time. Gotta have loaners, and sooner or later, ya gotta cut cardboard boxes too.
One of the most meticulous chefs I ever worked with, a Swiss-Austrian in charge of a fine French restaurant in a world famous hotel, only had a little $4 knife that he'd bought in a grocery store, but it didn't slow him down.
I've borrowed Global at customer's houses, and was really impressed with the feel of it, edge and all, but the bottom line is that the knife is not gonna make the chef, any more than the shoes are gonna make the athlete, or the hat's gonna make you a cowboy.

I have been using messermeister knives for some time now. They feel correct to me. I like a heavy, forged bolsterless blade, and a small contoured handle.

My greatly more experienced chef prefers dexter connisour line stamped stainless knives, with wooden handles, and huge, light blades.

And in the end run, it's the knife that you like that will be the one you use. If it produces fast, efficient and acceptable results, and lends itself to proper technique,it really doesn't matter how much it cost, or what brand it is.

Buying a knife on snob appeal is the wrong approach. Pick it up. Does it feel good? Is it made of decent steel? Buy it. If it cost thirty bucks and not a hundred, all the better.

My favourite knives are Japanese (Global, Kasumi, Hattori, Nenox, Masamoto, etc...), most of them can make a very good knife. I also like the thinner blades and the rocker they put on, only downside is some Japanese brands have small-ish handles. I can't use a German made knife anymore, they feel so heavy and clumsy in comparison.

Cutco

I acctually live in the town cutco is made, Olean NY, and I have to say the work they do on the blades can't get any better.

I used to like European style knives, but after buying some Shun's and Global knives, I have changed my opinion completely. I think my Global and Shuns hold an edge much longer than the Henkels and Wusthof knives I've used in the past, plus they are ground to like a 10 degree angle, which makes them razor sharp.