Chris,
Tough call. They're very different knives. Forschners a lot lighter and are made with a better alloy -- so have all the advantages those two things bring. If the choice was really just between Forschner and Mercer, I'd take Forschner based on its weight and edge-taking and holding characteristics.
However, if you're planning on stepping up to a high-end chef's knife in the near future or you can afford more for a chef's choice, I'd look for somethng better than Forschner and Mercer -- with edge characteristics and profile as the primary criteria.
But... and it's one heck of a big butt... everything is contingent on sharpening. If we're going to go on to "which knife is best for me," we need to start there.
BDL
