Ginsu 04871 8 Piece Bakelite Traditional Set

Pros: They are cheap

Cons: They are junk, very cheap. They do not hold an edge and dull very fast.

Other Thoughts: You get what you pay for

Pros: Looks amazing sitting on the counter, all the knives fit well into the block.

Cons: Knives are pretty sharp, could be sharper but, about what I expected for the price.

Pros: these are sharp and durable.

Cons: they don't was themselves and it doesn't come with a set of 6 steak knifes.

Other Thoughts: they cut through meat and veggies great. ok at cutting cheese, and the scissors could take off a finger

Pros: Purchased as a Shellshocker deal for less than $16. Better quality than I expected for the price I paid or even in this price range.

Cons: None so far but I'm also wary about the Japanese steel claim as they are stamped with CHINA.

Other Thoughts: I don't use knives to hack thru cans or nails like they do on TV especially ones I paid $15 for. There's a right tool for every job and if you use and care for the knives as intended, they should last a long time. Heck, for $15 if they dull, break or rust ... I'll just throw them out.

Pros: Very inexpensive with discount code and free shipping, also comes in a nice box. Block matches newer style black appliance kitchens and looks good, it might be the best item in the set. Buying it for just that item alone would not be unreasonable to me. Dishwasher safe and little concern over any kind of abuse causing damage...hack away at an UPS box or whatever else might need opening.

Cons: Like most reviewers indicate...these are not high quality knives by any stretch. I too suspect some exaggerated reviewer descriptions were slipped in here. All the blades are stamped "China" so I am having trouble believing the "Japanese Steel" part of the product description. This is the entire reason I ordered them and it is a big disappointment. This also means in my opinion most people would have second thoughts about giving these as a gift to all but college kids going away to school or someone pretty undemanding regarding quality knives.

Other Thoughts: Having worked in restaurants for years when I was younger I have some experience with knives. China stamps, serrated edges and bakelite handles don't really say "commercial quality" to me but thats me. Knowing what I know now I would not order them again...but I will keep them for a young nephew who is showing an interest in cooking and these will work as a good starter set for him. My functional solution for this set is to use my Japanese wet sharpening stones to reduce the bite (teeth) of the blades and just accept that they will need sharpening from time to time. I have used this transformation trick successfully on other serrated knives that just tore food instead of actually cutting it, saving the knives from the trash can. It will of course kill the "never needs sharpening" thing.

Some people could be very happy with this set if they keep their sites aimed appropriately or just want a black knife block...my two cents.

Pros: These knives cut great! I am surprised how well they go through various meats and vegetables which my old knives had trouble with. For the price (or even three times the price), I don't think there are a better set of knives available.

Cons: No real negatives.

Pros: sharper and heavier than expected, surprisingly solid construction

Cons: none

Other Thoughts: It's a knife set. It cuts things.

Pros: Very sharp knifes for the price.

Cons: None

Other Thoughts: Know what are you paid for, don't try to compare this knife set to Chicago Cutlery.

Pros: A nice assortment of knives for the price. The included knife block and scissors are a nice bonus. They are still sharp after heavy use.

Cons: The block does not fit the smaller knives very well, as all slots are the same size. The santoku knife is a bit flimsy, and the included scissors are not that great. The serrated Ginsu edge may not be the best for all kitchen tasks, such as peeling or slicing.

Other Thoughts: Even at the regular price these are a fair value, but do not expect chef-quality knives. They are still much better quality than a discount brand. Also, I have not had any problems with rust. Overall this is a good mid-range knife set.

Pros: I am simply amazed at what people consider quality. If you look at most of these reviews they are basing the quality of these knives if they have rusted. One even called it cheap because it rusted.
Folks, these are forged knives made from 420 steel. You can only go up one more step in quality and retain the same hardness without using exotic metal processes. Low quality cutlery is generally made out of grades like 409 and 430.
Here's how it works. The sharpest knife is made out of high carbon steel. High carbon steel is the hardest and therefore also keeps its sharp edge longer. The more carbon in steel the more it is going to rust. Something with a lot of carbon is a standard metal shop file. the type of file that you use to sharpen you garden tools. Leave it out in the rain and you'll have more rust than you ever imagined. Most likely that same file is the hardest (and highest tempered) metal you'll ever hold in your hands.

Cons: To prevent rust you add chromium. The more you add the less it will rust. Once you add over 13% chromium you are legal to say you have "stainless steel." The only problem with adding chromium is the steel can not be tempered as hard. Chromium also adds "gumminess" (relative to hard steel) which makes sharpening difficult because it is like trying to sharpen chewed bubble gum. IOW, under a microscope you'd see little pieces that extend to the left and right instead to a fine point. You know, like the bubble gum stuck to the bottom of your shoes in a parking lot.
420 steel keeps the chromium level as close to 13% as possible. Why? So the steel can be hardened. Hardness is measured on a scale called the Rockwell Hardness scale. This steel can go up to a RC56 hardness. Henckels FourStar only goes up to a RC58.

Other Thoughts: Some Damascus knives go up to RC60 but they can cost upwards of $1,200 per set. They also tell you to "hand wash only." Why? Simply so they won't rust since you'll quickly get them dried after hand washing.
Some of the finest butchering knives are made by Sheffield and have been making knives since the Middle Ages. They really became popular starting around the 1600's. For butchers they have two types of knives; hardened carbon steel and if you are one not to take care of your knives they will sell you the same model in 420 stainless steel. Six steak knives will cost you about $350.00 if you can't afford the butcher's knife.
I lost my fine Henckels in a divorce and replaced them with a less expensive model of Henckels. I was disappointed that they were not rusting in the dishwasher. What that meant to me was the steel isn't as hard as my old Henckels.