At the last gun show I was at there was a table with Cutco knives.




After years of having average sharp carving knives I would love to find a affordable carving knife that cuts better than average.
The 1723 carver would be my first purchase.

I like the idea they are lifetime no receipt warrantied and they sharpen them for shipping fee only.
I sharpen boning knives rather well but find I am not the best at thicker blades.

Being made in USA is also a plus for me.

The girl that cut a can in half with one was pretty impressive but I have no plans on eating a can.

Any opinions from Cutco owners would greatly be appreciated.

My Future Brother in Law sold a set to my Mom 30+ years ago
Mom passed last year and I got the knives
they still are sharp and very dependable

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Compact 9mm Just my $0.02

They looked to be quality knives and are sharp, but I don't think they're worth the $200 for the set of four steak knives and the $50 ice cream scoop my mom got talked into buying!

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Thread Killer.

I own about 5 different models. They are quality kitchen knives and the warranty can’t be beat. Broke the tip off my carving knife and they sent me a new one.

I have a Cutco pocket knife. It’s okay I guess.

The Forever Guarantee is nice but not necessary as we take good care of our knives. One thing I don’t like is that their Double D edge must go back to the factory to be sharpened.

We use Wustof and Henckels knives which we are very pleased. The Cutco prices seem to be about the same as those.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

They did have a pretty heavy sales pitch.
I found that you can find new ones online much cheaper than the price I was given at the show.

To me, the steak knife set is worth about $100, AT MOST.*

I think if you can find them at half the price they're giving you, it's probably a good deal.

*I'm cheap. I wouldn't pay for an ice cream scoop. My "scoop" is an old stamped stainless steel large USGI spoon.

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Thread Killer.

I tried the sales bit back in the early '80s. You had to buy the set to be a salesman. I found out that I wasn't cut out (pun intended) to be a salesman. The knives are really great quality.

My ex wound up with them. I love to have another set. However, I usually just buy guns instead.

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

Rich,

We bought our Cutco knife set (steak knives, scissors, carving knife set, etc.) 49 years ago while I was in flight school at NAS Pensacola. They are still just as sharp and great today as they were when we bought them. Our salesman (also a flight student) cut through leather in his demonstration. Fortunately, my wife has never served a steak that tough.

The lifetime warranty, free knife sharpening, and "Made in the U S A" was definitely a selling point. Just like my Craftsman tools (bought in the early 1970s), I have no problem paying an additional premium for a very useful item that will last a long, long time. I have had more than one experience having to replace items several times that I bought to save $$$! That has never occurred with our Cutco knives.

We do wash them by hand to preserve the quality and luster of the handles. They look almost the same today as they did when we bought our set.

I have no affiliation or association with Cutco.

Bill

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That's what we do!

For Pete's sake DO NOT buy a set of knives. You need a chef knife, a slicing knife and a paring knife. Look for somebody selling Forcschner (Victorinox) kitchen knives and buy then individually.

Wustoff, made in Solingen, Germany is the only way to go.

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Dave Ramsey Cultist

My wife and I bought the Cutco steak knife set and scissors from a friend 30 years ago. Lots of people said we over paid, there were better brands, we paid too much, etc. Might be true, but we’ve used them almost daily for the last 30years. We wash them in dish washer. They’re still in great condition. No complaints on our part. I wish I’d gotten some other “bad deals” like that.

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Vegan by proxy.

I suggest you start with 1 knife from Cutco (or any other manufacturer) before you go out and buy a whole set. Use it for a few months before you decide if you want to spend the money on a whole set of similar knives.

For the record, my favorite knife is an old stainless 8" Sabatier Professional in the classic French pattern (think Julia Childs). I really didn't want a French knife to be my favorite, but it beat out all the other knives I've also tried the past 20-30 years (Henkles, Wustoff, Cutco, etc.). It is durable and holds an edge better than any other knife I have owned.

I would like to try a couple more Japanese chef knives, especially one made by Mcusta, but I just don't need anything better than what I already have.

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My sgntr is mor thn 30 chrctrs

My Cousin's Grandson sells Cutco knives. I bought a cheese knife from him. Got a decent discount too.



I do have a set of Henckel knives also. Like them a lot.

My wife had a friend who (between jobs) did the Cutco sales thing. Gina bought a serrated knife from her that she just loves. Paid a lot for it, too. It's a good knife - and when I looked at it, I realized it's the same serrated Cutco knife that Mom bought in the early Seventies (and still uses all the time).



I think they're overpriced, but everyone I know who has them likes them. Oh, and I have a couple myself - bought on super-duper-duper clearance sale. One's a kitchen knife (a 5") that I got a year after my wife got her expensive serrated kitchen knife - I love reminding Gina of how little I paid for it (from one of the discount online outlets), and I have to say the little thing has been dandy - though I don't use it nearly as much as several other kitchen knives.



The other is a Ka-Bar clone of the Buck 110 (yes, CutCo makes those), also purchased on super-duper-duper clearance from some outlet, probably Smoky Mountain. That's one that I've had kicking around for 20 years but pretty much never used until I (recently) bought a little one-hand opener doo-dad on Amazon. Now the thing is a great knife to have around.





Anyhow - reliable knives. Weird marketing that can result in people paying a lot for them, but no one ever seems to mind the price forty years down the line when they're still using the knife. It's not something I'd ever think to recommend, but I have a begrudging respect for the brand.

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How God has blessed us!

I agree with the earlier comment about not buying a big block of knives. Every cooking and knife skills class I've ever taken has reinforced the idea that most people need only three knives: a chef's knife, a slicing knife (I use a small chef's knife for this), and a paring knife. A serrated bread knife (also useful for stringy veggies like artichokes) would be the fourth, and that should be the only serrated blade in the kitchen. Go into the kitchen of a serious cook and you will almost never find a big block of knives on the counter ... that is just sales theater to make people who don't cook feel like they're chefs. So regardless of whose knives you buy, please resist the urge to buy a set.

My go-to knife is my 6" carbon steel Moritaka (Japanese) chef's knife. It takes a frighteningly sharp edge with a light pass over the honing steel, but I do also have a larger Wusthof chef's knife that I use for heavier tasks like deboning a chicken. Except for my bread knife, all of my knifes have traditional (non-serrated) edges that I hone regularly with a honing steel, and sharpen occasionally with a stone.

As for Cutco: their "secret sauce" is the "Double D" serrated edge. In truth, every sharp knife has a serrated edge, but with most knives the serrations are microscopic and can be re-honed with a few passes over a honing steel. As some have noted, the cutting edge of a Cutco knife has a fine serration machined into it, which cannot be honed or sharpened at home. Whether this is better or worse than a more conventional edge is a matter of opinion, but I do bristle at the idea of not being able to sharpen it myself. That said, I would put my 8 year old 6" chef's knife against any new Cutco blade, and my blade will provide a lifetime of service without ever having to leave my kitchen. I think I paid about $75 for it ... a pittance for a tool that will outlast me (and especially knowing that it came from a company that has been making blades for over 700 years).

I think a lot of people get turned off by the idea of honing or sharpening a knife, and I'm guessing that this is the reason that Cutco has strong appeal for many. The aggressive sales techniques employed by Cutco's representatives really turn me off, but that doesn't make their blades any worse. I've used a few Cutco knives in my friends' kitchens, and they've always worked fine for me, but I wouldn't go out of my way to buy a knife that requires proprietary sharpening.

By the way, the best thing I ever did for my cooking skills was to take a knife skills class. That one day of instruction transformed my cooking, and it has provided me with a great foundation on which to develop other culinary skills. This is an investment that will make any kitchen knife purchase a more satisfying experience.

Mike

I LOVE to find old Cutco knives at any of my local area flea markets and yard sales, I can usually get them anywhere from a quarter all the way up to 2-3 whole dollars. I go home, give a quick polish and flog them on eBay, a set of four, common steak knives that I paid two bucks for brought me over a hundred clams!
Yes sir, go CUTCO!!!

If there IS a downside to this strategy, it's that occasionally, the wife reaches over and claims one or two for household use...

Thanks for all the thoughts given.

I really am only after a carving set as the holidays are coming and turkey,ham and especially rib roasts hopefully will cross my path

Seems if I take my time I could be in a new cutco set for around 100 bucks. Not too bad to give this company a try.

As I mentioned earlier I am great with a steel and my boning knives are downright impressively sharp,but really want to have a carver with the same quality edge. I have tried sharpening thicker blades and they do ok but I want WOW

Might try another brand if I am not impressed. There are a few places around here that offer Japanese and German lines. Some mentioned above.

I just worry I would ruin the blade.

Cutco knives are great for those who can't sharpen a knife.

They are very overpriced because you are paying dearly for the sharpening service up front. After awhile the postage to send them back starts to add up.

Paying someone to teach you how to sharpen a knife would be a much better value .

Actually sharpening a knife is easy, once you see it done and get some hands on instruction. A couple of sharpening stones and a sharpening steel is all that's needed. Like the local butcher ( my brother) I run my blade over a steel before each use. The stones I had used for years but my brother showed me how to use a steel to get a Quick razor edge right before cutting anything .
Ask your local butcher to give you a lesson....cutting is their profession and they have to have sharp knives .
Gary

For the little bit I cook, I would not consider myself a chef. The knives that I do use tend to be inexpensive. My Mora with the 6” blade does a lot of carving and chopping. The profile is not ideal, and the Scandi grind is not supposed to be well-suited to slicing, but I think it slices quite well.

Some Old Hickory butcher knives and a 5” Dexter-Russell Green River fish knife also do a bit of work, but for the most part, the Mora and whatever Opinel I have in my pocket get it done.

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Not in jail.

I don't care for the thin blades or their overall design, but they do use some high quality steel that holds an edge.

My lady friend has a set. They are great knives.

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No baby we aint

Our household is blessed with a set of 8 Cutco steak knives and a Cutco bread knife. We bought them from a classmate of one of our children. My wife did it and has never volunteered what price she paid nor have I asked. The knives are at least 20 years old and still have a good edge.

The salesperson's career spiraled downward after Cutco.

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Bob.
SWCA 1821

Cutco for me!

Never bought a set just one at a time. My first was the 9" carver, 25 years ago. Still use it often.

Not cheep but for me well worth the cost.

Pap: They ARE very high quality knives, but as many others have observed, they ARE expensive! I probably hold the record for years of use. I became one of their salesman in late '59 early '60. Couldn't tolerate the high pressure sales tactics, so quit, but my very complete sample set (one of everything) is still used by me daily. I do need to send it in to them to have the blades resharpened & handles repolished...one of these days. Even if I were much younger, I probably wouldn't spend the extra $$ for them. How many other things (guns excluded) do you buy anticipating 59 years of use?

Best Of Luck, Hank M.

Cutco knives are stamped thin sheet steel knives that sell for the same price as higher quality forged knives. I bought a set for my parents, got a good look at them, and realized I could have done much better for the price I paid.

If you are looking for USA manufacture and a Forever Warranty, Buck makes kitchen cutlery. https://www.buckknives.com/knives/cutlery/ They had them on sale last month. I considered adding another 8" Chef's knife to my 30+ year old Chicago Cutlery collection. I decided against it because their chef's knives are saber ground as opposed to full flat ground. I notice Cutco uses a saber grind too.

I haven't used a store bought knife in decades. However, I watched a demo probably by the same girl on the cutting ability. If I am fortunate Saturday I will get to try it out.

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I'll take a Randall Made knife over a Cutco any day of the week and twice on Sunday !

Gary

When we were in high school, my sister dated a guy who sold CutCo knives door to door. Our mom felt obliged to buy a set of kitchen knives from him, and they weren't too bad. My sister did unfortunately find out first hand how sharp they are, when she slipped and cut herself so bad she needed an ER visit for stitches.

On the other side of the equation, good knives or not, I have real problem with their sales strategy, which is more of a pyramid scheme than anything else. They draw in young people with promises of big money and fast advancement up the ranks, and then punish them for not meeting unrealistic quotas.



Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

I’ve always disliked Cutco stuff, largely because of the marketing, my belief that they are wildly overpriced and the fact that they are stainless steel. Most stainless steel knives are hard to sharpen and don’t hold an edge well.

My preference in kitchen knives are the older Sabatier carbon steel knives.

If you insist on stainless steel, the Japanese MAC knives hold an edge well and are easy to sharpen.

I wouldn’t buy a knife set.

Bought a set of the three suggested below for $150 on Wayfair 5 years ago, it was the Victorinox professional series three knife set, also bought a global chef knife for $100. we have one cutco, sold to my wife from her sister years ago. It’s a nice knife, not any nicer than the others we have but a bit pricey.

After seeing the handle shape in post #14, I actually have one of their knives. Paid .75 cents for it at a garage sale. Only bought it cause it was a cool looking Halloween type knife...the kind Michael Myers used to slash people in the movie.

That might be the best price for a Cutco ever!

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John 14:6, Luke 21:11

My parents have had Cutco knife set for 20+ years, and they are sharp as ever, and used continuously in their house.
I purchased their pocket knife at the same time they ordered their set. It's still sharp, but the blade has chipped, and the handle split. One day I'll take them up on the warranty. I just found the receipt this morning, so I think the knife is probably in that same drawer.

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John 14:6, Luke 21:11

Had a set since 1976, was a shower present for my wife’s first marriage. Still sharp and used as needed. Recently bought the cheese knife about 15 yrs ago, it just looks cool and works well. See it in Bgrafsr’s post above, Larry

I've got a 23 piece set of Wusthof Classic knives for about 22 years now. They are great and I'm happy with them. They are high carbon and really last a long time between sharpening. They are even tough up against my Wife - and even she can't dull them prematurely. That said, I do take care of them!

ABOUT CUTCO: Everything I've read, heard and seen about Cutco has been positive and can't remember reading any bad press about their quality or customer service. I look at a high end knife set as sort of a family heirloom to be used by you, handed down to your kids and so on and so forth. A high quality set of knives properly cared for should last virtually forever!

The only thing I do not view as a positive feature is their Double D branded serrated edge because it's pretty much requires being sent back to the Factory for sharpening - I dislike that concept. I like to be self reliant and sharpen my kitchen knives as needed in the comfort of my home Workshop. Even if they sharpen them for "free" you still pay shipping, handling charges and are without the knives for a few weeks. I don't know how long the Double D edge will last under normal use but if it lasts 5 - 8 years or so it may not be an issue to most ASSUMING the Company never goes out of business! I suppose worst case scenario the Dbl. D edge could be reshaped and turned into a traditional edge if one is fairly well skilled. I'm not in need of any knives these days, but I'd like to actually have one to use just to see and compare.

Here are the CutCo knives I mentioned supra in Post # 15:

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How God has blessed us!

Over priced and over hyped junk. Buy 3 good quality kitchen knives (8 inch chef, 4 inch paring, and a bread knife) and you are good to go. I have a set of dust off steak knives too. I have maybe 300 into the whole group.

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Even older, even crankier....

We have a set of kitchen knives and I have a hunting knife by Cutco.....good knives.

I recently spent $300.00 on a set by a particular mfg and it didnt last a year...They have a warranty policy and I will be contacting them next week.

My parents bought a set of Cutco knives in 1984 and they are still working well. Sent into the factory once for re-sharpening otherwise Dad kept the edge.

As far as sales go, I wouldn't feel bad for the sales reps. It is a situation where either it is a good fit and it works or they need to consider something else. High pressure sales are bad all the way around, however. Sad that if this is true in this case, that they do not provide a forum to learn the skills necessary to be successful otherwise. I do not know if this true, but am replying to comments aforementioned.

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Rather be outdoors

These are great knives.