Cangshan S1 Series 1022568 German Steel Forged 5-Piece Starter Knife Block Set Walnut

We needed new kitchen knives after moving, and I wanted something a little better than the old Chicago Cutlery set I had previously (good intro set, but I was ready for more professional knives). After considering the expensive options, I came across this Cangshan set: German steel, ultra high carbon, sleek look, and no unnecessary "filler knives" that I would probably never really use. I read the reviews, tried to find more info on the internet (not much there), and finally decided to take the plunge after weighing up all the pros and cons I could think of. So glad I did. These knives are absolutely magickal. They are very solid in the hand and heavy, and even better, they are so well balanced! The old knives I had were handle-heavy - all the bulk was in the handle and the business end of the knife was quite light. The Cangshan knives distribute their weight, which helps immensely when cutting awkward and heavy things like pumpkin. They go through everything with absolute ease; like "a hot knife through butter", as the saying goes. And the tomato test - yeah, these knives laughed at me as they created perfect, translucent slices. I commented to my husband that I was reminded by a line in Kung Fu Panda where Po is examining all the artefacts in the temple for the first time: "The Sword of Heroes! Said to be so sharp you can get cut just by looking at - Ow!" Yes, that's the chef's knife...and the santoku....and, well, all of these knives. I love everything about these knives. The creamy white handles might not be everyone's thing, but they resonate with me both in a magickal and mundane way (I wanted a bolline in the kitchen, not an athame). The handles are smooth and feel completely natural in the hand. They are made in a way that is hygienic and complies with all food safety requirements (NSF stamped on the blade as well). I imagine you could run them through the dishwasher if you absolutely had to, but it's not recommended; I personally wash them by hand immediately after using and store them in the block supplied. The block itself is very cool and unconventional, another draw card. It is sturdy on the benchtop, and the knives look exactly as pictured in the photos. Bottom line: superb knives for the price. And if white is not your thing, I'm sure the black S Series is very much the same. Read more

The media could not be loaded. The Cangshan S1 is worth more than its billing due to high quality steel and confident, quick cutting. I was initially very hesitant to make the purchase, but the price dipped to a point where I was willing to take the risk. This apprehension toward buying a knife in the $30 to $40 from an unknown knife maker is, to me, understandable. There is a lot of things that can't be identified from simply looking at a picture on a screen. The way it forms to the hand, the ease of cutting, and cutting style of the holder can be as important as the components of the knife. This knife is great. It comes out of the box razor sharp. It produced an elegant push cut and it respectably held the edge. I think for it's price you should definitely consider this as competition for a Mercer Renaissance or Victorinox knife. The advantage with this knife is that it has some bells and whistles along with being a forged knife. The steel is the same as the Renaissance, but the handle is really comfortable, although some may consider it a little bulky. I have fairly small hands, but I still found it comfortable for my grip. One of the gimmicks I came to enjoy was the angled bolster. It was more comfortable than other bolsters but only slightly so. According to the Cangshan website, the bolster is meant to align and accommodate a firm and natural pinch grip. I've never had a problem prior to this, so I didn't notice a large difference As far as performance goes, I think this knife works far better than the money I spent for it. It has a 16 degree edge, 58 rockwell hardness, and some nice packaging to go along with it. If you are worried about performance, don't be. This knife is well made, and, in this price range, a really competitive deal. Read more

This is a very sharp knife set!! I thought it cut off my finger print when I tested it! My husband says “I can still put a sharper edge on it” but I won’t let him, these knives are much better than any other set we have ever bought! I got him a heavy 50$ set to play sharpen practice with. These knives and sturdy - sharp - and clean! They are pricey but I bout a set at bed bath and beyond once for 250$ and that set was not only smaller - but no where near as sharp at all! With this set - I got rid of ALL of my other knives I have ever gotten to try and do stuff in the kitchen. I am very pleased with how well they cut through meat - onions - tomatoes - cheese... like butter - all of it! Even my other knives brand new were not as pleasing. I am really hoping that in a year we will still be able to enjoy them as much. I wash and dry these knives right after use every time. No more letting them sit on the counter... I am doing everything I can to keep them clean - dry and in the knife block. No more sitting in the drainer to dry or just tossing them into the dishwasher because they are useless anyway. These suckers get hand washed and dried on the spot and immediately put back in the knife block. It’s is a very heavy set, knife block is very sturdy and smooth, knives came individually packaged and protected. Instruction booklet was very nice to read too. Some complained about chipping - not sharp - knife block broke - handles broke. I have no idea what they have done with their knives but we have already made 3 extremely large meals to feed 10-15 people each time, these knifes are amazing. Yes even the booklet says you have to make sure you wash - clean - dry and store only in the knife block. With the meals I have made so far - I have no idea what they have done to cause the damages And discoloring they have done. We will see what a year brings. Read more