Ginsu Chikara 07112 12-Piece Stainless Steel Knife, Blade and Bamboo Block Set

Product Description

Ginsu 07112 12-Piece Traditional Japanese Style handle, Stainless Steel Knife Blade and Bamboo Block Set. Stain and Rust resistant Stainless Steel.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3071 in Kitchen & Housewares
• Brand: Ginsu
• Model: 7112
• Dimensions: 21.75" h x 12.00" w x 15.25" l, 10.00 pounds

Features

• 12-piece set includes 8-inch chef, 7-inch Santoku, 5-inch serrated utility, 3.5-inch paring, four steak knives, kitchen shears, sharpening rod
• High-carbon, stain-resistant Japanese stainless steel blade for a longer lasting edge
• Japanese steel tang extends through the entire handle and fits smoothly in your hand
• Traditional Japanese style handles are made of heat and water resistant resin
• Dishwasher safe, handwashing recommended; backed by limited lifetime warranty; made in Japan

Amazon.com Product Description
Long admired for offering premium cutlery of unbeatable value, Ginsu knives are made from sharp, strong, Japanese stainless steel and--like a samurai sword--known for their ability to easily slice through anything. This 12-piece set includes one 8-inch chef, one 7-inch Santoku, one 5-inch serrated utility, one 3.5-inch paring, and four steak knives as well as kitchen shears and a sharpening rod. All pieces are housed in a handsome bamboo wood block, which offers both excellent durability and sustainability.

Part of Ginsu's Chikara line--which translates to energy and power--these knives are forged from a single solid piece of high carbon Japanese steel for superb quality. Japanese steel is known for its stain and rust resistance, strength, and its ability to hold an incredibly sharp edge. A great companion for mincing, slicing, and dicing a variety of ingredients, the 7-inch Asian-style Santoku knife has broad blade and especially sharp cutting edge as well as indentations that minimize friction and sticking. The traditional Japanese-style handles are made of heat- and water-resistant resin and fit smoothly into your hand. Dishwasher safe, though hand washing recommended. Backed by a limited lifetime warranty.

Customer Reviews

Fantastic Deal
Don't let the name Ginsu fool you: This is a beautiful, professional-level knife set that screams quality--at an exceptionally low price (list price = $169.95). Ginsu has really upped its game (note that there are a lot of cheap knock-off knives out there that call themselves Ginsu, especially Ginsu 2000 and 3000, which are total junk). Several other points: 1. This set recently won a best in category Housewares Design Award; 2. The knives and block are made in China (just an fyi); 3. The company is actually owned by Berkshire Hathaway, i.e., Warren Buffet; 4. You should not run these through the dishwasher; 5. You will need to think about a sharpening system in addition to usual honing steel that comes with the set (I suggest the Edgemaker Pro system, which, if you search hard enough on the 'net, can be had for as little as $22.95 with free shipping). Shipping was very fast from this merchant.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
The Good:
Excellent knives for $119. Good weight and balance of handle and blade. It feels great in your hand. Razor sharp but sharpening is a must before each use (or at least every other use). It may not have the prestige presence of a Wusthof or Henckels set on the kitchen counter, but it DOES NOT look cheap. Its Japanese design and bamboo block make it more of a resemblance of a Shun knives set. And Shun is actually more expensive than the two more popular brands.

The Bad:
Handle's finish becomes very flat and dull after wash. Dab a little oil on a paper towel and rub it on the handle and it will look fantastic without being slippery.

The Ugly:
The Ginsu name seems to make it sounds like a cheap TV offer knives set. But believe me it looks and performs like a $500 set.

***Best knives set for your money. You will not find a better knives set for $120 unless you find a set of high end Shun, Wusthof or Henckels for 85% off at a closeout sale somewhere.

Beautiful Knives
I first bought just the santoku knive and absolutely fell in love with it, so I decided to buy the full set, figuring an extra santoku knife certainly couldn't hurt considering how useful it is.

First, if you are a fan of Japanese knives like Shun, these give you an equally handsome and *far, far less* expensive option. I am not saying the blades have the same beauty and quality of Shun Damascus steel, but they are sharp, keep their edges well, and are easily sharpened. More importantly, they work very well, so well that I have stopped using my other knives.

This set would also make an excellent graduation or wedding present. And the Ginsu name also gives a fun, kitsch quality.