J.A. Henckels International Forged Synergy 16-Piece Knife Set

J.A. Henckels International Forged Synergy 16-Piece Knife SetThis is a variation of my review of the J.A. Henckels International Forged Synergy 13-Piece Knife Set. But this 16-piece set is the one I'd recommend, so here goes... My wife and I have been using the Forged Synergy knives for over 5 years, and we couldn't be happier with them. They are well made, well-balanced, have beautiful handles, a nice finish, and hold a very sharp edge--we've sliced tomatoes with all of them. If you're buying your first set of fine knives, these WILL hold up to the Henckels reputation for quality.

Now regarding what some others have said about rusting and quality, I'll just add my two cents. There is a "Forged Synergy" and a "Fine Edge Synergy" series, and the main kitchen knives in those sets are NOT the same (though the steak knives appear to be so). The forged series has a metal tine that runs all the way through the handle with the black grips riveted on. The J.A. Henckels International Fine Edge Synergy 13-Piece Block Set is totally different--see the Amazon photos and descriptions for yourself. Yes, this Forged Synergy set is also made in China (not Spain or Germany like some of the more expensive Henckels sets that are 2 to 5 times more expensive), but the quality is still excellent and should far surpass most users' expectations.

Regarding rust spots, we've had none. However, there are two main types of stainless steel: one is harder and slightly less stain resistant; the other is more stain resistant but slightly softer. That means that you give up a little stain resistance to have a knife that holds a sharper edge longer. I think that's much more important than having to clean an occasional rust spot off if it were to occur. And usually, rust spots come from cheap kitchen gadgets whose rust sticks to the stainless--not that the stainless itself is rusting.

There are only two minor faults I find with this set (that didn't stop me from buying it, however). The kitchen shears are excellent quality and cut great, but the two parts should be easily separable for cleaning purposes. You'll see this in newer shear designs, and it's not a feature that would add to the cost. Also, the black finished knife block will eventually show wear and tear from missing when inserting knives into the slots. I'd have preferred a standard maple block. Lastly, for a few dollars more, I recommend the 16-piece version of this set over the 13-piece set because you get three more knives for about the price of one more.

The prior reviewer must be rating a different model of Henckels knives than the "Forged Synergy." These knives are the second best I have ever used, second only to Henckels Pro and Gourmet knives which are 2-5X the cost of Forged Synergy. Possibly the other reviewer meant to review Henckels "Fine Edge Synergy" knives which are a much lesser quality that I would not suggest buying. If you are a home cook/chef, these are more knife than you will ever need.

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These are mid-range steel with excellent edge retention and above par corrosion resistance. The weight is well balanced, single forged steel from blade tip to handle base, and with regular honing these should never need sharpening. That said, these are a mid-grade steel, not premium.

I think what people are referring to as rust is actually a milder form of oxidation (rust is a more serious oxidation that breaks down the structural integrity of metal). My grandfather taught us to never put a good knife in the dishwasher b/c the fast "heating and cooling" cycle tends to break down the anti-corrosive properties. This can (and will) happen to any metal regularly exposed to the elements, though a higher grade steel will be more resistant.

Recently my roommate (in her late-night stupor), placed the chef knife from this set on the bottom shelf of our dishwasher. What came out were two tiny yellow spots on the crux of the blade near the top of where the handle starts. My uncle (who's a head chef and butcher by trade), mentions cleaning the knife with hydrogen peroxide. Along with a little soaking, this removed the spots almost completely and the chemical reaction from the peroxide (from what he says) passively renews some of the steel's natural protection against oxidation.

I'm a few years out of college, work in finance and love to cook. These are a great set, though not perfect... Not a 5 star set due to the sometimes slippery "plasticky" feel of the grip, and would have been 4 stars except for the spotty oxidation issue. I recommend these to anybody looking for great mid-range steel, under $200.

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I have messed around with cheap knives before and you always get what you pay for. Without paying top dollar for these knives you get a great quality knife that cuts well and looks great. Be warned the steak knives are not the Forged Synergy quality, they are indeed from the Fine synergy set but they are only steak knives so that was not a big deal for me. I have owned these knives for 6 months now and have had no major issues. You should hand wash them and if you leave them soak in the sink full of water or leave them wet for an extended period of time you will get rust spots. These spots are easily removed with a Green scratchy pad. If you just want some basic dishwasher safe knives then I would go with something cheaper. If you want a good set of knives that may not be the Best out there but also don't want to spend a fortune then you'll be happy with these.

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I bought this set of knifes for my wife 4 months ago. We love using them, the best and worst part about them is they are so sharp. It is very easy to slice through pretty much anything. You just have to be careful, if you barely touch skin you will be putting on a band aid. Other reviews talked about how the steak knifes were junk. They are by no means junk they just aren't solid forged like the rest of the knifes, but steak knifes aren't for everyday use they are steak knifes. So unless you are strickly carnivores they will be very good and last a long time.

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