Cutco Cutlery Paring Knife 2 3/4" blade Like New

• USA Made
• Forever Guarantee
• Free Factory Sharpening/Replacement
• Ergonomic Handles
• High Grade Steel

To be fair, I did not actually spend my own money on this cutco paring knife. I have experience with one that's been "in the family" for a little while. Aside from my experience with this paring knife, my sister also owns an entire block set of cutco knives, which I have sharpened for her(I know cutco sharpens them for you, but in all frankness, I know I can do a better job, and I didn't charge her anything either:). From my experience with all of the cutco knives, I have 3 solid quality and performance criticisms which have nothing to do with the gimmicky way the company operates.

1. To my understanding, cutco uses 440A stainless steel in their blades hardened to 56HRC. 440A is such a cheap steel, there is absolutely no justification for the price point. There are a plethora of knives made by reputable knife companies(using far superior steels over 440A)selling at a much lower price point than these exorbitantly expensive cutco knives. The wonderful Wusthof Gourmet 3" paring knife is one such example:Wusthof 4022 Gourmet 3-Inch Paring Knife

2.Also, 56 on the rockwell scale is way too soft for a decent kitchen knife. You really want something at least approaching 59 or 60 for it to have decent edge holding capabilities. And no, it will not be impossible to resharpen at this hardness.

3. Cutco kitchen knives are hollow ground. This edge geometry is not ideal for the average slicing task in the kitchen. A fully flat ground profile is much preferred(the only better edge geometry, other than a fully flat ground blade, would be that of the traditional Japanese single ground edges as seen in the usuba or yanagiba as used by sushi chefs). The advantage of a hollow ground knife is that it allows for a thicker spine(thickness = strength) relative to the fine edge. However, this quality is completely unnecessary in a kitchen knife, unless you plan on using yours to dig a grave or pry open tin cans.

Aside from these 3 basic criticisms, the price point of cutco knives is an enormous turn off. Honestly, the quality of the steel used in them is no better than what you will find in the cheapest knife available at your local wal-mart. As I mentioned above, there are so many good knives made with decent and superior steels(x50CrMov15, aus8A, vg10, etc...), why would you buy a knife made with such a cheap underwhelming steel for the price that they are sold for? The price tag that should be placed on this cutco paring knife? I do think that the construction and handle materials are decent, so, for that alone, I suppose it might be worth 5~10 dollars. However, since the knife won't perform well, that really doesn't matter... so, to me, its not even worth a couple bucks...

Update:

The cutco pairing knife uses 440A steel and the wusthof pairing knife(mentioned above) uses a steel called x50CrMov15. Here is further clarification as to why the Cutco pairing knife loses when compared side by side with the wusthof:

To start with, I must go into a little detail about the steels employed in both knives.

440A tends to contain impurities such as sulfur and phosphorus which make the steel more brittle. X50CrMov15, as far as I am aware, does not. If it does, the quantity is much less. X50CrMov15 has a roughly .15% vanadium content. Vanadium is a carbide former and increases wear resistance and hardenability. Also, vanadium refines the grain structure of the steel, which aids in its toughness and ease of re-sharpening; this means it will allow the steel to take and hold a sharper edge. This is the biggest difference between 440A and x50CrMov15. Although 440A has a higher chromium content, which may give it better corrosion resistance, since chromium forms large complex carbides, it tends to hinder sharpenability. Since any steel with 11~13% chromium is considered "stainless," the 16~18% chromium content in 440A compared with the 14.5% in x50CrMov15 is arguably too much in the application of a kitchen knife(also, I have seen rust spots on many cutco knives...and though this is easily removed, as it is with any "stainless" steel, the increased chromium really does nothing but harm).

Now, depending on the heat treatments/temperings and such there can be a certain amount of difference from one knife with the same steel to another, as it is with all steels. For this reason, please be advised that all pairing knives using x50CrMoV15 may not perform identically one to another. However, in the way that wusthof has treated the steel in this knife, x50CrMov15 seems perfect for a pairing knife because of the following reasons:

1. Ease of sharpening. The wusthof pairing knife I own is one of the easiest knives to re-sharpen. It doesn't take very long for me to touch it up.

2. Excellent sharpenability. In addition to its ease of sharpening, the sharpenaibility means it can take a scary sharp edge.

3. Though x50crMov15 is not the toughest steel out there, in its application for a paring knife, it is perfect. Since a paring knife rarely touches a hard surface such as a cutting board(wood or otherwise) and is primarily used for peeling or detailed work against a relatively soft media such as a fruit or vegetable, it really doesn't dull quickly even when the knife is so thin(which makes it an absolutely magnificent slicer/peeler etc... it just cuts through so easily).

In contrast, the hollow ground profile of the cutco pairing knife combined with its thicker spine do not suit its intended purpose, and if you use them side by side, the difference is astounding. Also, as I mentioned before, the Cutco pairing knife is really hard to get razor sharp..., and when you get it, my experience is that it doesn't maintain that razor sharpness very long.... Which goes along with the analysis of the steels I provided above. I'm just not happy with the steel or the blade geometry. Also, the cost makes the wusthof pairing knife a much better buy in contrast to the cutco. The wusthof is a better knife, it works better, is significantly cheaper, uses better steel, has a better grind for its purpose... what more can I say? That's all...just one user's opinion. Your experiences may very, and I respect those that would rather purchase a USA made product. I hope my data points and opinions have been informative to some:)

Buy Cutco Cutlery Paring Knife 2 3/4" blade Like New Now

I love this little knife. It was sharp when I got it and is sharp a year later. I have other $9 paring knives that just take up space in the drawer. This one feels good and is very sharp exactly what I want in a paring knife.

Ok, it lost a star for price. I don't mind paying more for nice knives but paring has always been more worker bee than shining star in my kitchen.

Read Best Reviews of Cutco Cutlery Paring Knife 2 3/4" blade Like New Here

We were replacing a lost knife...they are really good quality. Have 3 of them, they are quite durable and sharp

Want Cutco Cutlery Paring Knife 2 3/4" blade Like New Discount?

I was thrilled to find a replacement Cutco paring knife after mine disappeared and I felt lost in the kitchen. Best knives ever!

The paring knife is beyond awesome. It keeps the edge for a super long time, and the handle feels great in my hands compared to the normally short and stubby paring knife handles. Coming from a rep, however, I would suggest the 4" paring knife that is also from cutco, but costs only $2 more than the 2 3/4" one. That being said, it is also much cheaper to get it straight from the manufacturers. If you want to know more about it, contact me at hokuwong@gmail.com. Pick one up for yourself and feel the difference.