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Christine D
July 21, 2023
Very nice and affordable knife set
I had a Cangshan knife already, and despite the very pricey kitchen knives I own, it was my dad's favorite. He says it holds an edge better than the other blades in the house. So I got him enough that he now has some of the nicest knives he's owned in 92 years. He absolutely loves these, and I like their small footprint on my counter. And I'd agree with him, Cangshan blades do hold a very sharp edge. They're also quite handsome, and this set comes with care instructions that are very useful, especially when it explains the little details like rivet maintenance. I'd never have thought about it before, but now I'm glad to know how to care for even the smallest part of these tools.
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GREAT SMALL SET
This is pricey but a great small 4 piece set ,So good for either additional or if you lack counter space, apartment.RV, trailers who want that counter knife set but lack the space this is great oneThe ergonomic shape of the handle feels great in the hand , left or right handedEXTREMELY SHARP
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WorldTravelr
July 30, 2023
Probably the best quality knives (at this price point) I have found. Good for home chefs.
You won't find a nicer set of knives for the buck than these Cangshen knives ... and if you can do without the steak knives and scizzors most knife blocks come with, these 3 knives are really all the average home chef needs. In many cases, if I don't recognize the name on the knife, I won't buy it ... I am an amateur (home) chef who takes cooking pretty seriously and I own a few sets of blades, from cheap to expensive, so I've done my research into what makes a great knife. Unfortunately, I am not someone who can go out and drop a grand to buy a knife set, although honestly there are probably worse investments you could make than such an expensive knife set.I own one other set of Cangshen knives and they have proved very good. I usually only buy Japanese or German brands and avoid Chinese made knives as the quality varies so much and often, the claims are inflated. (Damascus Steel knives for under $200 is usually FAR off the mark beyond a marketing standpoint). However, Chef Thomas Keller ... probably THE best known chef in the country, maybe even the world, is the Cangshen brand ambassador. Keller supposedly worked with the company to develop a personal line of knives (not these) and is involved enough in the company, I trust the weight his recommendation has. Unlike other celebrity tv chefs, I doubt Keller would put his name on something cooking-related even despite the ridiculous money likely offered. This certainly got my attention.These knives were Made in China using German steel, which is generally looked at as being some of the best in the world, though Japanese steel knives may have eclipsed it. It is my guess that Cangshen is going after the luxury knife market with a focus on competitors like Wusthoff and Zwilling J.A. Henckles. In the past, you had to spend a lot more on these brands but within the past decade or two, even the top luxury cutlery brands have introduced 'entry-level' lines into the market. The Alps model from Cangshan is just that. It was originally produced for one of the US's largest big box stores and is now available at other retailers. The Alps series is an entry-level line ... Cangshan has lines which go up to above a grand, so don't expect top of the line across the board on these ... but DO expect top of the line for the price point.Pros:- These are hand sharpened using German x50CrMoV15 Steel. That may not mean much to you ... but for the price, it's about the best steel you'll find. These have a 58 +/- 2 on the Rockwell Hardness Scale. Likely, these are in the 56 range which isn't terrible ... but not outstanding. However, it is likely the process used to make these and the overall quality of the metal makes them better than similar 58 +/- knives.- ICP is a measurement of sharpness of blades. A spoon is around 31 ICP and top knives are around 120 ICP. Cangshan's marketing claims that its knives are 130 ICP. (It also claims the top quality German knife brands are 62 - 88 ICP, top Japanese 100-108 ICP and average commercial is 64 - 85 ICP). Quite impressive, if true, and I do notice that these blades run through what I am cutting MUCH better than the average commercial set. I don't see as much of a difference between my Wusthoff set, maybe slightly better on the Cangshan, which in fairness, could be due to their newness.- TCC (Total Card Cut) measures how long a knife will stay sharp. While I have no basis to measure, as I've only used these for a week ... the brand's marketing says Cangshan knives have a TCC of 601. (It also states that a Spoon has 101 TCC, Premium German knife brands have 303-481 TCC, Japanese 487-514 TCC and average commercial knives have 171-285 TCC.) Again, very impressive, if true.- These feel great in your hand. I have big hands and these feel good, although someone with larger fingers might find the little 'nook' where the blade meets the handle a bit tight. This is designed to prevent your finger from sliding onto the blade when cutting. These have an angled bolster with a 3 pin connector and this allows for a 'pinch grip' on the handle, which many chefs prefer.- They have a 16-degree Asian-style edge. This leans more towards precision knife work and cuts and is favored by Japanese chefs who are more exacting and precise. The European-style edge favors chopping and dicing ... more 'brute force' so keep that in mind depending on what you are using this for. If you are dicing tons of garlic and chopping lots of onions for sauces, etc. it may give you pause. Likely your average home chef won't notice much of a difference.- This set feels like QUALITY! The Acacia wood block is heavy and won't tip. These aren't the heaviest knives I've felt but do have a good weight to them. They are super sharp and go through a sheet of card stock paper like air. A good chef uses little force to press down on what they are cutting ... the sharpness of the blade should do the work ... so weight is not incredibly important in cutting. However, these are heavier than cheaper knives, so hand fatigue might be a thing.- Probably not a factor either way in getting you to buy these but know that they are NSF certified, meaning that they meet the same public health and safety standards as the professional grade equipment found in restaurants and hotels. Not a huge deal but it speaks to quality as few knife brands in this price range are NSF certified.- Finally, the care. I have found that these tend to get white water splotches within hours when not immediately dried after washing. These take some work to remove. 'Stainless Steel' is a bit of a mis-nomer because even stainless steel will rust if you leave it overnight in a wet sink. My other set has some rust spots from where I left them carelessly in a wet bowl. You must clean and dry these after using them ... I'd imagine left with food or water residue overnight, they will stain, as will 99% of knives. I wash mine by hand and keep them (dry) in the block. While I don't think the metal will change colour in the dishwasher, like some cheap metals, you should avoid using a dish washer on these as the tips may break or the edge may chip. These are quality knives ... treat them as such.Overall, don't hesitate to buy these. You may not have heard of Cangshan right now but it seems that they are making a splash in the high-end home use knife world. You won't find a better knife for the price right now ... however, these entry-level sets are not easy to come by. As more people are drawn to the brand (and the Chef Thomas Keller connection) the less expensive sets will become harder to find. I'm glad I ordered these ... the quality is great, the look really good on my counter and though the block is weighty and unlike bigger sets, it takes up only small counter top real estate. (Although I'd prefer a magnetic wall holder.) Bottom line is you won't find a better bargain on knives that actually perform well. I hope my honest review after using this set of Cangshen knives, and having owned others, helped you make an informed shopping decision.
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beautiful set, love the block
This knife block set is pure elegance! The block looks so fancy sitting on my kitchen countertop. With three high-quality knives included, it's a chef's dream... or in my case, it just sits there looking like I know how to cook. The Cangshan symbol on each knife adds a touch of class. I'm totally impressed with this set!*This product was given to me through the Amazon Vine program for my honest and unbiased opinion. I have no affiliation with the company/seller. I hope you find this review helpful in your decision-making process*
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Great set
Arrived sharp, as they should, but they were obviously machine sharpened, not in a precise way, so they got dull quicker than I'd like. They look very nice. I always suggest to get your knives sharpened by a professional because even the cheapest knife will stay sharp for months - if it is sharpened correctly. Love the look and overall I am not disappointed.
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