On Wed, 18 Oct 2017 08:42:55 -0700 (PDT), Its Me wrote:

On Wednesday, October 18, 2017 at 8:00:36 AM UTC-4, John H wrote:
On Wed, 18 Oct 2017 06:58:38 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 10/18/2017 6:41 AM, John H wrote:
On Tue, 17 Oct 2017 18:23:21 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 10/17/2017 4:16 PM, Bill wrote:
wrote:
On Tue, 17 Oct 2017 08:24:20 -0400, John H
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 22:51:59 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 12:39:18 -0400, John H
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 12:20:13 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 07:50:29 -0400, John H
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 01:19:11 -0400, wrote:


There are a few of those TV cooking guys who do pretty knife work.
Jeff Smith (Frugal Gourmet) was a great knife guy. I learned lots of
things from watching that show. Too bad he was a pervert ;-)
I have some Zwillings that even Harry would be proud to have.

My cheap Zwilling Five Stars have served well for many years. But,
I'm sure Harry would look down
his nose at anything less than a set of Michel Bras knives to go in
that fantastically perfect
kitchen of his.


This is my go to knife for general chopping and slicing.
I think Judy paid a buck and a quarter for it.

https://pim-cdn.zwilling.com/data/cdn/workarea/suppliers/zw_lieferant/documents/hotfolder/394/38408180_white.jpg

I've tried the Santoku style, but it just never felt right. Been using
this one too long:

https://s7d1.scene7.com/is/image/BedBathandBeyond/94648246769206p?$478$

Judy got a good buy!

I also have a traditional 10" Chicago Cutlery chef knife and their
12" ham slicer (that I have had for decades) but I am getting pretty
used to the Zwilling. The sharp edge is a little straighter and it is
great for chopping.

I'm in the market for a small knife set for a grandson getting into an
apartment while going to
Virginia Tech. CC has a nice looking set with Japanese steel, but then I
saw it's made in China.
I've had a couple CC knives, but could never get them to hold a decent
edge. Am looking at these
three sets now. This would be a Christmas present, so I've plenty of time to decide which.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0016J42...=EEOGPHJ KYUD

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0000DBI...=EEOGPHJ KYUD

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00CK8UG...=EEOGPHJ KYUD

Suggestions anyone?

When I hear Ginsu I think of those cheap stamped steel things with the
rough serrated edge.


Ginsu knives were made my a vacuum cleaner company. Name slips me the
moment. Was a canister vac. Mom had one. Was an Asian demo guy, so they
named it Ginsu.


Douglas Redivac owns Ginsu now.

The original name for the knives was "Quiccut" but it was determined
that the name had no marketing appeal so it was changed to "Ginsu",
alluding to Japanese samurai swords.

Ginsu knives are most famous for the marketing campaign used to sell them.

From Wiki:

"The resulting Ginsu ads copied the hard sell direct marketing
techniques of carnival hawkers pioneering TV pitchman Ron Popeil had
adapted to the medium in the 1960s. In the process, they helped solidify
the formula for the modern infomercial. The energetic and verbose ads
were ubiquitous in the late 1970s on U.S. television. Advertisements for
the "amazing" Ginsu knife asked, "How much would you pay? Don't
answer!", urged viewers to "Call now! Operators are standing by!" and
included the signature "But wait! There's more!", which became a popular
infomercial catch phrase ever since."




Funny. Here's CRs take:

"For some, the name Ginsu is synonymous with hammy 1970s-era infomercials, but this a serious
cutlery company. Its 8-piece set offers incredible value, providing the cutting performance and
handle comfort of knives costing three and four times as much. The set includes a chef’s and santoku
knife, but not a slicer."

And:

"There are two basic types of steel knives on the market—stamped and forged. Ultra cheap knives,
like the $40 Ronco Showtime Six Star+, with its 26 pieces, are usually made out of stamped steel.
Even at the Ronco's bargain price, cutting performance isn't enough to make it a smart purchase.
You're better off spending more on knives forged from a single piece of steel, as they typically
result in a sturdier blade that's less likely to bend.

Of the eight steel-knife sets we recommend, all are forged. Five of them cost at least $300, and the
priciest of the bunch, the Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Profection #33049, sells for $600. Along with
fellow German manufacturer Wusthof, Zwilling is a regular leader in our Ratings (the two brands
currently claim the top four spots).

There is one CR Best Buy in our winner's circle, and it's the exception to the rule about spending
top dollar for quality knives. If you grew up in the late 1970s, you might remember the Ginsu
as-seen-on-TV ads featuring a blade sawing through a soda can and then delicately carving a ripe
tomato. But Ginsu is a serious cutlery company, as evidenced by the Ginsu Chikara, an eight-piece
set that sells for $75 and delivers excellent cutting performance."

The original Ginsu knives sold on television were all made in Fremont Ohio by Quikut. They're now
made in China using Japanese 420J stainless steel.

They ought to be good enough for a college kid!

You're showing our age!



Maybe they are being made better than back in the 70's. Searching for a
Christmas present for Mrs.E., I fell for the TV ads and bought a set of
Ginsu knives. As I recall, at first they seemed fine and were sharp but
they didn't last long in that condition. It wasn't long before they
were replaced.

You seem to put a lot of faith in Consumer Reports. I don't, although
I admit I don't read many of their reviews and those I do are usually on
cars or trucks. They've given high scores and recommended a few that
later turned out to be pure junk over the years.


I'll readily admit that CR has made a few boo-boos. But that would happen to any organization. They
provide a lot of concise information, decent comparisons, and make a starting point. On the internet
they also provide reviews, which I've found to be worthwhile. Then I'll go to Amazon, for example,
and look at reviews. If over 80% of many hundred reviews are 4-5 stars, I'm thinking the product may
be worthwhile.

Be aware that Amazon reviews are "seeded" in many cases by suppliers giving away free product in exchange for reviews, and in some cases just fake reviews to boost the product's ratings.

I think a lot of the 'seeded' reviews are easy to spot.

One of the most useful CR reports is the vehicle reliability ratings gathered from the questionnaire they sent their readers. These were compiled from real people and their experience with vehicles they bought. Even those may be skewed a bit by the type of people that read CR, and by people who naturally complain about bad experiences but may not be as vocal about the good. I guess they still do those surveys.

Yup, they still do the surveys, a couple a year. They cover not only vehicles but electronics
(computers, televisions) and appliances. They take a while to complete. I suppose some folks will
lie about their experiences, but I'm thinking that's the minority. On the other hand, I can't
imagine a BMW owner saying anything bad about his/her car!

On Wed, 18 Oct 2017 11:59:24 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 10/18/2017 11:42 AM, Its Me wrote:
On Wednesday, October 18, 2017 at 8:00:36 AM UTC-4, John H wrote:
On Wed, 18 Oct 2017 06:58:38 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 10/18/2017 6:41 AM, John H wrote:
On Tue, 17 Oct 2017 18:23:21 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 10/17/2017 4:16 PM, Bill wrote:
wrote:
On Tue, 17 Oct 2017 08:24:20 -0400, John H
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 22:51:59 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 12:39:18 -0400, John H
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 12:20:13 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 07:50:29 -0400, John H
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 01:19:11 -0400, wrote:


There are a few of those TV cooking guys who do pretty knife work.
Jeff Smith (Frugal Gourmet) was a great knife guy. I learned lots of
things from watching that show. Too bad he was a pervert ;-)
I have some Zwillings that even Harry would be proud to have.

My cheap Zwilling Five Stars have served well for many years. But,
I'm sure Harry would look down
his nose at anything less than a set of Michel Bras knives to go in
that fantastically perfect
kitchen of his.


This is my go to knife for general chopping and slicing.
I think Judy paid a buck and a quarter for it.

https://pim-cdn.zwilling.com/data/cdn/workarea/suppliers/zw_lieferant/documents/hotfolder/394/38408180_white.jpg

I've tried the Santoku style, but it just never felt right. Been using
this one too long:

https://s7d1.scene7.com/is/image/BedBathandBeyond/94648246769206p?$478$

Judy got a good buy!

I also have a traditional 10" Chicago Cutlery chef knife and their
12" ham slicer (that I have had for decades) but I am getting pretty
used to the Zwilling. The sharp edge is a little straighter and it is
great for chopping.

I'm in the market for a small knife set for a grandson getting into an
apartment while going to
Virginia Tech. CC has a nice looking set with Japanese steel, but then I
saw it's made in China.
I've had a couple CC knives, but could never get them to hold a decent
edge. Am looking at these
three sets now. This would be a Christmas present, so I've plenty of time to decide which.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0016J42...=EEOGPHJ KYUD

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0000DBI...=EEOGPHJ KYUD

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00CK8UG...=EEOGPHJ KYUD

Suggestions anyone?

When I hear Ginsu I think of those cheap stamped steel things with the
rough serrated edge.


Ginsu knives were made my a vacuum cleaner company. Name slips me the
moment. Was a canister vac. Mom had one. Was an Asian demo guy, so they
named it Ginsu.


Douglas Redivac owns Ginsu now.

The original name for the knives was "Quiccut" but it was determined
that the name had no marketing appeal so it was changed to "Ginsu",
alluding to Japanese samurai swords.

Ginsu knives are most famous for the marketing campaign used to sell them.

From Wiki:

"The resulting Ginsu ads copied the hard sell direct marketing
techniques of carnival hawkers pioneering TV pitchman Ron Popeil had
adapted to the medium in the 1960s. In the process, they helped solidify
the formula for the modern infomercial. The energetic and verbose ads
were ubiquitous in the late 1970s on U.S. television. Advertisements for
the "amazing" Ginsu knife asked, "How much would you pay? Don't
answer!", urged viewers to "Call now! Operators are standing by!" and
included the signature "But wait! There's more!", which became a popular
infomercial catch phrase ever since."




Funny. Here's CRs take:

"For some, the name Ginsu is synonymous with hammy 1970s-era infomercials, but this a serious
cutlery company. Its 8-piece set offers incredible value, providing the cutting performance and
handle comfort of knives costing three and four times as much. The set includes a chef’s and santoku
knife, but not a slicer."

And:

"There are two basic types of steel knives on the market—stamped and forged. Ultra cheap knives,
like the $40 Ronco Showtime Six Star+, with its 26 pieces, are usually made out of stamped steel.
Even at the Ronco's bargain price, cutting performance isn't enough to make it a smart purchase.
You're better off spending more on knives forged from a single piece of steel, as they typically
result in a sturdier blade that's less likely to bend.

Of the eight steel-knife sets we recommend, all are forged. Five of them cost at least $300, and the
priciest of the bunch, the Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Profection #33049, sells for $600. Along with
fellow German manufacturer Wusthof, Zwilling is a regular leader in our Ratings (the two brands
currently claim the top four spots).

There is one CR Best Buy in our winner's circle, and it's the exception to the rule about spending
top dollar for quality knives. If you grew up in the late 1970s, you might remember the Ginsu
as-seen-on-TV ads featuring a blade sawing through a soda can and then delicately carving a ripe
tomato. But Ginsu is a serious cutlery company, as evidenced by the Ginsu Chikara, an eight-piece
set that sells for $75 and delivers excellent cutting performance."

The original Ginsu knives sold on television were all made in Fremont Ohio by Quikut. They're now
made in China using Japanese 420J stainless steel.

They ought to be good enough for a college kid!

You're showing our age!



Maybe they are being made better than back in the 70's. Searching for a
Christmas present for Mrs.E., I fell for the TV ads and bought a set of
Ginsu knives. As I recall, at first they seemed fine and were sharp but
they didn't last long in that condition. It wasn't long before they
were replaced.

You seem to put a lot of faith in Consumer Reports. I don't, although
I admit I don't read many of their reviews and those I do are usually on
cars or trucks. They've given high scores and recommended a few that
later turned out to be pure junk over the years.


I'll readily admit that CR has made a few boo-boos. But that would happen to any organization. They
provide a lot of concise information, decent comparisons, and make a starting point. On the internet
they also provide reviews, which I've found to be worthwhile. Then I'll go to Amazon, for example,
and look at reviews. If over 80% of many hundred reviews are 4-5 stars, I'm thinking the product may
be worthwhile.

Be aware that Amazon reviews are "seeded" in many cases by suppliers giving away free product in exchange for reviews, and in some cases just fake reviews to boost the product's ratings.

One of the most useful CR reports is the vehicle reliability ratings gathered from the questionnaire they sent their readers. These were compiled from real people and their experience with vehicles they bought. Even those may be skewed a bit by the type of people that read CR, and by people who naturally complain about bad experiences but may not be as vocal about the good. I guess they still do those surveys.



I think finding truthful reviews, especially for vehicles, is scarce.

Human nature is such that good reviews are more the norm by people who
recently purchased the vehicle and are subconsciously justifying their
purchase. The bad reviews come later after many miles on the odometer.

I like my truck, but I've not found it hard to be honest about the problems I've had while doing the
CR survey. But, there may be a bit of truth to what you say.

On Wednesday, October 18, 2017 at 11:59:29 AM UTC-4, Mr. Luddite wrote:
On 10/18/2017 11:42 AM, Its Me wrote:
On Wednesday, October 18, 2017 at 8:00:36 AM UTC-4, John H wrote:
On Wed, 18 Oct 2017 06:58:38 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 10/18/2017 6:41 AM, John H wrote:
On Tue, 17 Oct 2017 18:23:21 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 10/17/2017 4:16 PM, Bill wrote:
wrote:
On Tue, 17 Oct 2017 08:24:20 -0400, John H
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 22:51:59 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 12:39:18 -0400, John H
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 12:20:13 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 07:50:29 -0400, John H
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 01:19:11 -0400, wrote:


There are a few of those TV cooking guys who do pretty knife work.
Jeff Smith (Frugal Gourmet) was a great knife guy. I learned lots of
things from watching that show. Too bad he was a pervert ;-)
I have some Zwillings that even Harry would be proud to have.

My cheap Zwilling Five Stars have served well for many years.. But,
I'm sure Harry would look down
his nose at anything less than a set of Michel Bras knives to go in
that fantastically perfect
kitchen of his.


This is my go to knife for general chopping and slicing.
I think Judy paid a buck and a quarter for it.

https://pim-cdn.zwilling.com/data/cdn/workarea/suppliers/zw_lieferant/documents/hotfolder/394/38408180_white.jpg

I've tried the Santoku style, but it just never felt right. Been using
this one too long:

https://s7d1.scene7.com/is/image/BedBathandBeyond/94648246769206p?$478$

Judy got a good buy!

I also have a traditional 10" Chicago Cutlery chef knife and their
12" ham slicer (that I have had for decades) but I am getting pretty
used to the Zwilling. The sharp edge is a little straighter and it is
great for chopping.

I'm in the market for a small knife set for a grandson getting into an
apartment while going to
Virginia Tech. CC has a nice looking set with Japanese steel, but then I
saw it's made in China.
I've had a couple CC knives, but could never get them to hold a decent
edge. Am looking at these
three sets now. This would be a Christmas present, so I've plenty of time to decide which.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0016J42...=EEOGPHJ KYUD

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0000DBI...=EEOGPHJ KYUD

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00CK8UG...=EEOGPHJ KYUD

Suggestions anyone?

When I hear Ginsu I think of those cheap stamped steel things with the
rough serrated edge.


Ginsu knives were made my a vacuum cleaner company. Name slips me the
moment. Was a canister vac. Mom had one. Was an Asian demo guy, so they
named it Ginsu.


Douglas Redivac owns Ginsu now.

The original name for the knives was "Quiccut" but it was determined
that the name had no marketing appeal so it was changed to "Ginsu",
alluding to Japanese samurai swords.

Ginsu knives are most famous for the marketing campaign used to sell them.

From Wiki:

"The resulting Ginsu ads copied the hard sell direct marketing
techniques of carnival hawkers pioneering TV pitchman Ron Popeil had
adapted to the medium in the 1960s. In the process, they helped solidify
the formula for the modern infomercial. The energetic and verbose ads
were ubiquitous in the late 1970s on U.S. television. Advertisements for
the "amazing" Ginsu knife asked, "How much would you pay? Don't
answer!", urged viewers to "Call now! Operators are standing by!" and
included the signature "But wait! There's more!", which became a popular
infomercial catch phrase ever since."




Funny. Here's CRs take:

"For some, the name Ginsu is synonymous with hammy 1970s-era infomercials, but this a serious
cutlery company. Its 8-piece set offers incredible value, providing the cutting performance and
handle comfort of knives costing three and four times as much. The set includes a chef’s and santoku
knife, but not a slicer."

And:

"There are two basic types of steel knives on the market—stamped and forged. Ultra cheap knives,
like the $40 Ronco Showtime Six Star+, with its 26 pieces, are usually made out of stamped steel.
Even at the Ronco's bargain price, cutting performance isn't enough to make it a smart purchase.
You're better off spending more on knives forged from a single piece of steel, as they typically
result in a sturdier blade that's less likely to bend.

Of the eight steel-knife sets we recommend, all are forged. Five of them cost at least $300, and the
priciest of the bunch, the Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Profection #33049, sells for $600. Along with
fellow German manufacturer Wusthof, Zwilling is a regular leader in our Ratings (the two brands
currently claim the top four spots).

There is one CR Best Buy in our winner's circle, and it's the exception to the rule about spending
top dollar for quality knives. If you grew up in the late 1970s, you might remember the Ginsu
as-seen-on-TV ads featuring a blade sawing through a soda can and then delicately carving a ripe
tomato. But Ginsu is a serious cutlery company, as evidenced by the Ginsu Chikara, an eight-piece
set that sells for $75 and delivers excellent cutting performance."

The original Ginsu knives sold on television were all made in Fremont Ohio by Quikut. They're now
made in China using Japanese 420J stainless steel.

They ought to be good enough for a college kid!

You're showing our age!



Maybe they are being made better than back in the 70's. Searching for a
Christmas present for Mrs.E., I fell for the TV ads and bought a set of
Ginsu knives. As I recall, at first they seemed fine and were sharp but
they didn't last long in that condition. It wasn't long before they
were replaced.

You seem to put a lot of faith in Consumer Reports. I don't, although
I admit I don't read many of their reviews and those I do are usually on
cars or trucks. They've given high scores and recommended a few that
later turned out to be pure junk over the years.


I'll readily admit that CR has made a few boo-boos. But that would happen to any organization. They
provide a lot of concise information, decent comparisons, and make a starting point. On the internet
they also provide reviews, which I've found to be worthwhile. Then I'll go to Amazon, for example,
and look at reviews. If over 80% of many hundred reviews are 4-5 stars, I'm thinking the product may
be worthwhile.

Be aware that Amazon reviews are "seeded" in many cases by suppliers giving away free product in exchange for reviews, and in some cases just fake reviews to boost the product's ratings.

One of the most useful CR reports is the vehicle reliability ratings gathered from the questionnaire they sent their readers. These were compiled from real people and their experience with vehicles they bought. Even those may be skewed a bit by the type of people that read CR, and by people who naturally complain about bad experiences but may not be as vocal about the good. I guess they still do those surveys.



I think finding truthful reviews, especially for vehicles, is scarce.

Human nature is such that good reviews are more the norm by people who
recently purchased the vehicle and are subconsciously justifying their
purchase. The bad reviews come later after many miles on the odometer.

I agree. Magazines like Car and Driver or Road and Track make for interesting reading at times, but you have to take their reviews with a grain of salt. Between them getting ringers from car companies to test, and the "not wanting to bite the hand that feeds you" syndrome, many of their test articles are just fluff pieces. If they have something bad to say about a car, it's usually very carefully worded so it almost doesn't sound negative.

John H wrote:
On Tue, 17 Oct 2017 18:23:21 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 10/17/2017 4:16 PM, Bill wrote:
wrote:
On Tue, 17 Oct 2017 08:24:20 -0400, John H
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 22:51:59 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 12:39:18 -0400, John H
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 12:20:13 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 07:50:29 -0400, John H
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 01:19:11 -0400, wrote:


There are a few of those TV cooking guys who do pretty knife work.
Jeff Smith (Frugal Gourmet) was a great knife guy. I learned lots of
things from watching that show. Too bad he was a pervert ;-)
I have some Zwillings that even Harry would be proud to have.

My cheap Zwilling Five Stars have served well for many years. But,
I'm sure Harry would look down
his nose at anything less than a set of Michel Bras knives to go in
that fantastically perfect
kitchen of his.


This is my go to knife for general chopping and slicing.
I think Judy paid a buck and a quarter for it.

https://pim-cdn.zwilling.com/data/cdn/workarea/suppliers/zw_lieferant/documents/hotfolder/394/38408180_white.jpg

I've tried the Santoku style, but it just never felt right. Been using
this one too long:

https://s7d1.scene7.com/is/image/BedBathandBeyond/94648246769206p?$478$

Judy got a good buy!

I also have a traditional 10" Chicago Cutlery chef knife and their
12" ham slicer (that I have had for decades) but I am getting pretty
used to the Zwilling. The sharp edge is a little straighter and it is
great for chopping.

I'm in the market for a small knife set for a grandson getting into an
apartment while going to
Virginia Tech. CC has a nice looking set with Japanese steel, but then I
saw it's made in China.
I've had a couple CC knives, but could never get them to hold a decent
edge. Am looking at these
three sets now. This would be a Christmas present, so I've plenty of
time to decide which.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0016J42...=EEOGPHJ KYUD

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0000DBI...=EEOGPHJ KYUD

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00CK8UG...=EEOGPHJ KYUD

Suggestions anyone?

When I hear Ginsu I think of those cheap stamped steel things with the
rough serrated edge.


Ginsu knives were made my a vacuum cleaner company. Name slips me the
moment. Was a canister vac. Mom had one. Was an Asian demo guy, so they
named it Ginsu.


Douglas Redivac owns Ginsu now.

The original name for the knives was "Quiccut" but it was determined
that the name had no marketing appeal so it was changed to "Ginsu",
alluding to Japanese samurai swords.

Ginsu knives are most famous for the marketing campaign used to sell them.

From Wiki:

"The resulting Ginsu ads copied the hard sell direct marketing
techniques of carnival hawkers pioneering TV pitchman Ron Popeil had
adapted to the medium in the 1960s. In the process, they helped solidify
the formula for the modern infomercial. The energetic and verbose ads
were ubiquitous in the late 1970s on U.S. television. Advertisements for
the "amazing" Ginsu knife asked, "How much would you pay? Don't
answer!", urged viewers to "Call now! Operators are standing by!" and
included the signature "But wait! There's more!", which became a popular
infomercial catch phrase ever since."




Funny. Here's CRs take:

"For some, the name Ginsu is synonymous with hammy 1970s-era
infomercials, but this a serious
cutlery company. Its 8-piece set offers incredible value, providing the
cutting performance and
handle comfort of knives costing three and four times as much. The set
includes a chefÂ’s and santoku
knife, but not a slicer."

And:

"There are two basic types of steel knives on the market—stamped and
forged. Ultra cheap knives,
like the $40 Ronco Showtime Six Star+, with its 26 pieces, are usually
made out of stamped steel.
Even at the Ronco's bargain price, cutting performance isn't enough to
make it a smart purchase.
You're better off spending more on knives forged from a single piece of
steel, as they typically
result in a sturdier blade that's less likely to bend.

Of the eight steel-knife sets we recommend, all are forged. Five of them
cost at least $300, and the
priciest of the bunch, the Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Profection #33049,
sells for $600. Along with
fellow German manufacturer Wusthof, Zwilling is a regular leader in our
Ratings (the two brands
currently claim the top four spots).

There is one CR Best Buy in our winner's circle, and it's the exception
to the rule about spending
top dollar for quality knives. If you grew up in the late 1970s, you
might remember the Ginsu
as-seen-on-TV ads featuring a blade sawing through a soda can and then
delicately carving a ripe
tomato. But Ginsu is a serious cutlery company, as evidenced by the Ginsu
Chikara, an eight-piece
set that sells for $75 and delivers excellent cutting performance."

The original Ginsu knives sold on television were all made in Fremont
Ohio by Quikut. They're now
made in China using Japanese 420J stainless steel.

They ought to be good enough for a college kid!

You're showing our age!


I understand that Electrolux was the company behind the knives originally.

On 10/18/2017 12:18 PM, John H wrote:
On Wed, 18 Oct 2017 11:59:24 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 10/18/2017 11:42 AM, Its Me wrote:
On Wednesday, October 18, 2017 at 8:00:36 AM UTC-4, John H wrote:
On Wed, 18 Oct 2017 06:58:38 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 10/18/2017 6:41 AM, John H wrote:
On Tue, 17 Oct 2017 18:23:21 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 10/17/2017 4:16 PM, Bill wrote:
wrote:
On Tue, 17 Oct 2017 08:24:20 -0400, John H
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 22:51:59 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 12:39:18 -0400, John H
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 12:20:13 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 07:50:29 -0400, John H
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 01:19:11 -0400, wrote:


There are a few of those TV cooking guys who do pretty knife work.
Jeff Smith (Frugal Gourmet) was a great knife guy. I learned lots of
things from watching that show. Too bad he was a pervert ;-)
I have some Zwillings that even Harry would be proud to have.

My cheap Zwilling Five Stars have served well for many years. But,
I'm sure Harry would look down
his nose at anything less than a set of Michel Bras knives to go in
that fantastically perfect
kitchen of his.


This is my go to knife for general chopping and slicing.
I think Judy paid a buck and a quarter for it.

https://pim-cdn.zwilling.com/data/cdn/workarea/suppliers/zw_lieferant/documents/hotfolder/394/38408180_white.jpg

I've tried the Santoku style, but it just never felt right. Been using
this one too long:

https://s7d1.scene7.com/is/image/BedBathandBeyond/94648246769206p?$478$

Judy got a good buy!

I also have a traditional 10" Chicago Cutlery chef knife and their
12" ham slicer (that I have had for decades) but I am getting pretty
used to the Zwilling. The sharp edge is a little straighter and it is
great for chopping.

I'm in the market for a small knife set for a grandson getting into an
apartment while going to
Virginia Tech. CC has a nice looking set with Japanese steel, but then I
saw it's made in China.
I've had a couple CC knives, but could never get them to hold a decent
edge. Am looking at these
three sets now. This would be a Christmas present, so I've plenty of time to decide which.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0016J42...=EEOGPHJ KYUD

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0000DBI...=EEOGPHJ KYUD

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00CK8UG...=EEOGPHJ KYUD

Suggestions anyone?

When I hear Ginsu I think of those cheap stamped steel things with the
rough serrated edge.


Ginsu knives were made my a vacuum cleaner company. Name slips me the
moment. Was a canister vac. Mom had one. Was an Asian demo guy, so they
named it Ginsu.


Douglas Redivac owns Ginsu now.

The original name for the knives was "Quiccut" but it was determined
that the name had no marketing appeal so it was changed to "Ginsu",
alluding to Japanese samurai swords.

Ginsu knives are most famous for the marketing campaign used to sell them.

From Wiki:

"The resulting Ginsu ads copied the hard sell direct marketing
techniques of carnival hawkers pioneering TV pitchman Ron Popeil had
adapted to the medium in the 1960s. In the process, they helped solidify
the formula for the modern infomercial. The energetic and verbose ads
were ubiquitous in the late 1970s on U.S. television. Advertisements for
the "amazing" Ginsu knife asked, "How much would you pay? Don't
answer!", urged viewers to "Call now! Operators are standing by!" and
included the signature "But wait! There's more!", which became a popular
infomercial catch phrase ever since."




Funny. Here's CRs take:

"For some, the name Ginsu is synonymous with hammy 1970s-era infomercials, but this a serious
cutlery company. Its 8-piece set offers incredible value, providing the cutting performance and
handle comfort of knives costing three and four times as much. The set includes a chef’s and santoku
knife, but not a slicer."

And:

"There are two basic types of steel knives on the market—stamped and forged. Ultra cheap knives,
like the $40 Ronco Showtime Six Star+, with its 26 pieces, are usually made out of stamped steel.
Even at the Ronco's bargain price, cutting performance isn't enough to make it a smart purchase.
You're better off spending more on knives forged from a single piece of steel, as they typically
result in a sturdier blade that's less likely to bend.

Of the eight steel-knife sets we recommend, all are forged. Five of them cost at least $300, and the
priciest of the bunch, the Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Profection #33049, sells for $600. Along with
fellow German manufacturer Wusthof, Zwilling is a regular leader in our Ratings (the two brands
currently claim the top four spots).

There is one CR Best Buy in our winner's circle, and it's the exception to the rule about spending
top dollar for quality knives. If you grew up in the late 1970s, you might remember the Ginsu
as-seen-on-TV ads featuring a blade sawing through a soda can and then delicately carving a ripe
tomato. But Ginsu is a serious cutlery company, as evidenced by the Ginsu Chikara, an eight-piece
set that sells for $75 and delivers excellent cutting performance."

The original Ginsu knives sold on television were all made in Fremont Ohio by Quikut. They're now
made in China using Japanese 420J stainless steel.

They ought to be good enough for a college kid!

You're showing our age!



Maybe they are being made better than back in the 70's. Searching for a
Christmas present for Mrs.E., I fell for the TV ads and bought a set of
Ginsu knives. As I recall, at first they seemed fine and were sharp but
they didn't last long in that condition. It wasn't long before they
were replaced.

You seem to put a lot of faith in Consumer Reports. I don't, although
I admit I don't read many of their reviews and those I do are usually on
cars or trucks. They've given high scores and recommended a few that
later turned out to be pure junk over the years.


I'll readily admit that CR has made a few boo-boos. But that would happen to any organization. They
provide a lot of concise information, decent comparisons, and make a starting point. On the internet
they also provide reviews, which I've found to be worthwhile. Then I'll go to Amazon, for example,
and look at reviews. If over 80% of many hundred reviews are 4-5 stars, I'm thinking the product may
be worthwhile.

Be aware that Amazon reviews are "seeded" in many cases by suppliers giving away free product in exchange for reviews, and in some cases just fake reviews to boost the product's ratings.

One of the most useful CR reports is the vehicle reliability ratings gathered from the questionnaire they sent their readers. These were compiled from real people and their experience with vehicles they bought. Even those may be skewed a bit by the type of people that read CR, and by people who naturally complain about bad experiences but may not be as vocal about the good. I guess they still do those surveys.



I think finding truthful reviews, especially for vehicles, is scarce.

Human nature is such that good reviews are more the norm by people who
recently purchased the vehicle and are subconsciously justifying their
purchase. The bad reviews come later after many miles on the odometer.

I like my truck, but I've not found it hard to be honest about the problems I've had while doing the
CR survey. But, there may be a bit of truth to what you say.



Off subject a bit but I like the GMC I bought however the climate
control system drives me nuts sometimes. It's too "smart" for it's own
good. If the relative humidity is above about 60 percent, the AC
compressor runs, even though the display says it's off and I've manually
made sure it is turned off. Then, when heating the truck, when the temp
approaches the desired setpoint, the damn thing starts blowing ice cold
air to prevent an overshoot.

If the humidity is below 60 percent, it seems to work just fine.

John H wrote:
On Tue, 17 Oct 2017 20:16:41 -0000 (UTC), Bill wrote:

John H wrote:
On Tue, 17 Oct 2017 11:48:28 -0400, wrote:

On Tue, 17 Oct 2017 08:24:20 -0400, John H
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 22:51:59 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 12:39:18 -0400, John H
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 12:20:13 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 07:50:29 -0400, John H
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 01:19:11 -0400, wrote:


There are a few of those TV cooking guys who do pretty knife work.
Jeff Smith (Frugal Gourmet) was a great knife guy. I learned lots of
things from watching that show. Too bad he was a pervert ;-)
I have some Zwillings that even Harry would be proud to have.

My cheap Zwilling Five Stars have served well for many years. But,
I'm sure Harry would look down
his nose at anything less than a set of Michel Bras knives to go in that
fantastically perfect
kitchen of his.


This is my go to knife for general chopping and slicing.
I think Judy paid a buck and a quarter for it.

https://pim-cdn.zwilling.com/data/cdn/workarea/suppliers/zw_lieferant/documents/hotfolder/394/38408180_white.jpg

I've tried the Santoku style, but it just never felt right. Been
using this one too long:

https://s7d1.scene7.com/is/image/BedBathandBeyond/94648246769206p?$478$

Judy got a good buy!

I also have a traditional 10" Chicago Cutlery chef knife and their
12" ham slicer (that I have had for decades) but I am getting pretty
used to the Zwilling. The sharp edge is a little straighter and it is
great for chopping.

I'm in the market for a small knife set for a grandson getting into an
apartment while going to
Virginia Tech. CC has a nice looking set with Japanese steel, but then
I saw it's made in China.
I've had a couple CC knives, but could never get them to hold a decent
edge. Am looking at these
three sets now. This would be a Christmas present, so I've plenty of
time to decide which.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0016J42...=EEOGPHJ KYUD

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0000DBI...=EEOGPHJ KYUD

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00CK8UG...=EEOGPHJ KYUD

Suggestions anyone?

When I hear Ginsu I think of those cheap stamped steel things with the
rough serrated edge.

Nope, the ones I just ordered are forged. Surprisingly, some of the
Zwilllings are stamped.

"Part of Henckels?s Twin Signature of knives, the cutlery in this set have high-carbon,
stainless-steel blades that have been stamped from one piece of metal."

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0000DBI...=EEOGPHJ KYUD


A lot of professionals like the stamped as they are less weight.

Yeah, but for slicing a sweet potato length-wise, I want something that
doesn't bend very easily!

If I've not given you my grilled sweet potato recipe, here you go. These are really good.

Grilled Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

2 pounds sweet potatoes
3-4 Tbsp olive oil
Kosher salt

Dressing

1/3 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro (including tender stems)
2 teaspoon of lime zest or lemon zest
3 tablespoons of fresh lime or lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon Kosher salt

Method

1 Prepare the grill, prep the sweet potatoes: Prepare your grill for hot,
direct heat. While the
grill is heating up, peel the sweet potatoes and slice lengthwise, or on
a diagonal, into 3/8
inch-thick pieces. Coat the sweet potato slices with olive oil and
lightly sprinkle with Kosher
salt.

2 Make cilantro lime dressing: Combine all of the dressing ingredients into a small bowl.

3 Grill the sweet potatoes: Once the grill is hot, lay the sweet potato
pieces down onto the grill
grates. Cover the grill and cook until each side gets some grill marks,
between 3-6 minutes for each
side, depending on how hot your grill is.

4 Toss with dressing: Toss the sweet potatoes in a bowl with the dressing and serve hot.


The stamped quality Chefs knife bends no more than the forged knife. I
have knives that bend, but I fillet with them.

On Wed, 18 Oct 2017 12:55:40 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 10/18/2017 12:18 PM, John H wrote:
On Wed, 18 Oct 2017 11:59:24 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 10/18/2017 11:42 AM, Its Me wrote:
On Wednesday, October 18, 2017 at 8:00:36 AM UTC-4, John H wrote:
On Wed, 18 Oct 2017 06:58:38 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 10/18/2017 6:41 AM, John H wrote:
On Tue, 17 Oct 2017 18:23:21 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 10/17/2017 4:16 PM, Bill wrote:
wrote:
On Tue, 17 Oct 2017 08:24:20 -0400, John H
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 22:51:59 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 12:39:18 -0400, John H
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 12:20:13 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 07:50:29 -0400, John H
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 01:19:11 -0400, wrote:


There are a few of those TV cooking guys who do pretty knife work.
Jeff Smith (Frugal Gourmet) was a great knife guy. I learned lots of
things from watching that show. Too bad he was a pervert ;-)
I have some Zwillings that even Harry would be proud to have.

My cheap Zwilling Five Stars have served well for many years. But,
I'm sure Harry would look down
his nose at anything less than a set of Michel Bras knives to go in
that fantastically perfect
kitchen of his.


This is my go to knife for general chopping and slicing.
I think Judy paid a buck and a quarter for it.

https://pim-cdn.zwilling.com/data/cdn/workarea/suppliers/zw_lieferant/documents/hotfolder/394/38408180_white.jpg

I've tried the Santoku style, but it just never felt right. Been using
this one too long:

https://s7d1.scene7.com/is/image/BedBathandBeyond/94648246769206p?$478$

Judy got a good buy!

I also have a traditional 10" Chicago Cutlery chef knife and their
12" ham slicer (that I have had for decades) but I am getting pretty
used to the Zwilling. The sharp edge is a little straighter and it is
great for chopping.

I'm in the market for a small knife set for a grandson getting into an
apartment while going to
Virginia Tech. CC has a nice looking set with Japanese steel, but then I
saw it's made in China.
I've had a couple CC knives, but could never get them to hold a decent
edge. Am looking at these
three sets now. This would be a Christmas present, so I've plenty of time to decide which.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0016J42...=EEOGPHJ KYUD

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0000DBI...=EEOGPHJ KYUD

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00CK8UG...=EEOGPHJ KYUD

Suggestions anyone?

When I hear Ginsu I think of those cheap stamped steel things with the
rough serrated edge.


Ginsu knives were made my a vacuum cleaner company. Name slips me the
moment. Was a canister vac. Mom had one. Was an Asian demo guy, so they
named it Ginsu.


Douglas Redivac owns Ginsu now.

The original name for the knives was "Quiccut" but it was determined
that the name had no marketing appeal so it was changed to "Ginsu",
alluding to Japanese samurai swords.

Ginsu knives are most famous for the marketing campaign used to sell them.

From Wiki:

"The resulting Ginsu ads copied the hard sell direct marketing
techniques of carnival hawkers pioneering TV pitchman Ron Popeil had
adapted to the medium in the 1960s. In the process, they helped solidify
the formula for the modern infomercial. The energetic and verbose ads
were ubiquitous in the late 1970s on U.S. television. Advertisements for
the "amazing" Ginsu knife asked, "How much would you pay? Don't
answer!", urged viewers to "Call now! Operators are standing by!" and
included the signature "But wait! There's more!", which became a popular
infomercial catch phrase ever since."




Funny. Here's CRs take:

"For some, the name Ginsu is synonymous with hammy 1970s-era infomercials, but this a serious
cutlery company. Its 8-piece set offers incredible value, providing the cutting performance and
handle comfort of knives costing three and four times as much. The set includes a chef’s and santoku
knife, but not a slicer."

And:

"There are two basic types of steel knives on the market—stamped and forged. Ultra cheap knives,
like the $40 Ronco Showtime Six Star+, with its 26 pieces, are usually made out of stamped steel.
Even at the Ronco's bargain price, cutting performance isn't enough to make it a smart purchase.
You're better off spending more on knives forged from a single piece of steel, as they typically
result in a sturdier blade that's less likely to bend.

Of the eight steel-knife sets we recommend, all are forged. Five of them cost at least $300, and the
priciest of the bunch, the Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Profection #33049, sells for $600. Along with
fellow German manufacturer Wusthof, Zwilling is a regular leader in our Ratings (the two brands
currently claim the top four spots).

There is one CR Best Buy in our winner's circle, and it's the exception to the rule about spending
top dollar for quality knives. If you grew up in the late 1970s, you might remember the Ginsu
as-seen-on-TV ads featuring a blade sawing through a soda can and then delicately carving a ripe
tomato. But Ginsu is a serious cutlery company, as evidenced by the Ginsu Chikara, an eight-piece
set that sells for $75 and delivers excellent cutting performance."

The original Ginsu knives sold on television were all made in Fremont Ohio by Quikut. They're now
made in China using Japanese 420J stainless steel.

They ought to be good enough for a college kid!

You're showing our age!



Maybe they are being made better than back in the 70's. Searching for a
Christmas present for Mrs.E., I fell for the TV ads and bought a set of
Ginsu knives. As I recall, at first they seemed fine and were sharp but
they didn't last long in that condition. It wasn't long before they
were replaced.

You seem to put a lot of faith in Consumer Reports. I don't, although
I admit I don't read many of their reviews and those I do are usually on
cars or trucks. They've given high scores and recommended a few that
later turned out to be pure junk over the years.


I'll readily admit that CR has made a few boo-boos. But that would happen to any organization. They
provide a lot of concise information, decent comparisons, and make a starting point. On the internet
they also provide reviews, which I've found to be worthwhile. Then I'll go to Amazon, for example,
and look at reviews. If over 80% of many hundred reviews are 4-5 stars, I'm thinking the product may
be worthwhile.

Be aware that Amazon reviews are "seeded" in many cases by suppliers giving away free product in exchange for reviews, and in some cases just fake reviews to boost the product's ratings.

One of the most useful CR reports is the vehicle reliability ratings gathered from the questionnaire they sent their readers. These were compiled from real people and their experience with vehicles they bought. Even those may be skewed a bit by the type of people that read CR, and by people who naturally complain about bad experiences but may not be as vocal about the good. I guess they still do those surveys.



I think finding truthful reviews, especially for vehicles, is scarce.

Human nature is such that good reviews are more the norm by people who
recently purchased the vehicle and are subconsciously justifying their
purchase. The bad reviews come later after many miles on the odometer.

I like my truck, but I've not found it hard to be honest about the problems I've had while doing the
CR survey. But, there may be a bit of truth to what you say.



Off subject a bit but I like the GMC I bought however the climate
control system drives me nuts sometimes. It's too "smart" for it's own
good. If the relative humidity is above about 60 percent, the AC
compressor runs, even though the display says it's off and I've manually
made sure it is turned off. Then, when heating the truck, when the temp
approaches the desired setpoint, the damn thing starts blowing ice cold
air to prevent an overshoot.

If the humidity is below 60 percent, it seems to work just fine.

I haven't noticed that in mine. Maybe the newer ones are the 'smarter' ones. Mine's a 2009 which I
got in 2010. I'm thinking I'll just keep it 'til I die.

On Wed, 18 Oct 2017 09:20:30 -0700 (PDT), Its Me wrote:

On Wednesday, October 18, 2017 at 11:59:29 AM UTC-4, Mr. Luddite wrote:
On 10/18/2017 11:42 AM, Its Me wrote:
On Wednesday, October 18, 2017 at 8:00:36 AM UTC-4, John H wrote:
On Wed, 18 Oct 2017 06:58:38 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 10/18/2017 6:41 AM, John H wrote:
On Tue, 17 Oct 2017 18:23:21 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 10/17/2017 4:16 PM, Bill wrote:
wrote:
On Tue, 17 Oct 2017 08:24:20 -0400, John H
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 22:51:59 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 12:39:18 -0400, John H
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 12:20:13 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 07:50:29 -0400, John H
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 01:19:11 -0400, wrote:


There are a few of those TV cooking guys who do pretty knife work.
Jeff Smith (Frugal Gourmet) was a great knife guy. I learned lots of
things from watching that show. Too bad he was a pervert ;-)
I have some Zwillings that even Harry would be proud to have.

My cheap Zwilling Five Stars have served well for many years. But,
I'm sure Harry would look down
his nose at anything less than a set of Michel Bras knives to go in
that fantastically perfect
kitchen of his.


This is my go to knife for general chopping and slicing.
I think Judy paid a buck and a quarter for it.

https://pim-cdn.zwilling.com/data/cdn/workarea/suppliers/zw_lieferant/documents/hotfolder/394/38408180_white.jpg

I've tried the Santoku style, but it just never felt right. Been using
this one too long:

https://s7d1.scene7.com/is/image/BedBathandBeyond/94648246769206p?$478$

Judy got a good buy!

I also have a traditional 10" Chicago Cutlery chef knife and their
12" ham slicer (that I have had for decades) but I am getting pretty
used to the Zwilling. The sharp edge is a little straighter and it is
great for chopping.

I'm in the market for a small knife set for a grandson getting into an
apartment while going to
Virginia Tech. CC has a nice looking set with Japanese steel, but then I
saw it's made in China.
I've had a couple CC knives, but could never get them to hold a decent
edge. Am looking at these
three sets now. This would be a Christmas present, so I've plenty of time to decide which.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0016J42...=EEOGPHJ KYUD

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0000DBI...=EEOGPHJ KYUD

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00CK8UG...=EEOGPHJ KYUD

Suggestions anyone?

When I hear Ginsu I think of those cheap stamped steel things with the
rough serrated edge.


Ginsu knives were made my a vacuum cleaner company. Name slips me the
moment. Was a canister vac. Mom had one. Was an Asian demo guy, so they
named it Ginsu.


Douglas Redivac owns Ginsu now.

The original name for the knives was "Quiccut" but it was determined
that the name had no marketing appeal so it was changed to "Ginsu",
alluding to Japanese samurai swords.

Ginsu knives are most famous for the marketing campaign used to sell them.

From Wiki:

"The resulting Ginsu ads copied the hard sell direct marketing
techniques of carnival hawkers pioneering TV pitchman Ron Popeil had
adapted to the medium in the 1960s. In the process, they helped solidify
the formula for the modern infomercial. The energetic and verbose ads
were ubiquitous in the late 1970s on U.S. television. Advertisements for
the "amazing" Ginsu knife asked, "How much would you pay? Don't
answer!", urged viewers to "Call now! Operators are standing by!" and
included the signature "But wait! There's more!", which became a popular
infomercial catch phrase ever since."




Funny. Here's CRs take:

"For some, the name Ginsu is synonymous with hammy 1970s-era infomercials, but this a serious
cutlery company. Its 8-piece set offers incredible value, providing the cutting performance and
handle comfort of knives costing three and four times as much. The set includes a chef’s and santoku
knife, but not a slicer."

And:

"There are two basic types of steel knives on the market—stamped and forged. Ultra cheap knives,
like the $40 Ronco Showtime Six Star+, with its 26 pieces, are usually made out of stamped steel.
Even at the Ronco's bargain price, cutting performance isn't enough to make it a smart purchase.
You're better off spending more on knives forged from a single piece of steel, as they typically
result in a sturdier blade that's less likely to bend.

Of the eight steel-knife sets we recommend, all are forged. Five of them cost at least $300, and the
priciest of the bunch, the Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Profection #33049, sells for $600. Along with
fellow German manufacturer Wusthof, Zwilling is a regular leader in our Ratings (the two brands
currently claim the top four spots).

There is one CR Best Buy in our winner's circle, and it's the exception to the rule about spending
top dollar for quality knives. If you grew up in the late 1970s, you might remember the Ginsu
as-seen-on-TV ads featuring a blade sawing through a soda can and then delicately carving a ripe
tomato. But Ginsu is a serious cutlery company, as evidenced by the Ginsu Chikara, an eight-piece
set that sells for $75 and delivers excellent cutting performance."

The original Ginsu knives sold on television were all made in Fremont Ohio by Quikut. They're now
made in China using Japanese 420J stainless steel.

They ought to be good enough for a college kid!

You're showing our age!



Maybe they are being made better than back in the 70's. Searching for a
Christmas present for Mrs.E., I fell for the TV ads and bought a set of
Ginsu knives. As I recall, at first they seemed fine and were sharp but
they didn't last long in that condition. It wasn't long before they
were replaced.

You seem to put a lot of faith in Consumer Reports. I don't, although
I admit I don't read many of their reviews and those I do are usually on
cars or trucks. They've given high scores and recommended a few that
later turned out to be pure junk over the years.


I'll readily admit that CR has made a few boo-boos. But that would happen to any organization. They
provide a lot of concise information, decent comparisons, and make a starting point. On the internet
they also provide reviews, which I've found to be worthwhile. Then I'll go to Amazon, for example,
and look at reviews. If over 80% of many hundred reviews are 4-5 stars, I'm thinking the product may
be worthwhile.

Be aware that Amazon reviews are "seeded" in many cases by suppliers giving away free product in exchange for reviews, and in some cases just fake reviews to boost the product's ratings.

One of the most useful CR reports is the vehicle reliability ratings gathered from the questionnaire they sent their readers. These were compiled from real people and their experience with vehicles they bought. Even those may be skewed a bit by the type of people that read CR, and by people who naturally complain about bad experiences but may not be as vocal about the good. I guess they still do those surveys.



I think finding truthful reviews, especially for vehicles, is scarce.

Human nature is such that good reviews are more the norm by people who
recently purchased the vehicle and are subconsciously justifying their
purchase. The bad reviews come later after many miles on the odometer.

I agree. Magazines like Car and Driver or Road and Track make for interesting reading at times, but you have to take their reviews with a grain of salt. Between them getting ringers from car companies to test, and the "not wanting to bite the hand that feeds you" syndrome, many of their test articles are just fluff pieces. If they have something bad to say about a car, it's usually very carefully worded so it almost doesn't sound negative.

That they don't take ads is one thing I really like about CR. You should read a 'Trailer Life' (RV
Magazine) once. They 'review' RVs, and in a two or three page spread there may be one 'unpositive'
comment. Total bull**** reviews.

On Wed, 18 Oct 2017 16:48:17 -0000 (UTC), Bill wrote:

John H wrote:
On Tue, 17 Oct 2017 18:23:21 -0400, "Mr. Luddite" wrote:

On 10/17/2017 4:16 PM, Bill wrote:
wrote:
On Tue, 17 Oct 2017 08:24:20 -0400, John H
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 22:51:59 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 12:39:18 -0400, John H
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 12:20:13 -0400, wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 07:50:29 -0400, John H
wrote:

On Mon, 16 Oct 2017 01:19:11 -0400, wrote:


There are a few of those TV cooking guys who do pretty knife work.
Jeff Smith (Frugal Gourmet) was a great knife guy. I learned lots of
things from watching that show. Too bad he was a pervert ;-)
I have some Zwillings that even Harry would be proud to have.

My cheap Zwilling Five Stars have served well for many years. But,
I'm sure Harry would look down
his nose at anything less than a set of Michel Bras knives to go in
that fantastically perfect
kitchen of his.


This is my go to knife for general chopping and slicing.
I think Judy paid a buck and a quarter for it.

https://pim-cdn.zwilling.com/data/cdn/workarea/suppliers/zw_lieferant/documents/hotfolder/394/38408180_white.jpg

I've tried the Santoku style, but it just never felt right. Been using
this one too long:

https://s7d1.scene7.com/is/image/BedBathandBeyond/94648246769206p?$478$

Judy got a good buy!

I also have a traditional 10" Chicago Cutlery chef knife and their
12" ham slicer (that I have had for decades) but I am getting pretty
used to the Zwilling. The sharp edge is a little straighter and it is
great for chopping.

I'm in the market for a small knife set for a grandson getting into an
apartment while going to
Virginia Tech. CC has a nice looking set with Japanese steel, but then I
saw it's made in China.
I've had a couple CC knives, but could never get them to hold a decent
edge. Am looking at these
three sets now. This would be a Christmas present, so I've plenty of
time to decide which.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0016J42...=EEOGPHJ KYUD

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0000DBI...=EEOGPHJ KYUD

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00CK8UG...=EEOGPHJ KYUD

Suggestions anyone?

When I hear Ginsu I think of those cheap stamped steel things with the
rough serrated edge.


Ginsu knives were made my a vacuum cleaner company. Name slips me the
moment. Was a canister vac. Mom had one. Was an Asian demo guy, so they
named it Ginsu.


Douglas Redivac owns Ginsu now.

The original name for the knives was "Quiccut" but it was determined
that the name had no marketing appeal so it was changed to "Ginsu",
alluding to Japanese samurai swords.

Ginsu knives are most famous for the marketing campaign used to sell them.

From Wiki:

"The resulting Ginsu ads copied the hard sell direct marketing
techniques of carnival hawkers pioneering TV pitchman Ron Popeil had
adapted to the medium in the 1960s. In the process, they helped solidify
the formula for the modern infomercial. The energetic and verbose ads
were ubiquitous in the late 1970s on U.S. television. Advertisements for
the "amazing" Ginsu knife asked, "How much would you pay? Don't
answer!", urged viewers to "Call now! Operators are standing by!" and
included the signature "But wait! There's more!", which became a popular
infomercial catch phrase ever since."




Funny. Here's CRs take:

"For some, the name Ginsu is synonymous with hammy 1970s-era
infomercials, but this a serious
cutlery company. Its 8-piece set offers incredible value, providing the
cutting performance and
handle comfort of knives costing three and four times as much. The set
includes a chef?s and santoku
knife, but not a slicer."

And:

"There are two basic types of steel knives on the market?stamped and
forged. Ultra cheap knives,
like the $40 Ronco Showtime Six Star+, with its 26 pieces, are usually
made out of stamped steel.
Even at the Ronco's bargain price, cutting performance isn't enough to
make it a smart purchase.
You're better off spending more on knives forged from a single piece of
steel, as they typically
result in a sturdier blade that's less likely to bend.

Of the eight steel-knife sets we recommend, all are forged. Five of them
cost at least $300, and the
priciest of the bunch, the Zwilling J.A. Henckels Twin Profection #33049,
sells for $600. Along with
fellow German manufacturer Wusthof, Zwilling is a regular leader in our
Ratings (the two brands
currently claim the top four spots).

There is one CR Best Buy in our winner's circle, and it's the exception
to the rule about spending
top dollar for quality knives. If you grew up in the late 1970s, you
might remember the Ginsu
as-seen-on-TV ads featuring a blade sawing through a soda can and then
delicately carving a ripe
tomato. But Ginsu is a serious cutlery company, as evidenced by the Ginsu
Chikara, an eight-piece
set that sells for $75 and delivers excellent cutting performance."

The original Ginsu knives sold on television were all made in Fremont
Ohio by Quikut. They're now
made in China using Japanese 420J stainless steel.

They ought to be good enough for a college kid!

You're showing our age!


I understand that Electrolux was the company behind the knives originally.

From Wikipedia: As of 2017 Ginsu Knives are still manufactured and sold. The Quikut and Ginsu brands
have both been manufactured in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, since the merging of the Douglas (vacuum
cleaners) and Quikut (knives) companies in 1964. Douglas Quikut also manufactures ReadiVac and
American Angler brands.

In 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 Consumer Reports reviewed the Ginsu Chikara knife set in their
comparison of fifty knife sets and rated it as their "Best Buy".

Now they're made in China. Maybe Douglas owned Electrolux?

On Wednesday, October 18, 2017 at 2:11:08 PM UTC-4, John H wrote:
On Wed, 18 Oct 2017 09:20:30 -0700 (PDT), Its Me wrote:

I agree. Magazines like Car and Driver or Road and Track make for interesting reading at times, but you have to take their reviews with a grain of salt. Between them getting ringers from car companies to test, and the "not wanting to bite the hand that feeds you" syndrome, many of their test articles are just fluff pieces. If they have something bad to say about a car, it's usually very carefully worded so it almost doesn't sound negative.

That they don't take ads is one thing I really like about CR. You should read a 'Trailer Life' (RV
Magazine) once. They 'review' RVs, and in a two or three page spread there may be one 'unpositive'
comment. Total bull**** reviews.

While true, the thing I don't like about CR is that they are workman-like, mechanical reviews, at least with cars. R&T and C&D have "car guys" who can drive and report on handling nuances, road feel, etc. more reliably than CR, at least IMO. They just sugarcoat the problems.

I used to get a kick out of Audiophile magazine. They were audio snobs who would trash anything they didn't like, and I think sometimes that included decent gear that didn't cost enough to earn their respect.