Cangshan S1 Series 59694 German Steel Forged Chef Knife, 8-Inch

Honestly, this knife was my 2nd choice. I really wanted to get the Victorinox Fibrox but it was out of stock.I was happily surprised with this one though. I’d seen mostly positive reviews for it on YT so I decided to give it a try. It came razor sharp right out of the box. It’s been the workhorse of my kitchen since I got it. I’ve used it for an assortment of food. I’ve used it to slice onions, garlic, a variety of fruits and also to chop chicken & other meat. Blade hasn’t dulled at all. It’s fairly easy to grip with a very ergonomic handle & it isn’t very heavy despite its size yet it feels very solid.Happy with this purchase.

The media could not be loaded. The Cangshan S1 is worth more than its billing due to high quality steel and confident, quick cutting.I was initially very hesitant to make the purchase, but the price dipped to a point where I was willing to take the risk. This apprehension toward buying a knife in the $30 to $40 from an unknown knife maker is, to me, understandable. There is a lot of things that can't be identified from simply looking at a picture on a screen. The way it forms to the hand, the ease of cutting, and cutting style of the holder can be as important as the components of the knife.This knife is great. It comes out of the box razor sharp. It produced an elegant push cut and it respectably held the edge. I think for it's price you should definitely consider this as competition for a Mercer Renaissance or Victorinox knife. The advantage with this knife is that it has some bells and whistles along with being a forged knife. The steel is the same as the Renaissance, but the handle is really comfortable, although some may consider it a little bulky. I have fairly small hands, but I still found it comfortable for my grip.One of the gimmicks I came to enjoy was the angled bolster. It was more comfortable than other bolsters but only slightly so. According to the Cangshan website, the bolster is meant to align and accommodate a firm and natural pinch grip. I've never had a problem prior to this, so I didn't notice a large differenceAs far as performance goes, I think this knife works far better than the money I spent for it. It has a 16 degree edge, 58 rockwell hardness, and some nice packaging to go along with it.If you are worried about performance, don't be. This knife is well made, and, in this price range, a really competitive deal.

We needed new kitchen knives after moving, and I wanted something a little better than the old Chicago Cutlery set I had previously (good intro set, but I was ready for more professional knives). After considering the expensive options, I came across this Cangshan set: German steel, ultra high carbon, sleek look, and no unnecessary "filler knives" that I would probably never really use. I read the reviews, tried to find more info on the internet (not much there), and finally decided to take the plunge after weighing up all the pros and cons I could think of. So glad I did. These knives are absolutely magickal. They are very solid in the hand and heavy, and even better, they are so well balanced! The old knives I had were handle-heavy - all the bulk was in the handle and the business end of the knife was quite light. The Cangshan knives distribute their weight, which helps immensely when cutting awkward and heavy things like pumpkin. They go through everything with absolute ease; like "a hot knife through butter", as the saying goes. And the tomato test - yeah, these knives laughed at me as they created perfect, translucent slices. I commented to my husband that I was reminded by a line in Kung Fu Panda where Po is examining all the artefacts in the temple for the first time: "The Sword of Heroes! Said to be so sharp you can get cut just by looking at - Ow!" Yes, that's the chef's knife...and the santoku....and, well, all of these knives.I love everything about these knives. The creamy white handles might not be everyone's thing, but they resonate with me both in a magickal and mundane way (I wanted a bolline in the kitchen, not an athame). The handles are smooth and feel completely natural in the hand. They are made in a way that is hygienic and complies with all food safety requirements (NSF stamped on the blade as well). I imagine you could run them through the dishwasher if you absolutely had to, but it's not recommended; I personally wash them by hand immediately after using and store them in the block supplied. The block itself is very cool and unconventional, another draw card. It is sturdy on the benchtop, and the knives look exactly as pictured in the photos.Bottom line: superb knives for the price. And if white is not your thing, I'm sure the black S Series is very much the same.

The knives were beautiful, sharp, and cut very well...then less than 2 months of occasional use one of the handles started cracking. I assume it's due to some latent stress crack induced during the manufacturing process. I always hand washed in mild soap immediately after use and replaced into the nice wood block. I asked for a replacement from the manufacturer since this happened after 30 days. They responded soon after and sent a replacement. Very happy with the performance of these great looking knives and the customer service backing up the quality commitment.