Product Description

The GINSU 04817 International Traditions Bakelite 14 Piece Cutlery Set features the Symetric Edge design which integrates identical serrations expertly matched to each side of the knife's blade. This produces a two dimensional serrated surface capable of precision center cuts. The result is no maintenance, never needs sharpening, serrated edge that perfoms with the accuracy of fine edged professional cutlery. This design is ideal for both righ and left handed use! Made of professional quality 420 series satin finished stainless steel blades, provide consumers the perfect combination of performance, balance, and style - all supported by a lifetime limited warranty.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #135 in Kitchen & Housewares
• Brand: Ginsu
• Model: 4817
• Dimensions: 8.00 pounds

Features

• Set includes 7 kitchen knives, 6 steak knives, and natural colored hardwood block
• Symmetrically-cut, two-dimensional serrated edges for precision slicing
• Stainless-steel blades never needs sharpening
• Full tangs triple-riveted to bakelite handles
• For left- or right-handed use; limited lifetime guarantee

Amazon.com Review
Many associate Ginsu knives with the product’s kitschy infomercial from the ‘70s that begins with a karate kick to a watermelon and proceeds with a demo of these knives cutting through just about anything in the house. Like the original product, Ginsu’s International Traditions is designed for the home cook who is not attuned to the maintenance required of a more high-end knife. However, this line is an improvement on the original, offering the weight, balance, and style of a commercial-quality knife, while meeting current design trends and performance expectations.

This 14-piece set stocks a kitchen with most cutlery needs, and packs all knives in a contemporary black hardwood storage block. The set includes: an 8-inch chef’s knife, an 8-inch slicer, an 8-inch bread knife, a 5-inch boning knife, a 4-1/2-inch utility knife, a 3-1/2-inch paring knife, and six 4-1/2-inch steak knives, plus a pair of shears.

Ginsu blades are constructed from stainless steel and feature a two-dimensional serrated edge that is symmetrically cut on either side for more accurate slicing and for either right- or left-handed use. Edges are still as low-maintenance as ever and never require sharpening. The blades have full tangs that extend through lightweight bakelite handles and are triple-riveted for strength. Ginsu covers these International Traditions knives under a limited, lifetime warranty and recommends manual cleaning with hot, soapy water to keep them in top shape. --Cristina Vaamonde

What’s in the Box
3-1/2-inch paring knife, 4-1/2-inch utility knife, 5-inch boning knife, 8-inch bread knife, 8-inch slicer, 8-inch chef’s knife, six 4-1/2-inch steak knives, shears, hardwood block

Customer Reviews

Cutting and slicing is a pleasure with these sharp knives!
Suddenly, I feel like cooking again. Chopping onions, dicing carrots, making perfect juliennes with red peppers and mincing the garlic fine for my famous (!) vegetable medley is...effortless. All because of these knives. Ooh they are sharp! So be careful or you may end cutting yourself!

I love the fact that the knives are sharp right out the box. Many people swear by their forged knife blades but that makes the knives heavier. I have another set from Pinzon (Amazon's brand) and yet another from Cuisinart that I barely use as they are heavier and not as sharp as these knives. I think stamped blades are great as they are lighter and thinner like these Ginsu knives. If you cut vegetables more than meat then you need knives like these. For meat you need heavier blades with more balance and "brute force". For slicing a tomato so fine that you can see through it you need a Ginsu. With a Ginsu in your hand you'll end up sculpting roses from your radishes!

Update 11/5/08: I have been using these knives for 1.5 years now. They're still doing fine and are still very sharp. I regularly throw them in the dishwasher and they have not shown any signs of rusting. I love these knives and miss them if I am cooking somewhere else. I use the steak knives as everyday knives for slicing veggies and they work very well. If I ever purchase another set I will go with Ginsu again.

great value
We needed some new knives, but I couldn't see spending hundreds of $$$.

Yes, these are at the lower end and there are undoubtedly much better (and more expensive) sets out there.

But these feel OK, are very sharp (as other reviewers reported), seem to be sufficiently sturdy, and have ably carried out the various mundane tasks we've put them to.

For $24.99, what a value!!!

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Update 11/21/08: We've had these 2 years now. The very sharp edges have gone, but the steak knives still are OK cutting, not great. But, I never sharpen them. I don't like the long thin knife (it's not serrated, so not a bread knife): the blade isn't stiff enough. (Hey, we're talking less than $30 for the set!) I really don't use the others.

I liked the steak knives so well that I ordered a second set of just them. It's a little weird at first doing paring with a serrated blade, but then you get used to it.

I'm still very pleased with the purchase overall and regard it, even as the price has increased a few dollars, as a true bargain.

Great knives
I bought these knives as a house warming gift for a friend. He raved so much about them I bought a set for my home. I have several set's of knives( even the one "Chef Tony" hawks on TV) and I use these the most. I am a nut about having sharp knives and have several sharping tools but my wife hates to sharpen knives and does more harm than good when she tries to. I figured she could use these, she loves them! I must warn that these knives come super sharp right out of the box, my wife sliced off a fake nail the first time she used them. I now use these knives all the time when I cook. We love these knives so much I ordered a third set for my Mother-iinlaws house for when my wife goes over there to cook. Like all good knives they should be hand washed and dried and stored in the block with the edge up to protect them. If you want good sharp knives and are not trying to impress with the look, these are for you.