Mercer Culinary Renaissance Forged, 2.5 Inch Peeling Knife, 2.5-Inch, Black

Simply start with a good whetstone. UPDATE: January 6, 2019: I've been sharpening these by hand on my whetstone for almost a year now. I expected to have to do it again much sooner, perhaps even during my vacation (I probably just wanted to, the rhythm of a whetstone is soothing). These are still razor sharp after 9 months of almost daily use, which I do frequently because I enjoy cooking. All I do is carefully swipe it in my honing steel a few times every few days, and that's all they've needed. What a high-quality item. P. S. A 6" Wustof chef knife (more akin to a petty knife) is another of my knives that I frequently use. In every way, the Mercer and the Wusthof are comparable in terms of quality. br>br>While the edge on these knives isn't razor sharp right out of the box (trust me, it's razor sharp right off the line), they're still high-quality knives. Despite the fact that I am not a trained chef, I would classify myself as a more advanced amateur culinary enthusiast who can chiffonade and brunoise with the best of them. br>br>I bought an 8-inch short-bolstered chef knife, a 7-inch santoku (wife's favorite style), a 6-inch stiff boning knife, and a 3-inch paring knife. Knives for paring are 5" long. I took these to the whetstone and shaved them down to size. It's had a sharp edge to it since then, and it's been music ever since. I've been doing that for about 9 months now, and the edges are still razor-sharp. In between uses, I use a Mercer genesis honing steel, which has done an excellent job. br>br>Assuming you don't abuse the knives or keep them knocking around in a drawer, these knives keep their edges very well. br>br>When compared to a transitional full-bolstered Wusthof, I prefer the weight of these. You get EXACTLY the same high-end German steel, but with the slightly lighter (and, in my opinion, better) Japanese blade balance. The chef knife also has a rounded spine, which is extremely comfortable when used with a pinch grip (which you should). br>br>There's also a separate plug for the boning knife. It's a blast to use, and I've used it to break down whole ribeyes, briskets, and a variety of poultry. br>br>Once again, I ADORE THESE KNIVES. For a fraction of the cost, you can get top-notch service.

Jeremiah Conley

| Apr 17, 2021

Three knives were ordered on two separate dates and times. In October of 2017, I placed an order for two of these knives. br>At first, I was blown away by how razor sharp they were. br>br>Unfortunately, the sharpness of these knives does not last long; they remained sharp for nearly six months before dulling. Wusthof 3 is another one of my favorites. A $40 paring knife in the size of a 5" paring knife. The Wusthof has a thicker blade that stays razor sharp for almost a year. It's made of a tougher steel that retains its sharpness for a longer period of time. This is one of the differences that contributes to the Wusthof's higher price. br>br>However, the Mercer paring knives that I originally purchased were razor sharp when new and stayed that way for a long time, and they were a good value for the money. One of the knives actually curved after about 7 months, so I say "were. " During its time in the drawer, the blade curved and bowed. Why? I'm not sure. Although the Mercer blades are thinner than the more expensive name brand knives, there must be a flaw in some of the Mercer knives that causes a blade to curve for no apparent reason. br>br>So, about two months ago, in December, I placed another Mercer 3 order in 2018. This is the one I'm rating here, a 5" paring knife. I was expecting and hoping for the razor sharpness I had with the first two Mercer paring knives I purchased in October 2017 when this "new" knife arrived, and I was disappointed. This new knife was almost dull, not razor-sharp, and not even close to being razor-sharp. It's been about two months since I got it, and it's pretty boring. It was no sharper when it arrived than the same Mercer knife I'd been using since October 2017, and I use my paring knives every day. br>br>However, I can't give this new Mercer 3 anything but a one-star rating. Due to how dull it is right out of the sealed plastic package, I decided to buy a 5" paring knife. These knives are reasonably priced for the level of quality they provide. However, I now have two out of three knives that are practically useless. One is extremely curved and useless, while the other is dull and worth less than $5. I paid $54 for these three knives, which came to $18 each. I could have bought a brand new, razor sharp Wusthof knife for $50 on Amazon, and Wusthof knives are always razor sharp when they are brand new. br>br>The issue I've had with these Mercer knives is that they're inconsistent in terms of quality and sharpness. Only 1 of 3 new knives have 33% success rates, which is not good. This is something that Mercer should address right away. I'm not going to buy another Mercer knife until I see some progress.

Eliana Pham

| Aug 31, 2021

Two days ahead of schedule, the knife arrived in mint condition. - Comes in a blister pack from the manufacturer. To open the package, you'll probably need scissors. The knife's construction and materials are of the highest quality - It's well-made and well-balanced. I expect this purchase to last a lifetime because the blade thickness at the delrin handle is equal to two dimes, thinning to a single dime near the point. If the goals aren't met, I'll let you know. Knife is made in Taiwan from high carbon stainless steel imported from Germany, as shown in the photo. Sharp enough to shave hair without difficulty right out of the box. Added on August 3, 2015: br>br> br>br>When I asked Mercer about the sharpening specifications for this knife, he replied: "For our Chef knives, we use three. " br>br>"We use three for our Chef knives. " Stainless steel with a thickness of 00mm Each side is 15 degrees, for a total of 30 degrees for the edge. "br>br>Because most home kitchen knife sharpeners are designed for knives with an edge sharpened at 40 degrees, or 20 degrees per side, they are incompatible with this and, apparently, any other Mercer chef's knife.

Ayaan Sandoval

| Oct 23, 2021

The Mercer Knife was not able to withstand the test of time. br>The edge of the blade chipped/distorted during use (cutting pork) after less than 8 months. (This was performed in a home kitchen by a 110-pound woman. ) )br>br>The warranty was not honored by the manufacturer (MERCER). We over-paid, according to a Mercer representative. Clearly, we pushed the Mercer knife to its limits, but we have two other knives. br>br> Both knives are 8" CUTCO kitchen knives, and neither has ever had a problem that resembled this. FYI: We've had the CUTCO knives for over ten years and have only had to sharpen them once.

Mekhi Morrison

| Aug 05, 2021