I chose these knives because (1) they are forged, and (2) they appeared to be the right balance between quality and price. I suspect if I was a professional chef I would know the difference and buy the super expensive other brands, but for a recreational cook I find these knives to be supurb. The price is right, the balance and heft is great, and they hold a fine edge. I usually run them through a hand sharpener before I use them, and they are always razor sharp. To restore edges (I haven't had to do that yet with these knives) I use the "scary sharp" sandpaper on glass method.

I bought this as a replacement for a damaged Wusthoff slicer. It was a total waste of money. Even slicing poultry, it simply will not stay sharp. Other knives get honed on a monthly basis, but this one needs to be honed three times in a single turkey slicing job! It is "outa here"!!

As with several other Calphalon knives that I have reviewed, I purchased this knife as part of the 15 piece set. It is a beautifully constructed kitchen tool with the heft that can only be provided by a steel forging. The edge is very fine, and can be easily honed to a true razors edge. Using this knife on a turkey is a revelation. Although the blade is thin, and can slice with very little effort, it has a contour and stiffness that simply cannot be matched by a stamped steel knife. When you plan a particular slice, that is what you get. No self steering, no endless sawing motion, just clean slices every time. This knife looks so good, and works so well, that I ordered the 10" model for slicing the really big birds. I have a few Henckles knives, and this is at least as good by any standard. When you realize that you can buy two of these for the price of one of theirs, you either feel like a thief, or start to wonder why some people throw their money away. If you must have a famous name knife, go for it. Better to spend far too much for a good knife than to buy TV junk. On the other hand, the big German brands have been etching their name on offshore stamped steel "affordable" knives lately. This is in an effort to capitalize on their name yet maintain profit in the face of quality value brands like Calphalon. Don't be fooled. Stamped knives are junk no matter how much they cost. Buy this knife and understand.