Review of the 8 Best Cutco Knives in 2022

If you’ve been fortunate enough to inherit a Cutco knife set, you’ll know that Cutco’s Lifetime Guarantee really does mean forever. Cutco knives, which are still proudly manufactured in the United States, may be found in many of our homes and are often depended on to offer a sharp edge to most culinary activities. If you want to add some Cutco knives to your collection or give one as a present, keep reading for our Cutco knife reviews.

In addition to our Cutco knives review, we take a close look at Cutco knives, including why 440A high carbon steel is a popular option for blades, the benefits of thermo-resin handles, and what the Lifetime Guarantee entails.

Things to Consider Before Buying Cutco Knives

Cutco knives are all created in Olean, New York, where they have been since 1949. Additional Cutco items might be manufactured in Mexico or China.

Cutco Company, formerly known as Alcas Corporation until 2009, is the parent company of Cutco Cutlery, KA-Bar Knives, Schilling Forge, and Vector Marketing. Cutco knives are often sold via in-home demonstrations, as well as through its own retail storefronts and different online sites.

Cutco knives are stamped knives, which means the blades were pressed out of a sheet of stainless steel and then ground and sharpened to create a completed blade, as opposed to forged knives, which are formed from the piece of steel. Forged knives are distinguished by the bolster or piece of metal that rests between the blade and the handle, and they are often more costly.

Cutco knives have full tang blades for the most part. This implies that the blade extends the whole length of the handle, which is why rivets are employed to secure the handle to the blade’s tang.

Full tang blades are more durable than half tang blades, which only run one or two inches into the handle. This increases the likelihood of half tang blades breaking when used, particularly if you use additional pressure while cutting. A complete tang also helps to balance the knife’s weight by counterbalancing the weight of the blade.

Advantages of Serrated Blades

Serrations enable a knife’s blade to sink into the surface of the meal, and the gaps (or gullets) between the teeth reduce friction when the serrated blade goes forwards and backwards through the food.

Since there is little friction, the serrations or teeth may readily cut through food without dragging or tearing. Serrated blades are excellent for cutting items with a hard exterior layer and a softer inner, such as breads and pastries. They may also be used to make it simpler to slice through tomatoes, soft skinned fruits, and harder fruits like pineapple or melon.

Cutco uses proprietary serration patterns known as Double-D and Micro Double-D on smaller serrated knife blades.

Cutco Knife Handles

A complete tang knife’s handle is really made up of two identical scales or half, and it is to these that we refer when discussing knife handles.

Whether built of thermo-resins or other synthetic materials, they provide several benefits to the kitchen, not the least of which is that they are hygienic and simple to clean. They’re also exceptionally long-lasting and comfy to grip for extended periods of time.

Knife handles are often contoured to provide an ergonomic hold, and thumb and forefinger grips, such as those found on Cutco blades, not only support an ergonomic grasp, but also provide a safer grip and aid in maintaining control of the knife when cutting.

Most Cutco knives have traditional brown handles that are frequently classified as black, and certain models may also have pearl handles that are light in color.

About 440A High Carbon Stainless Steel

440A high carbon stainless steel is utilized in a variety of applications, including dental and medical equipment, bearings, valve components, molds and dies, and many more.

The 440A steel used in Cutco blades is heated in three stages. This results in blades that are flexible and resilient while yet having a razor-sharp edge. Cutco knives are examined and inspected after they are manufactured before being sold.

440A steel, like other members of the 440 family, is regarded a genuine stainless steel, and since it has the least amount of carbon compared to other 440 steels, it also has the greatest degree of corrosion resistance. 440A is often used in show knives and swords for this reason alone, and it is a favorite steel for diving knives owing to its resistance to salt corrosion. Because of the reduced carbon level, 440A steel is somewhat softer, making it simpler to sharpen.

440A also includes around 17% chromium, which is necessary for improving the steel’s corrosion and heat resistance as well as enhancing the depth of hardening when heat treated.

The Rockwell Hardness of 440A is roughly 56, which is a lower rating for high-quality blades but still a good hardness when compared to the bulk of knives made worldwide. If 440A is heated to an extremely high temperature during manufacture, it may be tougher than this. The Rockwell Hardness test is one method for determining metal hardness (and can also be used for some plastics).

While there are now many Rockwell scales, one of the simplest tests assesses metal hardness by pressing an indentor, such as a steel ball with a particular force, into the surface of the metal. The hardness is determined by how far the indentor penetrates.

Caring for Cutco Knives

While all of Cutco’s cutlery and knives are dishwasher safe, the company suggests washing them in hot water with a light dishwashing detergent. If you must clean your knives in the dishwasher, place them flat on the rack rather than in the flatware basket.

After drying your Cutco knife, place it in a knife bock, tray, or sheath to preserve the blade.

The blades may discolor from meals or water with a higher mineral content on occasion. Remove any stains from the blade or the nickel-silver rivets, which may also stain, using a non-abrasive polishing agent.

Sharpening Knives

As the blade of a knife becomes blunt or dull, it should be sharpened. You may also see damage around the blade edge. Sharpening straight edge knives at home is possible using a Cutco sharpener or any other sharpening instrument or stone.

If you want to have them professionally sharpened, you may send them back to Cutco under the Forever Guarantee, or you can hire a Cutco Certified Service Expert to come to your house and sharpen them for you. If you reside in upstate New York, you may also get your knives sharpened at the factory.

Knives with a Double-D or Micro Double-D edge are meant to remain sharp for many years, and if they do require sharpening, they should be returned to Cutco rather than sharpened at home or by another service.

The drawback of returning blades to Cutco for sharpening rather than doing it yourself is that you will be without your knives for a few weeks. If you can plan ahead, you can consider returning knives for sharpening or maintenance while on vacation.

The Cutco Forever Guarantee

This warranty is just for home users, and it simply implies that if you have any difficulties with your Cutco knife, it will be fixed or replaced, unless the knife has been damaged due to improper usage, in which case Cutco will replace it for half the retail price (plus sales tax).

You may apply for the guarantee by either mailing the knife to Cutco or submitting an online request. Since no receipt or registration is required, if you pass your knives down to a family member, they may likewise claim free sharpening, repair, or replacement.

When you submit knives to Cutco for sharpening, you will be charged a return shipping cost, which may vary based on the number of knives returned for sharpening.

Conclusion

We’ve seen in this review that the Cutco Forever Guarantee actually is forever, and although sharpening and repairs are free, there are some shipping expenses associated when you return your blades to Cutco for sharpening. We’ve also seen that using 440A high carbon stainless steel in knife blades has a variety of advantages, not the least of which is corrosion resistance.

We hope you liked our Cutco knives review, and if you have yet to purchase a Cutco knife for yourself or as a gift, we hope our evaluations have been useful in providing you with the knowledge you need to pick the proper knives for you or your gift recipient.