This starter set from Messermeister of Solingen, Germany, includes three of the most used knives in any kitchen. The eight-inch blade of the chef's knife covers most slicing, carving, and chopping work. The six-inch utility knife bones poultry and meat and comes in handy for sandwich prep. The paring knife with a three-and-a-half-inch cutting edge is the preferred tool for quick peeling and detail work.
All three use the same combination of forged steel and streamlined modern design that sets Messermeister's Elite series apart from the usual Solingen cutlery. Blade and full length tang are forged from the same bar of high carbon stainless steel. Most of the shaping comes from the forging process rather than stock removal. After trimming and heat treating, the blades are fitted with gap-free triple riveted polymer handle slabs. Final polishing and sharpening is a hand process. The finished flat ground blades show a professionally tapered edge that holds up to hard work without being too wide for efficient cutting.
The biggest difference between Messermeister Elite and the competition is the streamlined forged bolster. The bolster contributes strength to the blade and forms a dependable fingerguard for the grip, but its reduced profile doesn't interfere with the movement of the cutting edge through the food. The full length of the blade's edge is accessible for sharpening with either stone or honing steel.
The set of three is stain-free stainless steel, tough enough to survive a dishwashing machine but better off with a quick hand wash and dry. Dishwashers could degrade the finish and the cutting edge.
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