This four-inch Shun Paring Knife is the all-steel version of one of the best paring knives available today. While the D-shaped handle may seem a little slick to some, it completely eliminates worries about crevices where bacteria could hide and gives the knife an unmistakably clean look. The four-inch blade ...

This eight-piece bamboo block set from Shun offers knives from the Shun Classic series, with the focus on chef's knives rather than santoku. If you prefer the traditional European cook's knife style but also want the superior steel and cutting ability of Shun's Damascus blades, this set was designed ...

This heavy fighting knife -- drop forged from one piece of high carbon 440C stainless steel -- has good balance, although the green canvas micarta handle doesn't do much for its looks. A full tang build including a heavy forged bolster and hand guard give the Schanz Integral Dagger ...

The slip joint style pocket knife -- like the Puma Stockman Stag -- used to be the standard pocket blade for ranchers, farmers, and outdoorsmen. Three blades covered most common purposes no matter what the profession, and if the tip broke off one of them, it also counted ...

The Petty Petit gyuko or chef's knife was created by the Kitasho Company of Seki City, Japan, a center of fine swordsmiths for 800 years. Kitasho began more recently in 1948 and manufactures a broad line of chef's cutlery and hunting knives built to Japanese specifications rather than toned ...

Shun Cutlery's Classic Carving Set brings that company's famous VG-10 Damascus style stainless steel to the dinner service. The look is the same as that of Shun's other chef's knives, with an elegant and simple ebony-style pakkawood handle and a forged stainless steel blade.

Both knife and fork provide ...

Estwing solved the ancient riddle of how to make an axe handle that won't break by forging the entire tool from steel. The Estwing Sportsman's Hatchet brings the durability of a fine steel-shanked carpenter's hammer to the campsite in this 16-inch-long and nearly 2-1/2-pound camping tool.

Forged from high carbon ...

The Mini Hatchet from Gransfors Bruks qualifies as the sporting blade you didn't know you need. Carrying the belt axe or tomahawk is an option many people don't even think about today, but it used to be standard equipment on the frontier. Lennart Pettersson, one of the smiths at the ...

The 11 Piece Carving Set from Two Cherries includes tools for both relief and chip carving. A good choice for beginners and for expert carvers who need to replace tools or expand collections, the Two Cherries set features forged blades of high carbon tool steel hardened to Rockwell 61 ...

The Two Cherries 5 Piece Palm-Handled Carving set includes five high quality tools for detailing and small scale relief carvings plus a five-pocket leather pouch for storage.

These small carving tools show some of the same features of full-sized gouges and chisels intended for heavier work. Forged bolsters and ferruled ...

Only 19 ounces in weight, the 26-inch Petzl Summit offers full-size strength and a design with a few important improvements over the simple mountaineer's ice axe with straight shaft. The Summit's strong aluminum shaft, covered with a tough rubberized coating for improved grip and warmth, includes a curved upper ...

Wusthof's seven-inch Classic Straight Meat Fork lacks the problems you'll remember if you've used cheap carving forks. These long seven-inch tines of sharp forged high carbon stainless steel pierce even thick roasts and holiday turkeys without bending. The Wusthof Classic fork guides any good carving knife accurately for perfect ...

The six-inch carving fork and eight-inch carving knife in the Wusthof Classic Carving Set bring hand forged quality and strength to the dinner service. This elegant pair has a rugged build that serves equally well in the kitchen. As much care went into the production of this tempered high ...

If you're looking for a well made set of four lightweight and slender steak knives, the J.A. Henckels International Classic Steak Knife Set is a good match. Forged blades and bolsters and full tang slab handles match the look of other knives in the Henckels Classic series, but without the bulk ...

The J.A. Henckels Twin Pro S nine-piece block set offers a nearly complete set of chef's cutlery ranging from the most basic paring blades to a full-sized santoku and chef's knife. The Twin Pro series combines many of the best features of forged patterns with stock removal methods ...

Built with one of J.A. Henckels' best manufacturing processes this Twin Pro-S two piece Carving Set won't disappoint. An eight-inch carving knife and matching seven-inch carving fork handle even large roasts and poultry with efficiency and grace. The construction is ergonomically correct, and the appearance matches the look of ...

The briefcase-sized metal bound carrying case of this set holds three styles of sushi knives plus four reusable lacquered chopsticks and four ceramic chopstick holders. All pieces fit into cutouts in the foam liner, locked away securely until it's time to cut some fish.

Sushi knives have a distinctive look ...

This Wusthof Classic Santoku 6-Piece Block Set switches the classic European chef's knife for the classic Japanese santoku -- which more and more of us are discovering to be the real workhorse of the modern kitchen. More specialized than the versatile cook's or chef's knife, the slimmer and more efficient ...

Anyone about to begin training with the Chinese broadsword should get ready to collect some swords. The swords used in training differ considerably from the combat versions, progressing from light wooden replicas through a series of heavier steel builds. Each does find a useful place in a training regimen, although the less ...

The Zwilling J.A. Henckels Four Star four-knife steak set offers forged high carbon stainless steel blades and a lighter build than the Henckels full tang cutlery. With rat tail tangs enclosed in molded polymer handles, the construction is clean and functional but not heavy duty.

Backed up with a limited lifetime warranty, ...

Four good knives plus a sharpening steel and a hardwood storage block, the Calphalon Traditional 6-Piece Block Set keeps to the basics. Some of the features you'd see in the German-made Calphalon knives have been trimmed out of this Chinese version of an old German pattern, but the results are functional ...

The Henckels Twin Select 3 Knife Starter Set offers the three practical blades most needed in any kitchen. The style and build of the Henckels set is similar to the Wusthof Culinar 3-Piece Starter Set but lower in price. Though the Wusthof Culinar set is nearly bulletproof, this competitive selection from ...

Wusthof's Culinar knives offer drop forged Solingen steel from tip to tang, with a lighter build than most forged designs and a modernistic stainless steel handle design. This set of three good knives covers most kitchen tasks well, handling nearly everything but heavy chopping. Though chefs will need special purpose ...

Using the same solid construction as the Henckels Twin Professional Series chef's cutlery, this four-knife steak set brings traditional quality and style to the dining table. Triple-riveted polymer handle slabs enclose the full tang of the one-piece drop forged knife set with the durability and practicality of Henckel's prep knives. The ...

Though this set of forged high carbon stainless steel knives is manufactured in Brazil, the design and quality is thoroughly German. Adhering to proven ideas from Solingen knifemakers, Mundial's knives buck no trends. You get knives as knives were made decades ago, with strong bolsters and solidly built blades ...

One good chef's knife does a lot for the kitchen, easing all kinds of prep work from slicing vegetables to carving meat and even mincing herbs. In skilled hands, every part of the chef's knife efficiently performs a different essential task. The Meridian Elite Chef's Knife from Messermeister of Solingen, Germany, ...

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 ...

The heaviest training staff of the Shaolin, the Eyebrow Height Iron Staff is at the heart of an old story from Shaolin temple history. Answering the Emperor's call to repel a foreign invasion force, monks used their iron staffs to beat back invading soldiers -- only to find themselves considered the Emperor's next ...

The Henckels Classic series still uses the steel alloy developed by J. A. Henckels for its distinctive high performance cutlery. This unique blend of carbon, chromium and other trace elements creates the backbone of this drop forged carving set. A slim carving knife with an eight-inch blade backed up by a stout six-inch ...

At over thirteen pounds, this forged high carbon steel Kwan Dao is heavy by today's standards but light in comparison to the old combat Kwan Dao of China. Designed by General Kwan Yu in the 3rd Century A.D. for his personal use, the original Green Dragon Crescent Blade which inspires ...

Messermeister's Meridian Elite 6" boning knife overcomes one of the drawbacks of what is otherwise a very efficient forged pattern. Many of the older German cutlery patterns feature the same full bolster forged blades. That makes these old designs very strong, but the bolster does sometimes interfere with the work. In a ...

From Tramontina of Brazil, this 7-piece professional cutlery block set will impress you with its solidly drop forged full tang blades. Many modern manufacturers use thinner blade stock that results in lighter knives. These old style blades could be more than you need for many prep and slicing tasks, but there's little chance ...

A starter set like the Henckels Twin Pro S 3-Piece set might be all the knives you need for a long time. The Pro series uses high carbon stainless steel, drop forged and ice-hardened for greater strength and a long lasting edge. Whether the extra weight and strength is ...

Although these 40-inch Twin Broadswords forged from combat-quality high carbon steel come from the Lung Chuan district of China, tracing them to a specific local foundry could be difficult. Many family foundries in Lung Chuan village still produce high quality weaponry, and one of them put the family mark on ...

This Tai Chi Broadsword, forged in the district of Lung Chuan in China, possibly at the Shen family foundry, comes from a region legendary for its high quality weapons. Visitors to the district in recent times comment that it's still easy to find a good sword there, but it usually comes with ...

The Wusthof Trident Classic Tomato Knife solves a consistently frustrating kitchen problem that only bothers some people. Tomato knives aren't essential tools unless you spend your days behind a deli counter making sandwiches. For the rest of us, they're a convenience. Some would even feel guilty for owning one, except that ...

The Henckels Four Star 9-Piece Knife Block Set provides all the fundamental cutting tools the average chef needs, along with a space-saving countertop hardwood knife block. Polypropylene handles and the trusted stain-free high carbon Friodur blades give cooks the option of fast dishwasher cleaning. Edges and finish last ...

Although the Dragon Katana Hand Forged Sword from Ryumon does catch your eye easily enough with a well-decorated scabbard and ornate fittings, be cautious if you expect this sword to be a good cutter. The steel used in the blade -- 1065 carbon steel -- could be excellent, depending on the quality ...

Inspired by the personal weapon of Miyamoto Musashi -- one of feudal Japan's greatest swordsmen and author of the famous book of strategy The Book of Five Rings -- this daito or long sword would have been used in conjunction with a shorter wakisashi. Musashi's dual weapon style saw him through ...

Old tempering processes became so complex and time consuming that few manufacturers today even attempt their reproduction. Higher quality modern alloy steel and new ways of producing high quality blades only occasionally compete with the old standards. Almost never does anyone manage to blend the two approaches.

Through the Kami Katana by CAS ...

Dating to the 11th century in Europe, the simple fullered sword Valiant Armoury recreates as the Norman Sword was one of the first European battle swords to feature a crossguard. Complex hilts built to both deflect an opponent's blade and protect the hand would come later. In the Norman design, a ...

The Duke of Exeter Sword may look a bit ordinary even with the extra flourishes that Valiant Armoury gives this old design from the Hundred Years' War. Patterned after actual swords used in the Battle of Agincourt, the 35.5-inch blade, hilt, and pommel are plain and simple, built to pierce armor, catch ...

The Falchion took centuries to evolve from what was probably a butcher knife or kitchen cleaver pressed into emergency service into what became a cross between an ax and sword. The Medieval Falchion from Valiant Armoury is both an accurate reproduction of this old weapon and an example of how it ...

The Nemesis Battle Axe, sold as a fully functional battle weapon, does outclass most other modern martial arts axes. Many of the modern versions of this intimidating double-bladed axe are intentionally lightweight, built more for kata than for fighting. Though this is a very nice axe, and a type of weapon that ...

Patterned after one of the common soldier's blades from the European battlefields of the 1400's, this sword from Valiant Armory has a plain name and a plain build. Sold by Valiant as the War Sword, the only thing fancy about this very realistic weapon is the black and tan macassar ebony ...

This Henckels Twin Select Santoku with a granton blade shows the company's idea of what a good knife should be, and does not exactly copy the familiar Japanese design. Some of the good ideas from both cultures are expressed in this high quality knife.

With a heavier forged blade ...

Damascus steel hand-forged by master smith Manfred Sachse forms the two-inch blade of this mother-of-pearl handled gentleman's folder from Boker Knives of Solingen, Germany. Three hundred layers of high carbon steel give the blade exceptional toughness and edge-holding ability. Closed, the knife measures only 2-1/2 inches long, but the wide ...

If you've ever been disappointed by a display katana's inability to cut, consider the Kyoumou Tora Practical Katana from Valiant Armoury. Part of this Texas company's Practical Cutting series of real swords and katanas, the Kyoumou Tora will actually slice through rolled tatami targets. Not only does it cut, it also ...

The Global 6-inch serrated utility knife incorporates the best of modern design and modern materials, produced entirely from forged Cromova 18 stainless steel and balanced with a precise amount of sand in the sealed hollow handle. Movement of the sand during use is said to decrease fatigue, but I'd bet ...

Primarily used for deboning and slicing raw or cooked meat, fish, and poultry, the Shun Pro Deba knife with a 6 1/2" plain edge is one of the fundamental blades of the Japanese kitchen, dating back to the Edo period in the city of Sakai. Once famous for fine ...