The 8 Best Cutco Knives Review in 2023

If you have been lucky enough to have a Cutco knife set passed down to you, then you will probably know that Cutco’s Forever Guarantee means forever. Proudly still made in the US, Cutco knives are found in many of our homes and are often relied upon for bringing a sharp edge to most kitchen tasks. If you want to add some Cutco knives to your existing collection, or intend to gift one, then read on for our reviews of Cutco knives.

Things to Consider Before Buying Cutco Knives

All Cutco knives are made in Olean, New York and have been made there since 1949. Other Cutco products may be made in Mexico or China.

Formerly known as Alcas Corporation until 2009, the parent Cutco Corporation includes Cutco Cutlery, KA-Bar Knives, Schilling Forge and Vector Marketing. Cutco knives are often marketed through in-home demonstrations, along with its own retail stores and various online outlets.

Cutco knives are stamped knives, this means that the blades have been pressed out from a sheet of stainless steel then ground and honed to give a finished blade, rather than forged knives which are forged from the piece of steel. A forged knife is usually identified by the bolster or piece of metal that sits between the blade and the handle and these are usually more expensive knives.

The majority of Cutco knives are full tang blades. This means that the blade continues through the length of the handle and which is why rivets are used to hold the handle to the tang of the blade.

Full tang blades are more robust than part tang blades in which the tang only runs into the handle for one or two inches. This makes part tang blades more likely to break when using, especially if you apply more pressure when cutting. A full tang also helps to balance the knife’s weight out as it acts as to counterbalance the weight of the blade.

Advantages of Serrated Blades

Serrations allow the blade of a knife to sink into the surface of the food and the spaces (or gullets) between the teeth allow friction to decrease as the serrated blade moves forwards and backwards through the food.

The lack of friction means the serrations or teeth can cut through food easily without dragging or tearing. Serrated knives are better suited to cutting foods with a hard outer and softer core such as breads and pastries. They can also be used for cheeses and cooked meats and can make it easier to slice through tomatoes and soft skinned fruits as well as tougher fruits such as pineapple or melon.

Cutco utilizes propriety serration designs, known as Double-D and Micro Double-D; which is used on the smaller serrated knife blades.

Cutco Knife Handles

The handle on a full tang knife is actually composed of two identical scales or halves and it is these that we are referring to when talking about knife handles.

When these are made from thermo-resins or other synthetic materials, they bring many advantages to the kitchen, not least that they are sanitary and easy to clean. They are also extremely durable and comfortable to hold for longer periods of time.

Knife handles are usually molded to give an ergonomic grip and grips for the thumb and forefinger – such as those seen on Cutco knives – not only support an ergonomic grip, but they also give a safer grip and help you maintain control over the knife when cutting.

Most Cutco knives come with classic brown handles, which are sometimes described as being black and some of the range may also be available with pearl handles which are light colored.

About 440A High Carbon Stainless Steel

440A high carbon stainless steel is not just used in cutlery, it is found in dental and medical instruments, bearings, valve components, molds and dies and many other components.

The 440A steel used in Cutco knives undergoes a three step heating process. This creates blades which are flexible and durable while maintaining a razor-sharp edge. Once Cutco knives are made, they are also tested and inspected before being sent out for sale.

Like other members of steel within the 440 family, 440A steel is considered to be a true stainless steel and because 440A contains the lowest amount of carbon compared to other 440 steels, it means it also has the highest level of corrosion resistance. For this reason alone, 440A is often used in display knives and swords and it is a very popular steel for diving knives due to its resistance to salt corrosion. The lower carbon content also means that 440A steel is slightly softer – making it easier to sharpen.

440A also contains around 17% chromium which is essential to improve the corrosion and heat resistance of the steel as well as increasing the depth of hardening when the steel is heat treated.

The Rockwell Hardness of 440A is around 56; a lower value for high quality knives but still a decent hardness when compared to the majority of knives manufactured globally. 440A can also be harder than this if it has been heated to a very high temperature during production. The Rockwell Hardness test is one way of measuring the hardness of metals (and can also be used for some plastics).

Although there are now a number of Rockwell scales, one of the easiest tests measures the hardness of the metal by pressing an indentor such as a steel ball with a specific load into the surface of the metal. How far the indentor penetrates is the measure of the hardness.

Caring for Cutco Knives

Cutco recommends its knives are washed in hot water with a mild dishwashing soap, although all of its cutlery and knives are dishwasher safe. If you do wash your knives in the dishwasher then if possible, lay them flat on the rack rather than in the flatware basket.

Once you have dried your Cutco knife it should be stored in a knife bock, tray or sheath to protect its blade.

The knives may occasionally stain from foods or water which has a higher mineral content. You can use a non-abrasive polishing compound to remove any stains from the blade or from the nickel-silver rivets which may also stain.

Sharpening Knives

A knife should be sharpened when the blade starts to blunt or dull. You may also be able to see damage along the blade edge. Straight edge knives can be sharpened at home with a Cutco sharpener or any other sharpening device or stone.

If you prefer to have them sharpened professionally then they can be sent back to Cutco under the Forever Guarantee or you can use a Cutco Certified Service Professional who can come out and sharpen them for you in your own home. If you live upstate New York, you can also drop your knives in at the factory for sharpening.

Knives with a Double-D or Micro Double-D edge are designed to stay sharp for a number of years and when they do need sharpening, they should be returned to Cutco rather than home sharpening them or using another sharpening service.

Of course, the disadvantage with returning knives to Cutco for sharpening rather than doing it yourself is that it will leave you without your knives for a couple of weeks or so. If you can plan ahead, then you may want to consider returning knives for sharpening or repairing while you are on vacation.

The Cutco Forever Guarantee

This guarantee is for home users only and basically means that if there are any problems with your Cutco knife, it will be repaired or replaced, unless the knife has been damaged through unconventional use, in which case Cutco will replace it for half the retail price (plus sales tax).

You can apply under the guarantee by either sending the knife directly to Cutco or filing an online request. This guarantee also means that if you hand your knives down to a family member, they can also claim free sharpening, repair or replacement, as no receipt or registration is needed.

When you send knives to Cutco for sharpening, although the service itself is free, you will need to pay a return shipping fee which will vary depending on how many knives are sent for sharpening.

Conclusion

In this review we have seen that the Cutco Forever Guarantee is truly forever and although sharpening and repairs are free, there are some shipping costs involved when you return your knives to Cutco for sharpening. We have also seen that the use of 440A high carbon stainless steel brings a number of benefits to knife blades – not least corrosion resistance.