Dalstrong Steak Knives Gladiator Series

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Dalstrong is a high-performing team of young, determined individuals who are relentlessly driven to make a mark in the culinary world. People who believe in their ability to shape and change the world around them through our products, our creativity, and our community. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, our diverse roster spans the globe, pulling from an incredibly rich cross-section of life and professional experiences to perfect every iteration and make every Dalstrong purchase meaningful.

Ja Henckels International Stainless Steel 8

J.A. Henckels is an excellent cutlery company, and their International Stainless Steel 8-Piece Steak Knife Set marks their second entry in our best steak knives set list.

They sport 3-¾ inch blades and feature a one piece stainless steel design. This classifies them as a full tang design the blade extends from tip to the end of the handle. This is the strongest knife construction.

Theyre around 8-¼ overall from tip to the end of the handle, a good balanced size for cutting meat. The blade is fully serrated, which does not cut as well as a straight or micro-serrated design, but holds up better to hard plates such as ceramic.

I actually prefer a micro-serrated blade for cutting meat, but for a full-serrated blade this is an excellent choice. You can expect it to last quite a while even with a bit of abuse on your plates, and it will perform well with other foods like your cheeses, breads, and potatoes.

The one-piece International is a good 8-piece set which keeps maintenance to the absolute minimum. Its my pick for the best all around steak knife set you should consider, unless you want to step up to the more expensive Wüsthof below.

Pros:

Cons:

• 3-¾ blades feel a little short, 4 or 4.5 would have been a better length for meat
• Serrated blades arent as sharp as micro-serrated or straight blades
• Stainless steel handles can be slipperier than plastic or wood handles

What To Look For In A Steak Knife

I wasnt joking in the introduction: your primary goals with a steak knife should be sharpness and handling. To those, also consider the price you want to pay and the maintenance youll bear.

Your primary goal is to make it easy for your family or guests to cut through tough dishes, such as steak and chicken.

Also keep in mind: depending on the knives you choose, your steak knives will even serve for many more dishes than meat think potatoes, and even bread.

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Dalstrong Gladiator Series 8pc Knife Block Set

Knives Included:

Block Material:

Hardness Rating

HRC 58

As you move from the blade to the handle, there is a distinct red spacer near the bolster. The balance on the Phantom Series is great with the ergonomically D-shaped pakkawood handle and weighted cap.

In true Dalstrong fashion, knives in the Phantom Series are perfect for gift giving with their top-notch presentation and accessories. Each knife comes with its own gift box and DragonLock sheath that folds shut to protect the entire blade.

Hardness Rating

58+ HRC

Moving on to the handle, this is where the major difference between these knife collections come into play. Where the Gladiator knives use a pakkawood handle, this Crusader knives are all stainless steel and utilize a very modern look and feel as 100% metal knife, blade and handle.

Dalstrongs Crusader Series knives are unique, beautiful, and perform very well for the price point at which theyre sold. They knid of remind us of Global Cutlery knives with the all-metal design, but theyre priced lower. Check the availability of the Crusader knives at Amazon using the link below.

Are Dalstrong Knives Any Good

While Dalstrong is a newer knife maker, there are a lot of people who are enjoying their knife sets. There will always be higher-end chefs that will stick to more established traditional brands , but if you are a home check looking to invest in a knife set that is a step above entry-level knives , then this may be the brand for you.

Yes, Dalstrong has knives that are National Sanitation Foundation certified.

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The Ultimate Dalstrong Kitchen Knife And Block Set Guide

Dalstrong presents a worthy alternative to brands like Wusthoff or Shun by having some of the best customer service in the industry, and knowing how to make all their knives easy to find and learn about. They used to be a budget brand, and there are more than a few professional cooks and chefs who still look down their noses at Dalstrong knives. But lately Dalstrong has pushed into the high-end cutlery world pretty aggressively and come out with some interesting stuff. The quality is decent enough, if a little inconsistent sometimes, but theyre always quick to answer questions and fix problems or send replacements if you get a bad set. On top of that, everything they make looks beautiful, from the white-box packaging to the mirror finish on their steel.

Dalstrong isnt the best answer for everyone. There are more traditional brands for high-end sets, and if youre looking for other styles in the reasonably priced range there are more options than you might think. But a set of Dalstrongs is a pretty safe bet because theyve chosen the unique path of putting customer satisfaction over quality on their list of priorities. When you dont like something, theres a decent guarantee of getting a replacement or your money back if something goes wrong.Make no mistake, this company has some marketing genius behind it, but they also understand that quality plays an important part in keeping us happy.

Where Are Dalstrong Knives Made

Every single one of our knives is painstakingly assembled by expert bladesmiths in a state-of-the-art facility within YangJiang, China â a city with a renowned knife crafting tradition dating back over 1400 years. Today, Yangjian holds the title of National Capital of Knives and Scissors, exporting to more than 100 countries and accounting for 60% of all knife product exports in China.

Before we partner with any global organization, we seriously consider their stance on workerâs rights and eco-sustainability. Itâs important to us that our partners align with our values. Our main manufacturing partners are certified ISO humans rights compliant, with 4 weeks of paid vacation for their employees per year and fair wages.

At our manufacturing plants, the artisans and lead foremen are on a personal mission to prove to the world that Chinese knife quality is world-class. As such, our factory proudly stands head and shoulders above all others in YangJiang.

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Here Is The Complete List Of Dalstrong Knife Series

We cover the following Dalstrong knife series in this article:

Cons

Set Includes:8 Chef knife, 7 Santoku knife, 9 bread knife, 9 carving/slicer, 6.5 utility knife, 6 serrated utility knife, 3.5 paring knife, 8 Gladiator series honing steel.

This set is kind of the default option of all the Dalstrong options. Its from their cheapest series, and the general consensus is that these knives are fairly comfortable. A few people find some of the longer knives a bit unwieldy, but once you get used to the feel of them you dont really notice. They also lean more on the light side, which makes it a little more difficult to cut harder vegetables, and thats really not ideal in western-style kitchen knives. But I think its only fair to give some leeway to the balance in an 8-piece set that falls under $300. This set in particular includes a modestly-sized block made out of solid acacia, which is one of the big selling points for me. Of all the blocks on here, I think this one looks the best, and its small enough to fit easily into pretty much any kitchen.

The Gladiator series as a whole is also a good option if you want a particular color. Dalstrong is always changing their line up, but as of now you can get a Gladiator set in green, red, white, blue, and black.

Gladiator Series 18 Pice Colossal Set

Cons

Dalstrong Chef Knife Gladiator Series 20cm 8

$125.00

• High carbon ThyssenKrupp German steel at 55 Rockwell
• Hand sharpened to 18° per side, achieving ultra thin slices and maximum resilience
• Tall blade height gives knuckle clearance
• Beautiful hand polished satin finish blade
• Tapered design for hardness and flexibility
• Precisely tempered
• Polished spine to facilitate a comfortable pinch grip
• Full tang for incredible robustness & quality
• Premium quality laminated pakkawood handles imported from Spain, for superior strength, refinement, and beauty.
• Triple riveted for even more durability
• Mirror polished, finger protective bolster provides for a perfectly engineered balance with just the right heft

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Select A Knife To Compare

Dalstrong Reviews: What Do Customers Think

The brands knives are beautiful, but you might be wondering how they hold up in real life. If so, youre in luck, because this is the part of the Dalstrong knife review where we search far and wide for all the nitty-gritty details when it comes to customer ratings.

A Dalstrong knife review on Blade Advisor talked about the brands 5 best sets, along with their pros and cons.

The author said that they have great customer service and will do whatever it takes to make customers happy, not surprising for a young, Canadian company. Customer service can make or break a business, so were glad that Dalstrong is putting in a solid effort.

While reviewing the 5 knife sets, the only cons that came up were about the price and what was included in the Dalstrong Professional Knife Set: likely still need to buy more knives for a complete set.

This could be a pain, but if youre looking for a complete set with steak knives and the whole shebang, Dalstrong has those too.

We turned to the brands website to get an overall feel for how customers enjoy their knives. Below, youll find ratings for a few of their most notable products:

• Chefs Knife 8 Shogun Series X 4.9/5 stars, nearly 2,000 ratings
• Kiritsuke Knife 8.5 Gladiator Series 4.8/5 stars, over 1,700 ratings
• Extra Long Crixus Knife 12 Shogun Series 4.9/5 stars, 130 ratings
• 4 Piece Steak Knife Set 5.5 Omega Series 4.8/5 stars, close to 300 ratings

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The Dalstrong Origin Story

Dalstrong first began in the sweat and glory of professional kitchens, where CEO and founder Dave Dallaire worked alongside line cooks and sous chefs who tirelessly devoted every ounce of energy and passion to their craft. Watching these culinary warriors give everything they had while using stodgy, uninspired knives, he asked: âWhere are the culinary tools to match their intrepid spirit?â

And so he started Dalstrong in 2014, recruiting an always-hungry global team who believe that todayâs culinary artists deserve tools that push the limits of their imagination. Weâre convinced we can change the world around us through our products, our creativity, and our community. Gathering inspiration that fuels our sense of adventure, from ancient warrior cultures to architecture to fighter jets, we scour the planet for the best materials and manufacturing partners to execute this vision â and will never stop raising the bar, smashing boundaries, and celebrating culinary mavericks in this quest.

Dalstrong Knife Review Summary

As mentioned at the outset of this page, there are many haters out there that dont believe Dalstrong should be considered a top knife manufacturer under any circumstances due to their age and location. There are just as many or more home chefs that LOVE the idea of being able to buy a beautiful knife made with the same materials as really expensive knives at a fraction of the cost. Likewise, theres a third camp of folks that decide to give Dalstrong a chance and are pleasantly surprised in the value they provide. Thats kind of where we stand. We were skeptical, then pleased with what we found in Dalstrong.

One thing we havent talked about yet is Dalstrongs customer service. Along with their prices and marketing, customer service is one of their greatest assets! Not only do they offer a 100% Satisfaction or Your Money Back Guarantee on their knives, but they also make sure to quickly answer any and all questions that get posed to them on Amazon. They are polite and knowledgeable and even address many of the issues noted in the ultra-rare negative reviews. Its this kind of service that makes it worth giving this brand a shot. If you dont like it, you can return it!

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Best Ultra Premium Shun Classic Steak Knife Set

Japan has a long history of world class blades going back centuries to the days of Shoguns and ninjas. Over the past few decades, the Japanese have turned their abilities to making some of the absolute best kitchen knives in the world.

Shun makes several models ranging from simply premium to ultra premium. Shun Steak Knives are my personal favorite. I did not include them in the Best Overall race simply due to their $300+ price point.

The look and feel of Shun steak knives is top notch. Here is short video showing the unboxing of this amazing set of steak knives.

What makes Shun great? They may be the sharpest steak knives you can get within reason. The blades have a 16 degree TOTAL angle, making the ultimate sharpness factor is very high. Remember, the excellent Wusthofs have a 28 degree total angle. That is a HUGE difference.

Normally, a 16 degree total angle blade would not hold its edge and would be prone to chipping. Shun gets around this by using absolutely top notch steel.

Dont believe me? How about Alton Brown?

The steel is VG 10, which is considered a super steel. The blade is further enhanced with 34 layers of stain resistant 410 steel. With a Rockwell hardness score of 61, this highly engineered blade is super sharp and more than strong enough for normal usage.

What I like:

Dalstrong Shogun Series Review: 5 Piece Series

Included:

• Very cool looking knife block

Cons:

• The look isnt to everyones liking
• Looking around, there seemed to be some that questioned the quality of the knives
• Japanese steel, made in China. Feel weird.
• Higher priced knife set but you get fewer knives, only for discerning chefs who know their knives.

Overall Review of Dalstrong Shogun 5 Piece Series

These knives come at a premium. Im not a knife guru, but I do know what I like. These knives have me thinking pass. As cool as the hammered edge looks on these, its just not to my liking. Add in that you can the 18-piece Gladiator set for roughly $50 more, and I would go that route if I were choosing between the two.

Still, they offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee, so if you are wondering about this set, it looks like you can try it risk-free. If you like the look but dont need all of the knives, the Dalstrong chef knife makes our top 10 rated Best Chef Knife under $200.

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Best Value Bellemain Premium Steak Knife Set

Not everyone can afford or has need for an ultra-premium steak knife set. Fortunately, there are very strong competitors at the sub-$30 price point. For example, Bellemain offers an attractive stainless steel/serrated blade 4-knife set for roughly a tenth of the price of a Wusthof.

The steel is surgical quality stainless steel . While not likely to be confused with expensive Japanese or German high carbon alloys, it gets the job done.

These blades are serrated, meaning they have teeth, like a saw. This is a matter of preference. While serrated blades do not provide the clean cut of a straight blade, they are better for tougher cuts of meat like roasts.

What I like:

• Harder to sharpen due to serrated blade
• Although stainless, the blades can show rust spots if not wiped down
• Comes in plastic packaging and does not include a storage box.

This may be the best steak knife set for you, if you:

• Have a budget under $30
• Need to buy a lot of knives
• Prefer a low maintenance, no worry knife
• Dont mind the sawing cutting action of a serrated blade.

Fantastic reviews and a nearly unbeatable price point make the Bellemain Premium Steak Knife Set a really compelling offer.

Final Thoughts On Our Dalstrong Knives Review

While Dalstrong Knives are a newer knife brand company, they do offer a few different selections of high-quality knives at relatively reasonable prices for the quality of knife you are getting. If you are looking for an entry-level knife, these are not them. But if you are looking to upgrade your knives or just starting out, these kitchen knives are a great place to start, and with their money-back satisfaction guarantee, it looks like you are in good hands.

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Best Overall Wusthof Classic Steak Knife Set

If there were a Mercedes Benz of steak knives, it would without a doubt be Wusthof, who has been making knives in Solingen, Germany since 1814.

Wusthof knives are instantly recognizable by their logo a white trident on a red background. The three forks in the trident symbolize their three core values of passion, diligence and perfection.

Made with high carbon German stainless steel , Wusthof Classic Steak Knives are in the middle of the Wusthof range in terms of cost.

They strike an excellent balance between hardness and durability . These blades rarely chip or roll the edge.

The handles are made out of Polyoxymethylene . POM is a synthetic material that is hard to scratch and easy to grip.

I have had a set of Wusthof steak knives for over a decade and use them regularly. They still look great and cut as well as ever.

What I like:

• Highly durable, as vouched for by long-term users
• Dishwasher safe, although we STRONGLY recommend washing by hand
• Wusthof offers an in-house sharpening service.

What I dont like:

• No wooden storage box at this price point
• The red logo is an adhesive that wears off over time.

This may be the best steak knife set for you, if you:

Overall, these steak knives are one of the lowest-risk kitchen purchases any home chef can make.