* * * Cutco Knives (Vector Marketing) * * *
MARKETING STRATEGY
Vector is the company behind marketing Cutco’s products. Vector sells door to door by hiring sales associates and paying them commissions on successful sales since motivated starving salespeople make excellent pitchmen. But any commission-based sales program is suspect.
Selling high-end knives requires some understanding of products, in knives some metallurgy, honesty and making sakes quotas.
It is also heavy on referrals almost to the point of obnoxiousness. I do not do this to my friends without calling them first, and if they do it to me, they will hear about it, loudly and possibly for the last time.
In their section on Santoku knives the description is "the Santoku Knife has found fame on the culinary circuit and will surely be a star in your kitchen. A versatile and beautifully balanced knife, the full hollow ground blade on the Santoku means clean slices every time.
SANTOKU Santoku knives are best known for their sharp edges, either beveled or hollow ground, which enhances their cutting performance. Another feature is the 'granton edge' release pattern (scalloped) on the blades that not only adds style, but helps to release thin slices and sticky food after slicing.
It is nice sounding, but totally inaccurate, more PR, less fact. The word Santoku has Japanese historical significance meaning 'three virtues', and a Santoku knife wears its name quite proudly, with its marvelous chopping, dicing and mincing abilities. Typically, they range in sizes from 5" to 7" in blade lengths, but smaller ones are available. Sporting a unique styling somewhat like a narrow-bladed cleaver, the Santoku knife is designed for a comfortable, well-balanced grip, while allowing for full blade use.
Prices are influenced by the construction details, quality of steel, whether full or partial tang, and how the knife is assembled. Santoku knives are also available in ceramic construction. Although there are many higher priced models, a good affordable Santoku to some is the only knife they need. Think of it as a lightweight Chinese cleaver with multi-tasking.
THE TORTURE TEST COMPARISON
Cutco knives are often compared in the home to a customer’s existing kitchen knives. And since many home cooks have knives in dire need of repair, the trash can, or for paint stirring, the Cutco comes off well. A sharp Abalone shell will probably do better than the cheap stuff laying in drawers for years.
Many home chefs will become just like someone who gave up smoking, converts, blabbing and dragging their friends and relatives into the mix. And a few hundred bucks later, they’re the proud owners of a new set of what we feel are overpriced and when the friends get off the exuberance pill, a few less friends.
CUTCO NEGATIVES:
• Think of the Cutco as a Ginsu or Ron Popiel Special on steroids. Cutco knives employ a patented “Double D” recessed edge. Double D most closely resembles a serrated edge and therefore shares some of the pros and cons of serrations.
• Cutco blades are made from 440A stainless steel. It is not the high end of the metal scale. It is used in “price-point” knife sets. Preferred knife steel is 440C, X50CrMo15, SG-2 or VG-10. Any of these are better choices than 440A for hardness, sharpness and edge retention.
• You are paying three times what they are worth. Commissions, sales managers paychecks, incentives and profit add up to a bad buy for the consumer.
CELEBRITY KNIVES
If you’re considering a set of Cutco knives, think twice. Stick with Wusthof, Shun, Henkel’s, Forschner by Victornox. Pass on the Chinese knockoffs from Calpathlon, Kitchenaid and Farberware etc. or the decorator knives with celebrity names. You'll be sharpening more than cutting. They are probably all from China but the gimmick is they profess German steel. So they can stamp it on the blade -Germany - Look for the small print further down on the blade. If I had to guess I would think more come from used Chinese WOKS than Panzer fenders. When a celebrity endorses things, it satisfies three things.
• Branding - The art of customer loyalty to the uninitiated. Join the club.
• Expansion - It expands their circle of influence getting their name out there.
• Money - They make a lot of money selling a ten dollar knife for twenty dollars.