# Henckels Cutlery at Wal-Mart **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 2, 2008, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/henckels-cutlery-at-wal-mart/475341 "2008-12-02T15:21:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/henckels-cutlery-at-wal-mart/475341/1 "2008-12-02T15:21:09Z")
Wal-Mart currently has several Henckels Pro S cutlery sets on sale (do a search on Henckels, not all of them say Pro-S in the title, but do say it in the details) for pretty good prices, so I ordered one. However, I can’t find the model numbers they have listed anywhere on the Henckels website, 35676, or for sale by anyone else. I’m always wary of anything put forth by the Evil Empire…has anyone else seen anythign like this? ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/henckels-cutlery-at-wal-mart/475341/2 "2008-12-02T15:47:15Z")
I wouldn’t worry about it. If it’s Henckles twin they are good knives. The model number is just for the the particular package(ie. Block and Knives) and most likely has been discontinued. It may have been unpopular, or replaced by something newer, or maybe it was specifically put together for Wal-Mart, or maybe they are trying to dump whatever stock Henckles had excess of. Doesn’t matter. A couple years ago I ordered a set online from Macy’s I think. It didn’t exist as a set found elsewhere, but was a hell of a deal. ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/henckels-cutlery-at-wal-mart/475341/3 "2008-12-02T15:57:24Z")
Yeah, it should be shipped to the store in about a week, and we’ll see what it actually says on the box. I heard that Twin Pro S is the new name for the old Pro S sets, so maybe it is just old stock, or maybe their web dudes are just slacking. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/henckels-cutlery-at-wal-mart/475341/4 "2008-12-02T17:43:37Z")
Or it’s a stock number that’s exclusive to Wal-Mart. Big retailers often get packaging/models created only for them. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/henckels-cutlery-at-wal-mart/475341/5 "2008-12-02T17:52:20Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Or it’s a stock number that’s exclusive to Wal-Mart. Big retailers often get packaging/models created only for them. This also helps out retailers who advertise that, if you find the same model at a competing retailer for less, they’ll refund you double the difference or some such: it’s literally impossible to find the same model at any competitors. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/henckels-cutlery-at-wal-mart/475341/6 "2008-12-02T17:52:37Z")
I heard a rumor last year that Henckels had sold thier name to a cheap line of knives from China. I was hoping it wasn’t true, and maybe this makes me a snob, but I wouldn’t trust Henckels from WalMart. When your set arrives, will you please remember to tell us about it? ---
**Author:** ![SmackFu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@SmackFu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmackFu)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/henckels-cutlery-at-wal-mart/475341/7 "2008-12-02T17:55:55Z")
Well, I don’t think they sell their name, they just make a cheap line that’s made in China. I think the middle line is made in some cheaper European country, like Spain. And the good line is made in Germany. It should be printed on the blade where it is made. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/henckels-cutlery-at-wal-mart/475341/8 "2008-12-02T17:57:27Z")
Henckles does have a cheaper line. They only have one guy on the icon, and are not allowed to be called Twin. They arn’t shitty knives, more of a starter set, but just not quite of a quality to last a lifetime of sharpenings(or at all, I have a few pieces of a micro serrated Henckles that cannot be sharpenned). ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/henckels-cutlery-at-wal-mart/475341/9 "2008-12-02T18:20:29Z")
I have one of the cheap Henckles chef knives. It won’t take or hold an edge worth a wet shit. The edge chips under even very light use. Based on this knife, I can’t recommend the Chinese-manufactured Henckles line. ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 2008, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/henckels-cutlery-at-wal-mart/475341/10 "2008-12-02T22:27:27Z")
Henckels does indeed have 2 lines, one of which is JA Henckels International. This line does not offer the Pro-S model, it offers EverSharp and FineEdge models. ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/henckels-cutlery-at-wal-mart/475341/11 "2008-12-09T19:19:40Z")
I am happy to report that I picked up my order today, and I got a Twin Pro-S set of cutlery, 12 piece set (so it’s definitely the upmarket brand, it says Zwiling on it as well). Very nice. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/henckels-cutlery-at-wal-mart/475341/12 "2008-12-09T19:44:07Z")
Excellent! How do they cut? ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2008, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/henckels-cutlery-at-wal-mart/475341/13 "2008-12-09T23:49:54Z")
You can tell the Henckels knives apart by the little icon- the good ones have the “gemini” logo, i.e. twins. The lower-end ones have a stick figure with a halberd- the J.A. Henckels International ones. ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/henckels-cutlery-at-wal-mart/475341/14 "2008-12-10T15:01:52Z")
Yes, I have the twins logo. As for how they cut, this is sort of a Christmas present I am giving to myself, so I am not opening them until Christmas 🙂 (Also, in case someone goes absolutely hog wild and buys me a nice set of knives for Christmas, I can return them or sell them for a profit) I’ll report back after. In my experience, however, new knives often cut very nicely for a bit, and then tend to taper off in their performance. I got a set of Santokus for my birthday that were super-sharp at first, but now (3 months later) are not as good. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/henckels-cutlery-at-wal-mart/475341/15 "2008-12-10T18:27:12Z")
Holy crap, Wal-Mart is carrying a better Henckels line than the knives I just bought at Macy’s? I picked up a Henckels made-in-Spain 8" chef’s knife and 4" paring knife at Macy’s. ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/henckels-cutlery-at-wal-mart/475341/16 "2008-12-10T21:08:27Z")
Well, they WERE. I beleive they have sold out of most of the sets now. And Wiis, too ☹ Is there something wrong with Spanish steel? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/henckels-cutlery-at-wal-mart/475341/17 "2008-12-10T22:16:46Z")
> [@crazyjoe](#): > > I’ll report back after. In my experience, however, new knives often cut very nicely for a bit, and then tend to taper off in their performance. I got a set of Santokus for my birthday that were super-sharp at first, but now (3 months later) are not as good. Hmmm, if you’ve got foodnetwork, you might try watching [Alton Brown’s](http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes-and-cooking/knife-care/index.html)knife episode. It has some good ideas on keeping your knives in good shape. You might also check with your local butcher and see if s/he has a sharpening service. Dull knives are the bane of my existence. I’ll try to remember to bump this thread after the holiday. I admire your restraint in being able to resist the early-gift-temptation. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/henckels-cutlery-at-wal-mart/475341/18 "2008-12-11T00:26:48Z")
Re: santoku knives - Japanese knives are sharpened at a different angle from Western knives. From the Henckels Web site ([page for one of their sharpeners](http://usa.jahenckels.com/272henckels)): > [@](#): > > The pre-set angle of the sharpening wheels is for household knives only. To sharpen Oriental knives, a different angle is necessary. You might want to find somebody who know what they’re doing to sharpen your santokus. ---
**Author:** ![Ronald\_C.Semone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/cc9497/32.png) [@Ronald\_C.Semone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ronald_C.Semone)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/henckels-cutlery-at-wal-mart/475341/19 "2008-12-11T00:52:57Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > This also helps out retailers who advertise that, if you find the same model at a competing retailer for less, they’ll refund you double the difference or some such: it’s literally impossible to find the same model at any competitors. This is especially true at mattress stores. ---
**Author:** ![crazyjoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@crazyjoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crazyjoe)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2008, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/henckels-cutlery-at-wal-mart/475341/20 "2008-12-11T15:40:18Z")
> [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](#): > > Hmmm, if you’ve got foodnetwork, you might try watching [Alton Brown’s](http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes-and-cooking/knife-care/index.html)knife episode. It has some good ideas on keeping your knives in good shape. You might also check with your local butcher and see if s/he has a sharpening service. Dull knives are the bane of my existence. > I’ll try to remember to bump this thread after the holiday. I admire your restraint in being able to resist the early-gift-temptation. I’ve got food network, but I don’t know what show to tape for this knife episode? Is it Good Eats? I currently have about 90 of them recorded onthe DVR and only one was about knives and it was more about how to chop or cut and what sort of cutting board to use than how to use a steel properly, etc. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/henckels-cutlery-at-wal-mart/475341.md?page=2)