Chef Knife Set Kitchen Knives 6-Piece Sandvik Kitchen Knife Set with Roll Bag, G10 Handle for Chef Knife Set, Santoku Knife,Stonewash Blade

I didn't need another knife set, but I liked this one and the price was right. I want to share my first impressions.The images show a very matte finish on these knives and, yes, they're not shiny, but they are a little brighter than pictured, which is the nature of real life versus images. The do reflect slightly. The grind on the knives appears to me to be a hollow grind, which is very common in kitchen knives. This means it has a sharp edge, but maybe not the strongest edge out there. The santoku has defined scallops (I believe some call it a granton blade). The scales are held on with two Torx screws on each side. The knives are all full tang with a loop on the end.Now the pros and cons.Pros:- Very sharp out of the box. Very sharp. I touched them up a tiny bit on my ceramic rod and they're even sharper.- G10 handle material is great. The scales are thick, useful and have terrific texturing for a sure grip. They are also appropriately cut with a tight fit to the tang of the knife and no metal protruding from the scales at the front of back. It's a near perfect flush fit.- Early tests were solid. I tore through a steak I am chopping for stir fry later with the chef's knife, while butchering a pair of peppers and onions with the santoku. I used the paring knife on some ginger root (peeling primarily). All tasks proved easily done with decent edge retention at the end of the work.- The knives feel good and the full-tang construction makes them feel sturdy in the hand.- The roll bag is outstanding. It feels designed and made properly, not created as an afterthought. Great clipping system for closure, nice sized pouches for up to six tools, hook and loop fasteners to keep everything secure and a nice zippered pouch for extras.- 12C27 steel has an excellent reputation as a good, all-around steel, and I have several knives with it. As expected, it's easy to get a sharp edge with these knives and the steel feels good. It will need occasionaly sharpening, but I believe anyone who cooks more than once a month should learn simple honing skills. I am always horrified to see experienced cooks with dull knives in the drawer. It's not a hard thing to do to learn basic proficiency here (ok, rant over).- They are beautiful in that Asian, less-is-more way.Cons:- The pommel loop digs into my hand due to the fact that it protrudes straight out and has no curve toward the center of the handle. If you have large hands and find them past the end of the knife, that thing will dig in as it does not have rounded edges.- I always wish well-fitting blade covers/guards were included with knives intended for a knife roll. I didn't expect them at this price point, and they were not advertised, so no loss there. That said they are nice to have to keep things a bit more safe and secure. It would be a nice addition and worth a few dollars more.- While these are handsome knives, a close look will show tool marks where the stamped metal was ground in places. This is fine, and does not bother me, but is worth noting. These are working knives, not high dollar show pieces, yet they remain nice looking.- The overall thickness of the blades is a little thinner than I thought they would be. It's not a deal breaker, but I was expecting a thicker spine and a heavier chopping balance, which brings me to my final con...- The balance of these knives is generally between the top scale screw and the bolster of the knife. In other words, they have a handle-oriented balance point vs. a bolster balance or being blade heavy. The G10 scales are the reason why, which, coupled with the thinner spine leads to this. Not a deal breaker, but I can imagine hand fatigue if working at chopping tasks for extender periods.So what's the verdict?I recommend these knives. They're well made, suitable for most kitchen tasks. They feel sturdy and durable and the steel will sharpen to a razor's edge. With a better design on the pommel loop (smoother edges and curving toward the center of the handle rather than protruding straight out) and thicker spine, they would be perfect in my opinion. I will grind the edges down on those loops, stow in my travel bag and happily use these on my trips. I would buy them again and am interested in your thoughts if get them as well. I'll update later if durability proves to be a concern.