Dexter Russell 30408 iCut-Pro Forged 3-1/2" Paring Knife

Overall, this is a very good knife for the money. As other reviewers have mentioned, it does not come very sharp from the factory. However, being made of high carbon steel, it sharpens up quiet easily and seems to hold an edge well. The iCut-Pro series knives are forged, rather than using stamped steel blades, like most of the other Dexter Russell knives. As a general rule, I don't like knives with bolsters (the thick steel junction between the knife blade and handle), because they can make make the knife difficult to sharpen. However, with this knife, though I don't use it heavily, it has held an edge very well and does not require frequent sharpening. And being a small paring knife, I've actually found this bolster to be helpful in controlling the blade, by pushing my index finger up under it while cutting, as well as a safety feature, as it keeps your finger from accidentally sliding down the knife blade. I would have rated this knife a full five stars, if it would have have came sharp right out of the box. But that being said, it sharpens up quiet easily, so that's not a huge deal to me. Overall, this is a great knife for the money and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a low cost, professional quality, paring knife.

Another reviewer posted a very negative review based on his experience with the RETAILER, it was NOT based on the product itself.Any person who has been in a professional kitchen or been to culinary school knows about the icut-pro line by dexter russell. It has an excellent blend of features including excellent ergonomics and balance to allow cutting all day long at a high rate of speed. It is made out of the same steel that a Henkels 4star or ProS, or a Wusthof LCB, Classic or Grand Prix2 is made out of which means it takes a fine edge and retains it.Forged, not stamped blade. NSF certified for those of us that it matters to.Because it is a professional quality knife, it might not be as sharp "out of the box" as a consumer level knife which will rarely if ever see a real water stone. A professional will profile his own knives to HOS specs, not to a factory's specs so if you're used to a walmart quality knife, this one might not be for you. If, you're a working pro on a budget, or you're giving a gift to a culinary student, this is a great choice. Yes, there are many better knife lines, but at a very high premium in price. This is the best value in the market for those who want a professional quality knife at a very reasonable price. HIGHLY recommended for those looking for quality on a budget.

This knife was not only dull, but also too thick to be effective as a paring knife, but let us look at the brighter side folks.I grabbed this knife at around $10 and I was initially disappointed due to its dullness, but I decided to keep it as a disposable lab mouse for testing my whetstones and newly gained sharpening skills, and thanks to this little dull knife, not only did I learn how to sharpen a knife, I also learned how to re-profile the primary bevels and thinning the whole blade as well.Now this knife is finally usable after the modification and sharpening, and I can confidently sharpen my high-end Japanese knives with steady hands!

This is an OK knife. Even though it's a forged blade, it's not as good as the stamped Dexter Russell Sofgrip knife I have. It feels good in my hand; it just didn't come with a very good edge out of the box.It is a step up from the knives you'd find at your local department store, but you're probably better off with any of the US-made Dexter Russell lines (i.e. anything but the Basics and the iCut-Pro, I think). They cost about the same, and cut better.

This little knife is good ,but the fir and finish is not great. Still as you use it it come right around. You don't get a Wustof but it should last a life time. Note don't buy the bread knife from this line of knifes, it's cheap, but the cutting performance is really bad.

I have used Dexter Russell white handled paring knives for years. I saw this knife and thought it looked interesting. I worked in the Food Service industry for years and have used a lot of knives. I was not impressed with this fancier knife. It is not as comfortable in your hand as the basic old fashioned white paring knife.

Great blade, but poorly made handle. I strongly recommend Dexter, but I would only recommend the SofGrip cutlery.

I am very pleased with the quality of the Dexter Russell products. I recently bought the Paring knife for my father (who loves to cook) and he uses it all the time. We have had it for 3 months and it still cuts like it did out of the package.