My first two Dexter Russel knives arrived!

[flamin lib]

The 7" Santoku and 10" slicer. The finish is very nice and the balance on the Santoku is exceptional. It's lighter than the 8" Chef's knife I've been using but the feel is very similar. The edge is amazing, I've bought disposable razors not this sharp. Time will tell if they hold up. The rosewood handles are much lighter in color than they appear on the webpage and are more attractive than the abused demo set I tried in the store. I'm very happy with the purchase.

Since I started the purchase process my local AceMart restaurant supply has stocked the top end Mercer set and I've got to admit that the balance, edge and feel of the forged blades is as good as anything I've handled including the Dexter and a five piece set is only $129 with a glass and steel display stand. That's about half what I've spent on the equivalent Dexter set.

I'll let you all know how the edge holds up over time. Meanwhile, if you're in the market to upgrade to a professional cutlery set I'd urge you to find a restaurant supply outlet to browse.