<p>Well, I realy like mine but they were not cheap (and I only have the serated ones - so you’d only use them for certain tasks) - but my OLD Sabatier (all carbon steel) is my absolute favorite knfe. ;)</p>
<p>
Just a point of clarification: Vector Marketing/Cutco is not a pyramid scheme or multi-level marketing. It is a direct sales organization - what it does is hire sales reps as independent contractors and pay them a direct commission on all sales. </p>
<p>The complaints against Cutco are simply that they engage in questionable practices in recruiting their sales force. What they are doing is perfectly legal, but their advertising leads students to believe that they responding to a job offer to work as employees when instead they will be independent contractors, paid mostly on commission (I believe Cutco also pays them a small fee for every sales meeting they arrange, whether or not there is a sale). Also, they are not given detailed information about what they will be doing until they attend trainings, and the trainings are not compensated - again because the students are not being hired as employees. Finally, they are required to purchase their own demo kits - which means that they have to work and complete some sales merely to recoup the cost of their own investment, before they get to the point of making any money. </p>
<p>The other complaint is that that the product is simply overpriced for what you get. No one seems to dispute that these are really good knives, but is also generally acknowledged that you can get equally good or better knives for considerably less if you shop around.</p>
<p>The funny thing is, I just set up an interview with them today. Then I researched a bit online about the company, and I gotta say this indeed is a bit misleading. I was thinking that I would be selling stuff in a store, or be a telemarketer, but apparently you have to buyt $150 worth of stuff to sell to people…This is ridiculous. Screw the interview.</p>
<p>Exactly. </p>
<p>Here’s the thing: if they simply advertised that they were giving you an opportunity for a “home based business” - then no one would think twice about it. It’s a very small investment to buy $150 worth of product, for a person who knows that’s what they want to do. </p>
<p>But Cutco makes it sound like a paying job. </p>
<p>I think the whole thing is ridiculous, because they could probably get even more students working for them if they were just honest about what they do – I mean, I don’t see Tupperware going out of business. </p>
<p>My son’s first real job, when he left school, involved fund raising for a commission, and it turned out he really loved doing it and was very good at it. He liked the incentive of being able to earn more money by raising more, and since he was raising funds for a good cause, he also felt good about asking to talk to people and trying to convince them to donate. So there’s nothing wrong about working on commission. </p>
<p>If you are interested in doing what my son did, those jobs are easy to get - they hire students all summer long, you generally make about $400-$500/week - or just look in local listings for “activist” jobs. You can find listings via Craigslist - usually they are raising money for environmental causes.</p>
<p>
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<p>That’s because a carbon steel blade can take and hold a better edge than a stainless steel alloy. Finer molecular structure. Unfortunately, a carbon steel knife will rust.</p>
<p>Calmom:</p>
<p>I agree. The Cutco knives are nicely made and a quality product. They are simply overpriced relative to the materials and designs.</p>
<p>Yeah, now if you want cheap, bad knives, you should wait until your supermarket has a display of Oneida knives at the end of the aisle and buy those. I think you can usually buy a whole set of them for about $30. </p>
<p>(Yep, that’s what I use, the cheapest kitchen stuff I can find. Sometimes I really splurge and shop at Target - I got a pretty good pair of kitchen shears that way).</p>
<p>For my traditionally taciturn S, this has been a pretty amazing crash course in real world experience. He spent the next three days in intense training, and learned about “Vector time” = showing up fifteen minutes early; is wearing a shirt and tie, got a haircut (I would have paid THEM for this achievement); there was an expectation that he would learn everything possible about the product and the competition’s – all of which strike me as valuable experience for future employment. As far as I’m concerned, if he can sell, he can do almost anything, brain surgery excepted. </p>
<p>It takes a lot of courage to call people up and convince them to let you come give your pitch. He has called on friends, but has also been giving cold call assignments. I was amazed to hear that these have been successful for him. He has done very well in a very short time, and the rejections are as valuable as the sucesses, imho. At this point, he gets 20% commission on everything he sells, which sounds sweet for a college kid with no professional work experience. </p>
<p>Yes, the parent company has created a brilliant strategy; the kids are naive and pliable and just like Avon, Pampered Chef and a host of other direct sales-oriented operations, salespeople are encouraged to utilize personal contacts. My understanding is that they are paid for the sales presentation regardless of whether they sell anything, so people are doing the kid a favor just by being an audience </p>
<p>After being shaken down by almost everyone we know for tupperware, direct selling of kitchen items and clothing, short-term missions trips, school auctions,fundraisers, band trips, etc. and hosting every sports, school and social event over the course of a decade, I don’t see it as untoward that S is presenting his product to people we know, and none of them seem to, either. </p>
<p>Interesting point about the quality: S says he was told that some of the fine knives considered to be at the top of the pecking order are actually intended for chef use, where they are meticulously cared for and repeatedly sharpened, which is not always the case in home use, for which, apparently, the Cutco knives are better suited. I’ll never find out – S won’t sell me any. Said “it wouldn’t be right” and offered to refer us to another sales associate.</p>
<p>Coincidentally, one of my good friends son came over today with his Cutco. He is just starting out and I was willing to hear him practice his pitch. The reps are paid $18 per presentation plus some commission. I don’t know how long the $18/hr pay goes on, but it is how they get paid in the beginning. My friend’s son has been at this a few weeks and he is loving it. He is also very charming and does a nice presentation.</p>
<p>I have a set of the Cutco table knives which are fabulous. I bought them 4 years ago from another of our HS grads/friend. They cut steak like it’s butter and they go in the dishwasher. I also have a Cutco knife that was my mother’s and is about 28 years old. It is in perfect condition and has never had to be sharpened (the serrated utility knife). I have one other that needed to be sharpened and Cutco sent me a brand new one. They have a life time guarantee and they stand by it. Period. The handle on my 28 year old knife is as good as new. I can put them in the dishwasher and that makes me happy. </p>
<p>I completely disagree with Interested Dad’s comments. The knives are well made; constructed to last a life time, and the handle is very ergonomic. It is designed to fit the hand rather than a straight handle like my Henkels.</p>
<p>My Henkels’ handles are showing age and we have to sharpen them regularly.</p>
<p>My husband has always preferred his Henkels, but is becoming a Cutco convert as he uses mine.</p>
<p>Having said that, selling the knives requires a really tough hide and a lot of salesmanship skills. Plus, you need a steady network of connections.</p>
<p>I have a bunch of cheap knives, and they suit me just fine. I guess I am not a knife snob (but then again, I have never had a decent knife, so I have nothing against which to compare).</p>
<p>A friend of mine’s daughter came and did the presentation for me, and I honestly regretted saying she could. I thought it was a very heavy sales pitch from a 20 year old, and the product was ridiculously expensive. Here is this kid telling me the “value” price of one set, and it was like $1000. I wanted to laugh!</p>
<p>Then when they try to pin you down by asking for the names of your friends for referrals? That also made me uncomfortable. I know that the salesman/woman makes $18, but what about those of us who have to sit through that insufferably long presentation? I really didn’t want to subject my friends to that, and most people will buy something too, because they feel too guilty otherwise (I almost did, but couldn’t justify the price, even for a friend’s kid). But I am not easily swayed by salesmen of any sort.</p>
<p>When we were shopping for knives, a relative recommended CutCo and I called the business phone number published for our area.</p>
<p>Someone answered and started yelling and cursing into the phone!</p>
<p>I said “Um, is this CutCo?”</p>
<p>There was a very long silence.</p>
<p>Finally, “Yes. Can I help you?”</p>
<p>We bought different knives.</p>
<p>Allmusic - I could have written your post. Except it was my S’s HS friend. When he called, I told him no, but he begged me - said he was just starting out, would get paid just to do the presentation, we’d be doing him a favor to listen, etc. So I gave in. I’d never heard of Cutco. </p>
<p>He gave a great presentation, and the knives seemed great, too. But we were not in the position of paying that much for knives. My H and I decided ahead of time we might buy something small to help him out, but the smallest thing was something like a $50 steak knife. This friend tried the sympathy sales talk on us - poor college kid needs the money - but he was going instate (Ga HOPE pays tuition) and living at home. Our kid was at an Ivy and we were paying a lot - That approach kinda fell flat for us!</p>
<p>He turned a bit sullen when we refused to pay, it got very awkward when he asked us for names of friends (which we also refused), and when he left, we - nor my S - never heard from him again.</p>
<p>I just listened to a son’s friend do a Cutco presentation a couple weeks ago. He did a great job! He’s majoring in business and is about to enter his soph year of college. He used to work at a local restaurant (he worked there for a couple years throughout high school) but wanted something where he could hone his speaking skills. I think for someone with those goals, doing these cold call presentations are not bad experience.</p>
<p>I paid big money for Chicago Steel 20 years ago when I got married, and I’m not impressed. The handles are wood, and several blades have broken. And I constantly have to sharpen them. They are a lot of upkeep.</p>
<p>I ended up buying a couple things, which I’m happy about adding to my kitchen collection. I just wish I could completely replace my entire knife set, but I can’t afford it!</p>
<p>Well, this thread is a day late and I’m $84 thinner. Sure hope I like my knife. :)</p>
<p>I bought some too, years ago. They are pricy, but they work really well and don’t seem to age.</p>
<p>I just sat thru a presentation Tuesday night. It was my D’s friend. I did not buy anything nor did I give any names. I would never do that to a friend. The young lady really did a nice job though. She is a business major and I agree that doing a business presentation like that is definitely a plus for her. I did like the scissors - does anyone know how much they cost?</p>
<p>sax, you will probably be very happy with your knife. You MIGHT have been able to get the same quality for less (probably 20% or so), but $10 or $20 bucks is not enough to lose a lot of sleep over. And you didn’t have to use your own gas and time.</p>
<p>dogwood, I DID give another name! It just so happened that I had mentioned to a girlfriend the day before that I was going to hear a knife presentation. She said, “OH, Cutco??? Tell him to come over to my house next. I bought some Cutco’s years ago and I want to add a couple pieces!” </p>
<p>So there really are people out there who love this product.</p>
<p>Don’t know how much the scissors cost but I asked to the lad to cut a penny with them after showing me a penny that he had cut at home. When I saw the poor kid struggling and his face turning red I was afraid he was going to cut his finger off right there and then at my kitchen table! Egads…my first thought was if I had paid my homeowners insurance!</p>
<p>doubleplay: It was well worth the money to help the guy out. He really worked hard. I give him credit for trying. Thanks for the positive comment.</p>
<p>I wonder how many complete sets are actually sold each summer?</p>
<p>My friend said she bought a “small” complete set (there are different packages) years ago and paid about $400. Her husband was horrified, but she says now he admits it was a good investment. She, too, admits she might have gotten a comparable set for maybe $300-350 but she helped a kid and she’s very, very happy with the product, after something like 10 years.</p>
<p>I would think a kid would feel like he’s hit a goldmine if someone ends up buying one of those $2000 sets!!!</p>
<p>We purchased a small block set a few years back from a student of my spouse who was just out of high school. She cut the penny with no problem…it must take practice 
Anyway we have a nice set of knives that have held up extremely well and the scissors are great! Don’t know how much they cost separately…we got them as a package with our knife set.</p>