Personally, I don't find much of a difference between a well-made inexpensive kitchen knife and a premium expensive kitchen knife apart from the purchase price. That's not an uninformed opinion either. I know a fair share about metal and I've used enough knives inside and outside the kitchen to know of what I speak. Truth be told anyone who spends a little time learning what makes a good knife is often going to own some great knives for a minimum outlay of cash. There are no moving parts to this most basic of kitchen implements, it's not rocket science! That's why our opinions regarding the Ontario Knife Company's Watermelon knife were not surprising.
A full 17" overall, the Ontario Knife Company's Watermelon Knife's main feature is of course, its blade. It features a generous stainless steel blade with full-tang construction. The "tang" of a knife is the part of the blade that connects to, or is inserted in the handle. Inexpensive knives often have a partial tang that the handle is hot molded around. A full tang makes a knife stronger, insures a firm grip and greatly improves the knife's useable life. The slip-resistant polymer handle of the Watermelon Knife is triple-riveted to the blade which I believe is the superior way to fasten the handle of a kitchen knife.
Our tester loved the sample I gave him. I would consider him a kitchen knife aficionado and his collection is extensive and growing. He's also the guy who sharpens my knives and he does a damn fine job! While he also commented on the full tang construction and slip-resistant handle, he was also quick to point out a few other reasons he likes the Ontario Knife Company's Watermelon Knife. The blade thickness really impressed him, it's his opinion that a good kitchen knife should have a minimum thickness and the Watermelon Knife fell well above that standard without being too thick. He was impressed at how well the knife took and held and edge. In his testing, he was also impressed with how easy the knife was to control and how well it sliced. His final compliment was the pointed end, which he said many carving knives lack. He favors it because he said you can use it because it is helpful in moving the sliced meat to waiting plates.
In our summary, we found the Ontario Knife Company's Watermelon Knife to be a very sound investment at the $10 price we paid for it. It's also out opinion that calling it a "Watermelon Knife" is a little limiting and misleading as it is of great use as a quality slicer and more. If I have one negative comment regarding the Watermelon Knife, it would be the red, white and blue pattern of the blade. I would prefer the option of a more traditional black or brown. That's a small gripe though.
If you're looking for a great value in a large slicing and carving knife this may be your best bet. We loved the Ontario Knife Company's Watermelon Knife! All for a whopping $10.00 (US).
I guess when it comes to buying knives for your kitchen there are two roads to go. You can learn a little and buy a lot spending almost nothing. Or, you can just spend a lot knowing the extra cash is insurance for quality. I know what we like here at Cook's Stuff!
For more information on the Ontario Knife Company's full line of products, click here.
Review: Ontario Knife Company's Watermelon Knife by Cook's Stuff
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