The knives are pretty and look great on my counter. The handles have a soft velvety feel to them, and the blades are sharp. My biggest problem is that the block is cheaply made and was cracked when it arrived. The item is now out of stock so I cannot get a replacement (the Wayfair customer service has handled this already and we are pleased with the resolution). The knives themselves make up for the hassle of the cracked block and I would recommend them to anyone else based on the fact that you will probably not get a damaged item. Its worth the gamble since the price is right.