Have been wanting a new "Block" set of knives for a very long time. Hated my current set since the day I got it home (Cutco). These knives feel good in your hand, have a nice hefty grip when holding them. And they are so sharp it is a pleasure to use them. Love the built in knife sharpener. Very clever. The only reason I did not give 5 stars is because of the scissors/shears. They are stored at the front of the block and because the scissors have a bottle opener attached to the handle, I jab myself on my wrist every time I reach for a knife. It is a dumb idea to have this on the scissors. I am searching for a replacement pair that I can match up that does not have that sharp bottle opener on it that fits in the block. So actually, 4 1/2 stars, 5 if the scissors were made differently or even stored in the back.