Cangshan TS Series 1020496 Swedish Sandvik 14C28N Steel Forged 2-Piece Carving Set

Every dad should know how to cook up a top-notch roast. They are delicious, easy (with a bit of knowledge about cooking times and temperatures), and a sure-fire way to impress friends and family at the dinner table.

A quality job on the chosen cut of meat is only half of the story. The other half is the theatre that comes with presenting the feast on the table. A perfectly cooked roast naturally draws the attention of the room. All eyes are on you as the time to carve arrives. No pressure.

A quality roast deserves a quality carving job and a quality carving job requires a quality carving set. Enter the Cangshan TS Series 1020496 Swedish Sandvik 14C28N Steel Forged 2-Piece Carving Set.

Disclosure: Cangshan provided Blog of Dad with the TS Series 1020496 Swedish Sandvik 14C28N Steel Forged 2-Piece Carving Set for the purpose of review and ongoing use. Any thoughts expressed about Cangshan products in this article are based on my own experiences. For more information, visit my disclosure statement. 

Cangshan TS Series 1020496 Swedish Sandvik 14C28N Steel Forged 2-Piece Carving Set – First Impressions

The Cangshan 2-piece Carving set certainly looks the part. There is a definite craftsmanship to the design and construction of the set that invites you to pick it up and use it. In a good knife, those design elements are not just about looking good, in fact looking good is often a happy by-product of the main objective – perfect balance. The knife of the Cangshan carving set has a pleasing weight to it. It sits comfortably in the hand and the weight is properly distributed. The balance point is right where I like it – in the handle, right where my index finger sits.

The 9 inch carving knife is a full tang design forged from high alloy Swedish Sandvik 14C28N steel. “Full tang” means that the same solid piece of metal from the blade of the knife runs right all the way through the handle, a sign of both the quality and the strength of the knife. In fact, the tang is beautifully crafted to form the entire butt of both the carving knife and fork in this set.

Cangshan describe their knives as having “…the best qualities of western and eastern style designs, materials and workmanship…” The blade of the Cangshan carving knife is long, slim and sharp. It is sharpened to a 16 degree edge, which speaks of the Asian influence on the knife design. It also has a Granton edge, which is the series of oval dimples along the knife blade. This is a design commonly found on Santoku knives, as the Granton edge forms a slight air pocket between the blade and food when cutting. Your expertly carved, thin slices of roast beef should not stick to the Changshan carving knife.

The 6 inch carving fork also has a pleasing look and feel. It also uses a full tang forged from high alloy Stainless Steel with straight, double-prong tips. The prongs are long and sharp, which should enable a good hold on just about any joint of meat.

In addition to the nice weight and balance of both the carving knife and fork in the Cangshan TS Series 1020496 Swedish Sandvik 14C28N Steel Forged 2-Piece Carving Set, both utensils feel great in the hand. The handles are ergonomically designed which means there shouldn’t be any cramping half way through artfully deconstructing the turkey on Christmas Day.

Finally, storage of the Cangshan TS Series 1020496 Swedish Sandvik 14C28N Steel Forged 2-Piece Carving Set is a breeze, thanks to the clever carbonised solid Ashwood half open magnetic sheaf. It looks fantastic, holds the knife strongly in place and the fork firmly on the back.

Cangshan TS Series 1020496 Swedish Sandvik 14C28N Steel Forged 2-Piece Carving Set – Use

The Cangshan TS Series 1020496 Swedish Sandvik 14C28N Steel Forged 2-Piece Carving Set backs up the claims made by its good looks and great feel. The thin blade and impressive edge made light work of carving consistently thin and complete slices from a 10-hour blade beef pot roast.

I had never used a purpose-made carving knife before, but the more my knife collection grows, the more I am becoming aware of the benefits of specialty knives. The right knife for the purpose will make the job easier, every time. My previous go-to when carving a roast was my excellent WÜSTHOF chef’s knife. It did the job, but I wasn’t aware of how much more control I could gain over the thickness of my slices with a proper, quality carving knife. Whether you like your meat sliced thick or thin, the Cangshan can deliver exactly what you ask of it.

The carving fork is a nice addition to my collection as well. I’m ashamed to say that for many years I have used either a cheap carving fork that I picked up in a $2 store or (even more embarrassingly) a regular dinner fork. Needless to say I wasn’t aware that a piece of meat that wobbled all over the place the second I cut into it was not the way it had to be. The Cangshan carving fork means business and it pins its target firmly in place while the carving happens. The Cangshan carving knife is wonderfully sharp and maneuverable, but the fork definitely contributes to the consistent results.

Cangshan TS Series 1020496 Swedish Sandvik 14C28N Steel Forged 2-Piece Carving Set – Maintenance

Anyone who owns a top quality knife should know how to look after it properly. Even if a knife is “dishwasher safe”, it is important to realise that placing it in a dishwasher can, over time, damage the tip of the knife and dull the edge quicker. With my new Cangshan knives, as with all my favourite knives, I clean them by hand with dish soap and warm water.

If you do this as soon as possible after use, it is a very easy task. Just a quick wipe down and rinse, and the blade is as good as new. Always dry the knife immediately after washing it, and return it to the sheath to protect the sharp edge. Remember that a 16 degree edge is more delicate than some of your more traditional knives, even if it is made out of Swedish Sandvik 14C28N Steel.

Cangshan state that the blade should not need sharpening more than once or twice a year with regular use and honing. Sharpening can be done at home with a whetstone or knife sharpener. Those of you with a collection of decent knives will know all about this already. I picked up the skill fairly quickly, but you may like to practice on an old knife first. Alternatively, you can have any knives sharpened by a professional.

Cangshan also recommend that the half open sheath be periodically rubbed with food-safe mineral oil to prevent the solid carbonised Ashwood from becoming brittle or cracking.

Final Thoughts

I am very pleased to have added a carving set to my growing collection of specialist knives. I am even more pleased to have my first Cangshan knife (and fork!). Cangshan might be the new kid on the block in the Australian quality knife market, but their first offering has left me wanting to experience more. Cangshan’s willingness to break molds and take the best elements from traditionally disparate Eastern and Western forging techniques is exciting and has the potential to produce some brilliant knives.