Corrado Cutlery Blog

Pinaud-Clubman Frequent Buyer Program

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Bilger) — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 15:38:00 +0000

The Pinaud-Clubman brand attracts some of the most loyal customers around. Clubman Online wants to reward that loyalty with some payback of its own (OK, we are not totally selfless. This works for us, too!)...
Introducing the Pinaud-Clubman Frequent Buyer Program. It’s pretty simple, the more Clubman products you buy in a given year, the more you save on them.* Now, instead of waiting for coupons or other deals to materialize, you control how much you save and how soon you save it. Once you reach the purchase minimum to qualify then you save on every order for the rest of the calendar year (your account resets each year on Jan. 1^st). The quicker you qualify the longer you save each year and as your purchases increase so do your savings - up to a total savings of 20% off all Pinaud-Clubman products.*
* discount applies to Pinaud-Clubman products only. Not valid with other offers.

Level	Clubman Purchases	You Save
Platinum Level	$1,000+	20% off of Clubman products for the rest of the year.
Gold Level	$500 - $999	15% off of Clubman products for the rest of the year.
Silver Level	$250 - $499	10% off of Clubman products for the rest of the year.
Bronze Level	$100 - $249	5% off of Clubman products for the rest of the year.

Reminders...

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Bilger) — Sat, 09 Feb 2013 17:52:00 +0000

I know I am not alone in the feeling I get at work sometimes of “why do I do this...?!”

Owning a small business - especially retail - is a lot of work with a lot of hours and dealing with the general public (sorry folks) isn’t always the most stress free thing one can do! Then I get reminded...

I get reminded that I am extremely fortunate to be able to work in a unique retail environment selling high quality, interesting, useful tools that truly do help people get through life a little easier and with more enjoyment...

I get reminded that most people appreciate being able to patronize a business with history and especially a history of integrity. I am grateful for the legacy left behind by three generations of the Corrado family and try to remember it is my responsibility to carry that forward. I had a nice older woman come in today who knew Vic Corrado back in the 40’s when he was in the Air Force. It was such a pleasure to see the pleasure she was feeling to be able to make a living connection with that memory...

I am grateful for the reminders.

Check out the new Cole & Mason Electronic Pepper Mills we are carrying...

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Bilger) — Fri, 01 Feb 2013 17:04:00 +0000

Do you need to buy a pepper mill?

Why not try an electric pepper mill?

Why should you choose one from Cole & Mason? Here's why:

Hardened carbon steel mechanism for durability and grinding performance
Spring loaded mechanism for consistency of grind adjustable knob at the base to control grind size •
Grind select 6 preset positions for pepper adjustment wheels at the base for fine to coarse grinds
Precision mechanism has a lifetime guarantee

Check these out!


Cole & Mason Richmond Electronic Pepper Mill Our Price: $29.95 Shop Now!	Cole & Mason Greenwich Electronic Pepper Mill Our Price: $79.95 Shop Now!

Give the gift of Clubman!

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Bilger) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 20:42:00 +0000

Pinaud-Clubman Gift Sets come boxed and ready-to-wrap. All are great values on luxurious items that take the drudgery out of an every day task. Hey, men need pampering, too! They range in price from $14.99 - $39.99.

Check them out here...

Corrado Cutlery featured on EvanstonEdge.com...

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Bilger) — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 21:39:00 +0000

The City of Evanston has launched a new web site - EvanstonEdge.com - as a tool to showcase the business spirit that thrives in Evanston and highlight Evanston’s many strengths as a city of business, dining and entertainment. Corrado Cutlery is pleased to be the featured story for the launch. Check it out here...
http://cityofevanston.org/wpms/ed/

Watch Corrado Cutlery on WGN news!

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Bilger) — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 16:11:00 +0000

So, I had my 15 minutes of Warhol'ian fame Monday on the WGN-TV Morning Show. Showing off some holiday gift ideas.

Click here to view video...

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Check out the New Kyocera Knives!

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Bilger) — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 16:17:00 +0000

Kyocera Ceramic Knives

are ideal for slicing fruits, vegetables and boneless meats. They are ultra sharp and will stay sharp 10x longer than steel. They won't brown foods or transfer metallic taste or smell. They are Rust-proof, stain-proof and germ resistant. Not to mention that they are comfortable, ergonomic and perfectly balanced!
Start Shopping Now!

Fall Clearance Sale!

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Bilger) — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 14:12:00 +0000

We are making room for new stuff! Save 30%-60% on selected items.

Quantities are limited, while supplies last.

Click Here to Start Saving!

Write a Review and Save!

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Bilger) — Fri, 19 Oct 2012 15:20:00 +0000

NEW! - Corrado Cutlery has added product reviews to our web site. Reviews help customers make an informed decision on products that are new to them based on the experiences of others who have used the product before. It also helps us keep track of products that may not be performing to our standards so we can replace them with products that do. (It also helps us with our search engine results so, OK, there is that!)

We'd like to ask our vast customer base to help us get rolling by offering a 10% discount coupon to use on your next purchase. All you need do is come back and write a review or two for any product(s) you have purchased from us in the past. You may write as many reviews as you wish (and we appreciate you writing as many as you are willing to). Once you've written the review send us an email to review@corradocutlery.com with your name and the product(s) reviewed. Once we have verified and approved the review(s) we will forward your 10% discount coupon. Instructions for writing reviews are shown below. Simple!

Limit one coupon per valid customer email address. Coupons and offer valid through 12/31/2012.

Click here to write a review now…

Going, going, almost gone...

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Bilger) — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 11:10:00 +0000

Just a quick reminder that we start our vacation after we close tomorrow. We will reopen on Tuesday, Aug. 14th refreshed and ready to go... or ready to go back on vacation but, either way, we will be back! Also, a reminder that our web stores are open 24/7 and orders may be placed while we are gone and will be shipped on our return. So, if you want to be the first order out of the door when we get back get your orders in now.

Thanks everyone and see you in a couple of weeks...

Jim & Denise

Vacation alert!

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Bilger) — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 18:01:00 +0000

Hi folks,

Just to let everyone know, we will be closing the store for vacation beginning July 29th through August 13th. We will reopen on Tuesday, August 14th. If you have any sharpening you would like to get done before our vacation please have it to us by next Wednesday, July 11th and it will be ready before we leave.

While we are gone, we hang the “Gone Fishin’…” sign up on CorradoCutlery.com and ClubmanOnline. If you would like to place an order you may do so and it will ship upon our return. Please be aware that any expedited shipping such as 2 Day or Next Day will not go out until we're back. So keep your shipping options to Ground and Priority Mail.

Thanks…

Corrado Cutlery Test Kitchen Report: Shun Knives

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Bilger) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 01:06:00 +0000

Hi everyone, One of the new brands we're carrying as we open our Main St. store are Shun knives from Japan. Shun was not on the radar when we had our previous stores and I've been interested in checking them out. Our Shun rep was kind enough to give us a Classic 8" Chef's knife and I brought it home to the Corrado Test Kitchen! Used it for the first time tonight and was duly impressed. They are light for a bolstered knife and have great balance. The slightly odd triangular round handle fits really well in my hand and was very comfortable. And, it was sharp as hell!

Shun knives take 32 layers of steel that has been pounded down to 3/1000th of an inch thick and wrap it around a core of VG-10 high carbon stainless. This makes a knife that is very strong yet light. I'm telling you, this is a nice knife. Come in and check them out. The Classic 8" Chef's sells for $139.95...

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays…

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Bilger) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 17:43:00 +0000

I just wanted to take a moment and wish everyone happy holidays in whatever form you celebrate it. This year more than ever I am thankful for my family and friends and grateful for the opportunities before me. I am reminded that it truly “takes a village” and feel fortunate to be among such remarkable “villagers”…

Peace,

Jim

Getting there... Main Street Update...

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Bilger) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 14:37:00 +0000

Well, we’re making progress... the new store on Main Street in Evanston is a couple of weeks away from opening and is coming into shape. Paint is on the walls, carpeting is on the floor, and our beautiful wood cabinets are being built. Goods are being ordered and some are here already. It’s amazing how many details go into a new store... Of course, I already knew this but think I forgot just how many there are. That’s what makes it special, though... as they say “the Devil’s in the details...”

When we open, we will have a couple of store-wide specials to help get us off the ground...

10% off all purchases of $25 or more... (limited to quantities on hand, no rain checks)

20% off of all Premium Sharpening Services (limit 5 items – mix/match knives & scissors)

Offers valid through 12/31/2011...

So, stay tuned for more updates and the announcement of our Grand Opening in the near future. We look forward to welcoming you to our new home...

All the best,

Jim

716 Main Street • Evanston, IL • (847) 563-8805 • CorradoCutlery.com

Corrado Cutlery goes back to "brick and mortar"...

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Bilger) — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 19:23:00 +0000

NOW OPEN - COME ON DOWN!...

Hey folks, just a quick note to say hi and give you some exciting news about Corrado Cutlery. After an absence of seven years, Corrado Cutlery is opening a storefront location once again. For those of you around Chicago, the store will be at 716 Main St. in Evanston. That is just west of both the "L" and the Metra trains. It is a great retail block with some solid long time local stores such as: Ten Thousand Villages, Dave's Down To Earth Rock Shop, Goods of Evanston, Vogue Fabric, Guitar Works and two popular restaurants: Lupita's Mexican and Trattoria DOC... The deal closed today, and it will be a scramble, but I am hopeful to be open by early December in time for the holidays. I will keep you posted here and on Facebook and plan to keep a photo journal of our progress on Facebook as well. The online stores will keep going as well and I plan to expand those in the near future also. Corrado will be truly going "bricks and clicks"...!

So, stayed tuned and I look forward to having you stop by and see us in person when you're in the area. Thanks!

Jim

The Normandy Nail Clipper rides again!

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Bilger) — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 16:53:00 +0000

Being a guitar player, I know the value of well trimmed finger nails. It’s many a song that’s been disrupted by the loud and harsh twang of a nail catching on a string! That’s why you’ll find a stainless steel "Normandy" Nail Clipper in my case as part of my standard equipment – right up there with extra strings. For those not familiar, the "Normandy" Nail Clip is a thin body nail clip with a unique design that keeps it very flat when closed so it is not bulky in pants pockets. When open, the "Normandy" achieves great leverage to clip tough nails easily and it includes a cut steel nail file with a nail cleaner tip. Made of high-grade stainless steel with a satin finish. An extremely popular design that was just re-introduced by Drieturm/Germany. The "Normandy" sells for $39.95 and includes leather slip case...

Limited quantity of Randall Made Knives...

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Bilger) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 15:33:00 +0000

I have taken a batch of hand made Randall Made Knives on consignment from a friend of mine. These are not brand new but most are in good to excellent condition and are a great value. We've priced them at 25% off of Randall Made's current pricing. This is not a bad deal as a new Randall Made will take you over 5 years to get! Randall Made is taking orders now for 2016...

These are being sold in "as is" condition with a 10 day review period. If you get one and don't like it, return within 10 days (in same condition as you received it) for a full refund. I will ship these for free using UPS Ground (faster shipping available for additional cost)...

There are also a few other odds and ends pieces here as well. If you ever wanted to get a Randall but were waiting for a deal - here's your chance. First come, first served -- come and get them...

Get a grip! Good tweezers do…

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Bilger) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 15:20:00 +0000

It’s amazing the difference a good tweezers make if you are trying to pluck hair (or even get a splinter out). Precision tweezers have jaws with face surfaces that meet flat without any gaps. Generally, they are stainless steel, as plated steel will not always meet flat. Also, the best tweezers have longer handles so that the same squeeze from your fingers translates into a tighter grip at the jaws.

Dovo/Solingen professional tweezers come in three jaws styles: slant, straight and pointed. Flat tweezers have a wider surface which will grab hair easier. Point tweezers make it easier if you need to get under the skin a little. Slant tweezers are by far and away the most popular as they give you both the flat surface and the point so you can go after ingrown hairs or slivers equally as well and still have surface to grab with…

R.I.P. – The Normandy Nail Clip?... Or not?... I am happy to report that the earlier memorial for the Normandy Nail Clip seems to have been premature. Word is that a German firm has bought the machines and will begin making the Normandy again soon. For those not familiar, the Normandy Nail Clip is a thin body nail clip with a unique design that keeps it very flat when closed so that it is not bulky in pants pockets. Stay tuned for further information about ETA and pricing…

(to be continued…)

If it’s good enough for the Swiss Army, should work for us…

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Bilger) — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 14:24:00 +0000

Let’s face it, when’s the last time you heard of anyone wanting the fight the Swiss Army? I’m sure most are concerned they’ll get a can of “whoop-butt” opened on them and, of course having those cool red knives with the can openers, the Swiss Army is just the outfit to do it!

Ok, that may be stretching it a bit but there’s no denying that the Victorinox Swiss Army Knife is one of the most useful and instantly recognizable products in all of cutlery. Since it’s introduction in 1891 by Karl Elsener in the small village of Ibach, Switzerland, the Swiss Army Officer’s Knife has become synonymous with innovation in design and high quality manufacturing.

Ironically, Swiss Army Knives were an afterthought when Victorinox first entered the U.S market (which is what put them on the map). The story goes that while pitching their high grade kitchen cutlery to RH Forschner Co. after WWII, Victorinox tossed a few of the little red knives on the table. They told the story of how much American G.I.'s fell in love with them and suggested that Forschner “give them a try”. I think it’s safe to say the rest is history…

(to be continued…)

Gone Fishin’… well, ok, not really fishin’…

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Bilger) — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 15:25:00 +0000

So, one of the challenges of having a store – online or otherwise – is taking time off. One of the benefits of the online store is that it can run itself for a few days when I need to get a little R&R… Such is the case as it is time for my summer vacation. I'll be closed from July 1st through July 15th…

While I am gone, I hang the “Gone Fishin’…” sign up on Corrado Cutlery and Clubman Online. If you would like to place an order you may do so and it will ship upon my return. Please be aware that any expedited shipping such as 2 Day or Next Day will not go out until I am back. So you may want to keep it to Ground and Priority Mail.

Thanks and see you soon…

This stuff ain’t cheap !

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Bilger) — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 02:00:00 +0000

There is one unavoidable fact about high quality cutlery products… they ain’t cheap! Some merchants will try to side step the issue or gloss it over. I don’t do that. I don’t want to insult your intelligence. There are reasons why good cutlery is expensive and, one of the more challenging aspects about selling it, is explaining not only why it’s expensive but also why it is in your best interest to still buy it. Manicure sets are a great example…

High quality, German manicure sets from Dovo/Solingen can easily run you $200-$400. Each piece in the set has a cost (one or two nippers, one or two scissors, tweezers, files, etc…) and together they add up. Add to that the cost of a high grade leather case (and the exchange rate of dollars for Euros) and you’ve got a bit of an investment going. That’s the thing, though, you are making an investment… an investment in products that are going to work better and last longer – much longer…

It can be confusing when you look at a high end piece of cutlery and a knock off from a distance. They look similar. Once you get them in your hand and start using them, though, is where the similarity ends. Less expensive tools can seem more economical at first but when you factor in the reality that they don’t last and you have to replace them two or three times over the life span of a quality tool (and they don’t work as well to begin with) the cheaper ones don’t seem so economical after all…

(to be continued…)

What Makes A Good Kitchen Knife? part 3 – The Anatomy of Kitchen Knives…

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Bilger) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 18:23:00 +0000

Here is a brief overview of the parts on a kitchen knife… first there are two basic methods of making kitchen knives: forged blades and stamped blades. Forged blades are blanks of steel that are heated and then hammered into their rough shape. Forged knives have a bolster (thicker part of blade) between the blade and the handle which gives the knife better weight and balance and offers protection to keep the hand from sliding up onto the blade. Stamped knives are made from a sheet of steel and the blade shape is stamped out of it (as with a big cookie cutter). They do not have bolsters and are generally lighter (and less expensive) than forged knives.

The main parts of the knife are:

Butt – end of the handle, usually flared to assist in safe and controlled handling of knife…

Handle – material that gives grip to knife. Handles can be slabs held to tang with rivets (and bonding or can be molded…

Heel – rear part of the blade. On thicker, heavier knives (such as Cook’s Knives) helps to cut through thicker foods…

Spine – top of blade, opposite the edge…

Point – very tip of blade, for piercing…

Tip – front part of blade behind the point, does most of the cutting…

Edge – sharp portion of the blade extending from the heel to the point…

Bolster – thick portion of blade on a forged knife where the blade meets the handle. Provides weight, balance and stability…

Tang – rear end of the blade extending into handle. The longer the tang the better the balance and stability of the knife. The best knives have a “full” tang…

At Corrado Cutlery, I sell the best forged knives (Wusthof-Trident) and the best stamped knives (Victorinox)...

(to be continued…)

Are you ready for your close-up?

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Bilger) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 11:00:00 +0000

The most common and popular type of magnifier are 2X handheld/reading lenses. The single best seller is the Bausch & Lomb Rectangular Reader. With a 4” x 2” lens, this design makes it easy to read columns in books and newspapers and at 2X they greatly aid in reading by making the text larger without losing too much field of view. The “Rec Reader” also has a stabilizing edge grip allowing you to use both hands to keep it steady.

The B & L Round Series are also 2X and, unlike the rectangular design which is better for reading, the round design lets you see more of what you are looking at such as a map or a picture. They also include a 5X bi-focal insert that lets you get close up to make out small details where field of view is not as important. Both the round and rectangular designs have ergonomic, soft grip handles which are easy to grip.

Finally, the Bausch & Lomb 5X Aspheric Magnifier gives you extra magnification for when 2X just does not make things large enough. Also, while standard lenses can get a little distorted at the edges, the aspheric lens brings crisp clarity for the entire field of view including around the edges…

(to be continued…)

You smell… good!

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Bilger) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 11:10:00 +0000

A funny thing happened to me after I decided to close Corrado Cutlery’s “brick & mortar” stores in 2004. About a year before that, as I was analyzing what was selling on the previous version of CorradoCutlery.com, I noticed that I was selling a LOT of Pinaud-Clubman products online. This spawned the idea that someday I might want to have a website just for Clubman which, in turn, led to a little late-night domain name browsing.

As I asked myself “what would be a good domain name for Clubman online?” it wasn’t too long before the Homer Simpson-esque “Doh!” came to me and I surfed over and bought www.ClubmanOnline.com... I stuck the name in my pocket and proceeded to forget about it as I went about the business of trying to keep a great old specialty store open during the worst recession in memory (up until that time anyway).

Fast forward to 2005… after closing Corrado’s and taking a little break after 20+ years of retail… trying to decide what would make a good online business that I could do on the side to keep my toe in the retail waters… once again – “Doh!”… and, in the fall of 2005, Clubman Online opened its virtual doors to the world. This happened at a time when more and more of the larger drug store chains were carrying less and less Clubman yet the demand was still high. As Corrado Cutlery started life as a barber supply it seems appropriate that Corrado’s next incarnation started as a result of trying to do its part in keeping a great old product available to a wide audience…

(to be continued…)

Don’t let your left hand know that your right hand stole the scissors…

noreply@blogger.com (Jim Bilger) — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Let’s talk more about true left-hand scissors… As I mentioned last week, because hands are asymmetrical, they have a lateral movement when closing the fingers. So, in relation to operating scissors, the thumb pushes outward and the fingers pull inward.

Most scissors are designed for right hand use and the blades are set so that the motion of your hand pulls the blades together and aids the cutting process when closing them. Conversely, the same scissors used in the left hand, the blades get pushed apart and can hinder the cutting action – especially in lower quality scissors where the blades are not set tight enough. On right hand scissors that are shorter and set properly, they usually still cut well even if used in the left hand. Another issue of using right hand scissors in the left hand, is that the shearing edge is not fully visible and it makes it difficult to see the line you are cutting. True left hand scissors reverse all of this and the left hand pulls the blades together while the shearing edge stays visible.

Unfortunately, since roughly 85% of people are right handed, there is not nearly as wide a selection of good quality, true left hand scissors available. However, fortunately, Dovo/Solingen makes a very nice selection of top quality, true left hand scissors and, even more fortunately, Corrado Cutlery sells them!

(to be continued…)