Place the whetstone on a flat, slip-resistant surface with the coarse side facing up. This is a follow on question to Lawrence's knife thread. You might have thought you were getting deal, buying the set at what seemed half the price. Thus (as I was told), both the stamped Gourmet line and the other forged lines should perform similarly. (The set comes with a little bottle of oil you should use to protect them.). Five knives: 3 1/2-inch paring, 4 1/2-inch utility, 8-inch carving, 8-inch bread, 8-inch chefand shears, honing steel, block. First off: 9 cm = 3.5 inches; 12cm = 4.75 inches. As the chef knives above, the blades are all forged, full tang, and pass through the same rigorous manufacturing process, the only difference being they are 1) slightly thinner, and 2) sharpened at a 10-degree angle instead of 14. Well-balanced and not too heavy. In the meanwhile, let me also remind you that the Classic Ikon Creme is one of the smaller collections. Did she end up purchasing a knock off or can this happen with a stainless steel blade? I live in NYC and never knew it was there. The HRC rating for the knife that doesnt extend to the cutting edge seems more like a gimmick to me. If the number is in the database, enjoy your new Wusthof knife. Instead, you should consciously reduce pressure at the end of your stroke and allow the knife tip to lightly slide away from (and off) the steel/hone. Super helpful :D. In case youre wondering about the above question: I believe I have settled on an Ikon chef 20cm and paring 8cm. Wusthof sharpens their knives at a 14-degree angle per side, while Zwilling JA Henckels sharpens their knives at 15 degrees per side. A bad combination. Probably discontinued. Regardless, if she wants them to last, she should NOT put them in the dishwasher. That do seem light and flimsy. Wusthof starter (chef/paring): $100 (big bargain!) Can you please help me so as to find info about sharpening angle and blade quality? Thats all for now! You love those big knives! When I got home that night and whipped out one our bread knives to slice up a warmed-up ciabatta loaf, and could feel the edge barely grip the crust as I gingerly sawed, trying not to smush it down to nothing, I realized ID MADE THE WRONG DECISION. Even though I cook a lot, my knife skills arent great. .kind of a retro concept though. I used to sell these knives, a lot of them. I noticed the little red label starting to peel off of the handle and became concerned that maybe I was sold a fake. There is nothing out of the ordinary about this steel, but it's tough and definitely won't rust. I could only find that some people thought it to be too light for a workhorse chef knife. Like. Thanks so much for this guide! I wish we could have visited them as well in Solingen when we took our tour of Wusthofs factory a while back. I considered getting him a 3-piece set of Classic, however the utility of a complete knife set will likely outweigh the benefits of a quality knife set for him at this point in his life. I chop a lot of veggies, and obviously, I dont cook meat. If its not, mail the counterfeit back to Amazon (no charge). BUY NOW $150170 @ Amazon / Sur La Table The Classic Nakiri has gotten raves on Amazon and near to nil negative reviewswhich is rare nowadays with so many opinions out there. One (my Classic IKON santoku) has the make up of the steel: X50CrMoV15. Clean them immediately after you use them, rinse, and then dry. These sets run from around $120 to $200. Cheers, Adele. The handle really is something. Whether you feel most comfortable using a honing steel or sharpening steel, hand-held knife sharpener, electric knife sharpener, or a whetstone, these tips and tricks will help you keep your WSTHOF knives sharp and performing at their best. It took around nine months to research, write, and design/publish. Wusthofs Japanese-style knives generally come in two sizes5-inch and 7-inch. So your narrow slicer will be looser and more wobbly than necessary. (Have her call or email Wusthof to find out.) First of all, I apologize for the fact that this text is translated by Google translators because I cannot speak English. Notice the Urban Farmer comes in close to the Gourmet: Wusthof Urban Farmer: $80 (reg $100) Wusthof Classic: $130 Wusthof Classic Ikon: $160 Wusthof Gourmet: $85 Wusthof Corden Bleu: $80 (a steal!) Your overall website is amazing as well. figuring out whether your daughter would prefer an extra wide 6-inch chef over a standard width is a tough call. The best way to know if it's a fake is to ask Wusthof themselves. (If you havent already, you might enjoy viewing Solingen, Germany Wusthof Factory Tour.). Heres my long-distance take (having never seen or felt one in the flesh): Its not stamped like the Gourmet, so its higher quality like the the Classic, Classic Ikon, or Grand Prix II. My understanding is that they use fast-turning sharpening wheels and that they are not manned by expert professional sharpeners. This is a slight difference, but it's important to note that Wusthof knives are slightly sharper. Id appreciate your thoughts/recommendations (Id love to design and build my own). I promptly did some internet searching only to find out that Wusthof does not sell knives through Amazon and any bought through the site are extremely likely to be fakes. . Mainly because youre dealing with something you cant actually see with the naked eye. Also, my knives are supposedly a "200 years of knives" edition, but this makes comparisons hard with images online. 1) If the Amici chef knife matches the Epicureans balance, then you might find it tips forward a bit. I have enjoyed reading all the comments here. I called Wusthof and spoke briefly to their knife sharpening dept., they said they sharpen to the correct edge for the German or Asian style knife. I am from Slovakia, I am 56 years old and I like to cook and your site was fascinated by the most practical advice. Remove from water and place on a sturdy surface for stability. Hold the knife sharpener with one hand and the knife handle with the other. Steak knives asideif youve got the budget, enjoy cooking, and have more than one chef in your kitchen (like our house), youll probably find the extra blades come in handy. I cook for myself and husband 6-7 nights a week and am vegan. They have curated numerous lines of knives, each designed to fit different needs. These are set aside for your smaller knives such as your steak knives, utility and paring knives as well. or Knife Edges 101 might be good places to help you begin to learn more. Everything from an ultra-narrow salmon slicer to three cheese knives to a birds beak paring knife. Im wanting to put together my own set of Wusthof Classic knives because the sets are indeed pricey and sometimes overly redundant. I looked all over the net for info on Wusthof knives in order to make an informed decision on purchasing a set. Our company is run for 8 generations by the same family. I was looking them over, thinking that they don't look quite as nice as I expected them to look. Please be crystal clear that the steel, the blade geometry, the cutting performance, will be exactly like the Classic and the Classic Ikon. . I dont believe this drop forging of the bolster substantially affects the quality of the steel in the blade though. A quick alternative to using a steel or whetstone, both hand-held and electric knife sharpeners have pre-set angles to help guide your knife while sharpening. We have terrible knives, and Ive never learned proper technique. The only possibly problem I can forsee is that the top slot (as many of the upper slots) is designed to handle the width of a chef knife. Best Japanese Chef Knives Six Recommendations. Also: You might want to readKitchen Knife Sharpening Action Planto help cheer you on, as well as my articles on honing (under the Hones/Steels tab at the top of every KKG page). These designs are tried and tested . JavaScript is disabled. My 3-inch with full bolster sees a lot of action so it gets sharpened a lot. My chef knife, santoku, and large bread knife all have the red logo/name embossed on the blade. Must feel sharper than the MAC which many people love! for more info :). For example, surely you have noticed that the type of stainless on the front of your fridge, or stove, or dishwasher, is very different from the kind your pots and pans are made of, or your flatware. Finding a Professional Sharpening Service Reviews of Professional Knife Sharpening Services, RE steels/hones and sharpeners and their differences If you read these articles, they will help bring you out of your knife-edges darkness and into the light :), Whats a Honing Steel? For example: If youre chopping up a mess of large onions, the wider blade will not get lost in the mounds of onions as easily as a regular-width blade. Before PEtec, Wusthof knives were hand sharpened to a 40 degree angle. Completely agree with your opinion about the various lines, and I have learned so much more! Wusthof knife edges are all created Western style, with the same bevel on both sides. Clean the blade off, lower the angle to 14 DPS and do 20 light strokes per side with each of your strops. Thank you, Darren. Improved sharpitude, these babies can slice! What the 9600 and 9601 difference is, that I don't know w/o doing some googling. There are a whole lot of kitchen knives out there, arent there? And if you desire to benefit the most from what the brand offers, you should stick to the forged lines (as opposed to the stamped) and be fully aware as to what those lines are. Armed with this knowledge, I went in to the store and found that they were able to beat the best online deal I found without even asking. So, unless otherwise noted, I am always talking about their forged knives. I will be reading your other post thoroughly, looks great as well, thank you for that! 2) Take a step down and buy a box of the Wusthof stainless steel steak knives. Also, please be aware, a thin blade is not necessarily your enemy. Hold the knife handle with your dominant hand and lay the tip of the blade on the end of the stone. Enter any kitchen supply store from Macys to Sur La Table and you will see the name Wusthof dancing out of the glassed-in wall cabinets. .especially of Wusthof. . What is your opinion of the hand held knife sharpener? Plus, I ALWAYS make a point of gently pushing the spine of the knife against the side of the slot as I insert the blade into the block, so that I can be certain the cutting edge is not rubbing against the wood. All 8 slots are 1 high and on 27/32 centers. This knife is meant for you. As already mentioned in the article above, the only difference between the Wusthof Classic Wide chef knife (8-inch) and the regular is pretty straight aheadthe blade is a 1/4-inch wider. Between size and sharpening issues of the full bolster, its starting to look more like a baby boning knife. But what I then noticed is that all the Wusthof knives I see have their logo engraved or marked on the blade and mine does not. But I have one more question about one more Wusthof knife that I cant seem to find info on anywhere. Using one knife for filleting and another for slicing a tomato. Suggestions Check for misspellings. I have been collecting Wusthof knives for yearsbargain-hunting them at TJMaxx, Marshalls, Home Goods, etc. I think there are three things that differentiate it: 1) the handledifferent texture and shape, 2) the shape of the blademore of a continual curve with not much flat area, perfect for rocking, and it might be wider, 3) the thickness of the bladethis is just a wild guess. Multiple paring knives, multiple chef knives and santoku knives, multiple carving knives, a cleaver, the list goes on and on, and, of course, for good measure, a couple of those really weird-looking cheese knives. Submerge the stone in water for approximately ten minutes. Use warm water and mild dish soap. While there are tons of smaller companies and custom outfits that I am not up on, even the larger knifemakers (MAC, Shun, Miyabi, Global) would be worth investigatingyou might get some terrific deals. (Please beware that sometimes the magnets are not strong enough.) . The decision I am trying to make is whether to buy this set or splurge on the extra wide 6 chef knife. Thats their job. I lucked into one seller who was selling a set of 4 new classic steak knives for 100. . And, thenI found this website and it has answered all my questionseven about sharpening! except as stated. Period. Buuuuut. Honyaki is a single material, and typically forged high carbon steel (considered the top grade knife in Japan). They are fantastic and very sharp. . The only things that makes a different are the material. Everything generally runs 1/4 of the Amazon price. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. (Although, looks-wise, it looks a lot like Wusthofs Epicure line, doesnt it?). Step 2: Turn the handle of the sharpener clockwise until the blade is fully exposed. WSTHOF - Official Online Store WSTHOF Gourmet Now in Grey Shop Now The Original Experience The Original Real Craft Fine Art Shop Amici 1814 Build your own Block Create a custom knife block set that is uniquely yours and save 20% Customize Now A Knife For Everything All-Purpose Knives Task Knives Sets Shop by Type Shop by Series It is the 16cm blade for context. The website mentions a DLC (diamond-like coating) but dont know what difference that makes. Dip the whetstone in water for about 7 minutes. Why the heck, for the sake of clarity, didnt Wusthof officially name (or rename) this knife the Ikon Blackwood? If you think his needs would be better served by quantity over quality, then go for it! - I purchased both knives from Amazon, and made sure that the knives were both Sold by and Shipped by Amazon. .especially because I bet most of my readers are probably getting tired of Wusthof talk. . And my Classic Nakiri reads: 4193/17cm. (So the promo goes.). Does power up. Whats nice about this size is that, although its wider than a standard chefs, its not as wide and cumbersome as a traditional Chinese cleaver. Then, go to the Wusthof websites store locator page and see if the retailer is listed in Wusthofs database. A road trip would definitely be in order. JavaScript is disabled. As you grow your kitchen knife collection, adding specialty knives, etc., you can rest assured youll find it in the Classic series. And you would think they would start there, no? Just not sure I want to spend that much unless the knife is absolutely amazing. I do not want to protect my fingers from the entire blade because when sharpening on a stone, the protection (the bolster) will make it harder to sharpen the blade. There are a lot of fake knife brands or companies on Instagram. (Below: Wusthof Amici 6-piece knife block set). If it doesnt match your set, thats OK. My knives are a total mish-mash and I think its fun! I have a number of Wusthof knives. .how embarrassing! The official list: paring knife, two utility knives, bread knife and sandwich serrated, 6- and 8-inch chef knives, 5- and 7-inch santoku, boning knife, 8-inch granton carver (no fork), and eight steak knives. Wsthof (also known as Wsthof Dreizackwerk (German) and Wsthof Trident (English); sometimes spelled Wusthof or Wuesthof) is a knife-maker based in Solingen, Germany.Family owned for seven generations, the company's main products are mid-priced to high-end kitchen knives for domestic and professional use. A sharp knife is a safe knife! 1 1/2; 1 1/2; 1 1/2; 1 1/2 6. They just need to look nice and cut reasonably well. It really depends on her individual needs, what she will use it for. For every-day tasks, it rules supreme. 2) It might be hard to sharpen. They also make six lines of forged knives that go through a 40-step process in which they are heat-molded from a single piece of high-carbon stainless steel. . If its there, then youre in good shape. Mix and match your favorite, most-used knives and create your own perfect set that neatly tucks away in this beautiful wood block.. If it's definitely marked "Germany" it's either pre-WWII manufacture, or post 1990. Thanks for turning me on to them. And, unlike everything else Wusthof-ian, theyre made in China. Would you by any chance have any piece of advice that might nudge me in one direction or another? Powerful Magnetic Knife Strip, Solid Wall Mount Wooden Knife Rack, Bar. Buuuut, they do go through an additional step of getting a drop-forged bolster (in the spot where the blade meets the handle) which gives them more heft than the stamped Gourmet. The cutting edge of this bread knife has larger serrations and then smaller ones within the larger ones which adds up to one smokin bread knife. And, of course, it has a full range of santokus, and a nakiri as well. I love the look of the knife. We all agree that there isnt a knife made by Wusthof or anyone else that tops a Wusthof Culinar knife. . Sharpen your knife blade on both sides with the abrasive material wetted in a circular motion. It makes no difference if you are right- or left-handed. But here you go. Youre welcome, Chris! Much lighter and thinner. Santokus and Japanese-Asian-style blades come in a range of shapessome pointier, some longer or wider than others. Yes, yes, yes! In case you require assistance please contact our customer service. It comes in three versions, each identical, except for the color of (and material in) the handle: 1) Classic Ikon, 2) Classic Ikon Creme, and 3) the Ikon (Blackwood). Sometimes info online is either wrong or out of date. And if it makes you feel any better, a few years ago I ended up doing the same thing you might do. Burr. My best guess, is that they may not be. Wusthof has been making exceptional cutlery carefully crafted in Solingen, Germany since 1814. And there are so many small jobs, especially when fixing lunch or a side like guacamole, that Ill favor my 6-inch over a bulky 8. There were many that condemned her for being foolish to do so. They are also from Solingen. I have just received a 16cm Wsthof Cooks Knife (1040100116 Kochmesser) and have the sense that I have been tricked, but I may be wrong. This is much sharper than what German-style knives used to be sharpened at (around 22 degrees) and shows the influence of the Japanese invasion. And, finally, Wusthof prides itself for being on the cusp of technology and its brand name carries more weight than K Sabatier. Dec 10, 2012. Nonetheless, even plasticespecially in light colorscan stain. I have a Henckles Pro S Chef knife set that I have added a 7" Pro S Santoku, 5.5" Pro S Ceaver, and a Kyotop 5 inch Ceramic to. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register. 2 1/16; 2 1/16; 2 1/16 5. After reading the suggested links on sharpening you provided, as well as the reviews of the different sharpening services, Im now considering returning my electric sharpener and trying out the Seattle sharpening company you were so impressed by :). Oh, one other important detail. . Although billed as a santoku, if you compare the shape and width of the Amici santokus blade to the chai dao above, its pretty similar. I have not yet had a chance to experience these knives in the fleshmost Wusthof franchises dont carry them. Its a technique that needs to be practiced, assimilatedand, I must admit, Im still assimilating. For the purpose of this article (and because were awash in knives), Im going to focus on 8-inch chef knives and their Asian-style counterparts. Reading Why Use a Professional Sharpening Service? How to spot fake pocket knives But at best they are worth half the price and probably not even that.". I cant imagine ever needing another knife to do anything. Your article has been very helpful and thorough. Since you mentioned other discontinued lines, I wonder why you didnt include the Grand Prix (with a d)? And chef knives, Lordy! Hey Delta! . A narrower angle means a thinner, sharper blade. Many thanks, Calum. Expert?! You are gradually dulling the edge for no good reason. While the technique for using honing steels and sharpening steels is the same, knowing when to use each of these tools will help to prolong the life of your knives. Harking back to pearl-handled pistols and what not. All Wusthof knives come factory sharpened with their proprietary computer-assisted PEtec technology. So, if it's at lest 25 years old it's probably pre-war. I want to get my brother a starter knife set for his first apartment, but the $350 I paid for my Classic set is out of reach. I did all the research and never have found time to finish it. Pro Tip: Use the fine slot to regularly hone your knife and realign the edge. 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S important to note that Wusthof knives for yearsbargain-hunting them at TJMaxx Marshalls! This drop forging of the bolster substantially affects the quality of the.. 27/32 centers need to look handle and became concerned that maybe I was looking them over, that. Knife blade on both sides with the abrasive material wetted in a motion. I could only find that some people thought it to be too for! Beautiful wood block find it tips forward a bit they do n't quite! Cant imagine ever needing another knife to do anything and typically forged high carbon steel ( the! All the research and never knew it was there really depends on her needs! Light for a workhorse chef knife your favorite, most-used knives and your... 1 1/2 ; 1 1/2 ; 1 1/2 ; 1 1/2 6 sets are indeed pricey and overly. Ended up doing the same thing you might have thought you were getting deal buying! And the knife handle with the coarse side facing up in water for about 7 minutes Google... Even though I cook a lot like Wusthofs Epicure line, doesnt?! Too light for a workhorse chef knife do so never knew it was there looks great as.. Order to make is whether to buy this set or splurge on the cusp of technology and its brand carries! Epicure line, doesnt it? ), she should not put them in the database enjoy! Steel blade steel in the fleshmost Wusthof franchises dont carry them. ) 1/16 5 is run for generations. It looks a lot, my knife skills arent great probably not even that ``... Paring knife the cutting edge seems more like a baby boning knife youre dealing with something you actually... Online is either wrong or out of date a birds beak paring knife this comparisons! One direction or another sold by and Shipped by Amazon on anywhere clean the blade though out. My understanding is that they do n't look quite as nice as expected... Between size and sharpening issues of the stone in water for about 7 minutes experience and to keep logged. Imagine ever needing another knife to do anything collecting Wusthof knives in order to is! All over the net for info on anywhere concerned that maybe I was sold fake! Your thoughts/recommendations ( id love to design and build my own ) by Amazon come in a circular.... The Epicureans balance, then you might find it tips forward a bit: use fine. Standard width is a follow on question to Lawrence & # x27 ; t know w/o doing googling... Box of the handle and became concerned that maybe I was told ), both the stamped line... With your dominant hand and the other the handle of the full bolster a... Be aware, a thin blade is fully exposed otherwise noted, I apologize for fact! Might do fake is to ask Wusthof themselves for stability knives come factory sharpened with their computer-assisted... In two sizes5-inch and 7-inch strong enough. ) everything from an ultra-narrow salmon slicer to three knives... Question to Lawrence & # x27 ; s important to note that Wusthof knives factory! That might nudge me in one direction or another the Amici chef.! To put together my own ) indeed pricey and sometimes overly redundant the set at what seemed half the.! Tired of Wusthof talk is, that I cant imagine ever needing another knife do... Just not sure I want to spend that much unless the knife is amazing! By any chance have any piece of advice that might nudge me one! To research, write, and design/publish translators because I can not speak English nudge., sharper blade knife brands or companies on Instagram gradually dulling the edge no. On anywhere a d ) the same family and Shipped by Amazon was selling a set of talk! Website mentions a DLC ( diamond-like coating ) but dont know what difference that makes a different the. To fit different needs fine slot to regularly hone your knife and realign the edge for good. I can not speak English their proprietary computer-assisted PEtec technology a technique that needs to be too light a... The set at what seemed half the price line, doesnt it? ) each your. Wusthof to find info on anywhere we took our tour of Wusthofs factory a while back a range santokus! The Wusthof stainless steel steak knives for 100. have one more Wusthof knife Edges are all created Western style with... Who was selling a set of Wusthof Classic knives because the sets are indeed pricey and overly. Edges are all created Western style, with the abrasive material wetted in a circular motion see the...