Wustoff questions

well, lets get back to the OP's original question, Are Wusthof knives worth it? Yes and No its more about personal preference. If you like the knife than it is, Wusthof makes a really solid product that will last a long long time...for me I really like their butcher knife and pairing knife and that's about it.

the Wusthof demi bolstered 8" inch classic chef knife sells for about $170 USD. this is quite a lot especially considering its a POM resin handle.....I can think of many great Japanese and even other german brands that would be a great alternative at that price and less.
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For roughly the Same price $175-$200 you can get a Sakai Takayuki Aoniko blue 2 mono steel gyuto with a mahogany western style handle triple rivet full tang...IMO this is a significantly nicer knife than the Wusthof for about the same price. Absolutely gorgeous knives , I have the 300mm gyuto and Honeseki
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For $210 you can get a Yurukuu 8 inch white 2 mono steel gyuto with black pakka wood western triple rivet full tang handle , this is a superb blade, but requires a bit of care. I have the 270mm gyuto
shopping



Kanetsune KC-170 mono steel Aus-10 8" inch gyuto western chef knife $110 full tang, laminated black wood handle. this is a really solid knife at a great price.


there is tons and tons of knives that imo that are superior values to Wusthof but even so wusthof is a great brand and I wouldn't knock anyone for buying, I've owned a good few myself and given a few away as gifts. they are a real workhoarse build of a knife. I can pay a little more for name recognition and legacy quality.

currently I'm waiting on a Mono steel western gyuto aus-10 240mm rosewood handle from Aritsugu $206 with free shipping from Japan. , A really really nice knife roughly the equivalent name recognition as Wusthof ...but they don't do a 210 version like this, you can get a carbon steel version in 210mm. But roughly the same price range as Wusthof. ,,,gorgeous knives

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You can also get this made in Japan $40 Kimura mono-steel molybdenum western style 8 inch chef knife with POM resin handle. its a really solid knife for $40 I've bought a couple different versions on amazon. Full tang triple rivet. A super deal of a knife.

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Look at my photo up thread—the Wűsthof Classic Ikon 8", and the JCK 240mm Natures Gekko Gyuto. $124.00 USD for the Gyuto, and I purchased the Classic Ikon for $170 bucks on sale, its retail price is $200 USD. I like both knives; the Gyuto is my big vegetable knife, and the Classic Ikon is used on meats, cured meats, etc.
 
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There is one thing I need to say about the scales on German knives, and it applies to all knives. In the United States, some states require knife scales be of an impermeable material for sanitization. For the same reason, wooden cutting boards are generally banned.
 
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transmaster said:
There is one thing I need to say about the scales on German knives, and it applies to all knives. In the United States, some states require knife scales be of an impermeable material for sanitization. For the same reason, wooden cutting boards are generally banned.
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Where are wooden cutting boards generally banned? John
 
transmaster said:
Look at my photo up thread—the Wűsthof Classic Ikon 8", and the JCK 240mm Natures Gekko Gyuto. $124.00 USD for the Gyuto, and I purchased the Classic Ikon for $170 bucks on sale, its retail price is $200 USD. I like both knives; the Gyuto is my big vegetable knife, and the Classic Ikon is used on meats, cured meats, etc.
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I really like the JCK Natures line, I got the Blue Clouds blue2 190mm bunka $170ish and 150mm petty $100ish ....sweet knives well worth it....also have the Sakura road mini santoku 145mm....sweet little AS santoku, its my Sidekick for sushi service, perfect avocado knife and mini preps, I use the back side to scoop out avo.......I'd like to get more Sakura road, they are nicer than the pictures let on.
 
transmaster said:
There is one thing I need to say about the scales on German knives, and it applies to all knives. In the United States, some states require knife scales be of an impermeable material for sanitization. For the same reason, wooden cutting boards are generally banned.
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California for one has banned wood boards in restaurants, food service .

It’s the plastics lobby! Wood cutting boards are far more sanitary.

To the OP, Wusthof Classic line are the premier German knives in my opinion!

Don’t buy the cheap lines like what they will sell at a big box.

They are many fine choices from Japan etc. if you want German, Go with the Wusthof Classic!
 
Here is an interesting contrast.

above a:
Seki Kane Tsugu Hybrid Wa Bocho series ko Deba, Right hand, 120mm
Below a: Wüsthof Classic 4 1/2" Chef's Knife.
Note the difference in blade thickness.
The 4 1/2" Wüsthof classic has basically taken over the job of a paring and petty knife in my kitchen. The Deba is wonderful for dicing dense root vegetables.

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You want to know the best bang for buck knife ? its the Shi Ba Zi Zou 7 inch kiri cleaver with 80cr13 core....the heat treat on these make them unbelievably sharp and long lasting edges, I mean scary sharp and stupefying long lasting edge retention. I have had nearly every kind of stainless and carbon steel knife available....Nothing , not even my higher end Japanese knives can touch the performance of what ever magic they have done to the core steel on these. They have perfected the heat treat on this steel.

$ you can find these for about $30 fully through tang on the handle as you see on good Chinese handles....the bigger 8 inch and 9 inch are great also, but this little 7 inch kiri is just the bees knees. ,,,they put different steels in all their cleaver lines, you want the 80cr13 ones, the heavy bone choppers are great also, but thats for different work.

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Yeah Wusthof knives are worth it I’ve got the classic 8inch chef’s knife and it seriously makes a difference compared to budget sets. It stays sharp feels balanced and just makes chopping and slicing easier:)
 
I have and love my Wusthof knives but I would not buy them again.

I think Dexter Russel SaniSafe knives are a better value and more durable. Made in America.

The handles are sealed to the blade, no place for bacteria to hide. They can be sanitized at high heat (250*F) with no damage.
 
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eveled said:
I have and love my Wusthof knives but I would not buy them again.

I think Dexter Russel SaniSafe knives are a better value and more durable. Made in America.

The handles are sealed to the blade, no place for bacteria to hide. They can be sanitized at high heat (250*F) with no damage.
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Totally makes sense. Dexter Russell SaniSafe knives are great value and super tough
 
I spent 30 years in high end kitchens including my own. A now discontinued Wusthof model has long been my workhorse. It was the Extra Wide 26cm 4582. I believe there is space for both German style and Japanese work knives in any good kitchen.

The German knives are much thicker behind the edge and will take more abuse. My heavy Wusthof can be used as a light cleaver and will go through chicken bones without damage. Conversely, Japanese blades are ground very thin, usually on one side and will chip easily if abused. They excel at being slicers. My favorite is a Kikuichi Nikiri. Vintage French butcher knives fall in between. Thick enough to last decades with proper use yet thin enough to easily take a razor edge. They make excellent sticking knives.

I use them all plus a Chinese No 2 cleaver.
 
Japanese knives all the way for the kitchen. Even the budget offerings like Tojiro and Fujiwara will have thinner edges, better profiles, and harder steel than most any german stuff.
 
Wusthof is a solid choice. The Ikon series has an amazing handle, extremely ergonomic. The Premiere series are their cheaper series, but still a decent choice for this style knife. Yes, Wusthof is most definitely overpriced… and soft. 50 on a Bess is attainable on them. Great for heavy work.

For most light chopping and cutting my Shun’s get the nod. You can have both knives sharpened to 100 at 16 degrees on a Bess and the Shun would seem much sharper due to thin blade and the geometry. I am able to strop them back to 100 if I don’t use them more than 3 times or so without stropping for the better part of a year. Whushof would need reground sooner for sure.

Some have mentioned Shun Zu (sp?). They are hard and easy to get hair whittling sharp, but in my experience, they do not stay sharp long. My daughter uses them for camping and is knife knowledgeable. After a weekend they need more than a strop.
 
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The guy I gave it to said it is "OK" but even as a paring knife, he prefers the Japanese.
They feel better in the hand.
 
transmaster said:
I am living in 2 worlds, Japan and Germany. I very much like my Wüsthof knives, especially the Ikon line. The Ikon knives have such great handles. The Wüsthofs are not demanding care-wise. They can take more abuse than most Japanese knives. The blades are HRC 58 in hardness, they don't chip, and they are easy to maintain. On the other hand, I like my Japanese knives. Thin, ultra-sharp, with HRC's in my collection of up to HRC 63 exacting in their use, and actually, for me at least, a very meditative thing, sharpening them. As I have said here more than once, if I were gifting a new chef with a professional set of knives, it would be Wüsthof.

Top: Wüsthof Classic 10" Chef's knife.
Bottom: Natures Gekko series Gyuto 240mm.

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To me that top knife is an Ikon 8-inch. I use a 10-inch Wusthof Classic. There is a bolster on the Classic. I prefer the Classic to the Ikon.
 
I have a couple of Wusthof knives but I like the French carbon steel Sabatier K brand better. For an excellent German style kitchen knife at a great price point, the Brazil made Mundial brand is a good choice. I have several in daily use that are near 40 years old.
 
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