Wusthof Knife Set & Knives
Wusthof is a seven-generation, family-owned knife company and is one of the world leaders in knife brands. It all began in the year 1814 in Solingen, the knife capital of the world.
They have been forging premium knives for over 200+ years, each line of their knives unique in their own way, durable, and the preferred knife by many trusted top chefs.
The Seven Series
The company is currently lead by the seventh-generation of the Wusthof family, and they boast seven lines or series of knives…
- Classic
- Classic Ikon
- Epicure
- Gourmet
- Grand Prix II
- Ikon
- Pro
Forged Knives
Out of the lines, the Classic, Classic Ikon, Epicure, Grand Prix II, and Ikon series are forged knives (which is what we will focus on in this article).
Stamped knives
- Are obtained by cutting a large sheet of steel. After cutting, it is honed as well as heat-treated to ensure higher durability.
Forged knives
- Are made up of a single bar of steel. They are first heat-treated and then hammered/pounded to get into the right shape.
- It is widely believed that pounding and hammering the steel during the forging process rearranges the molecules, compressing them making it harder and stronger. As a result, allowing the blade to retain its edge for longer.
The Wusthof Knife in Detail
When you look at WÜSTHOF knives in detail, you can easily see what makes them so popular with home cooks and professional chefs and why they prefer not to let them out of their hands.
The following key quality features are what make all the difference:
1. The blade surface
Wusthof knives are drop forged from a single billet of steel, the blade, and handle all one solid piece making it full tang.
Wusthof knives use X50CrMoV15 stainless steel with molybdenum and vanadium added to enhance their hardness, durability, and resistance to corrosion. This makes them extremely tough and resistant to rust.
Each knife is heat-treated to a Rockwell hardness of 58, which is around the norm for German knives.
On the other hand, with a touch of Japanese influence, these knives are sharpened to a 14-degree angle at each side, much sharper than the standard German knife which normally has an angle at 22 degrees.
The knives are sharp, long-lasting, and easy to sharpen.
2. The blade spine
At WÜSTHOF, the spine of the blade is carefully ground and beautifully smooth (this is known by the technical term “deburring”).
No sharp edges are left behind to press uncomfortably into the ball of the thumb.
3. The Bolster
The thicker integral section between the blade and the handle is a typical feature of the forged knife.
Thanks to its weight, the knife is perfectly balanced in the hand.
4. The rivets
Stainless steel rivets permanently secure the handles to the tang.
5. The cutting edge
Precision edge technology, PEtec, is an automated sharpening process using lasers to measure the blades so that it can calculate the precise sharpening angle.
High tech manufacturing robots then use this information to sharpen the blade with the utmost accuracy on a whetstone, and then polished on discs for laser-sharp accuracy and consistency.
This means the blades will need to be sharpened less, they will be heavier, well-balanced, and last much longer in your kitchen.
6. The etching
This marking on the blade surface provides proof of the knife’s origin and includes the product number and name of the range, as well as the WÜSTHOF logo and place of origin (Made in Germany/Solingen).
7. The finger guard
Protects the fingers from sliding down the blade.
8. The tang
The handles are attached to this extension of the blade known as the tang.
The handles can be made from various different materials.
9. The heel of the handle
This is shaped so that the knife can always be handled safely.
Thanks to its weight, the knife is perfectly balanced in the hand.
Introduction to each of the Forged Knife Series
Wusthof Classic Knives
The Classic line boasts the largest collection with over 70 knife types. These knives are well balanced, not too heavy, entail a simple design, and the handles give off a real wood appearance both in look and feel.
They also have full size bolsters for extra protection. It’s not hard to imagine why these knives are popular among professional chefs.
Wusthof Classic Ikon Knives
The Wusthof Classic Ikon knives have a similarly realistic synthetic handle as the Classic line – however with a double bolster for protection.
The first bolster is below the blade to protect your knuckles in times of slippage. And the second bolster is located at the bottom of the handle, which adds to the knife’s balance and visual symmetry.
With a curvy ergonomic handle, there are three versions to this series – the Classic Ikon, Classic Ikon Crème, and Ikon (Blackwood).
Wusthof Epicure Knives
The Epicure was custom-designed for Sur La Table in partnership with Epicurean (the maker of cutting boards). Therefore, lending its sustainably grown recycled-wood-fiber handle that’s made of the same material as Epicurean’s Richlite boards.
It has a subtle continuous arc of the spine, the blade-shaped with a steeper curve at the tip, and it comes with a full-sized bolster, unlike the Ikon. It is finished off with a ceramic coating for added protection and to help prevent food from sticking to the blade.
The blade is slightly wider than both the Classic and Ikon which means it will offer more knuckle clearance. The handle is roomy and gives you plenty of room to grip.
Wusthof Grand Prix II Knives
With the same blade width and full-size bolster as the Classic line, albeit the handle looks and feels more synthetic and lacks the natural appearance and texture.
The ergonomic handle offers a slight curve in the spine for more comfort and control.
This series is a level down to the Classic Ikon and as such is less expensive.
The bulging bolster makes these knives harder to sharpen, but on the other hand, offers more finger protection.
In Conclusion
Wusthof is at the top of its game and is one of the world leaders in supplying premium knives.
Shop our range of Wusthof knives and feel the difference for yourself.
Also Check Out: 5 Different Types of Kitchenware – Features & Recommendations