Wusthof Wood Block and Steel

by Wüsthof

Product Features

• Heavy, nine-slot, wood, knife-storage block and 9-inch sharpening steel
• Block holds seven kitchen knives, sharpening steel, and scissors in front
• Sharpening steel keeps knife edges aligned
• Block sits on rubber feet to protect counter surface
• Block displays Wüsthof logo on front

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 16.1 x 9.4 x 4.7 inches ; 5 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 5 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00005PJ4X
• Item model number: 8550
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #187,368 in Kitchen & Dining (See Top 100 in Kitchen & Dining)

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

A great gift, this knife-storage block and sharpening steel from Wüsthof will be heartily welcomed by a cook who's serious about kitchen equipment and tools but is short of knife accessories. The heavy block has nine slots--seven for kitchen knives, one for the sharpening steel, and one in the front for kitchen scissors. The 9-inch sharpening steel is essential for keeping blade edges aligned. The block sits on rubber feet to protect the counter surface and displays the Wüsthof logo on its front. --Fred Brack

Product Description

W??sthof???s Classic 5-pc. set makes the perfect gift as starter set or for chefs planning on acquiring some additional specialty knives, these knives have a very traditional design. Blades are hand-forged from a single piece of high-carbon steel so they retain their sharp edges, this along with the stain resistant alloy makes it the perfect set.Set Includes:2 Stage Knife SharpenerCome Apart Kitchen Shears3.5-in. Paring Knife6-in. Bread Knife6-in. Hollow Edge Cook's KnifeWusthof's newest state of the art technology incorporates a new computer controlled method for putting the edge on Classic knives. This technology allows for an exacting edge from the tip of the knife down to the heel of the knife. With this newer precision, the knives are made sharper to 14 degrees per side for a total of 28 degrees. The knives are now sharper and this refinement increases the sharpness retention because exacting angles and edges last longer than edges sharpened by hand. The result is a knife that is 30% sharper and the ICP (Initial Cutting Performance) lasts twice as long.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars It's supposed to be free, and it's poorly made!, March 1, 2002

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Wusthof Wood Block and Steel (Kitchen)

Let's start with the fact that the box this is packaged in says "Your Gift with Purchase" in big black letters. Where I come from, that means this is a giveaway item when you buy something else, and the 79.99 "value" they base the $39.99 selling price on is completely arbitrary.

Now that I've established that this is supposed to be free, therefore couldn't possibly be worth $39.99, let's discuss the product's quality.

The seams where the wood pieces are glued together(we don't expect it to be one solid piece of oak) are uneven, and no attempts to sand them down have been made. There is glue on the sides of the block that apparently dripped out when the pieces were put together that wasn't cleaned up and is now a permanent part of the block. It just won't come off.

Then there is the putty. Yes, putty. In the places where the wood wasn't whole, or there were knots or other imperfections, they slopped wood putty into the spaces. Not smooth, filled, color-matched putty, but more like big gobs of brown putty. Hard to miss.

Finally, the rubber feet on the bottom are stapled on, not screwed on, and the staples did not penetrate the wood completely. Therefore, they are not attached properly, and instead of protecting your counter, the staples will scratch it even more.

One thing: The sharpening steel appears to be a decent, good, new Henckel's sharpening steel.

This is really quite disappointing. Normally, when you see a wood block filled with quality knives in someone's kitchen, it's an excellent sight to behold. In this case, it seem like a shame to put $80 knives into this sorry little thing.

I'm sure that it is functionally sound, since it's just a wood block, and the knives will fit into it, although the slots are small, and it looks too short to hold a bread knife(I haven't tried it yet because I was too disappointed when I opened the box), but the facts that 1)it's is supposed to be free when you buy something else, 2)it is really poorly made, and 3)it doesn't look good at all should be compelling reasons to buy something else.

It was packaged as a giveaway item because no one would pay for it by itself.

15 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Wüsthof should be ashamed!, August 24, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Wusthof Wood Block and Steel (Kitchen)

Well, I could not believe my eyes when I opened the package from Amazon. My girlfriend said she would not keep even garden tools in the knife block.

I will start with the good part though. The steel is a nice made-in-Germany piece (which can be had in Europe for about ten-twelve euros).

Now the bad part: considering the price amazon sells both items together, the block is valued twice as much as the steel. I do not like to use harsh words but the only word that could describe this block is 'junk'. Made-in-China no-quality-control-whatsoever junk in a knotted ordinary plastic bag. It is made from poor-quality wood and it looks like it was 'stored' outside in the rain for a month or so, then broken apart by throwing it into a wall and glued back together by a blind one-handed man in a hurry. Don't get me wrong, I am not talking about the fact blocks are made from pieces, the one I received was literally broken apart and glued back.

Now, I do not know what to do: return this to Amazon or send it to Wushtof and suggest to close their factory in China? It is a shame that such junk (sorry, I can not call it a product) has the same trident mark as Culinar or Grand-Prix knives.

Why am I so angry? Because I like internet shopping and I rely on trust. This was a brand I could trust. Now I would not buy another Wushtof product without seeing it first.

My advice: if you want a good knife block, go to a local store and buy one. If you do not need a good one, still go to a local store (even a dollar store if they carry such things) and buy the cheapest block you can find - you'll be happier with that one than with this so-called Wutshof!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Exactly what I expected, July 13, 2003

By 

Adam Woodrum (Las Vegas, NV) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Wusthof Wood Block and Steel (Kitchen)

It's a shame when people rate products based on the defective example they received. Sure, consistency in workmanship is a consideration, but don't think bad things don't happen in transit.
That said, I really like this block. It is exactly what I needed and I couldn't beat the price (free with purchase of 3-peice starter set). And, it HOLDS MY 9-INCH BREADKNIFE, as well as the 3-peice starter set and steel. It came to me in great shape and feels solid. It's a lot heavier than I thought it would be. I plan to add kitchen shears and leave the other 3 slots open for knives I decide I need later.
The only thing missing is a place to put steak knives. You'll need a separate steak-knife block or a larger block to accommodate steak knives. I'm single and don't need many knives. I gave four stars instead of five for the small size that may not work for many people, and as stated above, the lack of space for steak knives.
: )