Wusthof Classic Chef's Knife

Yesterday I took a knife-handling techniques course offered by a Wusthof rep at a local shop and was amazed by how quickly this knife turned carrots, celery, and nearly anything else into neat slices and chunks. Using the grip described above, one merely rolls the knife back onto the item being cut, lifts the back only, and repeats, sliding the food into the knife. The front of the blade merely rolls and slides on the cutting board, and is never lifted. (Compared to this, the instructor said my lift-and-chop technique was fairly effective, but abusive! *L*) With this knife, you could cut a carrot or celery into neat, thin little slices in less time than it takes to lift the lid off your food processor and get ready to clean it.

I've got other good knives - prior to this knife, I already owned Henckels 4-star 6" chef's and fillet knives, a Henckels Pro-S 3" paring knife, and a Wusthof hollow-edge santoku (another awesome tool). The Henckels knives are excellent quality, but do not lend themselves to the forward grip; I tried it with my Henckels chef's knife and found that the forged bolster felt sharp-edged when I gripped the blade this way. Make no mistake - the Henckels is an excellent knife and works well, albeit with slightly less control, when all fingers are wrapped around the handle. The Wusthoff knife has a shallower transition fillet from blade to bolster and lends itself to either grip. I'd chosen the 6" Henckels because it felt well-balanced gripping the handle alone, while the 8" seemed heavier and less agile, but with the proper grip the 8" Wusthof Classic is balanced just right. The Wusthof Grand Prix, like the Henckels, tends to encourage an all-fingers-on-handle grip, though the bolster region may be more finger-friendly. I used to look longingly at Grand Prix knives, but last night's class sold me on the benefits of the Classic handle.

Needless to say, after giving it such a thorough tryout I took this knife home with me!

I had to explain that while the knives she gave me were nice, they don't even compare to my Wustofs. My Wustof knives retain an amazing sharpness (even when I'm a little lazy about sharpening them). Their balance is unparalleled. The handle fits my hand perfectly. The knives that she sent me always feel dull in comparision, and the handle is simply uncomfortable.

I consider a good cook's knife to be essential for anyone who cooks. The question of which cook's knife to buy depends on the person who will be using it. There are two different questions: which model to purchase, and which length to purchase.

There are two main knife manufacturers: Wustof and Henckels. I think that Wustof knives are better made. However, some people prefer the handles on the Henckels. The Henckels handle is extremely uncomfortable for me, so I don't even consider them.

The second question is that of length. If you are taller, you will want a longer knife. Shorter people will want a shorter knife. I stand at 5'7" (170cm), and find that the 8" knife is most comfortable for slicing and chopping. My best friend is about an inch taller than me and also prefers this knife. A friend who is a couple of inches shorter than me prefers the 6" cook's knife.

If you have never purchased high-quality knives before, I would recommend that you go to a traditional store and try them out first. You want to see if the handle is comfortable and if the balance is right for you. Then come back here and order it -- the Amazon price is much better than that found in any kitchen speciality or upscale department store.

Also, if you have never purchased high-quality knives before, I would recommend two other purchases: a knife holder of some sort and a sharpening steel. The former, which doesn't need to be very expensive at all (my best friend has one that cost him less a dollar; it is simply a plastic tray with slits for holding the blades), keeps the blade from getting nicked while it's sitting in your drawer. The latter keeps the blade nice and sharp. You should sharpen your knives every time you use them. This isn't very difficult, nor is it very time-consuming, but it keeps your knives in perfect condition.

I am extremely happy with my purchase. I am slowly growing my knife collection. You will always find one of these knives on my wishlist. Even my mother has come around -- after experiencing these knives herself, she bought one for herself, and sent me the 6" cleaver as a birthday gift!

SO: DON'T buy the five-inch because it's the cheapest one in the line. A chef's knife that's comfortable in the hand is a perfect tool. A knife that's too small is not worth the money. Anyone can use a five-inch knife for occasional fine mincing, but for chopping and carving, the five-inch is about right balance for a petite woman or very small man. Measure your chopping hand from the base of the thumb to the end of the pinkie - if that length is between five and six inches, this is your knife. If not, get a bigger one.