1/8/2024 0 Comments Wusthof xline knivesMany modern forged knives have minimal bolsters or none at all. It’s supposed to protect the cook’s fingers from slipping on to the cutting edge. This holds true for both Classic and Ikon versions of these knives and allows them to slide through food with slightly less resistance.īOLSTER In a traditional forged knife, the bolster is that narrow wedge of steel that separates the handle from the blade. The santoku, nakiri, and chai dao are all slightly thinner than the corresponding chef knife and are sharpened to 10 degrees per side (instead of 14). There is one mild exception to this rule-the Japanese hybrid models (within each line). The same is true for the Classic Ikon, the Grand Prix II, et al. And understand that a Wusthof Classic chef’s (which costs $70 less) should slice through a carrot just as effortlessly as the Ikon Blackwood, hold it’s edge just as well, have just as long a life cycle. (Left: Blanks that will become Wusthof Classic chef knives.) So if you’re in the mood to splurge and spend $200 on an Ikon chef knife with a Blackwood handle (a gorgeous knife), please understand that the extra money you’re spending is going to the handle and the feel, not to the engineering of the blade. But they are customized into a spread of styles that distinguish themselves from each other by their handles and their balance and feel. What’s important to remember about Wusthof is that all the various lines (forged, that is) share the same manufacturing process, the same forged blade at their core. Plus, it won’t require the maintenance and vigilance demanded by many Japanese blades. But for a home kitchen (and most professionals as well), it’s more than sharp enough. It can’t quite match the blistering sharpitude of many Japanese knives which are usually made of steels with higher carbon content. (Above: Future blades emerging from heat treatment at the Wusthof factory in Solingen.)Īll the various forged lines share the same manufacturing process.This recipe for knife-making creates a durable blade that can withstand a lot of stress and still not chip and will retain a sharp edge for a respectable amount of time. 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. Finally, they are all sharpened (with a few notable exceptions) to an angle of 14 degrees per side. The knives are heat-treated to a Rockwell hardness of 58 which is the norm for German-style knives. Each knife is drop forged from a single billet of steel, the blade and handle one solid piece, thus they are all full-tang (one piece of steel from the tip to the heel). There is nothing out of the ordinary about this steel, but it’s tough and definitely won’t rust. Wusthof knives all use the same X50CrMoV15 stainless steel-with molybdenum and vanadium added to enhance their hardness, durability, and resistance to corrosion. But in the case of Wusthof, their forged knives are higher quality and will stay sharp longer. With modern manufacturing techniques the lines have now blurred. While a stamped knife is literally stamped out of a roll of steel and thus lacks this strengthening process. STAMPED A forged knife is made from steel that has been heated and hammered and heated and hammered some more, so as to realign its molecular structure and make it stronger and more resilient. So, unless otherwise noted, I am always talking about their forged knives.įORGED VS. Just like Classic, but no bolster-thus, lighter and easier to sharpenĬompletely retooled design with recycled-wood-fiber handle, custom-made for Sur La Tableīeautiful, modern design originally made for William-Sonoma polypropylene handle, but looks like wood hard to find in U.S.Ī failed partnership project and discontinuedĪgain-Wusthof’s forged knives are what I recommend and will concentrate on in this article. Looks like it sounds, with a triple-riveted polypropylene handle that feels like woodĬurvy, ergonomic polypropylene handle that feels woody as wellĬurvy handle, but creme colored, not blackĬurvy African Blackwood handle-not only feels like, but is, woodĬurvy polypropylene handle that looks and feels like synthetic
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