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sharpenĬompletely retooled design with recycled-wood-fiber handle, custom-made for Sur La Tableīeautiful, modern design originally made for William-Sonoma polypropylene handle, but looks like wood hard to find in U.S.Ī failed partnership project and discontinuedĪgain-Wusthof’s forged knives are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