Same NEWBIE needs input on Wusthof knives...

[by350]

I registered at Macy's for a full set of the Wusthoff Grand Prix knives. A couple of questions:

1. What is the best way to straighten these knives? My teacher during a HomeChef class had this little box tool that you simply slide the blade between before each use. Also...how often do you need to sharpen the knives?

2. Noticed that the steak knives for the Grand Prix collection are very expensive. $220 for 6 of them. When I was at Crate and Barrel last week they had a set of 4 Wusthoff steak knives that didn't say Grand Prix, but were the exact same design. Black handle with the small silver circle button. These were only $40 for the set of 4. What are these knives?

Thanks for any input!

[EJRothman]

Hi -

General consensus is that buying individual knives is better than buying a whole set of knives. This way you get what you need/want and avoid the knives you won't use, but are nevertheless included in the set.

As for sharpening, the method of choice is a honing steel to keep the edge (ideally used every time you use your knives) and a whetstone to grind a new blade (usage ranges from once or twice a month to once of twice a year depending on usage). The Spyderco Sharpmaker seems to be a good choice for added convenience with functionality of a whetstone.

Finally, yes the grand prix line is expensive. It is a fully forged knife with a full tang. The set you saw which looks similar, but is much cheaper, is the Wusthof Silverpoint line. These knives have stamped blades, not forged blades.

This is the big EGullet knife thread that will give you more info on knives than you ever wanted to know.

Here's another large thread about knives.

Here's a thread on knife sharpening.

And finally, another sharpening thread.

[Fat Guy]

You're making a good choice with Wusthof.

Expensive steak knives, however, are a waste of money. The cheaper ones, which are still too expensive, will do the job just fine.

The other problem with sets, in addition to their inclusion of useless knives, is that no consumer-level standard Wusthof set contains a 10" chef's knife, which is the most important knife to most serious cooks. Though there are some who use an 8" or a 12", you will find 10" to be the professional standard and most advanced amateurs I know have adopted it as well. Also the knife blocks that come with the sets take up counter space -- better to have a side-mounted block, a magnetic strip, or just sheaths in a drawer.

[Jason Perlow]

Also the other thing you should consider with the Wusthof is that the 10 inch also comes in a WIDE version, which in my opinion is superior to the regular one. I just bought one and because I have large hands its much easier to handle and is easier to chop with. But the Wide doesnt come with the set.

As steven says my advice is to get the 3 or 4 knives you think you will use the most. The chefs knife you will use more than anything else and is most important.

[Fat Guy]

Several of the other most-favored-knives rarely come in sets: a lot of cooks like the santoku, you rarely get a long enough slicer or bread knife in a set (10" is good for these too), and a cleaver is also nice to have. Those plus a 10" chef's and some paring knives would be a better set than anything I've seen prepackaged.

[Jinmyo]

The Wusthof santoku is a good value. I find I use it more often than other santoku I have.

[NeroW]

Also the other thing you should consider with the Wusthof is that the 10 inch also comes in a WIDE version, which in my opinion is superior to the regular one. I just bought one and because I have large hands its much easier to handle and is easier to chop with. But the Wide doesnt come with the set.

As steven says my advice is to get the 3 or 4 knives you think you will use the most. The chefs knife you will use more than anything else and is most important.

I also have the 10" wide blade Wusthof. And a Wusthof paring knife. That's all.

The 10" is so lovely, I don't use it at school. It's only for home.

Wusthof is the shizzy.

Use your steel obsessively. Not only is it fun to do and it makes a fun sound, but it will keep you from having to put your knives on the stone as much. I use my steel (when my knife is being used heavily) at least every 10 minutes, and certainly before and after each use. Minimum.

[Nick]

As FG and others have said, don't get a set. Also, definitely go for the Wusthof 10" Chef's knife. The 8" just doesn't cut it (pun intended) and I think the 12" is a bit overboard.

In order of my use:

1) 10" Chef's and 3 1/2" parer (I have and use two of the latter.)

2) 4 1/2" Utility (like the parer's only longer.)

3) 8" Carver (not the slicer.)

4) 6" Flexible Boning (though I think the 5" non-flexible is just as good.)

5) 2 1/2" Trimmer (this is a fantastic knife for picking out stuff in meat - especially after boning.)

You do not need the tomato, sausage, or bread knives if you keep your others sharp.

All these are Wusthoff Classic which I personally prefer to the Grand Prix. I also have a Schrade 6" fish fillet knife which has given good service over the last 15 years. I've used in on everyting from baby flat fish (Flounder/Sole) to 2 1/2' - 3' long Cod.

Oh yeah, almost forgot. Get a pair of Wusthof shears (scissors.)

[snowangel]

I really like what Paul calls the Big Ass 10" chef's knife (the wide one). I'm about to toss every single knife at the cabin (crappy selection; the stuff my mother-in-law got when she got married 50 years ago) and replace with one single Big Ass 10" chef's knife. Yes, you can use it to pare.

And yes, using a steel is cool. Learning to use a whetstone properly is also really cool.

[oraklet]

most sharpening "systems" can't be used with most forged kitchen knives because of the bolster. better to use a stone, you can can teach yourself with an old cheap knife. don't trust your local butcher or kitchen appliance store, they'll most probably ruin your knife.

personally i feel that wusthofs are for those with big hands. but sure, 10" (or even 12") is better than 8" for most cutting jobs. for smaller hands, i'd like to reccommend french (thiers) made sabatiers, but the quality is apparently deteriorating. there's victorinox, and a portuguese company too, who make lighter, french style forged knives.

[JasonCampbell]

I'd agree with the advice against buying a knife set, you never end up with what you really need. And I'd tend to confirm the 10" chef knife preference, I've two 8" that never see the light of day (unless a girlie wants to help with the veg prep, and that rarely happens).

[Taboni]

The Wusthof santoku is a good value. I find I use it more often than other santoku I have.

Just curious, but do you use both a chef's knife and a santoku?

[EJRothman]

The Wusthof santoku is a good value. I find I use it more often than other santoku I have.

Just curious, but do you use both a chef's knife and a santoku?

I have both a santoku and a chef's. I use the santoku for small vegetables, chopping, etc. The chef's knife gets used for larger veggies (anything bigger than an eggplant such as a squash), chopping herbs, and for hard stuff that needs the added weight of the chef's knife.

These knives are the family knives, I plan on getting my own personal knives when I make some money this summer (poor college student). No one takes care of this knives and since the santoku is new (and hence sharp) and the chef's knife is old (and hence dull), the santoku is generally reached for first. When another family member is using it, I grab the chef's instead.

-Eric

[NeroW]

I've two 8" that never see the light of day (unless a girlie wants to help with the veg prep, and that rarely happens).

What "girlies" are you hanging around with that won't help with prep?

I've got the 10" wide blade, Mr. Campbell, and I know how to use it.

My 8" knives are for the boys.

[Nick]

personally i feel that wusthofs are for those with big hands. but sure, 10" (or even 12") is better than 8" for most cutting jobs. for smaller hands, i'd like to reccommend french (thiers) made sabatiers, but the quality is apparently deteriorating. there's victorinox, and a portuguese company too, who make lighter, french style forged knives.

My hands are small, and I have no problem with the Wusthof 10". But, my hands are strong, as well as my forearms, so maybe that makes a difference. Small hands alone shouldn't hold anyone back from Wusthof's.

Edited June 25, 2003 by Nickn (log)

[dimitri steinberg]

The beginning of the thread referenced "straightening". Not sure if this meant sharpening or not, but it is relevant to me. Two of my Wusthof GPs got bent at the tips - don't ask how. Is there a way to fix that?

[JAZ]

Oh yeah, almost forgot. Get a pair of Wusthof shears (scissors.)

I have Wusthof's scissors, and although they're fine, I really prefer my Messermeisters, which come apart for easy cleaning, have a longer blade and are just as strong.

[Nick]

The beginning of the thread referenced "straightening".  Not sure if this meant sharpening or not, but it is relevant to me.  Two of my Wusthof GPs got bent at the tips - don't ask how.  Is there a way to fix that?

Unless it's really bothering you don't try to straighten them. If it's really getting to you and you're willing to take the chance of breaking off the tips, make a fulcrum at the middle of the bend or just behind it, put the tip under something solid and gently press down. This is all done by feel. Do it a little and then look at the blade. Did any of the bend come out? If so and there still remains a bend, see if you had the fulcrum in the right place. You may want to adjust its positioning for the next try. On the other hand, if you felt that you'd approached the "tensile strength limit" on your first try you might want to forget about. The tip may break off.

So then it becomes can I live with the bent blade or should I take a chance on breaking it, in which case I can re-contour the blade and it will just be shorter?

All I can really tell you is to feel the steel as you try to straighten it. Whatever you do, do not heat the steel unless you know how to re-harden and temper.

Edited June 26, 2003 by Nickn (log)

[pjs]

My 8" knives are for the boys.

Hey, my 8" Wusthof WIDE suits this boy just fine.

PJ

[Nick]

What can we expect from someone that races Fiero's instead of birdcage Maserati's?

[NeroW]

My 8" knives are for the boys.

Hey, my 8" Wusthof WIDE suits this boy just fine.

PJ

I'm sure it does.

[JasonCampbell]

What "girlies" are you hanging around with that won't help with prep?

I've got the 10" wide blade, Mr. Campbell, and I know how to use it. 

My 8" knives are for the boys.

With a nod to Digby, It's a well known fact that girlies hate veg prep, whereas the chaps get stuck into it with gusto. It's also a fact that some men can be girlies when it comes to veg prep, while many women approach the task as chaps. You can recognise them by the 10" Chefs Knife they are using.

As to Wusthoff knives and their use, I'll come clean and say I use Victorinox and Swibo. I'm sure the Wusthoff are very good, but my bank balance would be worsthoff, and would my cooking be any better off?

As to bent and damaged blades, here follows a moral tale on letting girlies play with your 10" blade. I did, and the silly girl managed to put a kink in the centre of the cutting edge whilst dicing some carrots. No amount of work with a whetstone has rectified this problem, although I admit the knife still cuts well.

I could have the knife professionally re-sharpened and this would probably remove the blemish. That would cost about £5 here in the UK.

[pjs]

Nick, that was a low blow but I'll cop to it.

Speaking of veg prep has anyone else been handed 200lbs of onion to peel and been told, "Yeah, we do that outside, on the other side of the back door. And stop your complaining--the rain seems to have let up."

PJ

[NeroW]

Yargh. I'm leaving this one alone.

I still love my Wusthof, and as for veg prep, well, I guess you could say: I approach the task like a chap.

[Chef Fowke]

I love my set of Wusthof! I bought them 15 years ago and they look like new. I use them all the time....

But I still keep a Victorinox Cake Knife in my kit! It is the best all round knife I have ever used. I replace it every year at $35. It is so versatile!