Wusthof Classic Chef Knife Full Review

The Wusthof Classic Chef Knife is one of the best known line of knives in the culinary world, being appreciated by many chefs and beginner cooks. It is a forged knife that has a full bolster that extends to the edge and has a strong polyethylene, triple riveted handle. If you are looking for your first forged knife you came to the right place. The Wusthof Classic will surely satisfy your needs.

Wusthof Company Profile

The Wusthof company also known as Wüsthof Dreizackwerk or Wüsthof Trident is one of the most important knife making companies in the world. Family owned since 1814, Wusthof makes some of the best western style, forged knives on the market. Although the company is smaller than its competitor Zwilling J.A. Henckels it still produces some of the best kitchen knives around being appreciated by professional chefs.

The company is family owned for seven generations and employs around 350 specialised workers in their high tech factory. The owners are now Harald Wusthof and Viola Wusthof which strive to bring only the best products on the market. Almost all knives made by Wusthof Trident are precision forged with the exception of the Emeril and Gourmet line which are stamped and the Silverpoint line which is laser cut.

All forged knives need more than 40 steps to become a professional knife from a chunk of metal and all stamped knives need more than 14. The edge angle of the western style knives is ground at a4 degrees while the Japanese style knives are ground at 10 degrees. The Wusthof knife lines include, the Classic, the Ikon, the Classic Ikon, the Classic Ikon Creme, the Culinar, the Grand Prix II, the Gourmet, the Pro, the Pro Colour, the Silverpoint and the XLine. Other lines like the Emerilware, Emerilware (v2), Emeril Pro, Grand Prix, Grand Prix II Colour, Le Cordon Bleu have been discontinued.

Wusthof Classic Chef Knife Design

The Wusthof Classic has one of the most traditional german knife designs of knives on the market today. From the shape of the blade to the bolster and handle everything looks as the western cook’s knife that we are all used to. If you compare the blade of the Wusthof Classic Ikon with the Wusthof Classic chef knife you will see that there is no difference in shape.

The steel is the same forged special X50 Cr MoV 15 steel and ground at 14 degrees and a 58 HRC hardness. The major difference in the balde is the bolster. The Classic has a full length bolster which extends to the edge of the blade. In this case the end of the blade can not be sharpened. Another major difference is the handle. While the Ikon has a modern, ergonomic blade, the Classic is exactly as the name suggests, traditional. In contrast to the Wusthof Classic the Ikon has a much thicker tang and has a extra mass of steel added to the end of the blade which helps with balance and feel.

But do not be fooled, the Classic is by no means uncomfortable or unbalanced. The ikon is just a bit more comfortable to the touch and just feels a bit better in your hand. We can say that there is about 10% more comfort with the Ikon but that shouldn’t really bother you as long as you don’t do huge amounts of cooking. Also know that the Ikon is more expensive than the Classic. Thus it just comes down to you if you are prepared to pay that extra amount for that 10% more confort.

Another major difference between these 2 knives is that the Ikon does not come in so many sizes and styles as the Classic. As mentioned before the Classic line of knives is the most varied, with over 70 types of knives. The ikon comes in only 4 sizes while the Classic has the entire range of sizes you might think of. Also you can not find a Classic ikon chef knife with a granton edge but you can find a classic. Only the Ikon Santoku or slicing knife have a granton edge.

Wusthof Classic Chef Knife Blade

The Wusthof classic is the original Wusthof knife that all of us know. It has been in the Wusthof lineup since the beginning making it a real “classic”. Also this lineup is the biggest and features the most varied selection of knives that the company produces. Most Wusthof knives are precision forged with the exception of a few stamped and laser cut knives. The Wusthof Classic chef knife is no different and it takes more than 40 steps in its production. The creation of such an exceptional piece starts with a exceptional piece of steel exclusively designed for Wusthof.

The steel from which the blade is made of is known as X50 Cr MoV 15. A pretty confusing name for a material but as you will come to see there is a lot of logic in the name. This alloy is basically a carefully composed chromium, molybdenum and vanadium mixture which gives the blade its exceptional quality. So what does X50 Cr MoV 15 stand for? It’s pretty simple if you take a closer look. “X50” represents the basic high carbon steel that the blade is made of, from which “X” is the steel and “50” represents the 0.5 concentration of carbon used in its composition. “Cr” represents the Chromium content of 15% which gives the blade stain resistant properties. “Mo” represents the Molybdenum content which hardens the blade and makes it corrosion free. And “V” stands for Vanadium which again hardens and gives the blade durable properties. All forged and stamped knives made by Wusthof use this steel which is exclusively produced for the companies knife blades.

The Classic is one of the first knives produced by the Wusthof. Its design started in the offices of the factory and made its way down the production line. First, the factory receives the metal sheets made exclusively for them. Then the steel is heated to 1100 degree celsius (2000 degree Fahrenheit) in specially designed ovens and precision forged. The knife is then cut to its specified shape while constantly being monitored by machines and staff. The next step is tapering of the steel which will give the blade its hardness while steel being flexible. First the blade is being heated in a specially designed oven at exactly 1000 degrees celsius (1850 degrees fahrenheit) and then cooled instantly. This step hardens the blade very much but it also makes it brittle. Thus, the blade is heated again, but this time at 200 degrees celsius (392 Fahrenheit) in order for the steel to become flexible again. Now the blade has reached a very hard 58 HRC (Rockwell scale) while still being flexible.

After the blade’s hardness is reached and it is tapered and flexible the grinding process can begin. Thus, the blades edges are being sharpened by automated, precision robotic arms which give every knife the exact same edge. In this process all blades are being transported and constantly cleaned in a ultrasonic unit while going from process to process. Also, the bolster, the handle and the tang are all finished automatically. Basically everything is done with automated german precision until this point. But the sharpening process has to be done by skilled labourers in order to give the knife its exceptional sharpness. A specialist takes each knives, sharpens it and checks if the right job was done using the Wusthof patented PEtec technology (Precision Edge Technology). First a stone is used to sharpen the blades which are the verified by lasers so that each one corresponds to standards. Second the final edge is applied manually before each knife is checked again for quality. Then if all is done well the final Wusthof trident logo is applied and the knives are being packaged for shipment.

Wusthof Classic Chef Knife Bolster

The bolster of the Wusthof Classic chef knife is a traditional German style, full length bolster. It extends from the spine to the edge in order to protect your fingers from harm’s way and it also helps create a very balanced knife. The precision bolster ads much improved performance. It gives the knife some weight and a perfect balance that pretty much improves the ability to chop anything. Because of the great balance that this knife has you will not feel any strain on your arm while working for an extended period of time compared to knives with less weight or a uneven balance.

Because of its full length bolster the knife weighs about 9.6 ounces. This means it is not a light knife. But increased weight is most of the times what you are looking for in a knife that you use for a long period of time. Because of the weight you do not have to use so much effort in pushing the blade through the produce you are trying to cut, thus, less effort is needed.

Wusthof Classic Chef Knife Handle

The handle of the Wusthof Classic is exactly like the name suggests, “classic”. If you take a look at the shape of the handle you will realize that it is a classic shaped handle. It is a squared handle that is rounded at the back and extends a bit lover then your fingers in order to prevent the knife from slipping out of your hand. While the full length bolster prevents your hand from slipping onto the blade itself. We usually recommend this knife to beginners exactly because of the increased safety factor.

The material used for it is black polyethylene. This material is one of the best for kitchen knives. Polyethylene does not react with water and is a very strong and durable material. In this case you don’t have to worry about scratches that might damage it when in contact with water. Different to polyethylene, if for example you had a wood handle scratches in the wood might let water sip in and in time damage it. Also as polyethylene is very durable it is pretty hard to unintentionaly scratch it. When compared to the other Wusthof product lines, the Wusthof Classic chef knife uses the same material for handles as the Ikon and Ikon Classic but it is different than the plastic handles that the stamped knives are made with.

Also, the knife has a full tang which means that the steel the blade is made of, extends all the way through the handle. Thus the knife is forged out of one single piece of steel, blade and handle. This means that the knife will feel extremely sturdy in your hand and will last a lifetime. On the other hand Wusthof’s stamped knives have a plastic handle that is attached to the blade. This hact my result in the knives handle breaking off the blade in some cases. Also, the handle is fixed in place by three strong rivets that ensure the polyethylene sides of the handle will stay in place forever.

There are many reasons why professional chefs and beginner cooks alike prefer this knife but some of the main factors are the shape of the blade, the strong, sturdy construction, the safety that the knife offers, the perfect balance of the bolster as well as the safe and comfortable handle.

Wusthof Classic Chef Knife Price

The price of the Wusthof Classic is proportional to the value of the knife. Considering the quality and work that has went into creating it the price is fair. Also, prices vary depending on what size knife you choose to buy. The Wusthof Classic line is one of the oldest in the Wusthof portofolio and one of the most loved. Thus, the line consists of over 70 different types of knives, including speciality knives.

When it comes down to the Wusthof Classic chef knife, you can get it in all sizes you can think of. So, you can get the knife in a 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 inch size and if you need it to prepare food for a large number of people you can also get it in a 12 and even 14 inch size. But keep in mind what you need it for and know that prices vary depending on the knife’s size. For example you can get a 6 inch chef knife for as low as $60, a 8 inch knife (most sold size) for as low as $127 while a 10 inch knife will set you back around $179. The special 12 inch will go for around $230 while we saw the 14 inch Heavy even reach $599. For a beginner we suggest the 8 inch knife while for a professional we consider the 10 inch knife to be the best deal.

Wusthof Classic Maintenance and Storage

When buying a high quality knife like the Wusthof Classic, you should keep in mind that whatever quality the knife is at ,you still have to maintain and store your knife correctly. for it to be the same for a lifetime. First thing you should know it that even if the companies say that a certain knife is dishwasher safe you should still consider cleaning it by hand and dry it thoroughly before storage.

When it comes to maintaining a very sharp edge, all the time, you should take a look into honing and sharpening. However hard your knife is, even if it is at a 58 or even 65 on the Rockwell scale, the knife will lose its edge or even go blunt in time. Thus remember to hone your knife periodically depending on how often you use it. Professional chefs hone their knives daily. As a home cook once or twice a week will do the job.

But honing is about straightening your edge. As you use your knife the edge will softly bend to one side or the other and my also get small nicks. In this case honing is required to straighten up the edge and sort out those nicks. But if you haven’t done this in a long while or have used your knife for a long time, the edge might be blunt and then you require sharpening. Get it professionally done or just get a knife sharpening tool that you are comfortable using and just do it. Remember there is much satisfaction in sharpening your own knives. As a home cook we suggest you sharpen your knife about once or twice a year in order to have a perfect blade everytime.

When it comes to storing, Wusthof suggests one of the following 3 methods. Get a knife block, or a magnetic holder or Special Cases and Space-Saving Rolls. Choosing between the 3 is entirely up to you and some might have some advantages and disadvantages. The magnetic holder is extremely comfortable to use as you just have to stick and unstick your knife when you use it or not. But if you have pets or children that might play around you should avoid it. A knife block saves space and is also comfortable to use. But always take into account your blades width so you don’t end up with a block you can’t use. The Special Cases and Space-Saving Rolls are also very good for storing and transport, that’s why most professional chefs use them. But do you want to unpack and pack a knife every time you use it or stop using it. It might get annoying. So take a informed decision and pick the best for your needs.

If you liked the Wusthof Classic chef knife but would like to check out other knives too you should check out our other suggestions of top chef knives Also if you really like the Wusthof company you should check out the entire Wusthof knives line and pick your favorite.