The Wusthof Epicure knives line article is part of a series of articles we have prepared in order for you to get to know and select the best Wusthof knives for your needs. Also make sure you check out the Wusthof Ikon, Wusthof Classic Ikon, Wusthof Classic, Wusthof Grand Prix II and Wusthof Pro lines in order to get a complete view of the entire product lines.
Wusthof Epicure Product Line
The Epicure product line includes: 3 sets of knives, 3 chef knives, 2 utility knives, 1 paring knife, 1 santoku knife, 1 bread knife, 1 slicing knife. All knives have the same characteristics. Are made out of the same super steel and have the same edge retention and comfortable feel.
Wusthof Epicure Set
The entire Epicure line was created by the very successful designer Björn Berger from Solingen, Germany at the Wusthof factory. The Epicure collection is one of the top lines of cutlery from Wusthof contoured to the finest detail and precision forged with a full tang. This new line of knives is completely redesigned with modern lines and a dynamic shape. They feature a comfortable handle made from a composite material found in the innovative Epicurean cutting boards. The handles are created with comfort in mind, made specifically to reduce fatigue. Also, the handles are fixed in place by 2 stainless steel rivets that will make your handle last a lifetime.
Epicure 7 piece Block Set
The 7 piece Epicure set contains all you need to get cooking in your well equipped kitchen. The 8 inch Chef knife is the perfect size for any home cook, which is experienced or not. The 3 ½ paring knife is a must have as you will be dependent on it for any peeling or intricate work you intend on doing. Also a bread knife will help you perfectly cut any ingredient with hard or crusty exterior and soft interior. No other knife cuts these ingredients better than a serrated knife. The kitchen shears are always needed and the steel is required to always keep your knives in great shape. The serrated utility knife is a good addition but honestly for a perfect starter knife block I would personally change it or add the Epicure slicing knife which this block misses. But don’t worry the 17 slot block can hold many more knives from the Epicure collection.
- One 3 ½ Inch Epicure Paring Knife
- One 5 inch Epicure Serrated Utility Knife
- One 8 inch Epicure Chef Knife
- One 9 inch Epicure Double Serrated Bread Knife
- One 9 inch Epicure Steel
- One Epicure Come-Apart Kitchen Shears
- One Epicure 17 Slot Knife Block
Epicure 2 piece Prep Set
The 2 piece Epicure Prep set is recommended for any cook that intends on doing a lot of prep work or are beginner cooks that don’t need all the Epicure utensils to just start cooking. The 3 ½ inch paring knife will make your life a lot easier when peeling or doing any artsy design on vegetables. Also the 6 inch Epicure chef knife is the perfect size for a beginner that would be uncomfortable with a long blade. The 6 inch chef knife is great for cutting vegetables using any type of chopping and cutting to prep your veg.
- One 3 ½ Inch Epicure Paring Knife
- One 6 inch Epicure Chef Knife
Epicure 4 piece Steak Knives Set
The 4 piece Epicure steak knives set are some of the best steak knives you will find on the market today. Besides the fact that they feature a eye catching design and very comfortable handle, the knives PEtec sharpened blades will cut through steaks like through butter.
Wusthof Epicure Chef Knife
6 inch Epicure Chef Knife
The 6 inch Epicure Chef knife is perfect for beginner cooks or people who intend on doing a lot of prep work. Because of the handle shape and design, the knife will feel extremely comfortable in your hand allowing you to cut for hours on end.
8 inch Epicure Chef Knife
The 8 inch chef knife is a great addition to any cook. The size is perfect for home cooks or professional chefs alike. The 8 inch chef’s knife has a weight around 238 grams. A length of 13.25 inch with a 8 inch blade and a 5 inch handle. And a blade width of 1.83 inch, which creates a lot of knuckle space even for people with large hands.
9 inch Epicure Chef Knife
The 9 inch Epicure chef knife is made for professional chefs or cooks that have a lot of cutting work in mind. Usually larger blades are used by professional chefs that are comfortable using large blades all day and have to chop through tones of ingredients. The blade is long enough to cut through even the largest cabbage with ease while nothing will stick to the blade because of the ceramic coating.
Wusthof Epicure Utility Knife
4 ½ inch Epicure Utility Knife
The utility knives are mainly used for miscellaneous cutting. Because of their size they are perfect for cutting vegetables or sandwich meats. Basically everything that a chef knife is too large for and a paring knife too small.
5 inch Serrated Utility Knife
A serrated utility knife is good for the same types of cutting as a normal utility knife with a small exception. Usually serrated utility knives are designed to cut ingredients with hard or crusty interiors and soft interiors that could squish under the pressure of the knife. Thus they are perfect for cutting a fresh baguette or a tomato.
Wusthof Epicure 1 ½ Paring knife
The 3 ½ Epicure paring knife is the perfect tool to peel vegetables or do intricate work on the. Because of the super sharp PEtec edge and high Rockwell scale this knife will slide with ease through any vegetable while being extremely comfortable in hand.
Epicure 7 inch Hollow Edge Santoku Knife
If you are a Japanese style knife enthusiast but you love the Epicure line, the 7 inch hollow edge Santoku is for you. Because of the Granton edge (hollow edge), pockets of air will form when slicing ingredients thus no slice will stick to the wide blade.
Epicure 9 inch Double Serrated Bread Knife
The 9 inch double serrated Epicure bread knife, as the name states, has serrations within the serrations or more simply put double the number of serrations. This style of serrations will cut through bread like butter with almost no crumbs on the cutting board
Epicure 9 inch Slicing Knife
The Epicure 9 inch Slicing Knife has the adequate size to slice any piece of roast perfectly and with no blade lines on the slice. The extreme sharpness will make your knife glide through meat like through butter. If maintained correctly, you will never need another slicing knife again.
Wusthof Epicure Features
The Wusthof Epicure line of knives was specially designed for Sur La Table clients in a collaboration with Epicurean. The Epicurean is a cutting board maker from which the “Epicure” name comes from. The involvement of the Epicurean in this project is obvious in the material of the knives handle. Wusthof has basically used the same material as in the Epicurean’s Richlite boards. But in terms of design all does not end here.
Design
Wusthof has basically redesigned the entire chef knife. The unique design of the handle continues with a subtle arc of the spine. The blade is also wider when compared to the Wusthof Ikon or Wusthof Classic and has a steeper curve at the tip. Different to the Ikon, the Epicure also features a full bolster for increased safety. This feature was necessary as the handle is longer and the is blade wider. This fact helps people with large hands as they can hold the knife comfortably. But when used by people with smaller hands this ca become a risk factor. Thus the full bolster is a very smart addition to the knife. Plus the entire blade is covered in a fine ceramic coating which Wusthof declares it increases blade protection and it helps against food sticking to the blade.
Steel
The steel used in the Wusthof Epicure line is a specially made steel exclusively for Wusthof knives. This special steel is known as X50 Cr MoV 15 and is a combination of chromium, molybdenum and vanadium. But let’s break it down and look at the steel in more detail. Basically the name X50 Cr MoV 15 will tell you everything you need to know about the composition of the material.
So, “x” in the name stands for the basic steel used in the composition, which is a high carbon steel with a concentration of 0.5 carbon. You might have guessed that “50” next to the “X stands for the carbon concentration and this is one of the first factors that give the blade hardness. But this is not just a high carbon steel, it is a high carbon stainless steel. Thus “Cr” in the name stands for Chromium which is a basic element needed in the creation of stainless steel. The concentration of the Chromium content will be found at the end of the name in the number “15” thus 15%. Now, “Mo” in the name stands for molybdenum and is a component that ensures blade hardness and corrosion free properties. And “V” stands for vanadium which will make the blade of the Wusthof Epicure knives durable and hard. Basically it is a specially designed high carbon stainless steel for a very special knife.
Forging, Tempering and Annealing
The steel of the Wusthof Epicure knives is not the only factor that makes these knives hard and durable. As most of Wusthof knives the Epicure is also forged and reach a hardness of 58 on the Rockwell scale. The premium high carbon stainless steel is first heated at 2000 degrees Fahrenheit and are precision forged in a dye. Then the knife is cut into shape with quality controls at every step. The basic form of the knife is done. Then to increase hardness and edge retention the knives have to be tempered. Thus they are heated in a special oven at 1850 Fahrenheit then cooled instantly.
The blades now become very hard but at the same very brittle for use. A great blade doesn’t only have to be hard but also flexible so that it will not break on impact. So the blades are annealed in a different oven in order to remove stress from the steel. Thee steel is heated at 390 Fahrenheit and cooled slowly in order to build flexibility into the blade. Now the blades are done. Hard at around 58 on the Rockwell scale but still flexible.
The entire forging tempering and annealing of the blades is done automatically in the Wusthof factory by robots. But every step of the way quality control steps in and checks every blade. As the knives are cut to shape, forged tempered and annealed only handle assembly, grinding and sharpening are left.
Assembly, Grinding and Sharpening
The Epicure knives are ground on both sides. Then both sides are polished and protected against corrosion. In the case of the Epicure a thin see-through layer of ceramic coating is applied. Then the knife is etched and cleaned in order for the handle to be fixed on the full tanged knife blade. The Handle is assembled using stainless steel rivets in order to last you a lifetime. And last all parts including the knife spine, bolster and handle are polished to a clean shape.
Wusthof sharpens its knives using its innovative PEtec technology which involves lasers and robots in order to create the most precise edge. But how does it work? First before any grinding or sharpening starts, lasers measure the blade’s edge in order to get a complete view of every knife. With these measurements computers are able to calculate the exact sharpening angle of every blade. Then robotic arms take each blade and apply the computed calculations in order to precision sharpen each blade to its specific requirements. And last the knives are polished on a special disc. This process ensures each blade has a steep edge that lasts for a very long time. Thus the Wusthof knives have a high initial cutting performance and a long edge retention.
Handle
The handle of the Epicure is different from other Wusthof knives. As this line of knives was created in a partnership between Sur La Table and Epicurean. The companies had to leave their mark on the knife line. Thus the handle of the Epicure is made out of the same material that the Epicurean’s Richlite boards are made of. A composite of recycled and sustainably grown wooden fibers material.
But what exactly is Richlite?
Richlite is actually paper infused with resin to create a very strong material. It was originally created over 70 years ago for industrial usage but has since then been used in everything from the aerospace industry to architecture or the culinary world. Basically the material is made out of 65% recycled paper fibers which are sticked together with 35% phenolic resin.
The handle material is pretty amazing. It’s very resistant to impact ot scratches and it is not affected by water because of the high content of resin. But not only the handle material is special but also the shape of the handle. The shape is slightly spherical and thus adds to increased comfort with extended use. Also the handle is somewhat larger than other Wusthof knives and does not have a downward curved stopper in case of slippage. For increased resistance over time the handle parts are fixed by two strong stainless steel rivets in place. As the blade is wider and the handle a bit larger means that more knuckle space is created when holding the knife. In this case the Epicure line of knives is perfect for people with larger hands. Also for those who have smaller hands it might be a bit uncomfortable but still safe because of the featured full bolster.
Warranty
The blades of the Wusthof Epicure line are made in Solingen Germany while the handles are made in the USA. The knives are highly crafted and receive a lifetime warranty.
