Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I have quite a few Wusthof knives- the Classic series and they have all served me well. I don’t have a true large carving knife but I haven’t felt the need nor want for one. I for one like the chef’s knife- I can get it truly sharp with the steel and only need to hone it on a stone maybe once a year. I do butcher a lot of primal cuts with it during hunting season too.
I wouldn’t mind a true ‘carver’, but I just wouldn’t buy one. if I did get one I would like it to be a Classic Wusthof.
I'm looking at the WÃœSTHOF Classic 9" Hollow Edge Carving Knife for $170
Quote:
Originally Posted by Threerun
I wouldn’t mind a true ‘carver’, but I just wouldn’t buy one. if I did get one I would like it to be a Classic Wusthof.
I'm very happy with my Wusthof knives. Just be aware that they make several lines. I bought one at a great price, not realizing it was not a Classic knife.
I've always had Wusthof or Henkels knives and then DW bought set of these at Costco (because that's what she does) and they are the best knives I've ever used on a regular basis. It's a single piece of stainless steel and I love the weight, feel and the action using them. And for the price of one Wusthof/Henkels knife you can buy several sets. I've had mine for about six years and they're holding up very well.
How you use a knife, how it fits your hand, and the balance/bolster/shape along with the hardness/sharpness of the steel, and the comfort of using the knife for your kitchen requirements ... are all very personal factors in a knife choice.
While I've used several Wusthof and Henckels knives for years with satisfactory results, I've got several F. Dick carving knives which I find are a far better "fit" for me. And the F. Dick sharpening/honing steels I've bought are far superior to any Wusthof or Henckles steel I own or have borrowed in another kitchen.
FWIW, many cooking schools recommend the F. Dick line of knives, especially their starter "chef" sets, to their students. As well, you'll frequently find F. Dick knives behind the counter of many butcher shops or meat markets.
On a personal note ... I've never bought a brand new F. Dick product. Every knife or steel I've bought came from an eBay seller ... most were cooking school students who dropped out from the programs and had the knives they'd purchased. I've got several knives that are likely 40+ years old and and they look almost as nice as new and perform beautifully.
As well, I have purchased several high end Japanese knives that were made in classic European shapes. Beautifully crafted with lighter weight blades than the typical German or French patterns, and with steel that will take a sharper edge than the German steels. While I like using these knives, they are more difficult to sharpen and don't hold their edge as well as the German steels, and require more care to keeping them dry and clean to prevent rusting. As much as I like these knives and admire the exquisite craftsmanship that created them ... when I look in my knife drawer, these knives are not selected as frequently as my F. Dick carving knives.
Also, you may find that a commercial quality Dexter knife is an inexpensive yet marvelous tool in the kitchen. I've got several that were well worn, retired from a closed down meat processing plant near me that are superb knives in the kitchen. For the most part, these are the knives I loan out when I have guests in my kitchen and we're all working on a meal prep together. Everybody who has used these knives has been in awe of how well they perform ... and shocked to find out how inexpensive they are new from the kitchen supply houses. The folk that are really surprised are the ones who have spent $$$$'s on high end knives from Japan, England, France, Italy, Belgium, USA (custom made kitchen knives), and German knives .. or stuff like Cutco (which I know some folk love, but it's shaped all wrong for my hands and the balance is horrible for me, along with a steel which doesn't take a good edge or hold it very well).
The bottom line is that you don't necessarily have to spend anywhere near your budget to get superb performance and durability in a knife that works well for you. Rather than rely upon the personal preferences of other folk in choosing such a personal tool, may I suggest that you try out several of the different knives I've mentioned at a knife shop or kitchen supply store? For example, perhaps there's a kitchen or cooking supply store in your area that has a selection of sample knives and you can bring in some food items to try using the knives on in a side-by-side comparison to make an informed "buy decision".
Good luck with your purchase ... perhaps you'll find that you'll want to have several different knives for carving different items.
I'm very happy with my Wusthof knives. Just be aware that they make several lines. I bought one at a great price, not realizing it was not a Classic knife.
I'm an avid fan of "America's Test Kitchen", which is broadcast of PBS.
Also, I read "Food & Wine" on a regular basis.
Both ATK and F&W recommended the Wusthoff Classic 9-inch Hollow Edge Carving Knife as the best in this category. I concur.
I purchased this knife based on the reviews from
this program and this publication and have been more than pleased with the Wusthoff Knife.
Disregard the budget for starters. What do you really use this knife for? Go to several stores and test handles. When you have determined which three fit best then look at the rest of qualifications and price.
I use a mix of Japanese, Wuesthoff (block and most knives were rehomed with a Japanese neighbor) and my beast was a gift from a US Army mess hall cook eons ago. All fit my hands.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
