WüsthofClassic IKON 8" Chef's Knife

The handle looks cool, but its appeal is far beyond aesthetics because it fits a hand like a glove.This is one of the more expensive knives I had been looking for a long time, however, when it had a price drop, I gathered my Amazon points and rang it up.Upon arrival, it's edge was razor sharp. That means that it was able to push cut right through glossy paper with ease. There were no jagged edges, sloppy trails, or stoppage. It glided right through the paper until the whole page was shredded. ItAccording to other website descriptions this chef knife from the Ikon line has a 58 Rockwell Hardness and a 14 degree cutting edge, as compared to other European knives which typically have a cutting edge around 20 degrees. This means that the knife can have easier time cutting through foods.It's one of those knives that I always wanted when I started collecting culinary knives, and, now that I have it, it lives up to the hype and to its price. These knives are made to last with proper care and I'm thrilled to have it in my collection.The packaging was the only weak point. You'll need a sheath or some device for proper storage when it arrives. My knife arrived in plastic and a cardboard sheath. I tried to keep it in there until I got a sheath for it, but I put it in the drawer at a bad angle and the tip of the knife slid into the wood frame above the cabinet. There was no force behind this and it slid in with ease. DON'T DO THAT. Knife came out fine, still sharp, but it's best to avoid these situations in the first place.

This is perhaps the the very best knife I have ever had. Excellent balance and feel with an appropriate amount of heft for cutting or chopping. After experimenting with most of the known chef's methods for holding the knife when cutting, it felt good with all of them. It is an every day knife for me that has been and will be used the most times and for the longest duration. It is incredibly sharp and has remained so after having used it dozens of times already. I already have a complete set of expensive knives that cost approximately $2000 but wish that they were Wusthof Classic Ikon. Having found over the years that only a few knives are actually needed all the time, I will add 4-5 more Classic Ikons to my kitchen arsenal additional to a yet to be determined number of steak knives. This cook's knife is wonderful, and I will retire my other knives as soon as I have purchased enough Classic Ikons to satisfy me. I wish that I would have had these for the past 40 years and would recommend them to anyone and everyone. By the way, I would recommend an end grain cutting board to preserve the edge on quality kitchen knives.

I used to think a knife was a knife when I first began cooking long ago. I was so wrong I should be ashamed. After using Wusthoff I fell in love. Know how to take care of your knife and it will last long enough for you to gift it to your children.Personally I'd pay the extra money for the Classic Ikon as the handle just feels amazing and its aesthetics are impressive. It carves, cuts, slices and dices amazingly. This would be worth saving for rather than buying multiple knives that just won't hold up over time.

I am a self trained chef and I have been using stamped knives all my life. finally when I got the money to buy some thing with out holding it in my hands, I went by Amazon reviews. Took a risk ordering it sitting in India. I must say that every word of whats written about this knife is true and is a really TOP QUALITY tool to have in your kitchen. I have been cooking for 17 years and I cant tell you how effortless it is to slice through just about any thing. The knife slices through chicken bones, meat cartilage, fat and most vegetables effortlessly if you know how to use it. It is razor sharp out of the box and I had to hone it only after 3 months of daily use. I use a acrylic cutting board and I will move to a wooden one that should make the edges last longer. Only caution is to handle it carefully while washing as it can slice your fingers pretty bad. The fit and finish of the knife is top quality. I have large hands and the knife is a good fit how ever if you want your wife to use it or people with smaller hands then perhaps the 6 inch version is more appropriate. Veggies don't stick to the sides and I would say don't pay the extra price for the hollow edge... The knife guard would be a good investment along with this knife as I had a problem storing it once it was out of the pack. I now have a custom bamboo case which holds other knives. I bought a DMT honing steel, fine grit (the green one) to straighten the edges and it works fine. I use a 3000/6000 grit whetstone purchased from the local market for sharpening.. 5 stars for Wusthof.

I consider this a luxury knife, if that makes sense. There're a lot of great knives out there, and even in the Wusthof brand you can find the same blade for a lower cost. If you really want to save money, the Victorinox Fibrox line is a great budget set that can serve you well for years (mine sure did). I got this knife and several others from the Classic Ikon line because I wanted something special, and because other knives (not just the Victorinox) would sometimes give me blisters with long cutting sessions. These handles are supreme! Such a good feel as the blade glides through everything effortlessly again and again. If you want this blade for less money, get the Wusthof Classic knife. If you want to spoil yourself, get this Classic Ikon. There is a version of this knife with hardwood handles that costs much more (same shape handles).This is easily the nicest knife I've ever used. The heft feels great in my hand. Using it makes me feel like I'm doing "serious business" cutting.I've been cooking at an amateur level for 36 years and can't believe I waited so long to get a knife like this.I really want more of these knives.