Cutlery Reviews

I bought this set about 6 months ago and it was sharp and well balanced. Recently I notice that the blade was chipping off and started to get dull, I don't know if this is a flaw or time to get it resharpened. I took very good care of it and never put it in the dishwasher. Overall its a good knife that probably needs sharping done on it every 6 months.

These knives feel so natural in your hand that you might as well be Wolverine from the X-men (OK, they feel supernatural). Each of the knives is very sharp, holds an edge brilliantly, and is a pleasure to hold in your hand. The brushed stainless finish of the handles is really handsome and would fit in any kitchen. The knives are a real pleasure to use.

I orginally purchased the Twin Star Plus but it was a real disappointment. Would not stay sharp and kept returning them-finally had enough and went for the Twin Select. Best choice-the best knifes we have ever owned! Worth every penney we spent! They do an incredible job and feel perfect in your hand. The Henckel Company truly stands behind their product and only want their cutomers to be happy. It's such a pleasure to have good knifes that do a beautiful job - you will never be disappointed with this choice. From a very satisfied customer !!

As a previous reviewer noted, precut meats are readily available (and most of us use them most of the time). On the other hand, I for one am not going to pay a dollar or more a pound premium to buy a chicken that's already cut up when I can do it myself perfectly well, thank you. If you are the type that will take the extra few minutes after shopping to cut up large-quantity meat and freeze it for future use, a cleaver can save you some real money over the long run.

Having said that, this cleaver is about as good as it gets. Well-balanced, very sharp. and able to easily cut through bone, this is as good as it gets for the home kitchen. I recently upgraded from a Henckel International, and the difference is profound. While the Henckel is perfectly fine for light duty and playing "Yan Can Cook", the Wusthof is the one you want for serious business.

This is my first cleaver ever and I love having it. Works great, just the right size and heft.

The Classic 6 inch cleaver belongs in any serious set of home or professional cutlery. It has numerous uses from overkill smashing of garlic cloves, use as a scraper to pick up prepared food and place in bowls, mixer or pan. It can quarter poultry, separate beef or pork ribs with ease. If you buy large cuts of meat, you can cut into smaller portions for extra savings.
The Wusthof 6 inch Cleaver is a high performance, high quality kitchen tool. The handle (as in the whole Classic line) is comfortable. The finish on all Wusthof knives and instruments is excellent and will provide long years of use and easy cleaning.
A good purchase that I'm happy with!
John Row

I purchased this block after debating between Wusthof and Henckels which in my mind were both synonymous with fine cutlery. The Grand Prix line shares the same blade as the Classic and Culinar, the only difference is the molded plastic handles which are comfortable, hygenic and have a more modern look compared to the Classic. The first thing I noticed upon receiving the set was that the knives varied in sharpness significantly - the Chefs knife and paring knife were duller than the utility knife. Overall they didnt wow me, this is the first set of good knives i have owned and perhaps I expected too much - I've always seen those TV commercials where they were cutting paper thin slices off a tomato and these knives seemed to mash them rather than slice them if you cut too thin. I have used the sharpening steel and that improves the performance but it gets old constantly running the knives along the steel everytime you want to use them ....So when it came to purchasing a boning knife i went with Global and wow...that thing is scary sharp. I'm actually using it for many different slicing tasks besides cutting meat and it performs great. I'm trying to justify purchasing a block of Globals after only having my Wusthof's for 3 months. Now the Wusthof's are without a doubt a quality product but I think Wusthof and Henckels really have some competition - but like trying to decide between a "Chevy" or a "Ford" i only wish that I knew that there were other choices out there beyond the Big Two.

These are fantastic knives - if you've been cooking using cheap knives, these will be a revelation. Sharpness is important, but so is balance and weight. If you don't think weight is important, you've never tried to split a whole head of cabbage. Or winter squash. These knives will last for a lifetime - literally. If you're on a budget, far better to buy just a few good knives than a 10 piece set of inferior knives. But if you can afford this excellent 10 piece set, don't wait! I've been cooking for 20 years and I only wish I'd discovered the importance of good knives much sooner. I've had my Grand Prix set for 6 years now and with care (no dishwasher, ever!), regular honing and sharpening, my knives are good as new.

This is a fabulous set of knives! They are well-balanced and the ergonomic handles are very comfortable for both my husband and me to use. We considered the Classic set, but in a hands-on comparison, we favored the feel of this handle. The blades are exactly the same between the Classic and the Grand Prix, so get your hands on some and let personal preference decide which line is right for you.

This is how my 16-year old son describes his maternal grandmother's cutlery (I'm divorced). After this past St. Patrick's day, after he struggled with carving her famous shoe-leather corned beef, I showed him how to carve a properly-cooked one with my trusty Wusthof. He carved one perfect slice, turned to me, and said, "no fair". I took pity on him and got him one for himself. The food at Grandma's isn't any better but at least the slices are nice and pretty.
I guess my point is that if a kid who's pressed into carving a roast can notice a profound difference, it's a pretty sure bet you will too. It's not cheap, but it's money well spent.

I quite nearly gave up on cutting before I was given this superbly crafted knife. It was a wedding preseant. I only wish I had known then that this knife and my wife's tongue had this in common: sharp. Between her biting sarcasm and this knife's steely coldness I've had a number of silent meals consisting of well-trimmed meats.

I wish my computer could make umlauts so I could thank you propperly, Wusthof.

Enjoy!
single and fabulous
Clark

As a longtime knife collector, I've amassed a large assortment of knives, including over 40 from the Wüsthof-Trident Classic line. I own a few carving sets and an electric carving knife, but this Wüsthof Classic 8-Inch Carving Knife is my old stand-by for carving roasted meats, poultry, and game. The reason I prefer this carving knife over all others is that it holds its sharpened edge beautifully, and it has the perfect heft and balance for my hand. For specialty carving and slicing needs, however, I do use my Classic knives with the Küllenschliff edges, such as the ham, salmon, and roast beef slicers. When carving, I pinion the roast on the carving board with my straight carving fork, then slice alongside it, and use the knife tip to carve around bones and lift off the carved meat slices. I've found that this carving knife is ideal for all general purpose carving. It's very easy to keep it well sharpened by using Washita Arkansas whetstones and honing oil or by using a Chef's Choice 3-Stage Diamond Hone Professional Sharpener. Before each use, I always hone it with a honing steel. I hand wash and dry it, as I do with all my Wüsthof knives, and keep it stored in a wooden block.

Very nice knife. It is sharp, really sharp. Handle feels good.
One problem with me. The width of the balde near handle is little too wide. It looks cute because of that. When I peel apple, the balde is too close to my thumb. I may not be bothered with it if it is ordinary dull knife. But with this kind sharpness I do not feel safe. I hope I could delvelope safer technique sooner.

You hold Global knives different than European knives--like you would hold a Chinese cleaver. If you do a lot of Asian cooking, you probably hold knives this way, but it is different than your typical European knives. That said, I just wish Amazon carried the rest of the large collection of Global knives. I love my 4" paring knife. It is a little smaller to fit in small hands, but it fits in my larger hands nicely as well. It has a very sharp edge that stays sharper longer than my Henckels knives. It is super easy to sharpen with a good diamond steel (much easier than European knives). I would give it 5 stars except the look is a little funky, and they are priced on the high side as well as hard to find. I hope to replace my Four Stars with these over time.

I bought this knife after it was recommended in the book Kitchen Confidential. The knife is razor sharp, well balanced and it's very comfortable in the hand. Also, I accidently nicked myself with it -- I was shocked both by my own stupidity and how flawlessly the cut healed because the knife was so sharp!

This meat cleaver has a nice sized and weighted blade, a comfortable handle that won't slip.
I was very excited when I received the knife. Right out of the box, I tested on a cucumber and to my amazement I couldn't cut though the skin a cucumber. I can however chop up a whole chicken as easily as bread knife cutting bread.

After look at the blade edge you can under why. The thick knife blade has a very small V shape edge, it's made for chopping not cutting.

The proper role for this cleaver is to dice up anything that has shell, bone, frozen etc... It's not a everyday knife for cutting up stuff.

Pro

Chopping with ease

Con

Just for Chopping
One little rust spot show up on the blade less then a week = keep it dry or it will turn brown on you
Costs far too much for just chopping

Conclusion:
If you regularly dice up whole chickens with bones, Meat with bone or just large piece of meat, buy this one. As for me, I will be returning this for the Five Star Santoku Knife

I own several Henckles and Wusthof knives, and enjoy the quality of all. My only complaint has been the price, but that has been addressed by companies like Calphalon. The cleaver has become more of a specialty item in recent years, and is only available from a few sources. After looking at the market, I chose the Henckles 5 star. I think I made the right choice. It is not really a large cleaver, but more along the lines of "just right".

It is built to typical Henckles 5 star standards. A properly sized and weighted blade, beautiful finish, a comfortable handle that won't slip, and steel that takes abuse and holds an edge. It is also easy to true up after taking (or giving) a beating. It costs far too much, but it is the best cleaver available, and if you are a Henckles fan, you are used to the price anyway.

If you want a proper cleaver, buy this one. The few others available that I have handled are either too small, have a lousy handle for the job, just don't "feel" right, or look like (well, you get the picture). Most people only want to buy one cleaver in their lifetime. Don't make a mistake. I'm all about the highest quality at the best price. Despite the high cost, I really don't think this cleaver has a peer. Buy a new hook for your pot hanger when you order this knife. It looks too good to hide in a drawer.

I absolutly love using this clever. It looks killer & works/feels even better. I really like the handles on the five star series. This clever is balanced perfect for me, it's somewhat blade heavy compared to the pro-s series which works out well for my chopping style. I like to use a comb. of wrist & forearm movement & let the weight of the blade do the work. This clever holds an edge very well & trues back up nice w/a henckels 12" diamond steel. This is the perfect clever for me & I'd definately replace if lost/stolen.

The quality of this knife is almost as nice as the German made Henckels. For the money it's OK. I personally feel that the handle is way too heavy. ...

It's important to note that this knife is not made in Germany (the 4 Star, 5 Star, and Pro-S series are).

I started my good knife collection with a set of 3 of these International Classic knives. I later decided to get a larger set (9) of the 4 Star series, some of the finest knives in the world. However, I prefer this chef's knife over the 4 Star one. The grip is heavier and makes the balance a bit nicer.

For the paring knife, I much prefer the 4 Star one, so I wouldn't recommend the set of 3, but this knife is great. I use it all the time. If you are starting out on a knife collection, I recommend these things:
-a 4 Star 3-inch paring knife (or 2 if you are lazy with clean-up)
-this Chef's knife
-a cheap and large bread knife
-a medium sized 5-6in utility knife (good quality)
-a honing steel (good quality)
-a wood block to put them in (good knives should not be shoved into a drawer with other knives)
-[optional]a carving set of knife and fork, if you need carving utensils (I don't much)
I'd weigh the cost of these together against getting a more expensive set (if you are on a budget).

About a month ago I looked at the motley assortment of knives in my kicthen and resolved to get one decent chef's knife. I didn't wanted to spend a fortune, but at the same time I didn't want a cheap piece of garbage that was impossible to sharpen. Luckily I found this Henckels.

The handle appears to be synthetic; it grips like wood, but doesn't swell up, loosen or stain. Fits the hand nicely, too. At 8" long it's a good all-around blade, suitible for almost all kitchen cutting needs. It's got some heft to it as well. Made of high-carbon stainless, it holds a very sharp edge but it's not impossible to sharpen. A few strokes on the steel every time I use it keeps the edge cutting like new.

My knife block has now been reduced to just two blades: A serrated knife for bread and other tough skinned items, and this.

i'm not a professional chef.
this knife is my 1st full tang knife and my 1st 10 incher.
an 8" stamped knife was what i used then.
there is a considerable difference in feel and took me a couple of days to adjust to it.
it is a well balanced knife and feels smaller than it actually is.
its heft becomes an advatage as soon as you learn how to use it.
instead of applying more pressure as you cut, use the weight to penetrate as you glide the blade.
a relax but secure grip is all you need.

but because of its length, you might want to consider a proportionately big board of which i have.
the slim sharp tip is useful for smaller things and its height at its widest end is high enough to clear your knuckles off the board.
the blade is well bowed for rocking motion.
however i do agree with the other reviewer eric, that this knife does not have a good factory edge on it.
a good whetstone and a good honing steel is a must.
i did not find it difficult to sharpen to its optimum and regular swipes with the honing steel maintains its edge pretty well.
i hone it every after use.
since it's bolster runs all the way down to its heel, i suggest that when sharpenning with a stone, start from the heel and on towards the tip, very much like how you would steel hone it.
as for the grip, well it really depends on the size of your hand and a matter of personal preference.
the only 1 thing that i feel henckels should improve on are the edges of the back of the blade and the corners of its bolster.
both the edges and corners should be rounded off for a smoother and a more comfortable hold.
i don't advise this but i used a metal file rod to round off those edges which surely made a difference.
its 9" version is another good option.

This is the knife I find myself reaching for most often while working in my kitchen. Why? 1) it feels right in the hand, it is well ballanced and the grip fits my admitedly beefy hands quite well. 2)The excellent ballance makes it feel like a smaller knife in my hand, that is to say I have no touble using it even for semi-precission tasks. This makes it very versitile and I don't find myself switching knives for every task. 3) I find that a few passes across the diamond steel brings the blade up to razon sharp. Once honed on the diamond steel I can prepare meals for hours with only the occasional pass across the diamond steel to maintain the edge.

All this said, I will say that the high carbon content of the Henckels knife makes the blade quite hard and if you let the edge go entirely, you will need to find a professional to return the knife to razor sharpness as doing it yourself is very difficult.

A side note: I do not use a "regular steel" with any or my knives. They are not really intended to "sharpen" a knife but rather to straighten the edge. The diamond steel will give thes knife back its edge and does so quickly and rather gently at that.

First, I'm a big guy - long arms, big hands, and I tend to favor tools that are somewhat oversized. This knife clearly fits the bill. The blade height, the handle length and the overall heft contribute to a really secure feeling. I find the Pro S handle easy to work with and more comfortable than the Gran Prix and Four Star handles.

These things said, I don't think the blades come wih a particularly good factory edge on them - I've found that even cheap stamped knives like Victorinox are better in this regard. I also find that, despite being high-carbon stainless, these knives are harder for most users to sharpen. They're slow to take an edge, in my opinion, and they hold it less time than a comparably priced knife from, say, Wusthof-Trident. You'll want to have a good steel and a good stone to keep the edge on this knife - steel it before every use, and store the knife on a magnetic rail, not in a drawer or on a block. While it's a lifetime-capable tool, you will not be able to treat this knife like a Ginsu and get high performance for very long.

After waiting for nearly two months for the knife to ship, I finally canceled the order. Do not purchase this knife from Amazon if the shipping status does not say "Usually ships within 24 hours." Go to other online vendors for this knife, it is worth owning.

Have about 40 kitchen knives of all sorts, use them all actively, have several chef's knives, this is by far the best, heavier than standard sabatier chef knife, great knife, holds edge cuts well, comes back to cutting edge easily with just a few strokes of a steel

When the knife arrived, I knew I was going to have to work with it a bit to get it in the shape I wanted. First, it comes pretty dull, but I have a good collection of oil, water, and diamond stones so I got to work. First a diamond stone to reduce the angles, for a sharper but more delicate edge - that's how I like them. That done, I find that I like the effect I get with a rather coarse oil stone because it makes the cutting edge just a little toothy, but if the blade responds to different techniques, so you can do "custom" sharpening if you're into that. As other reviewers have mentioned, carbon steel will get far sharper than the grades of stainless most people probably use. The next thing I did was get out the Wizard rotary tool and reduce the full bolsters down to about 2/3 so that last back part of the blade can be sharpened and used for chopping and so forth.

After the reworking, the knife is a joy to use. Some American knives (Dexter) are good. German knives, forget it, stainless forged pieces that really don't sharpen that well. If you want the most beautiful and sharpest knives, get laminated Japanese ones with carbon steel centers that are exquisite and expensive. But this knife is made to work. It's staining up now, and starting to look good and used, but that adds to its character. The shape is perfect for chopping, slicing, or mincing, and I like the thick and heavy weight of the blade, which is a perfect compliment to the thinner lighter blades on my favorite Japanese knives.

The 8" size can do both small and large jobs, and if you were only going to have one kitchen knife this would be a great choice for all around work. Considering the utility and the quality, the price is very fair for this classic piece of kitchen equipment.

I purchased a set of Sabatier knives as a Christmas present for a family member. At this time Amazon were promoting the knife set by giving a free 7" extra knife with purchase of the set.
I have never received the promo knife. They informed me that the it would be shipped out on in late Jan., 04. In late January they said it would be late February for shipping. In late February they said my order was cancelled as they had not heard from me, even though I had replied stating it was O.K. for Feb. delivery.

They cancelled my order, are showing no record of it so it cannot be traced. They say I am not out any money, as invoicing is only done when items are shipped. In this case, as it is a promotional item, I guess I am just out of luck. By the way, the source of the emails notifying me of the delivery problems is non returnable.
Marti Massey

When it comes to cutting meat this is a overkill,the knife is too heavy not balanced making it awkward to use.If you're cutting into large bone its ok of course you would want to sharpen it first.On the upside it looks really nice.I would rather get a 8-10" knife than this one it would do everrything this one will and you'll have a place to put it in a knife block unlike this one.

We decided to give up on our local grocery after two batches of tainted meat (no kidding!) and the fact they seem to soak the meats in water; when you grill, the steak or chop pours liquid. What ARE they doing? So I got a small chest freezer and now I buy my meats from an Amish farmer. More work, but no additives, etc. And the quality is incredible.

For processing the meat, you do need a cleaver. This Sabatier cleaver is just right for re-sizing "primal cuts" which are the de-boned sections of meat, not the side on the bone itself. It really is an improvement over the chef's knife.

I have not tried cutting bone, because I lack a good, sturdy, non-moving cutting board. But for meat cutting, this is excellent and it even is easier for cutting up stew beef than a knife.