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The Kindest Cut: Wusthof Knives
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So, here is more "stuff" you should have gotten for Christmas, or preferably, before Christmas, like around Thanksgiving, in order to have already had them in hand (literally), to carve those holiday turkeys with ease and professional elan. They are, of course, carving sets from Wüsthof-Trident, makers of fine cutlery. And like so many manufacturers of "cutting" implements (think scissors, too), the company is located in Solingen, Germany, where it was founded over 175 years ago. A family-owned and -managed business with a rich, craftsmen heritage, the first Wüsthof factory was recorded in 1814, according to official documents of the Duchy of Berg; additionally, the famous "Trident" logo was first registered in 1895. With a proud tradition that spans seven generations, Wüsthof continues to maintain and promulgate its no ble mission--to create the finest cutlery in the world. So, if last fall you didn't get a good carving set for those turkeys, get one now, so you'll have it for the Easter ham.
There are two sets to consider:
The Classic Ikon set is a two-piece combo, the 8-inch carving knife and the 6-inch fork ($179.95). The Ikon knives feature a distinctive, double-bolster design for professional-style heft and exceptional balance. The precision bolster is angled back on the handle for comfort and control. The handle is crafted from a high-impact, synthetic material, and is also aimed at delivering maximum comfort and control. The blade itself (hand-buffed and -polished) is precision-forged from a single piece of an exclusive, high-carbon, stain-resistant alloy, engineered to enhance edge-retention and to facilitate re-sharpening.
The Cadillac of the carving sets at Wüsthof is the Classic Ikon with the newest PETec (stands for Precision Edge) technology. This takes this fine knife and fork duo to  a new level (and new price tag, at $269.95), well worth the additional expense. The PETec advancement is patent-pending; it is designed to deliver a 30% increase in sharpness (ouch!) right out of the package, and much more significant blade-sharpness retention. These blades are razor-sharp, with equal angles on both sides of the cutting edge. Additionally, that angle of that edge has been deepened, so that what was previously 19 degrees per side (38 overall) is now 28 degrees (14 per side), making the cutting edge far more tapered and steep-better to glide through that ham. Additionally, the set features a new handle design, constructed from an even more durable synthetic polymer. These knives are also crafted with a patented feature that prevents rusting or pitting and they also feature a full tang, a feature I always like in a knife, for its construction and feel.
Wüsthof products are sold at specialty and department stores locally at Williams-Sonoma, among other places.
Posted on March 03, 2011 - by
About the Author: About the Author: Ruth J. Katz is a well-known shopping and service writer based in New York City. She has written about shopping for 25 years for New York magazine; covered the topic on-air at Fox-TV for several years as the Home Services expert; and had her own show on both the USA and Lifetime Cable networks. Katz wrote extensively for The New York Times as well, and contributed periodically to the New York Daily News. She is a passionate shopper, always looking for not merely a good buy, but the best buy, ferreting out a "steal" or discovering up-and-coming designers. She has written five books and is a former contributing editor to Hearst's Redbook, Classic Home, and Colonial Homes; she is currently a Contributing Editor of New York Home, Golf Connoisseur, The Modern Estate, and Promenade magazines. She is also the former Shopping Director for Davler Media's Manhattan Living.
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