*[CC] English Closed Caption has been added make sure to turn it on if you have trouble understanding my pronunciations.* The Wusthof Classic ''Ikon'' and Wusthof ''Classic'' are handle heavy. (so back heavy). Forgot to mention it in the video. Some specifications in the video are wrong here is the full spec sheet: Weight: 270g Blade length: 20cm Blade Thickness: 3 mm Handle: POM Handle length: 12 cm Blade length: 22.5 cm Blade height: 4.2 cm Total length: 33.8 cm Steel type: X50CrMoV15 HRC: 58 Made in: Germany
Actually got the Wüsthof Classic Ikon for 53€ with the included blade protection. Always good to have something durable to do the heavy work in the kitchen!
I got this knife as a gift and wow it's the best knife I've ever used... It's possible I just never had a really sharp knife in my kitchen before but this just cut through everything with ease and it's held its edge for months now. As was mentioned it's great for chopping in a rocking motion as the handle is where all the weight is. Pinch grip isn't super comfy but since the weight is further back I didn't feel the need to grip way up the blade to control it. It threw me off at first because my other knives were more blade heavy. Can't recommend this knife enough if the price doesn't bother you. I'm sure you could just just buy a proper sharpening set from somewhere like wasabi instead and get great results too. I just got it for my birthday so I can't complain about the price.
I am not profesional cook by any means, just a home cook enthusiast and I absolutely love my Ikon set. The handle is super comfy, I would pay the premium over the Classic line any time. It also makes it a lot more eye pleasing and one of the best looking western knives on the market, IMO. Especially the Creme version. The price is not off the scale here in europe. That said, you can definitely buy a quality 58 HRC knife cheaper than Ikon or other Wusthof models, but it is what it is. Brand reputation and marketing is a factor, you either accept it or not. Sure, the edge retention is not comparable with japanese knives, but that goes with the purpose and since I enjoy sharpening a lot, I am always looking forward to it. :) In other words... if there is a blueprint for a western chef knife, Ikon is a hot favorite for me.
Well said! Wusthof flagship line is definetly one of the best for the purpose of that particular knife. I wish I bought the newer version (jsut a logo change for the rest exactly the same). But that logo change is quite nice.
@@_wormlet From my experience getting a decent quality whetstone is a must. It is as important as the knife itself, maybe even more, regarding the initial sharpness of the edge. When i bought my Ikon set I also bought a Wusthoff whetstone, was a combined 1000/3000 stone and it was awfull. It got clogged with residue after two or three sharpening sessions, to the point when I could not get a decent edge on the knife at all. It would not remove any material. I tried to clean it, even grind it with a grinding stone to make a completely new surface, but the process repeated. So I realized I have to invest into some other stones. Honestly this was a big letdown by Wusthoff. I ended up buying two japanese Mcusta Zanmai stones, 1000 and 4000 grit, using them for almost two years and I am very happy with the results. For 58 HRC you really do not need anything above 4000 grit. These two cost me about 50 € each. It is also a good idea to get a small cleaning stone and if you are new to sharpening, a big grinding stone will be very handy for you, so you can reastablish a completely flat surface on your whetstone. Sharpening has a learning curve to it and it is very common to make a slight curve on your whetstone on your first tries. Which is a problem, because flatness is crucial to get the best results, since you can not maintain the same sharpening angle on your blade if your stone is curved. After some practice, you wont need to "resurface" your stone that often or even at all. Over time you will get better with it, make your edge a lot faster, so you will not use that much of your stone material. You will also learn to use its entire surface evenly. It all takes time. I would say my first 10 sharpening sessions were a struggle, they took really long and results varied. After that I started to have better results, to the point that right now after about two years of propper sharpening experience I can get a perfect edge routinely and reasonably fast. It takes a lot less time and effort and I really enjoy the process. It basicly became a muscle memory at this point. So my two cents are... get yourself a decent japanese whetstone from some traditional brand (do not fall into trap of some "japan sounding" brands, which are chinesse in reality and the stone material is poor). The rest is a learning process, but you will get very satisfied in the end. Enjoy your knives and your stones. :)
I have this one and man I gotta say it does worth it's price! I have many knives range from $15 to $250.... If you ever decide to buy this range guys, you won't be disappointed!
Price is something that feels different for each person but based on what they cost in American dollar it is almost 50% more expensive than in Europe and we get a free edge guard that cost around 8 euro. However the Wusthof Classic Ikon is indeed a good all purpose knife and currently my personal #1 Western style all purpose knife. That being said I feel like we are forced to pay a premium because they are sponsoring so many TV shows and celebrity chefs. I would be happy to pay 75 euro max and that price includes the increased price for paying the sponsoring part. I based the overpriced pricing for American customers a 50% increase in price is a lot. And it seems like 250 aud is pretty much the same price as in American dollar. But I do agree it is indeed a very good all purpose Western chefs knife.
@@tableeccentric7533 I know the question is not for me since you tagged Tez, but I would like to give my answer. The answer is no because you can slice window thin slices of salmon with pretty much any knife (If you do decide to sharpen them to a point where it is crazy sharp but not usable in a real prepping scenario) the question is will the edge hold? The answer is no after a few slices (or even 1 slice) the edge will bend and the sharpness is gone to be able to slice window thin salmon slices. The second problem is the blade design since the blade is wide the salmon will stick to the blade and that can cause some tearing in the salmon. No matter what kind of rough finish the knife gets the width of the blade will damage the salmon if sliced paper-thin with any chef's knife. For this example, it will not even matter if it has a hammered finish for food release or not the width is simply too thick of the chef's knife (when trying to slice paper-thin slices). The rough finish on the Wusthof is pretty good this means that food (cucumber for example) with high water content won't stick to the surface of the blade. The rough surface sides will break up the water surface tension, allowing the blade to slide through the food more easily without resistance. But back onto the thin slices of salmon, a Chef's knife won't do it if you are planning to use the thin slices of a Salmon Nigiri, for example, the damage that the blade surface did to the salmon may not be noticeable but if you want to shape the nigiri the salmon will break. Therefore we sushi chefs use a Yanagiba, with a minimum HRC of 61 (personally I won't go for anything under 63 for Sashimi and nigiri slices). The global knives (Despite being a Japanese made knife) won't do the job for us because of the HRC of 58 this means that the knife will lose its edge too fast especially in a professional kitchen. The Yanagiba is a Single edge blade with a concave the other side will push/lift the fish away/up (preventing the blade from sticking to the fish) while the concave of the other side prevents the fish from sticking to the blade and reducing the friction between the salmon and the blade, therefore, protecting the flesh from any damage. So the ideal knife for making thin nigiri slices or Sashimi where the raw fish will not be altered by cooking but eaten raw and therefore having the best smooth mouthfeel. For tuna, we use a damp towel between a few slices since tuna tends to stick to your knife a lot more if not cleaned with a damp towel after a few slices. For this reason alone the Single edge blades especially the Yanagiba and Deba should never be used on a Sharpening/Honing rod. And should only be sharpened with a Whetstone where the concave part needs to be sharpened flat and absolutely in line with the bottom and top to keep the concave even (the concave part should be sharpened completely or as straight and flat as possible). Sorry for the long reply but if I simply said ''no'' without explaining then I feel like that I did not really help anyone with it.
I have one about the balance point and gripping style that determines the babance point. you can find it here: ua-cam.com/video/zn-74KDvXIc/v-deo.html not one about gripping style only I may look into that idea thanks :)
If the Classic didn't have a full bolster it would sell better and I'd consider it over the Classic Ikon. Plus, I prefer chef's knives with a blade shape like the Zwilling Pro Original Chef's Knife (tip is closer to the spine...more belly)...Only know of the Sakai Takamura 240mm B2 with that shape as far as JP knives go...
They also sell the Classic with the half-bolster. Do you mean with more belly a flatter profile? Or a more rounded profile? The Zwilling is indeed slightly more rounded at the tip. As for the Takamura 240mm if it is a Gyuto the profile will be flatter than the Wusthof and Zwilling. But the difference in blade length will play a huge role in the profile difference. I'm not sure If I can follow what you meant. If you can explain it a bit more than would be awesome! (Sorry that I don't really understand what you meant).
@@AGC828 Yeah saw your other comment, I got the Zwilling versions wrong. They sell them as Zwilling ''Traditional'' Pro vs Zwilling Pro. I was thinking of the Zwilling traditional Pro so I was extremely confused.
Thank you for mentioning all my other videos and future videos will include the balance point. As I was testing out how to film I missed talking about the balance point, I have a written review on my website which shows you exactly where the balance point is. www.chefpanko.com/wusthof-ikon-clasic-review/ Thank you for mentioning will update the description and pinned comment thank you.
Did you notice that vegetables tend to stick rather firmly to the blade during slicing? Or is it just mine that does this? Very noticeable when slicing zucchini/squash/potatoes…
Food with high water content can stick to the sides of the blade like a vacuum. You can mitigate this by using the front part of the knife or you have to add a deep scratch pattern on the sides of the blade to minimize the vacuum effect. The best option is to adjust your cutting style by using the front part. Since it has less width, therefore the friction/vacuum effect is lessened.
Heey chef Panko, je video's zijn echt goed, mooi bewerkt en van goede kwaliteit. Het enige advies wat ik je kan geven is werken aan je accent want dat kan nog een stuk beter :)
Hey John, I don't know what you would consider cheap but these knives usually cost around 110 euros, and I bet that shipping from Germany to Australia will increase the pricetag.
@Jon M Try kitchen warehouse or Victoria’s basement.. they bulk buy and have sales regularly. I bought 8pc Classic for $520 from VB and 8pc IKON from KW for $600. Knives for life. Great investment.
The heel area should be fine for small bones not larger than a chicken bone. Trimming should be fine too, but you may want to look for a different knife style (petty/boning knife) for trimming a lamp rack, for example.
For 60 euros it is a reasonable price, make sure it is the ''Ikon'' version and not the full-bolster ''classic'' version. European prices are a lot better when it is at a discount compared to the USA retail price.
Yes US dollars taking the current pricing in Europe 79 euro with a free edge guard worth 8 euro from Wusthof themself I do find the pricing in the US very expensive. Taking the fact that we need to pay extra because they are advertising/sponsoring TV shows and celebrity chef's. I do find 75 euro a fair price. So with the added import cost the knife should be around 100 US dollars max. Therefore my statement that I find 169 US dollar asking price very expensive. (Sorry if I answered this already but I was working and saw that I did not reply yet, I thought that I did reply before).
@@chefpanko yea man we tend to pay extra extra for all these supposed "hidden costs" when we purchased these kind of knives. It's the same as why whetstones and knives are cheaper in Japan but too damn expensive when we buy them in our countries. A knife that cost as little as 50 bucks over there will be like over 100 when coming over here. So sad but that's how they make profit and if we really want the product we have to agree to those prices.
@@TezNguyen that is indeed true, but taking the added import cost in consideration it is sometimes better to import it than buying it directly from a local store or you need to wait for a good discount deal.
If any one is looking at the Wusthof series...choosing between the Classic and the Ikon...it's a tough call. The Classic is cheaper/same blade BUT it has a full bolster. Something you DON'T want (I don't know why there even is full-bolster's put on German/westrn knives in the first place...you'd think the manufacturers would know better...affects sharpening). Had the Classic line not had the full bolster then the decision would be easier... "....Wusthof is charper than the Zwilling..." is it actually that obvious? Zwilling knives like their Pro line have blades sharped to 15-degrees vs 14-degrees for the Ikon. Geometry is very similar. Though, Zwiling does give you 2 blade shape choices...the traditional (tip at middle) and the original (tip close to the spine...better rocking). So I'm guessing it's the bevel? If so, A Zwilling Pro buyer could simply buy a Wusthof pull-through or electric sharpen and get the same or similar bevel edge. If they buy the JP knives (Nakiri, Santoku, Chinese Cleaver) this won't matter as the angles are more acute...Wushof Asian knives have 10-degree bevels... Zwilling Pro versions are 15-degrees!!😁👎 At this price ranger there are better choices. :) Though it is tough to beat the build quality and design of a German knife. I prefer the ergonomics of a German knife. And honestly do find the traditional JP knife ugly. (no bolster, sharp corners,, flat sheet of steel look..some unfinished looking..etc.). Now if some one could take the handle of a German knife with the half-bolster and put it on a blade with JP carbon steel core (Shiro or Aaogami)/SS clad or no cladding...with a western shaped blade...which actually can be found...minus the "half bolster"...
For domestic use, the german knife shines the best, great durability and easy to use and suitable for pull trough or electric sharpeners. The Wusthof Classic also has a half bolster line, which costs more than the Wusthof Classic Full Bolster (Why I don't know probably because of the demand of a half bolster is high and the full bolster demand is low). When it comes to Aogami high carbon steel while the edge retention is very nice to have and they changed a lot to suit the western market like a double bevel instead of a single bevel The knives are still brittle and need more maintenance. You can't use an electric or a pull-through sharpener on them because it will simply chip. So In my honest opinion for the majority for domestic use, go for the Zwilling, Wusthof, Victorinox. As for edge retention, this is something everyone should consider for themself and is personal, for domestic use it is not a big deal, for some chefs dependent on their prep work it makes a huge difference. A back-up knife is always good to have but that is not the point for many chefs when it comes to Sushi raw Fish we need the higher HRC not only for better edge retention but also for the sharpness it can hold. A single bevel should not be used on a Honing rode especially when it comes to a Yanagi. I worked in a french restaurant and transitioned to a Japanese restaurant and the amount of prep work and tasks are tremendously different. When I worked in a french restaurant you could only see Zwilling or Wusthof knives and IMHO that is the only knives I would use for the majority of the task that we need to do at that restaurant. When I transitioned to a Japanese restaurant I realize that I need a lot more than a Chef's knife, A Yanagiba, Sujihiki, Deba, Gyuto, pin-bone tweezer, etc. Every single task that I was thought needed a different knife. For a salmon, for example, we need a Deba for the filleting, Deskinning with a Yanagi, Shahimi Yanagi but it needs to be high carbon to preserve the freshness of the fish and we never slice more nigiri's than needed for the shift. We have a full fillet deskinned cleaned and pin bones removed but we never slice nigiri's or sashimi's with it until we run out of prep. making sure that the moisture control and fish stay fresh is #1 priority especially when you serve things raw. Ideally, you want to slice the fish in front of the customers in an omakase-style restaurant. So slice the fish and then form the Salmon of Tuna Nigiri and a Yanagiba with high Rockwell and sharpness plays a huge roll in each slice because of the smoother feel in the mouth of the customers and less tearing in the flesh. But when it comes to cooking the fish the tears will be seared away. Also when I was in the french restaurant my knife skills were tremendously different than in the Japanese restaurant. We always slice and pretty much never rock with a knife that is also why I have a more strong preference with a straighter profile (Mainly for Japanese cuisine). But I totally agree does a domestic cook really need an extremely sharp Japanese knife? I would say no. A professional cook? It depends on what cuisine he covers if it is a fancy restaurant reservation only and they only do the course menu and not a la carte. then I do understand the amount of details. I also needed a Tweezer for the herbs when I worked for a course menu reservation-only restaurant. In the end, it all depends on the person or the restaurant they work in. But I totally agree with you does a Domestic cook need that? No, but if they want it nobody is stopping them to own a nice Japanese knife. But I do want to say it does not matter what knife you buy if you don't know how to keep it sharp then you are better off buying a cheap knife than a more expensive one with longer edge retention. Great constructive review and insight into what you think about it! I agree with you, but good that we have Fusion knives so western handle on the Japanese high carbon steel. And we can now choose from a lot of brands and each of them probably has a knife that will suit the needs of that particular cook. Currently, I'm having a bit of trouble to make a video about this matter since there is a lot to cover so I'm trying to have a constructive video in explaining everything but also don't want to make it confusing or too long. Thank you for the comment I always love to read them :) Especially when they are so long!
Saw a notification that you commented but I can't read it all since the comment has been cut off. And for some reason I can't find it back on the video or in UA-cam comment section. So I don't know the full comment and can't reply on it. Sorry for that, I really don't understand why UA-cam does not display the comment but does notify me...... (it happened a lot lately).
@@chefpanko This comment deserves its own video! Thanks for taking the time to write such detailed responses. Many people besides the original poster read and benefit from them.
Did you get the new rebranding from Wusthof? It is basically the same knife but then a new logo and endcap logo. (They recently started rebranding and older knives with the old logo were on sale).
@@YaBoiFetz, then it is the older version (only a cosmetic change of the logo). Everything else from material profile etc. is exactly the same. The new cosmetic change of the logo is a different color, no longer a red trident, and a new font. In short, just a rebranding in logo design and packaging, but the knife remains exactly the same.
Did you get the new rebranded Wusthof? It is basically the same but just a new logo design and packaging (but for some reason a lot of retailers has been increasing the price of just an logo change).
@@chefpanko no I got it from knives and tools here in the uk where it was £100 down to £80 with a sheath but i think it’s the original ikon classic and it’s great
*[CC] English Closed Caption has been added make sure to turn it on if you have trouble understanding my pronunciations.*
The Wusthof Classic ''Ikon'' and Wusthof ''Classic'' are handle heavy. (so back heavy). Forgot to mention it in the video.
Some specifications in the video are wrong here is the full spec sheet:
Weight: 270g
Blade length: 20cm
Blade Thickness: 3 mm
Handle: POM
Handle length: 12 cm
Blade length: 22.5 cm
Blade height: 4.2 cm
Total length: 33.8 cm
Steel type: X50CrMoV15
HRC: 58
Made in: Germany
Actually got the Wüsthof Classic Ikon for 53€ with the included blade protection. Always good to have something durable to do the heavy work in the kitchen!
For €53 that is a great deal! Especially for the Ikon since the Ikon is always more expensive than thier classic half bolster one.
I got this knife as a gift and wow it's the best knife I've ever used... It's possible I just never had a really sharp knife in my kitchen before but this just cut through everything with ease and it's held its edge for months now. As was mentioned it's great for chopping in a rocking motion as the handle is where all the weight is. Pinch grip isn't super comfy but since the weight is further back I didn't feel the need to grip way up the blade to control it. It threw me off at first because my other knives were more blade heavy. Can't recommend this knife enough if the price doesn't bother you. I'm sure you could just just buy a proper sharpening set from somewhere like wasabi instead and get great results too. I just got it for my birthday so I can't complain about the price.
I am not profesional cook by any means, just a home cook enthusiast and I absolutely love my Ikon set. The handle is super comfy, I would pay the premium over the Classic line any time. It also makes it a lot more eye pleasing and one of the best looking western knives on the market, IMO. Especially the Creme version. The price is not off the scale here in europe. That said, you can definitely buy a quality 58 HRC knife cheaper than Ikon or other Wusthof models, but it is what it is. Brand reputation and marketing is a factor, you either accept it or not. Sure, the edge retention is not comparable with japanese knives, but that goes with the purpose and since I enjoy sharpening a lot, I am always looking forward to it. :) In other words... if there is a blueprint for a western chef knife, Ikon is a hot favorite for me.
Well said! Wusthof flagship line is definetly one of the best for the purpose of that particular knife. I wish I bought the newer version (jsut a logo change for the rest exactly the same). But that logo change is quite nice.
What's the best way to sharpen the Ikon, without spending another arm and a leg
@@_wormlet From my experience getting a decent quality whetstone is a must. It is as important as the knife itself, maybe even more, regarding the initial sharpness of the edge. When i bought my Ikon set I also bought a Wusthoff whetstone, was a combined 1000/3000 stone and it was awfull. It got clogged with residue after two or three sharpening sessions, to the point when I could not get a decent edge on the knife at all. It would not remove any material. I tried to clean it, even grind it with a grinding stone to make a completely new surface, but the process repeated. So I realized I have to invest into some other stones. Honestly this was a big letdown by Wusthoff. I ended up buying two japanese Mcusta Zanmai stones, 1000 and 4000 grit, using them for almost two years and I am very happy with the results. For 58 HRC you really do not need anything above 4000 grit. These two cost me about 50 € each. It is also a good idea to get a small cleaning stone and if you are new to sharpening, a big grinding stone will be very handy for you, so you can reastablish a completely flat surface on your whetstone.
Sharpening has a learning curve to it and it is very common to make a slight curve on your whetstone on your first tries. Which is a problem, because flatness is crucial to get the best results, since you can not maintain the same sharpening angle on your blade if your stone is curved. After some practice, you wont need to "resurface" your stone that often or even at all. Over time you will get better with it, make your edge a lot faster, so you will not use that much of your stone material. You will also learn to use its entire surface evenly. It all takes time. I would say my first 10 sharpening sessions were a struggle, they took really long and results varied. After that I started to have better results, to the point that right now after about two years of propper sharpening experience I can get a perfect edge routinely and reasonably fast. It takes a lot less time and effort and I really enjoy the process. It basicly became a muscle memory at this point.
So my two cents are... get yourself a decent japanese whetstone from some traditional brand (do not fall into trap of some "japan sounding" brands, which are chinesse in reality and the stone material is poor). The rest is a learning process, but you will get very satisfied in the end. Enjoy your knives and your stones. :)
Get ceramic or diamond and don't cry. 😘
I have my 6” chef with the Ikon handle.. most comfortable knife in my collection
I have this one and man I gotta say it does worth it's price!
I have many knives range from $15 to $250....
If you ever decide to buy this range guys, you won't be disappointed!
Price is something that feels different for each person but based on what they cost in American dollar it is almost 50% more expensive than in Europe and we get a free edge guard that cost around 8 euro.
However the Wusthof Classic Ikon is indeed a good all purpose knife and currently my personal #1 Western style all purpose knife.
That being said I feel like we are forced to pay a premium because they are sponsoring so many TV shows and celebrity chefs. I would be happy to pay 75 euro max and that price includes the increased price for paying the sponsoring part.
I based the overpriced pricing for American customers a 50% increase in price is a lot. And it seems like 250 aud is pretty much the same price as in American dollar.
But I do agree it is indeed a very good all purpose Western chefs knife.
TezNguyen how sharp is it and be honest? Can i slice salmon to where the pieces are transparent?
@@tableeccentric7533
I know the question is not for me since you tagged Tez, but I would like to give my answer.
The answer is no because you can slice window thin slices of salmon with pretty much any knife (If you do decide to sharpen them to a point where it is crazy sharp but not usable in a real prepping scenario) the question is will the edge hold? The answer is no after a few slices (or even 1 slice) the edge will bend and the sharpness is gone to be able to slice window thin salmon slices. The second problem is the blade design since the blade is wide the salmon will stick to the blade and that can cause some tearing in the salmon. No matter what kind of rough finish the knife gets the width of the blade will damage the salmon if sliced paper-thin with any chef's knife. For this example, it will not even matter if it has a hammered finish for food release or not the width is simply too thick of the chef's knife (when trying to slice paper-thin slices).
The rough finish on the Wusthof is pretty good this means that food (cucumber for example) with high water content won't stick to the surface of the blade. The rough surface sides will break up the water surface tension, allowing the blade to slide through the food more easily without resistance.
But back onto the thin slices of salmon, a Chef's knife won't do it if you are planning to use the thin slices of a Salmon Nigiri, for example, the damage that the blade surface did to the salmon may not be noticeable but if you want to shape the nigiri the salmon will break.
Therefore we sushi chefs use a Yanagiba, with a minimum HRC of 61 (personally I won't go for anything under 63 for Sashimi and nigiri slices). The global knives (Despite being a Japanese made knife) won't do the job for us because of the HRC of 58 this means that the knife will lose its edge too fast especially in a professional kitchen.
The Yanagiba is a Single edge blade with a concave the other side will push/lift the fish away/up (preventing the blade from sticking to the fish) while the concave of the other side prevents the fish from sticking to the blade and reducing the friction between the salmon and the blade, therefore, protecting the flesh from any damage. So the ideal knife for making thin nigiri slices or Sashimi where the raw fish will not be altered by cooking but eaten raw and therefore having the best smooth mouthfeel.
For tuna, we use a damp towel between a few slices since tuna tends to stick to your knife a lot more if not cleaned with a damp towel after a few slices.
For this reason alone the Single edge blades especially the Yanagiba and Deba should never be used on a Sharpening/Honing rod. And should only be sharpened with a Whetstone where the concave part needs to be sharpened flat and absolutely in line with the bottom and top to keep the concave even (the concave part should be sharpened completely or as straight and flat as possible).
Sorry for the long reply but if I simply said ''no'' without explaining then I feel like that I did not really help anyone with it.
ChefPanko Thank you so much I appreciate that elaborate answer. Now I know i must find a balanced knife like a 1922 robert herder pure carbon knife
Does anyone know where I can find a Robert Herder 1922 carbon steel chef knife. Knives and tools says it’s no longer available 😰
The best Knife I ever have... Love it so so much...
the best kitchen knife i ever had… until it disappeared in a hotel kitchen… i had the 23cm version
좋은 정보 감사합니다
Is that the regular zwilling pro in the video or is it the pro "traditional"
Traditional
@@chefpankothank you!
Hello chef panko do you have a video comparing and contrasting the different grips?
I have one about the balance point and gripping style that determines the babance point. you can find it here: ua-cam.com/video/zn-74KDvXIc/v-deo.html not one about gripping style only I may look into that idea thanks :)
@@chefpanko thanks!
Thanks I just bought wusthof ikon Classic 23 cm knife and my wife is probably going to kill me.;-))
If the Classic didn't have a full bolster it would sell better and I'd consider it over the Classic Ikon.
Plus, I prefer chef's knives with a blade shape like the Zwilling Pro Original Chef's Knife (tip is closer to the spine...more belly)...Only know of the Sakai Takamura 240mm B2 with that shape as far as JP knives go...
They also sell the Classic with the half-bolster.
Do you mean with more belly a flatter profile? Or a more rounded profile?
The Zwilling is indeed slightly more rounded at the tip.
As for the Takamura 240mm if it is a Gyuto the profile will be flatter than the Wusthof and Zwilling.
But the difference in blade length will play a huge role in the profile difference.
I'm not sure If I can follow what you meant. If you can explain it a bit more than would be awesome!
(Sorry that I don't really understand what you meant).
@@chefpanko rounder belly.... As on the Zwilling Pro "Original"... Sold on Amazon. Ca
@@AGC828 Yeah saw your other comment, I got the Zwilling versions wrong. They sell them as Zwilling ''Traditional'' Pro vs Zwilling Pro.
I was thinking of the Zwilling traditional Pro so I was extremely confused.
@@chefpanko 👍✋
@@AGC828 ✋
Wusthof Classic Ikon are very handle heavy and nobody mentions this
Thank you for mentioning all my other videos and future videos will include the balance point.
As I was testing out how to film I missed talking about the balance point, I have a written review on my website which shows you exactly where the balance point is.
www.chefpanko.com/wusthof-ikon-clasic-review/
Thank you for mentioning will update the description and pinned comment thank you.
ramsay saids thats what you want
@@dantae666 Ramsay is a @#$% donkey! (Joke). Balance toward blade = great chopping. Balance near bolster = less fatigue.
Did you notice that vegetables tend to stick rather firmly to the blade during slicing? Or is it just mine that does this? Very noticeable when slicing zucchini/squash/potatoes…
Food with high water content can stick to the sides of the blade like a vacuum. You can mitigate this by using the front part of the knife or you have to add a deep scratch pattern on the sides of the blade to minimize the vacuum effect. The best option is to adjust your cutting style by using the front part. Since it has less width, therefore the friction/vacuum effect is lessened.
Heey chef Panko, je video's zijn echt goed, mooi bewerkt en van goede kwaliteit. Het enige advies wat ik je kan geven is werken aan je accent want dat kan nog een stuk beter :)
Thanks voor de feedback :) was mijn Nederlands accent zo duidelijk! haha ik zal eraan werken had ook begrepen dat ik soms ook nog is te snel praat.
@@chefpanko Je bent erg duidelijk een Hollander haha, wel leuk hoor om meer Nederlandse UA-camrs te zien :)
hahaha, ik moet ook nog aan me uitspraak werken maar had begrepen dat het steeds beter gaat :)
@@chefpanko uitspraak is prima joh, alleen is t voor een nederlander makkelijk te spotten
where can I get one of these very cheap in Australia. Thanks.
I have no idea for Australia sorry :(
You can try and find it online and hunt for a sale.
Hey John, I don't know what you would consider cheap but these knives usually cost around 110 euros, and I bet that shipping from Germany to Australia will increase the pricetag.
Australia is kind of a market of it's own ,totally different than europe usa etc...
@Jon M
Try kitchen warehouse or Victoria’s basement.. they bulk buy and have sales regularly.
I bought 8pc Classic for $520 from VB and 8pc IKON from KW for $600.
Knives for life. Great investment.
Will it go through bone ? For french trimming
The heel area should be fine for small bones not larger than a chicken bone.
Trimming should be fine too, but you may want to look for a different knife style (petty/boning knife) for trimming a lamp rack, for example.
the knife is 60 euros right now in sweden, thinking about buying it...
For 60 euros it is a reasonable price, make sure it is the ''Ikon'' version and not the full-bolster ''classic'' version. European prices are a lot better when it is at a discount compared to the USA retail price.
@@chefpanko Agreed. I am paid much more than this (for the 3 piece) in the US.
What is the best 6” utility knife?
My utility knife experience is very limited so I can't give you any recommendations sorry.
Yo Panko bro! when you said its $169 that's US dollars yea?
Which is roughly around $230 AU dollars...thats how much I bought mine for!
Yes US dollars taking the current pricing in Europe 79 euro with a free edge guard worth 8 euro from Wusthof themself I do find the pricing in the US very expensive.
Taking the fact that we need to pay extra because they are advertising/sponsoring TV shows and celebrity chef's. I do find 75 euro a fair price. So with the added import cost the knife should be around 100 US dollars max. Therefore my statement that I find 169 US dollar asking price very expensive. (Sorry if I answered this already but I was working and saw that I did not reply yet, I thought that I did reply before).
@@chefpanko yea man we tend to pay extra extra for all these supposed "hidden costs" when we purchased these kind of knives. It's the same as why whetstones and knives are cheaper in Japan but too damn expensive when we buy them in our countries. A knife that cost as little as 50 bucks over there will be like over 100 when coming over here. So sad but that's how they make profit and if we really want the product we have to agree to those prices.
@@TezNguyen that is indeed true, but taking the added import cost in consideration it is sometimes better to import it than buying it directly from a local store or you need to wait for a good discount deal.
If any one is looking at the Wusthof series...choosing between the Classic and the Ikon...it's a tough call. The Classic is cheaper/same blade BUT it has a full bolster. Something you DON'T want (I don't know why there even is full-bolster's put on German/westrn knives in the first place...you'd think the manufacturers would know better...affects sharpening). Had the Classic line not had the full bolster then the decision would be easier...
"....Wusthof is charper than the Zwilling..." is it actually that obvious? Zwilling knives like their Pro line have blades sharped to 15-degrees vs 14-degrees for the Ikon. Geometry is very similar. Though, Zwiling does give you 2 blade shape choices...the traditional (tip at middle) and the original (tip close to the spine...better rocking). So I'm guessing it's the bevel? If so, A Zwilling Pro buyer could simply buy a Wusthof pull-through or electric sharpen and get the same or similar bevel edge.
If they buy the JP knives (Nakiri, Santoku, Chinese Cleaver) this won't matter as the angles are more acute...Wushof Asian knives have 10-degree bevels... Zwilling Pro versions are 15-degrees!!😁👎
At this price ranger there are better choices. :) Though it is tough to beat the build quality and design of a German knife. I prefer the ergonomics of a German knife. And honestly do find the traditional JP knife ugly. (no bolster, sharp corners,, flat sheet of steel look..some unfinished looking..etc.). Now if some one could take the handle of a German knife with the half-bolster and put it on a blade with JP carbon steel core (Shiro or Aaogami)/SS clad or no cladding...with a western shaped blade...which actually can be found...minus the "half bolster"...
For domestic use, the german knife shines the best, great durability and easy to use and suitable for pull trough or electric sharpeners.
The Wusthof Classic also has a half bolster line, which costs more than the Wusthof Classic Full Bolster (Why I don't know probably because of the demand of a half bolster is high and the full bolster demand is low).
When it comes to Aogami high carbon steel while the edge retention is very nice to have and they changed a lot to suit the western market like a double bevel instead of a single bevel The knives are still brittle and need more maintenance. You can't use an electric or a pull-through sharpener on them because it will simply chip.
So In my honest opinion for the majority for domestic use, go for the Zwilling, Wusthof, Victorinox.
As for edge retention, this is something everyone should consider for themself and is personal, for domestic use it is not a big deal, for some chefs dependent on their prep work it makes a huge difference.
A back-up knife is always good to have but that is not the point for many chefs when it comes to Sushi raw Fish we need the higher HRC not only for better edge retention but also for the sharpness it can hold. A single bevel should not be used on a Honing rode especially when it comes to a Yanagi.
I worked in a french restaurant and transitioned to a Japanese restaurant and the amount of prep work and tasks are tremendously different. When I worked in a french restaurant you could only see Zwilling or Wusthof knives and IMHO that is the only knives I would use for the majority of the task that we need to do at that restaurant.
When I transitioned to a Japanese restaurant I realize that I need a lot more than a Chef's knife, A Yanagiba, Sujihiki, Deba, Gyuto, pin-bone tweezer, etc. Every single task that I was thought needed a different knife.
For a salmon, for example, we need a Deba for the filleting, Deskinning with a Yanagi, Shahimi Yanagi but it needs to be high carbon to preserve the freshness of the fish and we never slice more nigiri's than needed for the shift. We have a full fillet deskinned cleaned and pin bones removed but we never slice nigiri's or sashimi's with it until we run out of prep. making sure that the moisture control and fish stay fresh is #1 priority especially when you serve things raw. Ideally, you want to slice the fish in front of the customers in an omakase-style restaurant. So slice the fish and then form the Salmon of Tuna Nigiri and a Yanagiba with high Rockwell and sharpness plays a huge roll in each slice because of the smoother feel in the mouth of the customers and less tearing in the flesh. But when it comes to cooking the fish the tears will be seared away.
Also when I was in the french restaurant my knife skills were tremendously different than in the Japanese restaurant. We always slice and pretty much never rock with a knife that is also why I have a more strong preference with a straighter profile (Mainly for Japanese cuisine).
But I totally agree does a domestic cook really need an extremely sharp Japanese knife? I would say no. A professional cook? It depends on what cuisine he covers if it is a fancy restaurant reservation only and they only do the course menu and not a la carte. then I do understand the amount of details. I also needed a Tweezer for the herbs when I worked for a course menu reservation-only restaurant.
In the end, it all depends on the person or the restaurant they work in. But I totally agree with you does a Domestic cook need that? No, but if they want it nobody is stopping them to own a nice Japanese knife.
But I do want to say it does not matter what knife you buy if you don't know how to keep it sharp then you are better off buying a cheap knife than a more expensive one with longer edge retention.
Great constructive review and insight into what you think about it!
I agree with you, but good that we have Fusion knives so western handle on the Japanese high carbon steel.
And we can now choose from a lot of brands and each of them probably has a knife that will suit the needs of that particular cook.
Currently, I'm having a bit of trouble to make a video about this matter since there is a lot to cover so I'm trying to have a constructive video in explaining everything but also don't want to make it confusing or too long.
Thank you for the comment I always love to read them :) Especially when they are so long!
@@chefpanko you beat me herr on length of comment.. Heh...
Saw a notification that you commented but I can't read it all since the comment has been cut off. And for some reason I can't find it back on the video or in UA-cam comment section.
So I don't know the full comment and can't reply on it.
Sorry for that, I really don't understand why UA-cam does not display the comment but does notify me...... (it happened a lot lately).
@@chefpanko This comment deserves its own video! Thanks for taking the time to write such detailed responses. Many people besides the original poster read and benefit from them.
Here in europe it's 100-120 euros ,wich is kinda like 130-150 dollars,that's crazy.
Buch better a Xinzuo or a Twosun
I just paid 83 Euros
Did you get the new rebranding from Wusthof? It is basically the same knife but then a new logo and endcap logo. (They recently started rebranding and older knives with the old logo were on sale).
@@chefpanko I don't know. It looks exactly like yours. I'm from Germany so the Wüsthof and Zwilling knifes are pretty cheap here.
@@YaBoiFetz, then it is the older version (only a cosmetic change of the logo). Everything else from material profile etc. is exactly the same.
The new cosmetic change of the logo is a different color, no longer a red trident, and a new font.
In short, just a rebranding in logo design and packaging, but the knife remains exactly the same.
I paid £80 for mine
Did you get the new rebranded Wusthof? It is basically the same but just a new logo design and packaging (but for some reason a lot of retailers has been increasing the price of just an logo change).
@@chefpanko no I got it from knives and tools here in the uk where it was £100 down to £80 with a sheath but i think it’s the original ikon classic and it’s great