The Steel

In the beginning, knives were made from High Carbon steel. This was because High Carbon Steel was easy to sharpen and held an edge really well. The problem was that High Carbon would turn black quickly and was not attractive. The problem with Stainless Steel knives is that while they look great, they don t hold an edge and are almost impossible to sharpen. Then someone in Germany came up with an alloy which is the mixture of two steels, high carbon and stainless steel. This new alloy, called X50CrMoV15 was the answer to the problem. X50CrMoV15 holds an edge really well and sharpens easily while being very stain resistant.
Most good knives such as Henckels, Wusthof, and of course Gunter Wilhelm, all use X50CrMoV15 high carbon-stainless steel. Gunter Wilhelm Knives are made from the finest X50CrMoV15 alloy imported from Thyssen krupp Steel in Germany. The final processes such as polishing, packaging, wood block manufacturing and final inspection are done in China under the personal supervision of Paul Hellman aka Gunter Wilhelm.
Stamped Style Vs. Forged Style

There are two basic kinds of knives in the world. The first is stamped. Brands such as Cutco, Dexter-Russell, etc. make their knives from sheet metal stamping and then attach plastic or wood handles to the tang. Stamped knives have no bolster, and do not have the weight, balance and durability of Forged Style knives. Forged style knives are typically made from one block of steel and always have a Bolster. The Bolster is the large metal area joining the blade with the handle. Forged knives have better weight and balance than Stamped Knives. The best knives such as Gunter Wilhelm, Henckels and Wusthof are all of the forged style.

Gunter Wilhelm Vs. “The Rest”

The most common question people ask us is how our knives compare to brands such as Henckels and Wusthof. Well, frankly speaking, those brands are quite good. However, there are a number of very important features which make the Gunter Wilhelm brand much better.

• Tang. Let s talk about the “Tang”. The tang is the metal that runs through the middle of the handle. Most people know that great knives always have a full tang (all the way through the handle). However, Gunter Wilhelm has a “TRIPLE FULL TANG”. This means that metal runs through the handle on 3 sides and is all one piece. This gives the knife noticeably more weight and extremely nice balance. As soon as you hold a Gunter Wilhelm, you know its special.
• Blade width. The wider the blade, the more knuckle clearance you get. No one likes to bang their knuckles on the cutting board while chopping. Gunter Wilhelm has extra wide blades compared to most other brands.
• Heel. The heel is the first inch of cutting edge on the blade. On the previously mentioned brands, the heel is not sharp. Gunter Wilhelm sharpens the heel on all its knives for more increased productivity when chopping things like parsely, cilantro, etc.
• Spine: The top of the blade is called the spine. When you hold the knife properly, your index finger contacts the spine during all cutting operations. Most other knives have a sharp spine and Chefs actually develop calluses in this area as a result. Gunter Wilhelm smoothes out the corners on the spine so that you don t need a chef s callus to slice and dice comfortably.
• Warranty. Gunter Wilhelm guarantees that if your knife breaks, even if it s your fault, it will be replaced for free. No other knife company offers this kind of warranty. Most offer you a manufacturer s defect warranty and if they determine misuse, they will not replace it free.
  Gunter Wilhelm Cutlery is the Mercedes of the cutlery world. Chefs all over the world have embraced it and consider it to be the finest cutlery out there. Why settle for less?

While it matters how well a knife cuts and how sharp it is, knives are really a personal choice. You need to find one that feels comfortable in your hand.

A good knife should have:

• a comfortable, decent sized, non-slip grip handle
• good balance
• a nice curve on the blade.

 

Okay, I’ve got an assortment of foods (and a tin can) ready to chop, slice and dice. What sort of knives do I need?

There are actually two ways of making knives, so let’s start there.

Forged knives

Forged knives are made from a single piece of steel that’s been heated, moulded, hardened, tempered and then ground into a cutting edge. They often have a better feel and balance, and a heavier blade which is good for cutting tougher foods. They are also often the most expensive.

Stamped knives

Stamped knives are machine-stamped out of a piece of steel and then ground, polished and honed. One-piece seamless knives are also stamped, but the blade and handle are all metal, in one piece. Stamped knives are often lighter than forged knives, which can suit some people better.

Forged knives are often said to be better than stamped knives, but CHOICE tests found this isn’t necessarily so. Base your decision on how the knife feels for you.

Look for:

Balance

A well-balanced knife with a good curve on the blade allows it to roll all the way to the tip when cutting.

Comfort

This comes down to preference and whether you’re right- or left-handed, so try the knives before buying.

Safety

A knife that sits on its back exposing the blade isn’t a safe option, particularly for little hands.

A full tang

No, not the flavour! It’s the metal that extends from the blade into the handle. A tang that runs all the way through the knife can contribute to better balance, meaning an easier cut.

Types of knives

Don’t you just need one good knife to get most jobs done?

Not really. While cooks’ knives get a lot of things done, others are designed for specific jobs – like paring, carving and filleting. If you want these, it may be worth investing in a set as this is usually cheaper and more convenient than buying them separately. Here are some of the more common knife types that you might find in a set.

Types of knives

 

 

The picture shows, from left to right:

Paring knife

This little knife is handy for peeling and trimming fruit, potatoes and other vegetables.

Filleting knife

Good for removing skin from fish, butterflying meats and precise work with raw meat, fish or chicken.

Carving knife

This knife usually has a longer blade but isn’t as deep as a chef’s knife. The longer blade is good for slicing wider joints, such as cooked ham.

Chef’s or cook’s knife

This knife is very versatile and can handle a wide variety of foods and textures.

Utility or all-purpose knife

Similar to the paring knife but with a longer blade; it’s good for small, everyday cutting jobs.

Honing steel

To keep a good, fine cutting edge on your knives.

Bread knife

The serrated edge of this knife helps cut through a loaf of bread without squashing it.

Pull-apart shears

Good for cutting chicken around the bones, the shears can also be used for cutting herbs or snipping bacon into pieces. They generally pull apart for easy cleaning and are handy for most kitchen jobs, including opening packaging.

Looking after your knife

Once you’ve got a knife that works for you it’s important to take good care of it. Here are some ways to keep the life in your knife.

 

• Use a chopping board that’s softer than the knife blade, such as wood or plastic, to avoid blunting or getting nicks in the blade.

• Knives need to be sharpened from time to time to keep their cutting edge fine. While stone sharpening is the best method, you can also use honing steels or pull-through sharpeners. Eventually, though, they’ll need to be professionally sharpened. Most good cookware shops offer this service.

• Keep your knives clean and store them in a knife block, or use a guard to protect the blade from being knocked and chipped if they’re in a drawer. Don’t leave food to dry on the blade, as some foods contain acid that can permanently stain it.

• Hand wash your knives. Some manufacturers claim their products are ‘dishwasher-safe’ but they still recommend hand washing. Some detergents can be too harsh so if you want to be on the safe side, hand washing is the way to go.