For the big spenders and true lovers of the proper kitchen supplies comes the Ikon from Wusthof. Sharing the triple riveted handle design of the Le Cordon Bleu, the craftsmanship of these knives is even more refined. Wiith handles of Grendahill, a hard type of wood also known as Mozambique Ebony, Ikon kinves are both beautiful and sturdy. Precision forged and laser tested for astounding sharpness and sturdiness, you’d be hard pressed to find a better knife. As found with Le Cordon Bleu, many Ikon knives have full tangs that greatly increase the longevity of the knife.
High quality means high expense. If you are going to purchase some of the finest blades available in the world, you can expect to pay a healthy sum. Individual knives from the collection run a minimum of $100, while the complete set of knives will set you back $1,400. The Ikon set is likely out of the question for the typical chef and left for the true culinary professionals. For about the same price, you can also purchase the Ikon Classic or Culinary collection, which are finely crafted stainless steel pieces.
These pieces were newly developed and designed for the line of 2007. This line has several improvements over some of their older lines including better performance characteristics as well as other aesthetic design changes. The first large improvement is they offer a tapered bolster. The bolster is meant to protect your finger from the blade edge, which is a great thing! The problem with many bolsters is they tend to get in the way of sharpening. Typically after a bulster knife after years of sharpening, the bolster begins to stick out beyond the blade and is both unsightly and makes it very difficult to chop with. A tapered design allows for easy use and sharpening and all kitchen knives should have them. Next the handle design has been updated and improved. It offers a nice ergonomic black resin handle with 3 rivets which not only makes things feel good but allows for a nice balanced feel. We also like the polished edge and the sharp edge of the spine has been ground down a little which is very nice.
