WÜSTHOF Classic IKON 3" Flat Cut Paring Knife, Black

Wusthoff, based in Solingen Germany has been making quality knives since 1814. I have long been a fan of their product and after using and being happy with their Classic line I was excited when the Classic Ikon line came out. The Ikon line is a really big improvement over their classic line. Thanks to the new handle design the knife fits much better in the hand, especially larger hands and the two thirds bolster will insure many years of trouble free sharpening. The addition of the back bolster not only helps balance the knife but greatly improves its aesthetics. This paring knife is a versatile knife and I use it for much more than paring. It is probably my most used knife. Like all Wusthof knives it performs well and holds its edge. I was so impressed with this line I have retired my old "clasic" and now have many Classic Ikon knives in my collection. This is a great knife that you will be happy with and after your first Wusthof purchase you will likely be purchasing more....

Wanted the "spear tip" style paring knife, as depicted in the images. When ordered (directly from Amazon,) I received the "birds beak" style paring knife. (The spear tip looks like a typical chef's knife, but smaller, while the birds beak curves the blade down in the direction of the edge.) I decided to keep it as I had planned to order one anyway. I made a second order of the same item, hoping it was a mistake. I was sent the birds beak style blade again. Amazon must have their product images / description incorrect. All that said, the birds beak paring knife is phenomenal in every way that a basic paring knife should be: surprisingly heavy and solid, comfortable in the hand, easily maneuverable, and very sharp.

Best knives ever, I have been getting these knives to fill the 6 slot block, they are the best knives that I have ever had.

I love the classic IKON line and it's been my go-to for years. The handles have always been very smooth and hold up to use, so I don't get that awkard callous-inducing friction that can happen around the rivots. I like that the blade extends all the way to the heel and allows for cutting through food without catching. I think it makes for a more comfortable/ergonomic hold, too. I feel like with most high-end German blades, the sharpness holds for quite some time and doesn't require quite as much maintenance to keep the edge in good shape. Honestly, these are a joy to use and I'd recommend them to anyone.

This is definitely a "high end" knife from my perspective. I'm sure you could spend more (there's always a more expensive way to pare an apple), but this knife is amazing! It came extremely sharp and holds an edge very well. It's got more weight toward the rear than many knives (just the way I prefer, though your mileage may vary). It complements a high quality chef's knife quite well. I tend to reach for this knife when I'm cooking for myself or only need to do some minor cutting. Unless I need a large cutting edge, this is my first choice every time! I highly recommend getting this knife and either a Chef's Knife or a Santoku (Japanese Chef's) Knife. The handle of the Classic Ikon series fits my hand like a glove. My wife agrees and she has much smaller hands than I do - so it's pretty much "one size fits all/most".

This is an excellent knife. It came sharp and ready to use. The handle is very comfortable. However, I find the handle a bit too smooth. When pealing certain items, i find my hand slipping down the handle down to the blade. The handle is very comfortable for chopping, but a bit slippery when pealing. I find the Wusthof Classic handles not as comfy, but it grips better in the hand with the ridge edges of the handle. Would be a five star, but the handle is a bit slippery. I prefer the Wusthof Classics.

Wustoff hardly needs another good review, but this is a solid high quality knife. We had one for years and years. I think I accidentally threw it away one night, and we didn’t figure it out until after the trash truck came. The new knife was barely sharper than our old knife, proving that with proper honing maintenance these knives will last a lifetime. We never had the knife professionally sharpened; we didn’t need to as we’re habitual honers. You can’t go wrong with this moderately priced but higher quality knife.

So I went a little crazy and bought a lot of higher end German and Japanese pairing knives. 14 of them with one more incoming. This is my favorite out of all of them. The shape of it makes it very easy to use on potatoes. The handle makes it very controllable and comfortable. If you have big hands, that may not be the case for you. Of course it is crazy sharp and cuts through things without force. I love this thing. Its only flaw is that I somehow manged to put tiny scratches on it with a regular kitchen sponge! I liked this one so much that I bought a second one, so this one can be a beater. Thumbs up!