Perhaps the most basic and versatile knife for paring, peeling, trimming, and dicing fruits and vegetables. This high-performance knife has been created to meet and exceed the most exacting culinary standards of the world's greatest chefs, those of Le Cordon Bleu culinary school. The knife is precision forged from a single blank of high carbon steel and has a thinner blade and a redesigned bolster that reduce the overall weight of the knife for improved comfort and control; the redesigned bolster allows for precision cutting with the heel of the blade. The knife is incredibly sharp: the knife has a specially-polished cutting edge which eliminates the microscopic teeth and allows for more precise cuts. The seamless, completely hygienic handle construction features a durable Hostaform-C handle, triple-riveted to the fully-visible tang.
Made in Solingen, Germany, W sthof knives offer a harmonious blend of precision cutting performance, integrity of materials, safety, and comfort. The knife is hot-drop forged by hand from a single blank of high carbon no-stain steel, a specially alloyed surgical steel consisting of exacting proportions of carbon, chromium, molybdenum, and vanadium. The blade is perfectly tapered from bolster to tip, and from the back of the blade to the edge, and is honed by hand. Perfect balance is assured by the full extension of the tang through the length of the handle. A seamless, totally hygienic fit is achieved by the durable Hostaform-C handle, triple-riveted to the fully visible tang; the handle is buffed and polished by hand. Dishwasher safe, although hand washing with a mild detergent is recommended.The 19th century saw the creation of the world's most famous cooking school in Paris, Le Cordon Bleu; but by the time the school was up and running, Wusthof already had a reputation for fine cutlery. Wusthof collaborated with instructors at Le Cordon Bleu to refine their Classic design into a collection fit for a professional chef. A reduced bolster means a slightly less bulky finger guard; this lends more agility and reduces fatigue during long bouts of use. The smaller bolster is also shaped with a rear garnishing point for such tasks as carving radish roses. And the parer's cutting edge is specially polished for an even finer, sharper cut.
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The Classic Le Cordon Bleu parer is for peeling and small cutting jobs, and it teams well with the Le Cordon Bleu 8- or 9-inch cook's knife; a talented chef would need little else than that pair to navigate any knife work. On each of Wusthof's Classic knives, the blade, bolster, and tang are forged (as opposed to stamped) from a single piece of steel. Wusthof uses a high-carbon stainless steel that retains the edge and resists wear; each knife has the alloy's formula printed on the blade. The blade is polished to a super-sharp edge and then hand-buffed. Its slightly curved edge--for a smooth rocking motion on the cutting board--is laser tested to ensure a uniform surface.
As with all Wusthof Classic knives, the black synthetic handle is built for strength and durability; it's triple-riveted to the steel tang, which shows through on the edges. Though technically dishwasher-safe, Wusthof recommends that their knives be hand washed to preserve their fine cutting edges. The Wusthof Classic Le Cordon Bleu paring knife has a 3-1/2-inch blade and is 7-1/4 inches long including the handle. Wusthof offers a limited lifetime guarantee that its knives will be free of defects in materials or craftsmanship. --Garland Withers
