That old knife, I just can't quit you, baby

[chefwp]

I still reach for the old Wustof 8" Le Cordon Bleu. Is it because it is my first love, or is it because I can rock chop with impunity like I did today? Maybe it's both!
I've got better, lighter, sharper, but I still reach for this one and enjoy my old buddy, most often for herbs and garlic.

 

[birdsfan]

While I can't say that I reach for my similar Zwilling pro 8" chef as much as I do my J-knives, I can't take it out of my bag. There are other knives in my collection that I would use at work if I had them, but my heart won't let me retire the old Zwilling. It is a trusted friend. And you are right you can rock cut and walk cut with impunity.

 

[Benuser]

Amongst the Wüsthof the Cordon Bleu is one of the best. Thinner, lighter, neutrally balanced (no handle but), slightly lower tip, no fingerguard. The Cordon Bleu name has disappeared (now used by Zwilling / Henckels). The chef's has moved to the Classic series.
https://www.knivesandtools.nl/nl/pt/-wusthof-classic-koksmes-halve-krop-20-cm-1040130120.htmThere’s is a 23cm available as well.
https://www.wuesthof.com/en-nl/cook-s-knife-1040130123/A decent knife if you get rid of the horrible factory edge and protuberant shoulders. The edge is in V and far more acute than this steel can take or hold. Expect it to come out of the box with a burr or wire edge as you've never seen before.
Can be interesting if you don't have to pay the full price.

 

[chefwp]

I'm probably gonna take out his older brother, a Wustof Classic, 26cm beast, to bang through some ribs later. Not a great knife, heavy, giant bolster, but I still use it to hammer through bony ribs or hard winter squashes. It's managed to stay razor sharp over the years, probably because I so rarely reach for the heavy thug.

 

[chefwp]

Amongst the Wüsthof the Cordon Bleu is one of the best.
A decent knife if you get rid of the horrible factory edge and protuberant shoulders.

yep, even though I rarely use it since I went Japanese several months ago, I still have 'that callous' from those shoulders after a decade of it being like an extension of my right hand in the kitchen. I'm not a pro anymore, but we've been through a lot together.

 

[Runner_up]

It's like that old lay -z- boy recliner...

It might not have the style or design of an Eames lounge chair..

But man sometimes it's exactly what you want - and nothing wrong with that!

 

[Robert Lavacca]

Before I got into J knives I always used to get my knives at the wusthof outlet store in CT. Crazy deals. Once I sharpened my first J knife, I never went back to that outlet again besides one time for edge guards lol.

 

[spaceconvoy]

I went back and forth too.. then back again. When I bought my first wa gyuto over a decade ago, I kept going back to my old wusthof to rock chop. Sold the gyuto and kept the wusthof as my main knife for a while. Not sure when, but something slowly changed and now I don't rock chop at all. Maybe it's age? I'd rather take my time and feel more in control, and that's what fine Japanese knives are made for. But for rock chopping, there's nothing better than an old wusthof.