Wusthof Honing Steel Differences

[DB321]

I bought two Wüsthof Ikon model knives and need to buy a honing steel. Wusthof has many different options for the honing steels and I am curious if it mattered that I buy the exact same honing steel model? I ask this question because based on my initial reading and understanding on the Wusthof models, it appears that the blades on the “Classic” models are the same as the “Ikon“ models and the only difference is the handle on the knives. Does anyone know if that is right?

If the honing steel itself is the same, then i don’t want to pay for a fancy handle and would just get the least expensive honing steel because i can get the classic honing steel for $25 versus the Ikon model being $150+ and i could care less if the handles match.

Thanks in advance for any help advice.

 

[Rangen]

I don't know the answer to your question. I am inclined to think that the difference must be more than cosmetic, but perhaps not.

What I do want to mention is that anyone considering a honing steel should make sure to include F. Dick in their considerations; they do a topnotch job.

 

[coxhaus]

I prefer not to use a honing steel and use my Worksharp Ken Onion sharpener. It is real fast. I am aiming to use a strop on the WS but I broke my leather strop. I have bought 2 more now.

My Henckels 4star honing steel wears more than a strop in my way of thinking.

 

[DB321]

The Ken Onion sharpener looks nice so will have to research that next as I need a sharpener. With that said, i thought you need both a sharpener and a honing steel for kitchen knives or do I have that wrong? My understanding is you are only supposed to sharpen once or twice per year, depending on use, but supposed to use honing steel much more frequently. I read that sharpening actually takes metal off so you don’t want to sharpen too much?

 

[Benuser]

You certainly will need a honing steel, but first have your Wüsthofs decently sharpened. Send them out if you're not used to sharpen yourself. They come with a factory edge that is far too fragile and isn't properly deburred — simply because deburring the used soft steel at that low an angle isn't possible. Don't be surprised if your new knives stop cutting. It's the burr that has fold over the edge. Very common with those factory edges who have been chosen for easy production and marketing reasons. Once turned into the decent convexed edge Wüsthof once used to apply, they can be maintained quite successfully with a very fine steel rod. The Dickoron Micro will by far deliver the best result. Have a very light touch — in fact, as light as you can.
All other honing steels — excepted the Dickoron Polish — are far too coarse, deliver quickly an apparently acceptable result but damage dramatically the edge. Which damage will blunt the edge within a short time, and so there we go again.
A damaged edge and fatigued steel are to be removed: together with restoring the geometry that's what sharpening is about. But removing steel will raise a burr. Removing a burr with a ceramic or diamond rod is far from easy: that said, by far most ceramic rods are far too coarse, especially those sold under the name of Wüsthof and Zwilling.
If you don't plan to learn stone sharpening find a reliable sharpener. Stay away from all kind of gadgets or easy solutions. If you were to learn sharpening, soft stainless as Wüsthof's isn't exactly the one I would start with. Between the sharpenings once or twice a year a good level of performance can be maintained with a Dickoron Micro. Use it in time: as soon as the edge doesn't feel smooth under your nail. Don't wait until performance has diminished.

 

[coxhaus]

I have bought at least 3 Wusthof knives new and I have not had any issues with the edges. They last for most of a year at my home kitchen and then need to be sharpened. I have a lot of knives, so you probably need to sharpen them more often if you are using them all the time. But when I buy a new knife, I use it a lot to get the feel of it.

I agree with the above that there are probably better honing rods than Wusthofs or Henckels.

 

[ModRQC]

 

[DB321]

Ok, I need to get an angle grinder.

 

[coxhaus]

I have at least 4 angle grinders and still looking.

 

[Benuser]

I have bought at least 3 Wusthof knives new and I have not had any issues with the edges. They last for most of a year at my home kitchen and then need to be sharpened. I have a lot of knives, so you probably need to sharpen them more often if you are using them all the time. But when I buy a new knife, I use it a lot to get the feel of it.

I agree with the above that there are probably better honing rods than Wusthofs or Henckels.

Recent ones come with a V-edge at 13° per side, their "PEtec technology", which has more to do with noisy marketing and cheap production than with technology, the steel being still Krupp's 4116 at 58Rc which simply doesn't take nor hold such an edge. The result is very different from the older ones that had a man-made convex edge ending at some 20° per side.

 

[ModRQC]

Ok, I need to get an angle grinder.

A big one… really really big one.

I’d suggest also to keep to @Benuser advice on the matter.

 

[Delat]

Looks like the Ikon is the same 58 HRC as other Wusthofs. They’re not going to benefit from a $150 honing steel.

https://www.williams-sonoma.com/netstorage/pdf/cutlery-comparison-charts-WUSTHOF-070215.pdf
If you paid $200 for an Ikon chef to be used for general purpose food prep not including cutting through bones, you might want to consider swapping it for something like a Takamura R2, Gesshin Stainless, Tanaka Ginsan, Akifusa Aogami Super, or Suisin Inox

But if you love your Wusthof please ignore my suggestion and enjoy your knife.

 

[coxhaus]

Before you switch knives, I recommend you hold one. I bought a MAC Pro and was disappointed with the handle as it was too small. I use a knife shake hand and not all knives are built that way. I also like western handles, so I have been reluctant to buy another knife brand without holding it first.

 

[Benuser]

A different approach: as with many things, don't rely on your first impression. It often says more about what you're used to than about what you're actually handling.
With most new knives I need a bit of time to get used to them. A slightly different grip, a few sharpenings, some fine tuning before they really are mine.
That being said, I prefer a somewhat blade heavy knife. I can live with a strictly neutral one. A balance point behind the bolster or frankly handle heavy as with a lot of modern Germans simply won't work as I'm no rock-chopper. It hinders in any forward motion.
The same with the tip: I don't need two weeks to find out that a high tip won't work in my case, because I'm rather short and would have to raise my elbow far beyond what's comfortable.

 

[Jovidah]

I can actually get behind the idea that plenty of Japanese knives have handles that are too small but this is mostly a problem with petties and smaller knives, never had an issue with gyutos.
Unironically, one of the most comfortable and ergonomical handles of all my knives is the cheap Arcos knife I bought a while ago.... probably because it's simply the largest one of the bunch.

Agreed on the problems with Germans; IMO it's not even helpful for rockchopping. The profile has way more curve than needed and I never found the extra weight in the rear to make it any better of a rock chopper than your average entry level J-knife (or even my cheap Arcos).

 

[drrayeye]

I've had my Classic Ikon 8" Chef Knife for about 7 years--and mostly maintain it through stropping with compound and an occasional hone with an inexpensive Shun steel hone that has both smooth and ribbed surfaces. I use the base for a vertical chop, the middle for rock chopping, and the top three inches for detail work.

It's a dependable risk averse backup to my harder steel knives, that weigh less, are thinner, and hold an edge much longer.