What our customer's say!

"Three different knives", Be aware that the same customer reviews for this knife are automatically displayed for three different blade lengths. You can select which blade length you are looking at by clicking on the length at the top of this page. Some of the other reviews may be confusing if they were written about a different length than you are looking at.

Wusthof has been making some of the best knives in the business for two centuries. These carving knives are from the Wusthof Culinar line, introduced in 1999 for professional chefs. The handles on the Culinar line provide a more ergonomic shape for kitchen use, especially on chef's knives. For carving, these handles are definitely better for horizontal cuts, because of the way the knife must be held. I personally like them better than the traditional black handled knives for vertical cuts as well, because the rounded outline allows me to more easily shift to the best grip for a particular cut.

This Amazon entry covers three similar knives with different blade lengths. The blade lengths are 6" (16cm), 8" (20cm), and 9". You can select which length is displayed in the picture by clicking on the appropriate box at the top of the page.

The narrow blades of these knives are designed for cutting cooked meats at the table, rather than for kitchen use. Whether you will find a chef's knife or a carving knife more useful may depend on what kinds of things you cook. If you make a lot of salads or cooked vegetables, you'll need a chef's knife, like the Wusthof 4589/20 Culinar Chef's Knife 8-in., more. If you roast beef or turkeys, though, you will really need a carving knife. They're different knives for different purposes.

For carving, the 8" length may be the most versatile. It's at its best when carving a medium sized roast, like a sirloin or rib eye roast, and it's fine for smaller roasts, like a beef tenderloin or a pork loin. It can handle larger pieces of meat, like a large rolled rib roast or a larger turkey, but you may find yourself wishing for a longer blade, such as the 9" length or even the Wüsthof Culinar 10-Inch Slicing Knife.

The knife with the 6" blade length - sometimes called a "sandwich knife" in Wusthof sets - is a bit of a different animal. It's at its best carving small roasts, but the shorter, more maneuverable blade, while making it too small for larger roasts, also makes it more versatile around the kitchen. In a pinch, I've even used it for slicing and dicing, if my chef's knife is dirty. I think the handle shape has something to do with this; before I switched from Wusthof Classic knives to Culinars, I didn't use my 6" knife very much, but the Culinar version seems much more useful on the cutting board.

If you are buying one of these knives specifically for carving, you'll likely want a fork to hold the meat in place. The matching fork for these knives is Wüsthof Culinar 6-Inch Carving Fork. Alternatively, you could buy the Wüsthof Culinar 2-Piece Carving Set or the Wüsthof Culinar 2-Piece Carving Set in Presentation Box.

"Excellent knife for roasts and poultry", If you frequently carve roasts or poultry, and have some extra money lying around, then this is the knife for you. Although not quite as sharp as the Shun Stainless slicing knife, the Wusthof Culinar carving knife is better balanced than the Shun Stainless or the Henckels Twin Select, and it is sharper than the Henckels. Although some might find this knife pricey given that it may not get used as much as a cook's knife or a santoku knife, neither of those will carve meat as easily as this knife. I have tried carving a turkey with a cook's knife, and it just is not a good idea. The stainless handle may be slippery for some to use, but I find it more comfortable to use than the handles on the Wusthof Classic and Grand Prix knives. With all said, this is a great knife that has encouraged me to buy more roasts and whole poultry by its ease of use.

"Good Knife, Few Uses", There are really two main competitors in the high-end mainstream kitchen knife market: Henckels and Wusthof. Those who have used both usually have a preference. My preference (and therefore bias you should know about) is for the Wusthofs.

The Wusthof Culinar line is an all stainless steel look, rather than a black handle. Although the picture and some descriptions want you to think this is a single piece knife, be advised that the hand is a separate piece of stainless steel molded onto the tang. I personally prefer the handle of the Grand Prix and Classic, because the grip is surer for me, but this is, to some extent, a matter of personal preference. This series "looks" more professional to some (like a Viking stove).

This particular model, the 8 inch carving knife, is a good knife, but I find its uses to be few. For chopping, the chef's knife or utility knife are more useful. This knife is too long and thin for chopping; its balance isn't right. Therefore, this knife is really limited to carving meats. For most cooks, this is an expensive knife for a rare job. If you are completing your collection, I recommend this knife. If you are starting a collection and looking for an all-purpose knife, I would recommend the 8 inch chef's knife or the 4 ½ inch utility knife.

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