Wüsthof Dreizack
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Wüsthof Dreizackwerk (Wüsthof Trident in English) is a world renowned knife-maker based in Solingen, Germany. The company is noted for its very high quality and excellently balanced knives. All Wüsthof knives are drop-forged from a single piece of high-carbon steel, except for the stamped-blade Silverpoint series and the Gourmet series.
While mainly a kitchen-knife maker, the company also produces kitchen shears, pocket knives and other cooking accessories, although on a smaller scale than its main competitor Henckels.
All Wüsthof knives are made in Solingen by a family-owned operation that dates back to 1814. Silverpoint (stamped-blade, low end), Gourmet (stamped blade) Culinar (metal ergonomic handle with no exposed rivets), Grand Prix (rubberized plastic handle with no exposed rivets), Grand Prix 2 (same handle material as Grand Prix, with ergonomic handle design similar to Culinar) and Classic (traditional forged knives with a two-piece handle and exposed rivets) are its major series', though the Grand Prix is no longer in production (having been superseded by the Grand Prix 2). Wüsthof also sells a signature line endorsed by TV chef Emeril Lagasse.
The Classic line has a common three-rivet handle made of polypropylene. The knives in the collection feature the full-tang, and like all Wüsthof knives, have the formula “X 50 Cr Mo 15” etched into the blade. The Grand Prix line has a rivetless concealed tang. Both the Classic and Grand Prix lines along with two lines made by Henckels were the top rated knives in a test of knives by Consumer Reports in November 2005, and are consistently given high ratings by Cook's Illustrated magazine as well. The Culinar line is made purely from steel, is rivetless and has a concealed tang.
Wüsthof's trademark is a trident encompassed in a circle.
[edit] Formula
The formula stamped or etched onto all Wüsthof blades, "X 50 Cr Mo 15" signifies that each blade is made with 0.5% Carbon, 15% Chromium and a unspecified, but definitely smaller amount of Molybdenum according to an older kind of DIN notation.
