Wusthof Ikon Blackwood Knives

The Wüsthof Ikon 3.5-inch paring knife puts a forged paring blade on a handle of African blackwood, a dark, dense wood that brings warmth to a small knife used every day. Functionally it matches the Classic Ikon 3.5-inch; the wood handle is the upgrade.Use it to peel and trim in the hand, to hull strawberries, to remove the seeds from a jalapeño or to score the skin of a pork belly. The handle is shaped to fill the palm, comfortable for a full grip and natural in a pinch grip, and because the heel has no bolster, the entire edge can be sharpened.Blackwood takes a little extra care. Wash the knife by hand and dry it right away, then oil the handle with food-grade mineral oil now and then. The same blade on a synthetic handle is the Classic Ikon 3.5-inch paring knife. The Ikon 6-inch utility knife and Ikon 8-inch chef’s knife share this handle. Our knife shapes guide describes paring styles in detail. Learn More

Forged in a 6-inch length and fitted with an African blackwood handle, the Wüsthof Ikon utility knife covers the jobs between paring and chopping. It slices a baguette sandwich, trims a flank steak, cuts a wedge of aged cheese and segments a grapefruit.The 1-inch-wide blade is narrow enough for close trimming and long enough for a clean single slice through a large tomato or a cucumber. Natural blackwood gives the handle warmth and a fine grain, and its contoured shape works for either a full hold or a pinch on the blade. As on every Ikon knife, there is no heel bolster, so sharpening reaches the whole edge.Hand wash the knife, dry it promptly and oil the handle occasionally to keep the wood from drying out. For a synthetic handle, see the Classic Ikon 6-inch utility knife. For a smaller blackwood knife, the Ikon 3.5-inch paring knife; the Ikon 7-piece block set includes the full blackwood range. Our guide to kitchen knife shapes explains the utility knife. Learn More

Built for Ikon owners, the Wüsthof Ikon 10-inch honing steel completes a set of Ikon knives with a handle that matches their African blackwood. Before you cook, two or three passes on each side push the edge of each blade back to center after everyday use has bent it slightly out of line.The 10-inch rod is long enough for the Ikon chef’s knife and bread knife, and it works on any straight-edged kitchen knife in the drawer, whatever the brand. Wüsthof’s care advice is to wipe it gently with a damp cloth and dry it right away.Once honing stops reviving a knife, sharpen it with the Wüsthof 10-inch ceramic sharpening rod or the two-stage hand-held sharpener. The steel is part of the Ikon 7-piece block set, and for the Classic Ikon line, see the Classic Ikon 10-inch honing steel. Technique is covered in our guide to honing rods. Learn More

Japanese in shape, the Wüsthof Ikon 7-inch hollow edge santoku pairs an all-purpose blade with an African blackwood handle that is fine-grained and nearly black. In use it matches the Classic Ikon 7-inch santoku; the natural wood handle is the upgrade.Its straight edge and blunt, rounded nose favor a downward cut through onions and herbs, and the tall blade scoops what you cut. Scalloped hollows break the suction that makes thin slices cling. The handle’s contour suits a full grip, and since nothing interrupts the heel, every part of the edge can be resharpened. It is a knife worth keeping in a block or on a magnetic bar, out of a crowded drawer.Hand wash the knife and towel it dry after each use. Give the blackwood a light coat of mineral oil from time to time. The synthetic-handled version is the Classic Ikon 7-inch santoku. The Ikon 8-inch chef’s knife shares this handle, and our knife shapes guide sets the two blade shapes side by side. Learn More

Crusty loaves meet their match in the Wüsthof Ikon 8-inch bread knife, which sets a serrated blade in a handle of African blackwood, the dense, dark wood that gives the Ikon line its warmth. The serrations bite into a crusty loaf without crushing it, then saw cleanly through the crumb for even slices of sourdough or rye. African blackwood, also called grenadill, is one of the hardest and heaviest woods in the world, known for its density and distinctive grain.At 8 inches, it covers sandwich loaves and baguettes, and it slices tomatoes and peaches as neatly as bread. The contoured handle fills the palm for the long sawing strokes bread requires, and a rear bolster caps the handle to balance the long blade.To keep the wood in good condition, clean the knife at the sink and towel it off at once. Rub a little food-grade mineral oil into the wood whenever it looks dry. For larger boules, see the Classic Ikon 9-inch double-serrated bread knife. The Ikon 8-inch chef’s knife and the Ikon 7-piece block set share this handle, and our knife shapes guide explains serrated blades. Learn More

African blackwood is a dense, dark wood with a fine grain, and on the Wüsthof Ikon 8-inch chef’s knife it gives a forged German blade the warmth of a natural handle. In use, this knife matches the Classic Ikon 8-inch; what you are choosing is the look and feel of wood.The handle swells slightly in the middle and tapers toward each end, so a cook who grips the handle fully has something to hold, and a pinch grip at the blade feels natural as well. Wüsthof leaves the heel without a bolster, and the entire edge touches the board. That same open heel lets a whetstone or pull-through sharpener reach every part of the edge.At 8 inches, it is the all-purpose length for slicing, dicing and mincing. Blackwood asks for a little more care than synthetic handles; wash it by hand and oil the wood now and then. For the synthetic-handled version, see the Classic Ikon 8-inch chef’s knife. The Ikon 7-inch hollow edge santoku uses the same blackwood handle, and our knife shapes guide compares the two blade styles. Learn More