Wusthof Culinar 3-1/2-Inch Paring Knife

First of all, let me say that I am very shocked to see two relatively negative reviews of this knife. I have had mine for several months now, and I could not be more pleased by it. This knife is constructed out of two different pieces of steel, although that really is not a problem. I used to sell knives, including the Wusthof Culinar line, and I never saw any rust on any of them. The reviewer who claimed that theirs rusted must have cleaned them improperly or purchased a singularly defective set.

The Culinar 3.5" paring knife is perfectly balanced and extremely sharp for its size. Compared to the KAI Shun stainless 3.5" paring knife, which is the only real competitor among 3.5", non-serrated knives to this one, the Culinar is balanced better, with a more comfortable handle, although the Shun is slightly sharper. This has a more traditionally shaped blade than the Shun has, which I prefer for most paring jobs. The Shun stainless knife is very good indeed, but I like the Culinar paring knife better. I have never actually used a Henckels Twin Select (their stainless-handled line) paring knife, so I cannot comment on it, although the only one I have seen is 4 inches long rather than 3.5 inches.

As a note about the size of this knife, I used a 4.5" knife as a paring knife before buying this one, and found the blade too long to easily control for cutting small fruits and vegetables like strawberries and garlic. Additionally, if you are looking to peel or decorate with your fruits and veggies, the shorter blade is easier to handle. Nowadays, I rarely use my 4.5" "utility" knife, and would recommend this knife as a more versatile substitute.

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 is the 3 ½ inch paring knife. This knife falls into the category of overkill for me. Most cooks will get by just fine with the 4 ½ inch utility knife. There is really no notable difference in size for the vast majority of applications between the 3 ½ inch paring knife and the 4 ½ inch utility knife.

Don't get me wrong; this is a very good knife. However, for the mainstream chef, I think its usage will be minimal, and thus it is overkill. Look for the 4 ½ inch utility knife first. If you own that knife, and you need this size for a specific application, this knife is great.

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...and this happens to be one of the two that I own. I received it as a gift, and though I prefer the Classic Wuesthof handles, I don't think the handle really comes into play (problem-wise) with such a small knife.

My other paring knife is a Shun, and to be honest: as long as you keep your paring knives blisteringly sharp, you won't notice a difference between the two while you're working on small, quick tasks.

I reground the blade of this knife (I took off the edge's shoulder), so it has a very thin edge.

It's a great knife, and it has served me well over the 2+ years I've had it.

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I have other members of the Wusthof Culinar line (it's too bad they discontinued it), which are exceptional blades and this one is no exception. Bridging he gap between smaller paring knives and the larger utility knife, this is the perfect size for most applications up to the size of a Chef's knife. I highly recommend this paring knife.

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