Zwilling J.A. Henckels Zwilling Pro 10 Inch Chef's Knife Kitchen

This knife is one of Zwilling Henckel's updated generation, with an arched (or shortened) bolster. The shape of bolster and handle makes it very comfortable to use a traditional "pinch grip" with the the thumb and index finger gripping the blade heel. Because the bolster is shortened, the entire length of blade is accessible and easy to sharpen from front to back.

The blade shape on the updated Pro series Chef's knives is fairly distinctive; being wide almost all the way from heel to tip, with a less pronounced point... the blade tip seeming to ride higher than usual. The result is a more pronounced curve at the front third of the blade, with a long nearly straight back half. The back half of the blade, rather than angling slightly upward from the heel toward the tip as in most other chef's knives, instead runs nearly parallel to the spine for several inches before finally curving upward toward the tip. Because the overall blade geometry is wider/taller than many traditional chef's knives, someone with large hands may find it gives them extra space they need. The weight and heft of the knife feels very good, substantial but not too heavy. Fit and finish were superb, and it came out of the box razor sharp.

Although I liked the knife, in the end I returned it and purchased a more traditionally shaped Wusthof Classic 10-inch Chef's. The width of the Pro's blade bothered me somewhat and I decided I preferred a more pointed shape and less width toward the front of the blade (I'd like to have kept it but as an amateur I can only justify keeping one 10-inch chef's knife). Despite my own preferences, it's a good knife, and the blade shape and width may suit some much more than it did me. Kudos to Henckels for the new shortened arched bolster... very comfortable and usable.