Crafter

The Wusthof Crafter series are knives similar to the Classic, their flagship model, in terms of design, but address every assessment a Chef wishes for in the upcoming collection. With some innovative technology, the Crafter products are super-premium -- nearly twice as expensive (on many sites) as Wusthof's already top-end Classic and on par with the Wusthof Ikon Classic models. However, upgrading to a Crafter is worth it for the right person.

  

The Wusthof Crafter line is one of the more premium knives offered by Wusthof. It is higher than the Classic and the Gourmet lines but lower than the Ikon, Performer, and Amici lines. It is fairer to describe this as a souped-up version of the Classic. While the other super-high-end lines, such as the Ikon or the Performer, feature distinct designs with different blade and grip molding, the Crafter's design is nearly identical to the Classics. The two knife families are similar concerning their handles and blade sizes. 

The notable differences with Wusthof's Crafter knives are brass rivets, an all-wood handle, and half-bearings on the blade. The half-bolster is the most substantial advantage this knife has. The bolster is a thick, blunt knob at the rear of the knife's edge, close to the handle. On a full-tang knife, it extends up the length of the blade to the point where it is sharp, whereas half-tangs only go about halfway down. This may sound unimportant, but full heft makes a knife much more challenging to sharpen. 

The sharpening process works by grinding away at the blade's dull edges, stripping off thin bits of metal. Each sharpening reduces the height of the sword by a small amount, which can become quite apparent over time. While the blade is constantly getting shorter, the spine is not adjusted when you sharpen, causing it to extend past the edges. This makes the knife uncomfortable to handle. Not with the Crafter collection from Wusthof!

High-end knives like the Crafter set from Wusthof come at a higher up-front price but, with careful maintenance, do not need replacing for life. In that sense, the price difference between a Crafter from Wusthof and a more affordable brand that will have you buying, maintaining, and trying to re-sharpen those cheap, dull blades every month will cost you time and effort overall. Plus, with the Crafter collection of knives from Wusthof, you never have to pay for the pricey reduction of bolsters every few years -- this alone could make up for the cost. If you like the Crafter's design or do not want to deal with a full-on bolstered blade, the Crafter set from Wusthof is worth every dollar!