Customer Rating: 
Summary: Wustof Classic... worth the money
Comment: As a home user, I must say that I'm quite pleased with my purchase of this knife in the Classic line. Had a few opportunities to use this prepping chicken already, and I've gotta say that it's loads easier to work with than the garbage knives I had at my disposal previous.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Good knife, but over priced.
Comment: I'm a classically trained chef and I've had the opportunity to use many types of knives. Wusthoff, Henckels, Sabatier, you name it. For the home, I can't say enough good things about Chicago Cutlery. I've had my set for more than 10 years. The blades hold their edge, they are comfortable in the hand, and cost far less than any of the imports.
Customer Rating:
Summary: great for heavy use
Comment: I am a sous chef and I use this knife to break down everything from shell steak to veal chops, and I love it. I also like the flexibility of the blade. It holds an edge very well, with minimum touch ups. Overall I am very happy with the Wusthof line.
Edit 4/6/05: Still using it, still like new, almost 3 years of almost daily use later. Can't beat Wusthof!
Customer Rating:
Summary: Good Knife, But Do You Need It?
Comment: 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 Classic line is the more conservative counterpart to the Grand Prix line. The only difference, however, is the handle style. I personally prefer the Grand Prix, but this is an issue of personal preference. The balance and grip of these knives are as close to perfect as I have found. For those wondering what benefits a higher priced knife provides, one benefit is that the blade (or tang) is one piece all the way through the handle. This makes the blade much stronger, and less likely to snap.
This particular model, the 5 inch boning knife is a good knife. In my review of the 6 inch cleaver I noted that most people really don't use a cleaver anymore, as they buy either pre-cut/pre-packaged meats, or they have the butcher cut the meat into loins or steaks for them. However, I think this knife is slightly more useful for the everyday cook than the cleaver. I find this knife useful for both boning and fat trimming. Although this knife is probably not essential for a starter collection, I would add this knife before a cleaver.
