Kitchen Knife Starter Set

Henckels Twin Select 3 Piece Forged

Kitchen Knife Starter Set The Henckels Twin Select 3 Knife Starter Set offers the three practical blades most needed in any kitchen. The style and build of the Henckels set is similar to the Wusthof Culinar 3-Piece Starter Set but lower in price. Though the Wusthof Culinar set is nearly bulletproof, this competitive selection from Henckels runs close to it in many ways.

The Twin Select series offers both fully forged and composite welded knives, with examples of each in this starter selection. Only the four-inch plain edged paring knife is fully forged from one bar of high carbon stainless steel. The six-inch utility knife and eight-inch chef's knife -- both of which also have easily sharpened and professionally tapered ground plain edges -- use three different stainless steel alloys welded together. The three sections contain varying amounts of carbon, chromium, and other elements to tailor the quality of the steel to the needs of the knife part.

In a forged blade, the needs for a strong knife spine, a sharp knife edge, and a resilient handle tang are met by shaping and tempering -- the forged knife is usually heavier, stronger, and stiffer than a knife built with other methods. The composite welding of the Twin Select knives offers specialized knife qualities without all the extra weight. Many of the characteristics of high quality forged knives roll over into this lighter modern build.

In practical terms, the thing you'll notice as different in these Henckels knives is the handle. Wusthof places the weight and bulk of the stainless steel to the rear, and Henckels centers the grip in your hand. Handles of Henckels knives glow with a satin finish while Wusthof handles gleam with a high polish. With a clean build and a modern look, both knife sets are close together in performance terms.