During the 1880s, the standard of living across Europe improved greatly due to advances in industrialisation. There was an increasing demand for chef's knives that were both easy to use and safe to handle. Unfortunately for consumers, however, the available selection of high-quality forged knives was virtually non-existent.

So, in order to meet this growing demand, Eduard Wüsthof came up with a ground-breaking idea: he decided to develop a very high quality yet affordable kitchen knife to complement his existing range of scissors, razor blades and pocket knives. He wanted a chef's knife that was effortless to use, pleasingly precise, and stayed sharp for longer: a tool that would be perfect for both professional and home cooks. In collaboration with specialist metalsmiths at his forge, he created a knife that soon became the WÜSTHOF Classic, a design synonymous with the European kitchen knife as we now know it. We call it, The Original.

Today, food fans around the world still love this timeless iconic shape, knowing they can always rely on its unique quality. Why? Because right from the beginning, we focused entirely on designing the ultimate blades and on using only the best materials. Then. Now. And into the future.

And we have continued to develop this further, optimising the details and innovating our distinct designs. That's why today we are proud to offer the world's largest portfolio of knives, comprising of 91 different blade shapes. Excitingly, we are also proud of the manufacturing invention contained in all our knives: the sacrificial anode. Put simply, this is a chemical process commonly used in ship-building, and it works to prevent the steel under the handle from rusting through, making every forged WÜSTHOF knife virtually indestructible. It is not surprising, then, that this idea was copied after our patent expired, and has since become standard industry practice. But we have not rested on our laurels. We have continued to work on improving – tirelessly combining traditional craftsmanship with the latest advances in manufacturing technology. Founded in Solingen, Germany, in 1814, driven by curiosity and a deep desire for innovation, we continue to guarantee our high-quality standards and cutting-edge design from the very centre of this internationally renowned ‘City of Blades’: our factory, one of the most modern knife factories in the world, is still in Solingen.

You will have certainly seen similar knives. But it is only ‘The Original’ if it bears our unmistakable symbol of quality – the WÜSTHOF trident.