This knife is amazing. Hand forged by a blacksmith the same way blades have been made for hundreds of years. There is no comparison between forged and stamped steel. After having a cheap stamped knife break in half while I tried to crush a clove of garlic, I decided it was time to actually invest in a quality knife. I cook at least one meal a day so an all around chef knife suited my needs best. I spent three days researching on knife forums before I finally decided on the wusthof. Before the cheap knife broke in my hand I was the guy that would say spending this much in a knife was insane. However, I feel this knife is an investment and with every penny. Super sharp, awesome looking knife that is really a piece of history. Wusthof has been around for 200 years so I think they know a little bit about knives. This knife will last a lifetime if properly taken care of.WUSTHOF!!!!!