I used Wusthoffs in the past, and still keep some in my "travel kit" but once I started down the road of Japanese knives there was no turning back, I have a few commercial ones like Shuns but soon moved one to both boutique factory ones and hand made customs by old artisan that sadly will not be doing this craft much longer. While I will admit the Germans will do the job they just do not cut like, or hold an edge like or use the exotic steels like or look any where as cool as either the western or traditional style Japanese knives.