Güde Chef's Knife

About the brand Güde

The knife manufacturer Güde was founded in Solingen by Karl Güde in 1910. Since then, Güde knives have stood for excellent value for money. The company's philosophy has always been to produce high-quality forged knives in small quantities by hand. Güde is committed to the centuries-old art of knife making. But knives are not just functional tools, they should also be aesthetically pleasing. The range of Güde chef's knives alone leaves nothing to be desired: you can choose between different handle materials, blade lengths, and both traditional and innovative shapes such as the Synchros series or “The Knive” (more on this later…)

The chef's knife

The chef's knife is THE universal tool in the kitchen. Whether you are a professional or a hobby cook, it is easy to work with. It is used for chopping, weighing, and cutting meat, fish, and vegetables. There are many types of knives, but none are as versatile as this all-rounder. Chef's knives have relatively long blades – at Güde they measure between 16 and 26 cm – have a heavy handle that usually balances the blade, and a wide blade. Güde chef's knives are relatively heavy and long to relieve the arm and hand during longer working phases: the knife exerts a certain pressure on the food with its own weight; so you can cut vegetables and meat with a well-sharpened chef's knife without much effort.

The knife steel

Güde knives are hand-forged from a single piece of CVM steel, from the tip of the blade to the double bolster. CVM, a chromium-vanadium-molybdenum alloy, is ideal for use in the kitchen. Molybdenum gives the steel the necessary toughness, and vanadium prevents the blade from wearing out quickly. The so-called double bolster is a special feature of Güde knives: the end of the handle is made of steel and serves as a counterweight to the blade. The special alloy of the steel and the elaborate manufacturing process with around fifty manual work steps give the stainless steel blades a hardness of about 58 HRC as well as special robustness and durability. At Butch, we even go so far as to award Güde knives the label “lifetime” for private use. Of course, proper care and handling are required.

The Knife Handles

When it comes to knife handles, Güde offers a variety of different materials and woods to choose from. The brand places great emphasis on quality, durability, and of course, aesthetics. Pear wood, plum wood, olive wood - all robust woods with beautiful coloring and grain. Even more unusual woods are available, such as the “Alpha Fasseiche” series.

Hostaform - Alpha Series | Hostaform plastic is extremely resistant, very hygienic, and has a pleasant feel. The Alpha series with Hostaform handles meets the strict requirements for use in the gastronomy industry and offers the greatest variety of models.

Olive Wood - Alpha Olive Series | Olive wood is very hard and weather-resistant. This wood grows slowly, has a strong grain, and is therefore particularly elegant. Olive trees are medium-sized and often somewhat gnarled in old age. They reach heights of about ten to twenty meters. The oldest trees are probably in Spain and are over 1,700 years old. The olive tree is mainly found in the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and Africa.

Oak Wood - Alpha Fasseiche Series | The finely polished handle scales are made of oak wood from former wine barrels that is over eighty years old. Due to the long aging process, the roughly structured wood is extremely hard and almost indestructible. This collection was created in close collaboration with Michelin-starred chef Harald Rüssel and his wife Ruth. His signature can be found as a laser engraving on each blade.

Pear Wood - Alpha Birne Series | Pear trees are deciduous trees found in North Africa, Europe, Western Asia - including the Himalayas - and Japan. Pear wood is extremely hard, heavy, and tough. It has a finely structured, velvety grain and is very dimensionally stable. This stability is due to so-called stone cells, which make the wood very dense and fine. Unlike other tree species, pear wood has hardly any visible annual rings.

Steel – Kappa Series | The “Kappa” collection consists of blades and handles made from a single piece of steel. The resulting extremely hygienic handle with its smooth polished surface fits perfectly and securely in the hand. Due to the full metal construction, these knives offer a unique weight distribution and balance.

Grenadilla Wood – Delta Series | Grenadilla wood is found in dry savanna areas: in the Sahel zone from Eritrea to Senegal, and in the East African savannas down to South Africa. This dark brown hardwood is one of the heaviest woods of all. It has a fine and homogeneously structured heartwood. When touched, it feels pleasantly smooth and slightly oily. The wood is airtight and due to its high hardness, edges can be worked extremely precisely.

Briccole di Venezia – Briccole di Venezia Series | The knives in this series have a centuries-old history. The handle scales are made from the wood of Venetian gondola poles (Briccole). These poles are replaced every hundred years in Venice. Some of them found their way to Solingen to Güde. As finely polished knife handle scales of a limited special edition, they preserve a piece of Italian history. The name of the series and an image of a gondolier are laser-etched on each blade.

Desert Ironwood – Damascus Knife | Desert Ironwood can be found from Arizona through California to Mexico. The wood grows as a shrub or tree, reaching a height of about ten meters and a trunk diameter of up to sixty centimeters. In the Sonoran Desert, these trees can live to be one thousand five hundred years old, making them one of the longest-lived tree species. The wood is hard and heavy and is excellent for high-quality knife handles. However, its high hardness makes it difficult to work, contributing to the exclusivity of this type of wood.

Plum Wood – Series Franz Güde & Karl Güde | The plum belongs to the rose family and is mainly grown in Central Europe. Its wood has a very high density. In addition, it is very hard and can be turned and polished well. Plum wood has a dark reddish-brown color. Its core has a beautiful grain and is often decorated with violet-red or brown-red flames and veins.

The Synchros Series

With the Synchros series, the Solingen traditional company has opened a new chapter in the history of knife production. These innovative kitchen knives impress first with their unusual appearance, and then with the "aha" experience when first used. They are synchronized by hand into a unit - and cutting is unusually easy. With the new line guidance, everyone who works with a Synchros can choose their individual grip position of the knife - depending on the application and according to personal preference. You can find more about this exciting story here in the Butch shop.

Güde "The Knife"

Güde "The Knife" also has a more than extraordinary shape. Like the Stone Age hand axe, "The Knife" is also a well-thought-out tool with its short-acting handle and strikingly large blade with a wide back. For optimal grip, shape a "U" with your thumb and forefinger and securely grip the blade. The middle finger is comfortably "parked" in the finely crafted bulge at the end of the blade. This places the center of gravity inside the hand and ensures effortless work. No transition disturbs, all lines are flowing ... Curious? You can find the video here on our collection page.

How important is the quality feature "balanced"?

At Butch, we believe that the label "balanced" is often overhyped. When it comes to a chef's knife, your personal preference is crucial - the knife must fit YOU perfectly. Only when it feels like an extension of your arm will it become YOUR knife. Depending on whether you prefer a heavy or light, wide or narrow, long or short, and of course, a balanced or blade-heavy chef's knife. While brand manufacturers do pay attention to a certain balance, it is not the sole or decisive quality feature for us. However, we would advise against using knives that are too handle-heavy, as they are not suitable for dynamic, fatigue-free work.

Caring for your knives

If you want to give your knives' real wood handles some extra care, you should treat them with special wood care oil from time to time. It protects the surface, preserves the appearance, and extends the life of the knife handles. The food-safe oil is also suitable for caring for your cutting boards. Available here at the Butch shop.