Wusthof Classic IKON 8-Inch Chef's Knife

First, allow me to clarify another user's review- this is NOT A SERRATED KNIFE- it is HOLLOW GROUND, i.e. the knife is scalloped along the cutting edge along both sides of the blade to cause aeration while cutting, so things don't stick as easily to the blade.I cook professionally. I use a chef's knife about 6 hours a day out of my 15 hour workday, 6 days a week. I spend more time with my knives than my fiancee, and as anyone in the food industry knows, having a knife that is durable and comfortable, yet precise is of the utmost importance.Many of my colleagues use japanese knives- MAC, specifically. These are excellent knives, and while they are precise and elegant, they are fragile- not the type of equipment to use while breaking down whole sides of veal or lamb. Nor are they what you want to use when small dicing case upon case of butternut squash. You want a broadsword, and this beautiful knife from the Wusthof IKON series is the culinary equivalent.I was working a restaurant opening in Charlotte, NC several months ago as afavor to another chef when my old (3 years) Wusthof 8" Classic series chef's knife died on me- The blade was worn, but still fine, but another cook/idiot destroyed the handle of my knife, rendering it unusable. Having been completely satisfied with Wusthof in the past, ordering another Wusthof product over another brand was not really a question. The Tournad at the restaurant was using the Wusthof IKON classic 7" Santoku, and I was immediately impressed both with the design of the handle and the comfortable weight(The weight is noticable, but not heavy- pleasently comfortable) and feel of this blade in my hand. So I ordered the 8" hollow-ground chef's knife that evening (early morning, to be more accurate- i think we finally got out of there at 3am). I borrowed knives for the rest of my time there.After i returned home and received my new knife, i immediately put it to the test. Straight out of the packaging i was able to cut paper-thin slices from very soft heirloom tomatoes- an impossible feat for any lesser knife. But nothing compares to a factory edge, so i waited... 2 weeks and hundreds of pounds of meat and produce later, i still hadn't had to take a steel to the blade. And when i did, it only required a few light passes over my heavy diamond steel to return this blade to factory edge quality.This is the best knife i have ever used, and will be replacing my current Wusthof Classic collection with Wusthof IKON classics. The curved handle and attractive bolster that are the stylistic hallmarks of this series are elegant, the steel is superior, and these knives are STRONG- wear, heat, grease, staining foods, drops- nothing hurts this knife. It may not have the exotic beauty, lightness of weight, or intense precision of japanese knives, but if you need a beautiful knife and a workhorse rolled into one, this is the knife to get.