Why German Knives Need Proper Sharpening

German knives are built for durability — heavier, with a full bolster and a slightly convex "apple seed" edge ground at 15°–20° per side. This toughness means they hold up to hard use, but it also means they dull slowly and predictably. By the time a Wüsthof or Zwilling feels sluggish, the edge has often rolled rather than chipped — which responds well to sharpening but is easy to miss if you only use a honing rod.

German steel (typically X50CrMoV15) is softer than Japanese steel, which makes it more forgiving but also means the edge deforms more under repeated use. Regular sharpening — not just honing — is what keeps these knives performing at their best.