I feel very secure in handling this knife. Great balance to weight ratio. Easy to guide cutting because of the grip on the handle and the easy placement of the finger on the blade. I was used to a 7-inch chef's knife, so the 8-inch took me a little time to get comfortable with the difference. It simply weighs more, which in the end makes it easier to cut. A top quality knife. I have Wusthof knives in my drawer along with a couple of top competitor's. Wusthof greatly out preforms the other.