NORA #1661 - 7 Inch Line Slayer - The Bronx Seal (ne cede malis)
$ 420.63
10% of the purchase price of this knife will be donated directly to the NYC Mayor's Fund which is a non-profit organization that is currently working to provide emergency relief to the NYC community including: health care workers & staff, affected local small businesses, displaced workers and vulnerable families.
KNIFE HIGHLIGHTS
- Blade Type: Japanese Styled Utility Knife - “Line Slayer”
- Blade Length: 7 Inches
- Total Length: 12.25 Inches
- Handle Style: Western | Right or Left Hand Use
- Steel: AEB-L Stainless Steel
- Handle Materials: Stabilized Live Edge Spalted Maple Wood, Urethane Based Resins (blue/black colors), Black G10 Liners, Stainless Steel Pins
- Rockwell Hardness: 62 HRC
- Grind Type: Full Flat Hybrid - Performance Grind (3 different bevels blended)
- This Blade is Ground...
- Thin for Performance (best performance but delicate)
- Thick for Durability (tough, built to last for heavy wear-n-tear)
- >>> Mid-Range with Special Geometry (specially ground for food release and glide but blade is kept slightly thicker for durability)
- This Knife Feels...
- Heavy in Hand (Hefty. Durable.)
- Light (nimble, maneuverable)
- >>> Not too heavy, not too light (Switzerland. Fitting weight for the size of the knife.)
GENERAL USES OF THIS KNIFE:
"LINE SLAYER"
We affectionately call this style blade our "line slayer". This is really an all around great utility knife. It is an extremely versatile knife that is a jack-of-all-trades worker and should serve you well in the kitchen and on the line. It's compact and sleek but also tough enough to handle some of the heavier lifting in the kitchen, including protein breakdown.
Be aware that this knife excels at push and pull cuts along with chopping. What it does not excel at is rocking. There is very little belly (none actually) on this knife so if you prefer a rocking motion when cutting then we would suggest our chef or gyuto design. Also important to note, we angled the handle upwards on this knife to account for knuckle clearance for most people but if your have larger hands and do not use a pinch grip when cutting then this may not be the ideal handle for you as knuckle clearance may be limited.
ENGRAVING:
The engraving on this knife features the words: "Ne Cede Malis" which is a latin phrase and translates, per Merriam-Webster, as: "Yield Not to Misfortunes."
This is also, coincidentally, the official motto of the Bronx (in NYC) and was emblazoned on the borough’s flag and seal in 1912.
Let me be completely honest about how this knife evolved, I started with the idea of a seal holding up a Coronavirus "ball" as a play on the circus. This was in pretty poor taste, I know. In my defense, when I originally started designing this image, my idea was to highlight the fact that this whole situation feels almost surreal, as if we are watching some sort of bizarre show.
I eventually scraped the idea though and saved my work into a very large folder of never-to-be engravings. I decided to refocus my efforts on somehow honoring the somber news coming out of New York.
I churned through a slew of more failed ideas and then I came upon the phrase above which seemed so fitting given the timing and the fact that the Bronx area has been one of the hardest hit in the entire country. So the words felt right but what imagery...
You might probably be able to piece together the rest. Because this phrase can be found on the Bronx seal, (it is their official motto) I decided to resurrect my other "seal" and, thus, this imagery was born.
It may not be, perhaps, the most elegant of beginnings but I feel like I love this knife even more knowing how it's meaning was pieced together.
We would love to see this one go to a New Yorker but the phrase holds wherever you are right now. I think its a great reminder that we, as a people, will all figure out a way to muddle through this thing.
**This knife has been custom engraved. The engraving was done via a dual diode laser so there is depth to the engraving more so than you usually see with an electro etch or CO2 laser. We do, however, keep the depth relatively minimal so it does not catch food and minimally interferes with the primary cutting function of the knife. A small amount of stickage is normal around the engraved area, especially initially. This will lessen over time as the blade is used. Please note though, if performance is your #1 priority then we encourage you to NOT purchase this blade. A blade with no engraving WILL have a smoother glide than a blade with engraving. For most, however, this difference is minimal. We just like to provide a full disclosure up front so you know exactly what you are purchasing.
The engraving should last as long as the knife itself but please note that it will slightly degrade over time as abrasives are used on the knife. We recommend the soft end of a sponge with soap and water for cleaning and mineral oil periodically to condition the blade (and handle). Keep in mind that stronger abrasives, such as steel wool, scotch brite pads, sand paper or stone sharpening directly on the engraved image will degrade the image over time if continually used.
HANDLE DESIGN & MATERIALS:
Every one of our knives is handmade, unique and numbered. This NORA knife has been handled with a beautiful "Deep Blue Sea" Shokwood which has hues of shimmering royal blue and black in the resin. This color combo is one of our absolute favorites and the contrast between the blue and black is always quite stunning.
Shokwood is a hybrid mix of stabilized live edge wood and urethane based resins. This particular piece has a gorgeous slab of stabilized spalted maple burl which provides a great contrast against the resin. The nice thing about these handles is that this is wood that is usually thrown out by the mills since it is deemed unusable for most uses. It gets new life on this knife after being stabilized and with the resin added.
Wood stabilization is an added feature that we offer with our knives. Wood that is stabilized has been injected with a clear acrylic resin under a vacuum process. Stabilization helps to minimize any cracking, warping, shrinkage and/or expanding of the material. Stabilized wood will not absorb water and is generally impervious to oils. The process helps to ensure your knife has a long lifespan in the kitchen.
STEEL INFORMATION:
AEB-L STAINLESS STEEL
This knife blade is composed of AEB-L stainless steel which is a high-quality Swedish metal, originally developed for razor blades. Recently, steel suppliers have made this steel available in thicker sheets and it has proven to be an excellent adaptation for the cutlery industry.
AEB-L has a beautiful balance of carbon and chromium and, with proper heat treatment, this steel produces both a very fine edge as well as excellent toughness and edge stability. The fine grain structure also makes this steel very easy to sharpen. We believe it is one of the finest stainless steels available on the market today for use with kitchen knives.
As a side note, there are two things we like to mention about this steel:
1.) This steel responds beautifully to honing and if the knife is honed regularly it should need infrequent sharpening.
2.) AEB-L is a stainless steel but just barely. The concept of stainless steel is very misleading because every steel is, at some level, reactive to water and other elements.
The higher carbon content in this stainless is what allows it to get a fine edge and higher hardness compared to many other stainless steels but it also has a tendency to sometimes form very fine rust spots on the blade. If this happens, these are easily removed with a green or red scotch brite pad and usually the rough end of a kitchen sponge will also do the trick. Take extra care to remove any excess wetness that remain on this blade. Drip drying is NOT recommended.