NORA Chef #1045 - M4 Carbon Steel

Our take on the classic Chef knife. This is an extremely versatile knife that is a jack-of-all-trades worker and one of the single most important knives in a kitchen. 

Our Chef knife design can easily accommodate both a pinch grip and a full hold.  It is a good choice for those with larger hands or those who prefer a full hold on the handle.  Our design is also excellent for those who like a rocking motion while cutting.

Every one of our knives is numbered and unique. This NORA knife, number #1045, has an 8.5 inch blade length and has been handled with an elegant mix of navy blue acrylic resin, white G10, aluminum and American sycamore wood.  The design is understated but classic.  The pins are contrasting in copper.

The wood on this handle has been stabilized for durability.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, if not eliminate, 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.  

The blade on this knife is composed of a high carbon CPM M4 steel.  M4 is the best carbon steel we have ever used in regards to blade performance.  After doing a wide amount of research on this steel, we decided to give it a go and have been extremely impressed with its performance thus far.  CPM M4 steel is unique in that it gets extremely hard.  We took this blade to a solid 66 HRC.  The hardness allows it to maintain amazing edge retention but unlike other steels at this hardness its not as brittle or delicate.  It is actually highly wear resistant which means you don't need to worry as much about the knife chipping or breaking. As an added bonus, M4 is surprisingly corrosion resistant when compared to other carbon steels.

Its a rugged knife for the performance it offers and this combination is rare when you harden steel to beyond 62 HRC.  (Please note though that the steel isn't bullet-proof...if you drop the knife on a very hard surface or slam it down on a hard object, it is likely to chip.)

The pros of this steel outweigh the cons in our opinion but it must be mentioned that this steel is harder to sharpen than many others so you will need to factor that into your decision as it does represent a bit more maintenance than other knives. On the flip side, you don't need to sharpen this knife nearly as frequently as others. Note that we provide free sharpening on all of our knives and we are always happy to help in this respect.  

As this is a carbon steel, the blade will form a slight patina over time.  This is normal and is actually the mark of a beautifully used knife.  Please note, however, that a carbon knife does require more maintenance than its stainless steel counterpart, mainly that it must be washed or wiped clean shortly after each use to prevent unwanted rust or stains.  We have acid etched this knife to protect the steel and start the patina process.  Over time this etch will fade slightly and will be replaced by the individual patina you make while using the knife.

**The top copper pin on this knife has a very slight cosmetic imperfection as there is a small gap.  This is a cosmetic flaw but it still bothers us.  We have discounted this knife slightly as a result of this flaw and we just want to be transparent about it.

{ Knife Details }

Metal: CPM-M4 Carbon Steel

Blade Length: 8.5 inches

Total Length: 13.25 inches

Handle Material(s): Acrylic Resin, White G10, Aluminum, American Sycamore (stabilized), copper pins

Rockwell Hardness: 66

Grind Type: Full Flat Hybrid