2021 - NORA #1695 - CPM-M4 Compact Santoku Arizona Ironwood | Black G 10 | Copper
$ 483.85
KNIFE HIGHLIGHTS
- Blade Type: Santoku
- Blade Length: 6.5 Inches
- Total Length: 12 Inches
- Handle Style: Western | Right or Left Hand Use
- Steel: CPM M4 Carbon Steel
- Handle Materials: Copper Pins and Striping, Black G10, Arizona Ironwood
- Rockwell Hardness: 66 HRC
- Grind Type: Full Flat Hybrid
- 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 (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)
GENERAL USES OF THIS KNIFE:
SANTOKU KNIFE
Our version of a Japanese Santoku, this is an extremely versatile knife that functions similarly to a Chef knife. Santoku literally translates from Japanese as "three virtues" which refers to the three tasks this knife does exceedingly well: slice, dice, and mince. While Santoku knives generally lend themselves towards a chopping motion, we have also designed the blade with just enough belly to facilitate a slight rocking motion as well.
This is a revamp of our original "NORA" knife. We started by making a single Santoku design and that is all we sold our first year in business. Since then we have had roughly 4 different versions of our Santoku and I think we finally arrived on a blade profile and handle that really work great together.
HANDLE DESIGN & MATERIALS:
Every one of our knives is handmade, unique and numbered. This NORA is an elegant mix of uber-dense (and durable) Arizona ironwood paired with a copper-striped black G10 composite. The copper and black accents are continued in the liners on the knife,as well as the pins, which brings the whole design together nicely (in our humble opinion, of course.)
So what is G10? It is an incredibly strong & durable fiberglass laminate that was originally used in the electronics industry. It has been adapted in the knife making world and has proven to be an excellent material for handles as it has high strength, low moisture absorption and can be found in a variety of colors. It's one of our favorite materials to work with outside of wood.
We like the classic, timeless look of this knife which should find a happy home in pretty much any kitchen.
STEEL INFORMATION:
CPM- M4 CARBON STEEL
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 can be treated to a very high hardness. Hardness in steel generally equates to a finer edge and great edge retention. We took this blade to a solid 66 HRC which is incredibly hard compared to most production knives which fall in the mid to high 50's.
The high hardness allows amazing edge retention but, unlike other steels at this hardness, it's 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. (relative to other high hardness carbon steels) As an added bonus, M4 is surprisingly corrosion resistant when compared to other carbon steels.
It's 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 try to muscle it through a very hard object (i.e. hard gourd, thick bones, etc.), it is likely to chip.
The pros of this steel outweigh the cons, 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. 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.
**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. Note that the etch will initially cause a slight amount of drag with the blade while cutting. This will fade with use but if it bothers you significantly you can use the rough end of a sponge to smooth the blade but just note that this will also more quickly degrade the etch and darker color of the blade.