NORA 8.5" Chef #1048 - Rock Lobster
$ 365.00
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.
Every one of our knives is numbered and unique. This NORA knife, number #1048, has been affectionately dubbed 'rock lobster.' This blade has been handled with a beautiful Shokwood scale which is a hybrid mix of live edge wood and urethane based resins. This particular scale has beautiful shades of red blended with black and it fits well with the laser engraving on the blade, which is taken from a vintage 1870 illustration of a freshwater lobster. The wood is big leaf maple burl wood and 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.
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.
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 higher carbon content in this stainless is what allows it to get a fine edge and higher hardness than 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 scotch brite pad and usually the rough end of a kitchen sponge will also do the trick.
{ Knife Details }
Metal: AEB-L Stainless Steel
Blade Length: 8.5 inches
Total Length: 13.25 inches
Handle Material(s): Urethane Based Resins, Big Leaf Maple Burl Wood (stabilized), Black G10 liner, Black Micarta Pins
Rockwell Hardness: 62
Grind Type: Full Flat