NORA #1551 - 7.5 Cleaver - Year of the Pig (2019)
$ 467.00
KNIFE HIGHLIGHTS
- Blade Type: Cleaver
- Blade Length: 7.5 Inches
- Blade Height: 3 Inches at Heel, 3.75 Inches at highest arc near end
- Total Length: 12.75 Inches
- Weight: 1.41 lbs. (SHE'S STOUT!)
- Handle Style: Western | Right or Left Hand Use
- Steel: AEB-L Stainless Steel
- Handle Materials: Ruby Red Shokwood (wood/resin hybrid handle made with American Buckeye burl wood and urethane based resins), Black G10 liners, stainless steel pins
- Rockwell Hardness: 56 HRC
- Grind Type: Convex Grind
- 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. Make no mistake, this is a HEAVY cleaver.)
- Light (nimble, maneuverable)
- Not too heavy, not too light (Switzerland)
GENERAL USES OF THIS KNIFE
CLEAVER
This blade design is our take on the traditional, Western Style Cleaver.
These blades don't hide behind any fancy names...they do exactly what they say which is cleave large bits and bones apart from each other. If it's force and brute strength that you need, this is the knife to get the job done. Cleavers are primarily used for butchering but they also work well for tougher squashes and vegetables.
As a huge opposite to most of our other knives, our cleaver has a thick, softer edge which reinforces the toughness that this blade needs to withstand the blows that this knife takes. Further, we don't sharpen these knives particularly keen because these knives work off momentum and weight, not necessarily sharpness. Speaking of weight...this is a HEAVY knife. The weight is what allows the knife to make clean cuts the first time thru.
And of course, a cleaver would not perhaps feel entirely like a cleaver without the signature hole near the top of the blade. This provides the user the option of hanging if desired and also helps lighten a little weight on this particularly hefty knife.
HANDLE DESIGN & MATERIALS:
Every one of our knives is handmade, unique and numbered. This NORA knife has been handled with a beautiful Ruby Red Shokwood which has hues of shimmering ruby red & black in the resin.
Shokwood is a hybrid mix of stabilized live edge wood and urethane based resins. This particular handle has a stabilized American buckeye burl wood. 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, 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.
ENGRAVING:
According to the Chinese zodiac, 2019 is the Year of the Pig. In Chinese culture, pigs are the symbol of wealth. Their chubby faces and big ears are signs of fortune as well. (And excellent meals to come!)
In a somewhat ironic celebration of the year, we found a beautiful image of a pig that we engraved on to the base of this cleaver. If you look closely you will be able to see incredible detail in this engraving including the eye of the pig. To the right of the blade, under the hanging hole, the Chinese character for "Pig" is also engraved. (And just to hammer the point in, we engraved "2019 - Year of the Pig" on the spine of this knife as well.)
We are a little late to the party but if 2019 has been treating you well, perhaps this is the perfect knife to commemorate a great year!
This knife has been custom engraved. The engraving was done via fiber laser so there is depth to the engraving more so than you see with an electro etch or CO2 laser. We do, however, keep the depth low 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. (due to a very small burr that is formed around the engraved area) 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 so minimal that it is barely noticed. 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 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 further degrade the image.
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 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.