NORA #1345- 7.5' AEB-L Santoku - Enso
$ 360.00
KNIFE HIGHLIGHTS
- Blade Type: Santoku
- Blade Length: 7.5 Inches
- Total Length: 12.6 Inches
- Handle Style: Western | Right or Left Hand Use
- Steel: AEB-L Stainless Steel
- Handle Materials: Stabilized Curly Maple Wood, Light Gray G10, White G10 liners, natural micarta 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)
GENERAL USES OF THIS KNIFE:
SANTOKU
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 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. We took our original Santoku blade profile and combined it with our larger handle style. The two work well together.
HANDLE DESIGN & MATERIALS:
Every one of our knives is handmade, unique and numbered. This NORA was specifically made with the Buddhist faith in mind. It is one in a small series of knives we made where each knife ties-in to a certain religion(s). This is a one-of-a-kind knife and will never be reproduced.
We wanted this knife to be simple and fairly clean in terms of design. We used a soft, fairly neutral color scheme when making this knife. We started with a beautiful piece of stabilized curly maple and added a soft gray G10 piece up top. We backed this scale with white G10 liners and added natural micarta pins. The result is a simple, soothing design that was meant to mimic the minimalism that is characteristic of Zen Buddhism.
In regards to the handle material you may wonder, what is G10? G10 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. Its one of our favorite materials to work with outside of wood.
For the engraving on this knife, we chose to feature an Enso circle which is a Buddhist symbol that is generally hand drawn and consists of one continuous brushstroke in a circular shape. The enso symbolizes enlightenment, strength, elegance and the universe as a whole. There is a single, solitary cloud inside this circle along with the Japanese character for "Zen."
Its a clean, simple knife and we really love the soft, neutral colors. It should be a welcome addition in almost any 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.
CUSTOM ENGRAVING
**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 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 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.