NORA #1490 - 6.5 Inch Utility - VALAR MORGHULIS (Arya)
$ 376.85
KNIFE HIGHLIGHTS
- Blade Type: Utility Knife
- Blade Length: 6.5 Inches
- Total Length: 11 Inches
- Handle Style: Western | Right or Left Hand Use
- Steel: AEB-L Stainless Steel
- Handle Materials: Black Honeycomb C-Tek, White G10 Stripe & Liners, stainless steel 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. Fitting weight for the size of the knife.)
GENERAL USES OF THIS KNIFE:
Our take on the classic utility knife. This is an extremely versatile knife that is a jack-of-all-trades worker. While a large chef knife is great, sometimes you just want a smaller, more nimble knife for some tasks. This knife is perfect for those situations. It’s a great all purpose knife that works wonderful on the line and for general food prep. While it may not tackle some of your larger food items well, it will handle roughly 80% of most kitchen tasks with ease. This design has a lot of belly worked into the blade so it’s a great little rocker if that is your preferred cutting style.
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.
HANDLE DESIGN & MATERIALS:
Every one of our knives is handmade, unique and numbered. This NORA knife has been handled with a sleek, black C-Tek (honeycomb) handle paired with simple accents of white in the form of a G10 stripe and liners.
The black and white color scheme on this knife was a play on the house of Black & White in Bravvos. The House of Black and White is the temple of The Many-Faced God and also serves as headquarters for the Faceless Men. It was here that Arya learned much of her training and where the phrase "Valar Morghulis" began to take on serious meaning for her. Since Arya is a certified badass and one of our favorite characters on the show, it seemed only fitting that we make a knife specifically in her honor.
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.