NORA #1482 - 8.5' Chef - Virginia Quilted Maple

KNIFE HIGHLIGHTS

GENERAL USES OF THIS KNIFE:

CHEF KNIFE

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. 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.

HANDLE DESIGN & MATERIALS:

Every one of our knives is handmade, unique and numbered.  Sometimes, simple is better and that is the case with this knife.  This NORA has a single piece of beautiful, highly figured quilted maple sourced from a family in Virginia that hand harvests wood on their farm.  This beautiful wood piece was stabilized for added durability and we added mosaic pins and a dark gray liner for contrast.

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:

Who doesn’t love a good horse head?  

What? You’re telling me you don’t want this knife?  

I tell you what...I’ll make you an offer you can’t refuse.

(Horrible Godfather joke courtesy of Dani - Steve wanted no part in this one.)

Aside from the Godfather reference, there is something just really majestic about a horse and we thought it was a beautiful accent to the simple, elegant look of this knife.

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.

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 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.