NORA #1342 - 3.5 Inch Chunky Paring - Black | White | Maroon

KNIFE HIGHLIGHTS

• Blade Type: Paring - Our Thicker Style
• Blade Length: 3.5 Inches
• Total Length: 8 Inches
• Handle Style: Western | Right or Left Hand Use
• Steel: AEB-L Stainless Steel
• Rockwell Hardness: 62 HRC
• Grind Type: Full Flat
• Handle Materials: Black, White & Dark Red G10, Black C-Tek, Black Micarta Pins

• Thin for Performance (best performance but also more delicate)
• Thick for Durability (tough, built to last for heavier wear-n-tear)
• >>>Mid-Range with Special Geometry (specially ground for food release and glide but blade is kept slightly thicker for durability)

• >>> Heavy in Hand (hefty, durable)
• Light (nimble, maneuverable)
• Not too heavy, not too light (Mid-Range Weight)

GENERAL USES OF THIS KNIFE

The paring knife is often overlooked but the truth is it is one of the single most-used knives in the kitchen.

This blade style was our very first paring knife design and it has a chunkier handle and higher blade height than is usual for most paring knives.  We eventually re-designed our paring to be a bit smaller and more nimble but this profile offers some unique flexibility as it can almost serve as a small utility style knife.  ( It does for us at least!) 

We use this profile pretty much every day for anything from cutting small vegetables, spreading peanut butter and even (cough) opening boxes.  In particular, we have also found that this knife also works quite well for skinning and removing animal fat.  Its a very versatile little knife and we thought we would make a few of this style as we have really grown to love this one in our own kitchen. 

HANDLE DESIGN & MATERIAL INFORMATION

Every one of our knives is handmade, unique and numbered. This lil' NORA is a classic combination of colors: Black, White & Red.  We love the stark contrast of white and black with just a hint of dark red in there for good measure.  The handle was made with a base of durable black and white G10 and accented with a stripe of black honeycomb c-tek that is flanked by two small stripes of red G10.  We added a black and red G10 liner as well to coordinate the look and for overall durability.  Pins are black micarta.

When it comes to sheer strength, durability and ease of maintenance there are few materials that can beat G10.  Many people ask us, what exactly is G10?  It 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.

This knife will look great for years upon years and need very little maintenance (unlike its wooden counterpart.)  

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. (It "stains".  Just less than others.)

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.