NORA #1548: Line Chimp 2.0 - 7 Inch Line Slayer

**PLEASE NOTE, THIS KNIFE HAS BEEN DISCOUNTED DUE TO COSMETIC DEFECTS IN THE WOOD.  THESE ARE PURELY COSMETIC DEFECTS BUT PLEASE MAKE SURE TO VIEW ALL PICS AND READ THE DESCRIPTION BEFORE BUYING TO ENSURE YOU ARE GETTING THE PRODUCT YOU WANT**

KNIFE HIGHLIGHTS

• Blade Type: Japanese Styled Utility Knife - aka our “Line Slayer”
• Blade Length: 7 Inches
• Total Length: 12.25 Inches
• Handle Style: Western | Right or Left Hand Use
• Steel: AEB-L Stainless Steel
• Handle Materials: Wood/Resin Hybrid Handle w/Stabilized Live Edge Wood and Urethane based resins, black G10 liners, black micarta 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 
• Light (nimble, maneuverable)
• >>> Not too heavy, not too light (Switzerland.  Fitting weight for the size of the knife.)

GENERAL USES OF THIS KNIFE:

"LINE SLAYER"

We affectionately call this style blade our "line slayer".  This is really an all around great utility knife. It is an extremely versatile knife that is a jack-of-all-trades worker and should serve you well in the kitchen and on the line. Its compact and sleek but also tough enough to handle some of the heavier lifting in the kitchen, including protein breakdown.  

Be aware that this knife excels at push and pull cuts along with chopping. What it does not excel at is rocking.  There is very little belly (none actually) on this knife so if you prefer a rocking motion when cutting then we would suggest our chef or gyuto design. 

Also, if you have huge hands, then perhaps this is not the best knife for you due to lower knuckle clearance.  We have placed an angle on this blade to allow for normal knuckle clearance but if you have extremely large hands then there is the possibility you may encounter issues with your knuckles hitting the board on down cuts.

HANDLE DESIGN & MATERIALS:

Every one of our knives is handmade, unique and numbered. This NORA knife has been handled with a beautiful deep blue sea "Shokwood" piece which has hues of shimmering royal blue and black.

Shokwood is a hybrid mix of stabilized live edge wood and urethane based resins. In this case, the wood is a redwood slab and, as with many woods, there are small imperfections in this piece.  On the backside you will notice small burrows from worms that have left little holes that have since been filled with resin.  Some people dislike these minor imperfections (hence the discount) but we tend to feel that stuff like this just gives the knife character.

The nice thing about Shokwood, in general, 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:

As an added something, we custom engraved a line chimp on this knife.  This is our second in a series. What, you may ask, is a line chimp?  A line chimp is an overworked, underappreciated line cook with a serious nicotine addiction and a generally surly attitude.  Line chimps are plentiful in our parts and they need good knives.  We have dutifully obliged and made this compact line slayer.

 **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.  

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.