NORA #1496 - 3.5' Paring - To the Moon and Back
$ 211.35
KNIFE HIGHLIGHTS
- Blade Type: Paring
- Blade Length: 3.5 Inches
- Total Length: 8 Inches
- Handle Style: Western | Right or Left Hand Use
- Steel: AEB-L Stainless Steel
- Rockwell Hardness: 61 HRC
- Grind Type: Full Flat
- Handle Materials: American Buckeye Burl Wood (live edge & stabilized), Urethane Based Resin, black micarta pins, black G10 liner
- 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. It is also unique with respect to where it is used...not just on a cutting board but also in hand.
With this in mind, we redesigned our paring knife to have a smaller, more nimble handle that feels great in hand and gives its user a wide amount of maneuverability. This knife works wonderfully for small tasks that are easier completed by using the knife in-hand, such as hulling a strawberry, paring fruit, or deveining shrimp.
ENGRAVING:
The phrase: "I love you to the moon and back" is not new. Its almost cliche to say but the sentiment feels genuine when you think of your mother. As a kid, I said it because it was the farthest thing I could imagine when I was young and I wanted my mom to know I loved her THAT much. Maybe you feel the same. If so, this knife is the perfect gift. It features a shining moon with a heart and an orbital pattern that reaches to Earth on the other side of the blade. On the spine it reads: "Love you to the moon and back."
**This knife has been custom engraved. The engraving was done via a fiber 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 minimally catches food and/or 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.
HANDLE DESIGN & MATERIAL INFORMATION
Every one of our knives is handmade, unique and numbered. This NORA knife has been handled with a beautiful "Deep Blue Sea" Shokwood which has hues of shimmering royal blue and black in the resin. Its a beautiful, classic mix.
Shokwood is a hybrid mix of stabilized live edge wood and urethane based resins. This particular handle has a stabilized big leaf maple burl wood. The nice thing about these handles 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.
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 higher carbon content in this stainless is what allows it to get a fine edge and higher hardness than 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 scotch brite pad and usually the rough end of a kitchen sponge will also do the trick.