NORA 7" Western Gyuto #1047 - Howard
$ 327.00
The Gyuto is the Japanese version of the classic Western chef's knife but the blade tends to be thinner and holds a sharper edge. A gyuto is similar to a utility knife in that it is a multipurpose knife that can handle virtually every task including chopping, mincing and slicing meat, fish, vegetables and fruit. Our gyuto has a long, western style handle but a Japanese inspired profile with a fair amount of belly in the blade to allow for a gentle rocking motion.
Every one of our knives is numbered and unique. This NORA knife, number #1047, has been handled with custom blend of Shokwood that combines teal, orange and ruby red resins. This is a new color combo for us and we sort of like the funky look of it.
The knife has been custom engraved with a gent named Howard. He's here for the party. He is an Aussie vet...has seen a few things...just wants to live his life and enjoy the time he has left. He tried quitting several times but a good smoke is the only thing that calms his nerves these days.
Shokwood is a hybrid mix of live edge wood and urethane based resins. This particular handle has stabilized big leaf maple burl wood. The handle also has a bolstered area of Red G10 towards the top which complements the pins as well as the resins in the handle.
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.
The blade has been made from 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 & 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.
{ Knife Details }
Metal: AEB-L Stainless Steel
Blade Length: 7 inches
Total Length: 13.25 inches
Handle Material(s) Teal/Ruby/Orange Blend Shokwood, Orange G10 liners, Red G11 Pins
Rockwell Hardness: 62
Grind Type: Full Flat