NORA #1444 - Everyday Carry (EDC) - A Well Placed Pawn #1
$ 176.00 $ 0.00
KNIFE HIGHLIGHTS
- Blade Type: EDC (Every Day Carry Knife, Small Utility)
- Blade Length: 2.25 Inches
- Total Length: 6.5 Inches
- Handle Style: Western | Right or Left Hand Use
- Steel: AEB-L Stainless Steel
- Rockwell Hardness: 61 HRC
- Grind Type: Full Flat
- Handle Materials: Wood/Resin Hybird (stabilized buckeye burl paired with urethane based resins), black G10 liners, Stainless Steel Pins
This Blade is Ground...
- Thin for Performance (best performance but also more 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 (hefty for its size, durable)
- Light (nimble, maneuverable)
- Not too heavy, not too light (Mid-Range Weight)
GENERAL USES OF THIS KNIFE:
This knife is an everyday carry design that we made which is a great all around outdoor or EDC knife and will work well for general use in a variety of situations. The blade is stubby but very functional. Likewise, the handle has a great two-grooved design for finger and thumb grips. It works well with a variety of different holds.
There is a nice weight to this knife and the edge is left a bit thicker than our chef knives to ensure it can handle tougher use. We use these little guys everywhere, in the same way you would use a pocket knife.
HANDLE DESIGN & MATERIALS:
Every one of our knives is handmade, unique and numbered. This lil' NORA knife has been handled a beautiful Shokwood scale. Shokwood is a hybrid mix of live edge wood and urethane based resins. This particular handle has stabilized American buckeye burl wood and resins in beautiful hues of deep blue & black. It is a very clean, classic look.
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:
I engraved a pawn on this knife. Why a pawn? Well, you can dig into some deeper meaning on this one if you want. I'm simple so here was my thought: this little knife is small and a pawn is small...so there is that. (Brilliant!) Sometimes small guys can make a big difference. Like a well placed pawn can win games, a well placed knife can make you a near God when your child is borderline panic-attacking because he can't remove his toy from the packaging. (Or is that just in our family?) That tiny, unreasonably strong, incredibly irritating piece of plastic doesn't stand a chance. Hero status remains in tact. It's the little things, ya know.
**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.
The blade was originally etched but we disliked the mottled appearance of the etch so we lightly re-ground the blades to remove the etch, although the remnants of the etch still remain near the base of the handle.
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.
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.