NORA # 1349 - 8.5' CPM-M4 Chef - Tri Wood
$ 344.25 $ 405.00
KNIFE HIGHLIGHTS
- Blade Type: Chef
- Blade Length: 8.5 Inches
- Total Length: 12.65 Inches
- Handle Style: Western | Right or Left Hand Use
- Steel: CPM-M4 Carbon Steel
- Handle Materials: Arizona Ironwood, Stabilized and Dyed Box Elder Wood, Stabilized Curly Maple
- Rockwell Hardness: 66 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 (Hefty. Durable.)
- >>>Light (nimble, maneuverable)
- Not too heavy, not too light (Switzerland)
GENERAL USES OF THIS KNIFE:
CHEF KNIFE
Our take on the classic Chef knife. This is an extremely versatile knife that is a jack-of-all-trades worker and one of the single most important knives in a kitchen. Our Chef knife design can easily accommodate both a pinch grip and a full hold. It is a good choice for those with larger hands or those who prefer a full hold on the handle. Our design is also excellent for those who like a rocking motion while cutting.
HANDLE DESIGN & MATERIALS:
Every one of our knives is handmade, unique and numbered. This NORA is one we made recently in a previous batch and it is composed of three different and beautiful woods. Starting from the base of the handle and moving to the top towards the blade we have Ironwood, stabilized and dyed box elder wood (in a slate blue color) and stabilized quilted maple.
We were planning on keeping this one but we decided against it as we simply have waay too many knives as it is. Here is the deal with this knife, it is a great knife with two cosmetic flaws. Since we are perfectionists, we sometimes tend to keep these type of knives despite the fact that they are great knives. At the same time, sometimes its the flaws that make a knife interesting so we will let you be the judge of this one. Hopefully she can find a good home with one of you.
Flaw #1: The tri wood design is not evenly spaced. As such, the middle gray-blue box elder wood is slightly larger than the other 2 sections. We had our proportions perfect in the pre-cut rectangular version of this scale but when we cut it down and shaped it, we realized our spacing was slightly off. For all intents and purposes, this is an entirely cosmetic flaw.
Flaw #2: There is a slight gap between the blade and and the G10 liners on this one. Again, this is entirely cosmetic as the epoxy we use to adhere the handle to the knife has filled this small void but you see it clearly against the white G10 liners and this bothers us. You can see what we are talking about in the pictures.
As knifemakers we are overly critical of our own work but we like to be transparent. We are offering a 15% discount off the normal price of this knife based on these two small flaws. You will be pretty hard up to find an M4 Chef knife at a price lower than this.
Another thing to note with this handle is that we shaped it to be thinner. It actually feels quite nice and light in hand but some people like thinner handles while others do not. We just want to give you all the info up front.
STEEL INFORMATION:
CPM- M4 CARBON STEEL
The blade on this knife is composed of a high carbon CPM M4 steel. M4 is the best carbon steel we have ever used in regards to blade performance. After doing a wide amount of research on this steel, we decided to give it a go and have been extremely impressed with its performance thus far.
CPM M4 steel can be treated to a very high hardness. Hardness in steel generally equates to a finer edge and great edge retention. We took this blade to a solid 66 HRC which is incredibly hard compared to most production knives which fall in the mid to high 50's.
The high hardness allows it to maintain amazing edge retention but unlike other steels at this hardness its not as brittle or delicate. It is actually highly wear resistant which means you don't need to worry as much about the knife chipping or breaking. As an added bonus, M4 is surprisingly corrosion resistant when compared to other carbon steels.
Its a rugged knife for the performance it offers and this combination is rare when you harden steel to beyond 62 HRC. Please note though that the steel isn't bullet-proof...if you drop the knife on a very hard surface or try to muscle it through a very hard object (i.e. hard gourd, thick bones, etc.), it is likely to chip.
The pros of this steel outweigh the cons, but it must be mentioned that this steel is harder to sharpen than many others so you will need to factor that into your decision. It does represent a bit more maintenance than other knives. On the flip side, you don't need to sharpen this knife nearly as frequently as others.
**As this is a carbon steel, the blade will form a slight patina over time. This is normal and is actually the mark of a beautifully used knife. Please note, however, that a carbon knife does require more maintenance than its stainless steel counterpart, mainly that it must be washed or wiped clean shortly after each use to prevent unwanted rust or stains. (Some staining or discoloration will be inevitable as a result of the food the knife comes in contact with.) We have acid etched a portion of this knife to protect the steel and start the patina process. Over time this etch will fade slightly and will be replaced by the individual patina you make while using the knife.