KNIFE HIGHLIGHTS

• Blade Type: Kiritsuke
• Blade Length: 10 Inches
• Total Length: 15 Inches
• Handle Style: Western | Right or Left Hand Use
• Steel: AEB-L Stainless Steel
• Handle Materials: Wood/Resin Hybrid (Shokwood) made with live edge buckeye burl wood and urethane based resin, black G10 liners, black micarta pins
• Rockwell Hardness: 62 HRC
• Grind Type: Full Flat Hybrid - Performance Grind (3 different bevels blended)
• Weight: .54 LBS.

• 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.  Fitting weight for the size of the knife.)

GENERAL USES OF THIS KNIFE:

KIRITSUKE KNIFE

This blade shape is our take on the traditional Japanese Kiritsuke knife.  

A Kiritsuke knife is one of the very few Japanese knives that is considered multi-purpose. It is a hybrid between a Yanagi (fish slicer) and a Usuba (vegetable knife.). A Kiritsuke knife works well for slicing and breaking down protein but it also excels at vegetable prep. and general purpose tasks. In Japanese kitchens, the Kiritsuke knife is reserved only for the executive Chef as a sign of respect and also due to the skill needed to efficiently use these knives.

Our Kiritsuke design does not have as flat of a belly as the more traditional Japanese style knives. We have done this to allow just the slightest amount of rock in the cut. We feel it adds a bit more versatility to the knife.

HANDLE DESIGN & MATERIALS:

Every one of our knives is handmade, unique and numbered. This NORA knife has been handled with a beautiful Ruby Red Shokwood which has hues of deep, ruby red paired with black.  House Targaryen's family colors are red and black and their motto is: "Fire & Blood."  As such, we thought the dark, brooding colors in this handle were entirely fitting.  

Shokwood is a hybrid mix of stabilized live edge wood and urethane based resins. This particular handle has a American buckeye 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 but it gets new life on this knife after being stabilized and with 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:

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 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 is due to a small burr that forms around the engraved lines.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.  

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.