Chef's Knife with Curly Koa and Walrus Ivory (9 3/4 in.)

Product Description for Chef's Knife with Curly Koa and Walrus Ivory (9 3/4 in.)

Maker: Michael Rader, M.S. (click to see more by this maker)
Item num: 91292
*** This is handmade and one-of-a-kind ***
Blade length: 9.75 in.
Total length: 14.75 in.
Blade height (at heel): 2.25 in.
Blade thickness (near bolster): 0.10 in.
Item weight: 9.75 oz.
Blade: Marquenched, hand forged 52100 carbon steel for high performance edge retention
Bolster: Integral 52100 carbon steel
Handle: Stabilized koa wood with walrus ivory accents
Description: Michael Rader, who was honored as a Mastersmith in 2010, is well known for creating dramatic swords and daggers with woodwork that is beyond compare. When he began to focus on chef's knives, the results were exceptional -- with blade shapes and geometry highly influenced by performance oriented Japanese knives. The thin geometry, exceptional steel, and high performance heat treatment easily make his knives winners!
The European chef's knife (known as a gyuto in Japan) is well suited for use as a general purpose chef's knife -- from chopping, to slicing and dicing -- from fruits to vegetables and meats, the chef's knife is a great choice. The long blade is needed for the sawing motion required to cut meats and large vegetables and the slim blade keeps the weight low and the balance right. At 2-1/4 inches in height, there is plenty of finger clearance on this chef's knife!
The blade was forged to shape from 52100 carbon steel. Many knifemakers and collectors feel that this steel is among the best steels currently used for knives due to its exceptional edge holding and sharpness. The blade has been antiqued using Wayne Goddard's "mustard" protective finish. This attractive finish helps prevent rust and makes the knife easy to maintain. The bolster is integral -- a technique that, while common in production knives, is very rare in handmade knives due to the difficulty of implementation.
The wood handle is formed from presentation grade curly koa with walrus ivory accents. Michael rarely includes ivories in his knives and the results are truly exceptional! By using stabilized wood, Michael combines the beauty of natural wood with durability. Alternating copper and G10 spacers highlight warm tones in the natural wood and assist the handle to adjust to temperature and humidity changes.
The knife has perfect balance and feels exceptional in the hand.


Availability: Not currently available