Chef's Set
Chef's Set Fine Handmade Custom Knives
- Size: Knives
- Concordia Sabatier: Length overall: 14.0" (35.6 cm), Blade Length at edge: 9.0" (22.9 cm), Thickness: .089" (2.3 mm)
- Conditor Bread Knife: Length overall: 13.8" (35.1 cm), Blade Length at edge: 8.5" (21.6 cm), Thickness: .124" (3.2 mm)
- Consus Paring Knife: Length overall: 7.25" (18.4 cm), Blade Length at edge: 3.25" (8.3 cm), Thickness: .090" (2.3 mm)
- Weight: Knives
- Concordia Sabatier: 1 lb., 2 oz. (510 grams)
- Conditor Bread Knife: 13 oz. (369 grams)
- Consus Paring Knife: 4 oz. (113 grams)
- Size: Case: Length:17.25" (43.8 cm), Depth: 10.5" (26.7 cm), Height: 5.75" (14.6 cm)
- Weight: Case: 11 lbs., 8 oz. (5.2 kg)
- Blades: CPM154CM high molybdenum particle metal stainless tool steel, hardened and tempered
- Temper:
- Concordia Sabatier: 60HRC
- Conditor Bread Knife: 61HRC
- Consus Paring Knife: 59HRC
- Bolsters, Fittings: 304 Austenitic Stainless Steel, Mirror Polished
- Handles: Agatized Petrified Extinct Palmoxylon Palm Wood Gemstone, +65 Million years old fossil
- Case: Pecan, Arririba (Canary wood), Padauk, Bloodwood, Bocote (Cordia), Red Oak, Poplar, Leather, 304 Stainless Steel
- Knives: This is a very special chef's set,
custom made for a great client. He wanted a trio of critical knives,
made to be comfortable, useful, and beautiful, with some of the
finest premium materials available.
- Blade Steel: The blade steel is CPM154CM, a
high molybdenum, high chromium martensitic stainless tool steel that
is made by the crucible particle metallurgy process. This means that
the steel is manufactured in a powdered form and fused together
under tremendous heat and high pressure. This allows a very high
concentration of alloy elements, and very even distribution for the
some of the very best high alloy tool steels available today. With this
particular steel, very thin cross sectional areas can be tempered to
a high hardness, translating to high wear resistance, while the
steel is still very tough (resistant to breakage). That, coupled
with the high corrosion resistance and superb finish capable in this
steel, and the result is magnificent. This is, simply, some of the
finest high alloy modern tool steel made in the world today.
- Concordia Sabatier: Named for the Roman
Goddess of harmony and peace, the Concordia is a majestic knife.
The Sabatier is a recognized
pattern, and my new Concordia design is an imposing and graceful
adaptation of this design, begging to be used. I made the blade
extremely thin and, coupled with the deep hollow grind, the cutting
edge is micro-thin and breathtakingly sharp, from the needle-sharp
point to the gently curved heel. Because of the deep and
incredibly thin
hollow grind, it will last many decades after repeated sharpenings
and still remain razor keen. The heel of the long blade drops below
the fingers enough to keep the hands off the board, and the long
blade has just the right curve for rocking and mincing. The front
bolster is sculpted for a pinch grip and additional thumb
pressure when needed. The handle
of the Concordia is large and substantial; my client wanted a handle
that was significant in girth for comfort and control. The balance
on the knife is terrific, and the knife feels great in the hand.
- Conditor Bread Knife: Named for the Roman
God of the harvest, the Conditor is a dedicated bread knife,
made for slicing through difficult and hard-crusted breads with
little tearing and fewer crumbs. The straight axis line of the
blade aids in a sawing motion, and the deep "theatre curtain"
serrations are distinctive and effective. The wide radius
serrations are razor keen throughout, and the variable geometry
aids in cutting action. The Consus is not limited to bread, but
also slices vegetables with ease. The blade is hollow ground for
a very long lifespan and thinness at the edge, and the blade is
thicker than the Concordia for more rigidity and substance in a
narrower profile. This also allowed me to temper the Conditor to
a higher hardness, for extreme wear resistance and
rigidity. The handle is long and large diameter and the
knife is a pleasure to hold and use.
- Consus Paring Knife: Named for the Roman
God of grain and food storage, the Consus is a pleasing,
comfortable, and useful paring knife. I designed it small enough
for paring, yet large enough for tighter cutting chores like
boning and trimming. The deep hollow grind means a very thin
cutting edge with a razor-thin point for piercing an reaching
into tight places. The handle is substantial enough to be
gripped with three fingers or four, and the handle geometry
allows the knife to be held comfortably in forward grip edge up,
the traditional peeling grip style for fruits and vegetables.
Because the blade is thin at the point, I tempered the Consus
back to a tougher temper.
- Fittings and Handles: The blades and tangs
are smooth and polished to aid in cleaning, and the blades
and handles are silky and comfortable. The knives are bolstered
with zero-care 304 high nickel, high chromium austenitic stainless
steel, the same steel used in tough stainless steel fasteners, and
will hold their finish without corrosion indefinitely. All bolster
faces are polished and finished, and they are secured to the tangs
with zero clearance pins for a permanent and tight fit. They are
dovetailed for rigidity and stability, and bed beautiful and
striking handle scales of Agatized Petrified Palm Wood gemstone.
This is an extremely hard fossilized palm wood, originally deposited
as a giant palm tree Palmoxylon in the Cretaceous period,
145 to 65 million years ago in the time of the dinosaurs. What is
unusual about this fossil is its extreme hardness (some of the
hardest I've ever encountered) and the very large pattern of the
pores. In the decades that I've been collecting and using petrified
palm wood, I've never seen any with a pattern this large, and my
references on this fossil confirm that it is a rare find. The tree
that once grew in the ancient palm forests of what is now Texas must
have been a colossal and majestic specimen. The fossil is highly polished with bits of
crystalline structure, and all of the handles are book-matched. The
gemstone is many times harder than the blades, and it's interesting
to know that the handles will outlast the blades, the owner, and
perhaps humanity itself! The gem is smooth and inviting, solid and
robust, yet with good balance for each individual knife.
- The Case: A set of this bearing needed a very special case, and
it took weeks to bring this one together just right. There are no
veneers; all woods are solid panels of hardwoods. The case is made
of extremely hard Pecan (a member of the Hickory family) for the
sides and critical top areas. This wood is almost
indestructible, and I used a complicated joinery technique to create
double-double box joints for the corners in South American Bloodwood and Arririba
(South American Canary wood) that are striking as well as durable.
The lid is ringed with solid Pecan, with central panels of solid
Arririba and Padauk for striking contrast. The base of the case is
American Red Oak with interior panels of birch and a Poplar cutout
that holds the knives. I hand-turned and French-polished the feet
and knob of the case in hard Bocote (Cordia) South American
Hardwood. I designed the case to stand above of the counter to keep it
clean and dry, and the feet have thick inset neoprene pads to
accommodate any surface. The inside of the case is padded with suede
leather, and an engraved nameplate on the bottom identifies the work
and year. The woods are sealed with deep penetrating oil and covered
with moisture-resistant polyurethane varnish for easy cleaning and
longevity. I even handmade the stop hinges in 304 stainless
steel with stainless steel pins and screws for zero-care. It was my
goal to create a case that is a work of art complimentary with the
creations within.
- This is a great project, and I'm grateful to my client who
patiently allowed me to create it. A true legacy piece, this set
honors the tradition and creative flourish of the finest kitchen and
warmest meals with friends and family.
Thanks, M. S.!
Hi Jay-
The chef's set arrived yesterday and they are absolutely wonderful! Each one has a perfect feel in my hand. With the
Chef's knife it has a great amount of heft relative to any other knife I have used, yet its balance and sharpness allow
me to work quickly on the board. The bread knife zipped right through a rustic Italian loaf, even allowing for thin
slices. And the paring knife is perfect with small items on the board or off. I'm excited to use them more - they
will be a highlight of my kitchen forever!
Your craftsmanship is amazing. The petrified palm wood was an excellent choice for the handles, and the polish on
the blades and fittings adds to their beauty. I also love the case - super detailing of the wood and even the hand-made
hinges!!
Thanks for creating a perfect set for me!!!
-Michael
Please click on thumbnail knife photos