"Concordia" Fine Chef's Knife
- Size (Knife): Length overall: 14.0" (35.6 cm), Blade Length (at cutting edge): 9.0" (22.9 cm), Thickness: .127" (3.2 mm)
- Size (Stand with knife): 9.5" (24.1 cm) tall, 4.75" (12.1 cm) wide, 12.75" (32.4 cm) long
- Weight: Knife: 17 oz. (482 grams) Stand: 1 lb., 5.0 oz.(595 grams)
- Blade: 440C High Chromium Martensitic Stainless Tool Steel, Cryogenically treated, Hardened and Tempered to Rockwell C59, mirror polished
- Fittings/Bolsters: 304 Austenitic Stainless Steel, mirror polished
- Handle: Polished Poppy Jasper Gemstone (India)
- Stand: American Black Walnut, Ash Hardwoods, Poppy Jasper Gemstone Cabochon Inlays, Neoprene Feet
- Knife: The Concordia is named for the Roman
goddess of harmony, and this Concordia has found itself a great
home. This is a large, professional grade chef's knife, classically designed and
made for the most demanding use while being original, unique, and
beautiful. I made the blade in 440C high chromium stainless steel,
with a deep and full accurate hollow grind for an incredibly thin cutting
edge and plenty of flat spine to support it, while being lightweight
enough to use comfortably. The point has a classic Sabatier
profile for piercing and the curve of the blade is just right for
chopping and mincing. This blade will perform flawlessly, the very best blade possible for this application. I've cryogenically treated the blade, with a
tremendous 60 hour long
cryogenic soak for the greatest conversion to martensite, and
profuse carbides for extremely high wear resistance. The blade was
triple tempered with deep cryogenic soaking in between for great thermal
conditioning and excellent toughness. This is the toughest, most
wear resistant, most corrosion resistant condition
this fine martensitic high chromium steel can possibly be, and
the edge is thin, razor-keen, and resilient. I've left the spine
clean and smooth for easy cleaning and comfort, and the tang is
fully tapered for balance. The knife is bolstered with zero-care 304
high nickel, high chromium austenitic stainless steel, with the
front bolster extending along the spine to give great aid when
choking up on the top of the blade with an overhand, spine grip. The
bolsters are smoothed, rounded, contoured, and polished, cleanly and
tightly permanently mounted to the blade and tang with
zero-clearance peened pins. They are are dovetailed to bed a pair of
Poppy Jasper gemstone handle scales. While there are several kinds
of Poppy Jaspers, this is a rather rare
type from India, from old lapidary stock and not available any more. It's a
hard, tough, cryptocrystalline quartz, with very hard "poppies" in
light pink, with dark red centers. I've selected, cut, carved,
and finished a great looking
pair of handle scales; they are tough and will outlast the blade.
I've refined them to a bright, glassy polish, and they are rounded
and smoothed for comfort. Gemstone is an eternal material, requiring
no care whatever, maintaining its finish, appearance, and
usefulness longer than any other
material. The knife feels substantial in the hand,
with the balance point exactly at the heel of the blade. When
gripped with an overhand spine pinch, this large knife feels light
and maneuverable, smooth and fresh, ready for any chef's task. A
simple rinse is all it usually takes to clean the bright, polished surface
in most functions. It's simply made for preparation, accurate
cutting, slicing, mincing, and dicing, for generations. A true
family knife.
- Stand: A knife this substantial needed a commensurate stand, and for this unique
creation, I designed a very special piece. Using the round motif of
the poppy patterns in the gemstone handle, I created a bold form of
circular
curves in American Black Walnut and American Ash hardwoods to sleeve
the blade completely. The design features an elegant and simple "drop" insertion
internal slot, so that the knife heel drops a bit when it's properly
found home. This is not a rigid lock, but allows two things: one is
that the user knows when the knife is properly nested in the block
because it drops into position, and secondly, inhibits the knife
from simply sliding out of the block should the block be tilted. The knife slides on the very tough and durable
American Ash hardwood spine, and
has to be slightly lifted to be removed from the slot in a gentle,
natural move. To create a wide and stable base, I turned two pillars
of American Black Walnut into compound round forms and split them
and mounted them on the central block. The cloud-like form needed to
reflect the Poppy Jasper in the handle so I cut, shaped, and
polished six cabochons of the Indian Poppy Jasper and inlaid them in
the Walnut sides. I sealed the woods with Tung and Danish oil, and
coated the entire stand with sunlight-resistant polyurethane for
easy wipe-off cleaning. I mounted six neoprene feet in the base, so
that any surface the stand sits on is protected, and air can
circulate beneath the wood to keep it elevated off of wet countertops.
The stand is lightweight yet very stable, smooth, sealed, tidy,
and neat.
- This is a striking, unique, and beautiful work of art, an
essential tool, in tremendous premium materials and condition, ready
for generations of delicious masterpieces. Welcome to the
family!
Thanks and Contratulations, E. and E. B. !
