Kenji’s perspective

For me, a knife is more than just a tool. It’s my most valuable partner in the kitchen, the tool I reach for more than any other. Of course, it needs to function perfectly. It needs a hard, sharp edge that stays that way through all my prep. It needs finesse and precision for nimble cuts. It needs heft and balance to help me power through root vegetables or large meat cuts.

But the perfect knife needs to be more than that. It needs to be an object that I truly enjoy interacting with. An object that is as natural to hold as it is beautiful to behold. A knife that gives me a tingle of pleasure every time I reach for it. A knife whose character and utility will only grow with time.

I am so proud to present this collaboration with bladesmith Gordon Hanson. We hope you love using this knife as much as we loved making it.

Kenji’s side of the story

A few years back my family and I were on a road trip exploring Washington and Seattle. We’d planned a two night visit to Falls City, OR, where we booked a tiny home on the property of Gordon and Dusty Hanson. As we pulled into their lot, I met Gordon, who was emerging from his shop with the rough, metal-stained hands and apron of someone who has spent a lot of time working with metal. We immediately connected as he found out I was a chef and I found out he was a knife maker.

Taking Gordon up on his offer to guide me through making my own knife was a no-brainer.

I spent the next day and a half laboriously pounding away at a billet of 20-layer Japanese takefu steel with a three pound hammer and an anvil as Gordon walked me through the steps of forging, shaping, hardening, grinding, and sharpening my knife. The result was a gorgeous–if amateur–blade with a shape I designed to perfectly suit my style of cooking.

It has the basic shape and weight of a Japanese santoku knife, but with a finer, more tapered tip and a slightly deeper arc, making it an all-around workhorse whether I’m breaking down a chicken, smashing garlic cloves, rough-chopping a mire-poix, or making a fine chiffonade of basil.

Over the next few years, Gordon and I worked on refining the shape and balance of the blade until we finally arrived at the knife we are offering now.

Each piece is individually hand-forged by Gordon in Falls City, OR, using 21-layer suminagashi steel from Takefu Special Steels, featuring a Shiro2 ultra high carbon core. It’s engineered for exceptional sharpness and precision and tempered to a Rockwell hardness of 60 to 61. Hammered under a Sakamoto Shiki spring hammer, the steel is finished in the traditional nashiji style, which creates a lightly textured surface that keeps food from sticking to the face of the blade and gives each knife a unique appearance.

The bevels are ground on a Kyowa Japanese water wheel, then acid-etched to reveal the layered suminagashi pattern. The handlers in this limited batch are hewn from stabilized black walnut, sourced from a 200-year-old tree in downtown McMinnville, Oregon, and accented with bands of my signature colors: guava pink and golden yolk.

Each of the 100 knives we are offering today are individually stamped with their batch number and come with a signed and numbered certificate of authenticity.

Each knife is a singular creation—born of heritage, collaboration, and material integrity, as beautiful as it is functional.

• Kenji López-Alt

Caring for your Knife

These are heirloom-quality hand-made carbon steel knives with natural wood handles and will require a bit of special care and attention to maintain their beauty and utility over time.

Blade Care

Carbon steel is known for its exceptional sharpness but is susceptible to rust because it lacks chromium. Here's how to care for the blade:

1. Wash Immediately: After each use, promptly wash the blade with warm, soapy water. Avoid harsh detergents.

2. Dry Thoroughly: This is the most crucial step. Immediately and completely dry the blade with a clean cloth or paper towel. Pay attention to the tang where it meets the handle.

3. Oil Regularly: If your knife will go unused for more than a day or two, apply a thin layer of food-grade mineral oil, camellia oil, or another knife-specific oil to the blade after drying. This creates a barrier against moisture and air. Wipe off any excess oil. You might need to do this more frequently if you live in a humid environment.

4. Avoid Dishwashers: Never put your carbon steel knife in the dishwasher. The high heat and prolonged exposure to water will cause rust and can damage the wooden handle.

5. Handle Acidic Foods with Care: Ingredients like lemon, tomatoes, and onions can react with carbon steel and cause darkening of the metal. This discoloration will not affect its cutting ability.

6. Remove Rust Promptly: If rust spots appear, remove them as soon as possible using an oxalic acid-based cleaner like Bar Keeper's Friend. After removing rust, clean, dry, and oil the blade.

Wooden Handle Care

The wooden handle also needs care to prevent it from drying out, cracking, or warping due to moisture.

1. Avoid Soaking: Do not let the wooden handle soak in water for extended periods.

2. Dry the Handle: When washing the blade, also ensure you dry the wooden handle thoroughly.

3. Oil the Handle: Occasionally, treat the wooden handle with a food-safe oil or wax, such as mineral oil, linseed oil, beeswax, or a specialized wood conditioner. Apply a small amount to a cloth and rub it into the wood. This helps to moisturize the wood, prevent it from drying out and cracking, and can also offer some resistance to moisture. You might do this every few months or when the wood appears dry.

Sharpening

A sharp knife is safer and more effective. Carbon steel knives can achieve a very keen edge and are generally easier to sharpen than many stainless steels.

1. Hone Regularly: Honing with a steel or ceramic rod between sharpenings can help maintain the edge. For an even keener edge, finish with a waxed leather strop. If honing and stropping do not return the blade to razor sharpness, it’s time to sharpen with a whetstone.

2. Use Appropriate Sharpening Tools: Never use an electric knife sharpener on this knife. If you are proficient with hand-sharpening, natural whetstones will do the job. If you are taking the knife to be sharpened professionally, make sure you take it to a service that is familiar with carbon steel and can sharpen your knife by hand.

With proper care, this knife will last more than a lifetime and improve with use.