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I know a LOT of you Homies are interested in local and/or sustainable food choices, but why not apply that ideal to your food tools? When you buy a handmade knife from our newest sponsor Nafzger Forge, you are putting your money towards supporting a domestic small business.
Ben at Nafzger Forge Knives hand-makes kitchen knives of all types — from chef knives, utility knives, and paring knives to cleavers. How is this even possible!? Ben is a freaking blacksmith who takes raw metal (in this case high-carbon steel) and uses his hammer and forge to form it into a blade. Then he uses sandpaper and a grinder to put the finishing touches on the blade. He also cuts and sands raw wood to make the handles. Yeah, Ben is a bad ass. And his knives are GORGEOUS. And he has a nice beard.
Y’all know that I’m no chef (seriously, MY knives are shaped like animals), but Ben’s work is making me want to change my ways… or at least purchase a knife that’ll make me FEEL like a pro. Check out this sexy knife action…
Ben has a background in restaurant work, and also is an avid cook at home, so he’s has experience using a knife for hours on end to prepare food. This insight has helped him to create knives that are comfortable as well as highly functional. And all Nafzger Forge knives are heat-treated so they will be sturdy and strong to hold up to daily use.
And since they are handmade, each one is a unique piece of art — showcased daily in your kitchen! They can also be viewed as an investment to be handed down from generation to generation. Seriously, I’ve never been so attracted to cutlery in all my life…
You can see even more examples of Ben’s work on his website, his Facebook page, or his Etsy shop. But if you’re looking to invest in some good kitchen knives, do us a favor and get in contact with Nafzger Forge — support an kick-ass Offbeat Home & Life sponsor, a small business, and an amazing craft.
I must send this to every foodie I know!
These are gorgeous! I’m going to pin this so that someday, when I have money, I can find it, and get myself an awesome knife! 😀
Hmmmm, I’ve been needing a kitchen cleaver . . . .
These are so gorgeous! I think there’s a spot on my birthday wishlist for one…
I like how he resembles Ryan Hurst in that picture *fan girl sigh*
Looks like a fantastic wedding or housewarming gift!
These knives are stunning.
If anyone is thinking about purchasing one of these beauties for themselves, or as a gift, just know that carbon steel is a lot higher maintenance than most other knives. I am the daughter of a kitchen knife obsessive/blogger. My first set of knives when I moved out were carbon steel (thanks dad!). Let me pass on what I learned:
Guys, these knives have to be washed and dried right away. No leaving the dishes till tomorrow. Definitely no dishwashers. No washing and plopping that bad boy in the rack to air dry. Wash it well, dry it thoroughly, and put it away. Also, cutting certain abrasive foods (ones that leave acidic residues) with carbon steel means washing right away, like immediately, like you can’t even cut one more ingredient really quick, you have to wash and dry, and then cut. This is all to prevent rusting. If you mess up and leave it with water on it (even a bitty little drop), there will be rust the next day. If you keep your knives on a magnetic strip, and, say, your electric tea kettle spouts steam right at it, you will have rust (this one actually happened to me). A little bit of rusting is no biggie though, you just wash it, and steel-wool the heck out of it, and then sharpen it again.
But you know what? Good carbon steel is superior to most stainless steel in every way except rust prevention. Good carbon steel has a certain flexibility to it that stainless usually lacks. This makes for a way more responsive knife. Carbon steel is much easier to sharpen, and really good CS will hold its edge (stay sharp) longer. And all that extra stuff you have to do to avoid rust just forces you to take excellent care of your knives, and so they last longer in every way. Even though my papa upgraded me to a high carbon chrome steel alloy set that I love, I still miss my original carbon steel knives.
Well put Lily, carbon steel does require a little more care but provides many benefits, as you outlined there. I have a section on my website about caring for carbon steel knives that some may find helpful. ( http://www.nafzgerforge.com/about/knife-care/ )
Aaaaannnndddd – this is my new favorite shop ever! I need at least one of these knives as a food photography prop!