Black Mamba Knives

I nearly sent one back once. Fresh out of the box the edge felt fine but not amazing, and I remember thinking I paid too much for what I was holding. Almost boxed it back up that same week. Glad I did not, because the edge kept getting better for about the first month of actual use. Not sharper exactly, more like it settled into itself.A few light touch ups on a stone and it started cutting the way I expected it to from the start. For anyone interested in the basics of keeping a knife edge in good shape, this knife sharpening guide covers the process we use.   Turns out that is a real thing with hand forged blades and not just something people say to sound like they know steel, forging refines the grain structure in a way that stock removal blanks do not go through, and it takes a little actual use before that difference shows up in how the edge behaves. Would not have known that if I had returned it in week one. Now it is the knife I actually reach for daily, and the one I t...

  Why a Chefs Knife and a Pocket Knife Are Not Ground the Same Way People ask me about steel all the time but I think the grind is just as important when it comes to how a knife actually feels in your hand. Steel affects things like edge retention and toughness but the grind shapes the edge and that is what you notice most when using the knife. A chefs knife usually has a full flat grind . The blade gradually gets thinner from the spine all the way down to the edge. This creates a clean wedge shape that helps the knife slice smoothly and move through food without too much sticking. It is also fairly easy to sharpen at home because you can maintain one consistent angle on the stone. Japanese single bevel knives such as a yanagiba for sashimi or an usuba for vegetables work differently. The bevel is only on one side while the other side stays flat. This allows the edge to be extremely thin which is perfect for making very clean and precise cuts. The downside is that the knife can ...