In our SHOT Show 2019 coverage we introduced you to Sandrin Knives’ new TCK 416 folder. Sandrin’s standout feature is that their knives are made of Tungsten Carbide, an incredibly hard metal.
Sandrin has just launched a Kickstarter for their new Nakiri kitchen knife. Named for the classic Japanese nakiri knife which it’s styled after, it has a straight blade ideal for cutting vegetables with a straight up and down motion.
Why Is This On GunsAmerica?
You’re probably wondering why we thought you might care about a new kitchen knife. Well, firstly, it’s distributed in the USA by Cabot Guns, which distributes all Sandrin’s knives. You can even get matching scales on your Cabot 1911 and your Sandrin fixed-blade knives, which is fun.
But mostly, these knives from Sandrin represent innovation in the industry. They’ve completely changed the way tungsten carbide can be used and we think there will be applications across the industry. When you’re at the bar in a few years and someone remarks about the new tungsten carbide thingy they just bought, you’ll speak up and say, “Ya know, that was innovated by this Italian tool company a few years ago–I actually got in early on their Kickstarter, and my kitchen knife is still sharp.”
Sandrin is innovating the blade industry and they’re even pushing new technologies by 3D printing the handles.
Blade Innovation
This knife is incredible because of that tungsten carbide blade. Tungsten carbide is widely used in tool applications–you probably have carbide-tipped saw blades. It’s known to be very hard, but also brittle. It starts life as powdered tungsten and carbon and cobalt and then it’s forged into an alloy and shaped for tools. There is no iron in the blade–it’ll never rust.
Sandrin has conquered the brittleness problem with their proprietary polyhedral tungsten carbide. Sandrin’s parent company has been making tungsten carbide tools for more than 50 years, so they are not new to metallurgy.
Their knife blades are not brittle and are even flexible. That means that they can achieve an edge far better than even the best steels and they maintain the edge much better than ceramic blades, which are prone to chipping.
Also, unlike your tungsten carbide saw blade, this knife isn’t edged with tungsten carbide. The whole knife is a homogenous alloy, not just the edge.
As a kitchen knife, this thing cuts incredibly well. My favorite image from their Kickstarter video is when they cut a paper-thin slice off three grapes without even holding them. Cutting precisely is fun, but the edge of this knife will last. There’s nothing worse than trying to prepare a meal with a dull knife, and you’ll probably not ever have that problem with Sandrin’s Nakiri.
Handle Innovation
The handle of this blade is printed using PA11 glass infused nylon. It’s innovative because they’re able to produce high quantities using 3D printing technology and maintain the strict quality standards of Sandrin knives. That’s pretty cool.
They collaborated with Jason Morrissey, a renowned artisan knife maker, for the design of the handle. It’s designed for a positive grip in either hand.
It’s Not Too Costly
Fine cutlery is very expensive — culinary students often finance their blade sets — but the Nakiri is surprisingly approachable. It’s MSRP is $220, which is not cheap, but it’s probably the last knife you’ll need for your kitchen. Heck, I’ll use it camping, too. Anytime I’m making food, a sharp knife is worth a lot.
Check out the Kickstarter campaign where you can get a discount on the MSRP, and don’t be fooled by Kickstarter’s wording — you can still be a backer. Early orders will begin shipping in July. The Nakiri could be a good Father’s Day gift for the patient dad. Keep an eye on Sadrin Knives for more info and ordering.
Perfecting a Rock Chuck recipe???? Dude, how in hell do you get past the damn smell to begin with??
No offense, but that alone is enough for most people to not even bother.