The Ultimate Kitchen Knife? One knife to rule them all? Seriously? There is no such thing. However, ask any weekend chef or professional culinary expert and most will tell you they have a favorite “Go-to” knife that they pull out of the drawer or knife roll 90% of the time. The goal of the James Bridgman Chef’s knife is simply to fill that “Go-to” role. After studying the most common knives used by Chef’s and weekend Foodie’s, a general consensus is that most serious kitchen work is accomplished with either an eight inch European style Chef’s knife or a variation of the Japanese style Santoku. James Bridgman set out to combine the best attributes of these timeless designs into a contemporary form capable of myriad culinary tasks. The handle is hand formed on the grinder and tapers both vertically and horizontally to minimize excess material and provide balance with the blade. Designed with multiple grip angles or an overhand “pinch” grip in mind, the handle is both versatile and functional. The minimalist design lessens fatigue during long prep sessions while maintaining enough purchase and finger space for larger hands. The blade tapers from spine to blade edge throughout the knife to include the handle. In this fashion the balance attribute of distal taper are present without losing any strength in the handle of the blade. Machined cutouts formed in the tang during the machining process aid in balance. Primarily designed as a push cutter, enough rocker remains in the blade to cut utilizing a rocking action if desired with weight forward enough to chop with the best. The primary steel used in the Chef’s knife is AEB-L stainless steel. Originally formulated to make razor blades, this steel has outstanding toughness and sharpness. However, other stainless or carbon steels are available at market cost if desired. Custom handle material options are available or we can integrate a material of your choice on special request. Call us to discuss your project. We specialize in creating an heirloom knife with personalized touches unique to the owner of the knife as a unique statement of their life story.