Jay Fisher - Fine Custom Knives

Knife Details:

The Knife: "Concordia"

• Size: Length overall: 14.0" (35.6 cm), Blade Length: 9.0" (22.9 cm), Thickness: 0.145" (3.7 mm)
• Weight: 16.2 oz. (459 grams)
• Blade: 440C High Chromium Martensitic Stainless Steel, Hardened and Tempered, T3 Specialty Cryogenically treated to Rockwell C58, mirror polished
• Bolsters/Fittings: 304 High Nickel, High Chromium Austenitic Stainless Steel, mirror polished
• Handle: Sodalite Gemstone (Brazil)
• Type/Purpose/Origin: The Concordia is a popular pattern I've made for many years, because it's simply a great chef's knife design. The knife is a classic "Sabatier" style, originating in France and well-recognized all over the world. The Concordia is large, and I've made this one with the finest treatment and presentation possible for a singular knife, and a beautiful, bold and useful hardwood case and accessories.

Knife Blade Materials/Treatment

• Blade Steel Alloy: The knife blade of this Concordia is 440C, hypereutectoid martensitic stainless tool steel, my most requested steel for good reason. When properly treated, 440C is a dependable, reliable workhorse of extremely high corrosion resistance, good toughness and high wear resistance. The tremendously high chromium in 440C along with the high carbon and moderate molybdenum results in profuse chromium carbides, increasing corrosion resistance as well as wear resistance. There is a reason that 440C is the steel that all other stainless tool steels are compared to. This steel is a high performer in the kitchen, requiring little care other than a light wash. Air drying is fine; it's absolutely corrosion resistant.
• Heat Treatment: The blade has my T3 heat treatment, yielding astounding blade performance and incredible condition through advanced processing protocols. How advanced is this treatment? It's a multi-stage cryogenic treatment, involving temperatures ranging in over 1800°F to -320°F (-196°C). The process is an evolution of my advanced heat treating processes, and consists of 33 dedicated and specific steps and takes 172 hours. This means that just to heat treat this blade takes over a week. The reason for this is scientific and critical, but yields the most stable, most wear-resistant, most durable and long-lived structure of this steel, profuse with fine multi-element carbides and a uniform and unbelievably robust structure. This is a testament to my determination to make the very best knives, steels, treatments and kits in the modern world. I know of no one else who has advanced the treatment to this level; it's unheard of in the metals and knifemaking field. This is, simply put, 440C at its very finest advanced condition.
• Blade Finish: The blade and bolsters of this knife are completely smooth and mirror polished. All the hand-contact surfaces are rounded, contoured, and smooth, for a very comfortable feel. The mirror polish not only makes the surfaces easy to clean, it dramatically improves the corrosion resistance. I mentioned before that this is the kind of blade and finish that I use in my own kitchen, and cleaning is absolutely the easiest possible, even with sticky foodstuffs like dates and dried fruits. A simple brush with soapy water, a rinse, and air dry is all it takes to clean these knives.
• Bolsters: I bolstered the knife with my signature zero-care, high nickel, high chromium 304 austenitic stainless steel bolsters, contoured and rounded for comfort of the hand, and shaped and radiused in the front face for easy cleaning. This is an extended length front bolster, and it allows a comfortable "pinch" style grip of the spine when dicing, or fine cutting when the knife user wants to "neck up" on the blade. The bolsters are attached with multiple through-tang pins of 304 stainless steel, and the mounting is permanent, as well as extremely corrosion-resistant. This is the same steel used for stainless steel nuts, bolts, and fasteners, and the bolsters are heavy, thick, and solid, giving great balance to the knife. Did I mention that this type of bolster is zero-care? Of course it is.
• Handles: The handle scales for the Concordia are gemstone, chosen by my clients for a bold, blue color. Choosing Brazilian Sodalite also added some fascinating pattern and light play in the striking gemstone handle. Sodalite is a feldspathoid, often used in jewelry, and this particular gemstone has a black matrix for a bold, rich contrast. In the bright light, there is a distinctive and striking shimmer that is difficult to show in any photograph. The scales are bedded to the tang with a stress-free mounting, locked under the bolster dovetails, rounded and smoothly polished. The fit is flawless. The handle scales are solid and smooth, and simple to clean and maintain, with just a soapy wash and rinse.
• Feel and Balance: The knife feels sizeable and capable in the hand, with the balance point exactly at the heel of the blade. When gripped with an overhand spine pinch at the extended front bolster, this large knife feels light and maneuverable, smooth and fresh, ready for any chef's task. A simple rinse is all it usually takes to clean the bright, polished surface in most functions, and the knife satisfies food safety requirements. While the spine is thick and strong, the wide and deep hollow grind lightens the weight considerably. The point is extremely thin and aggressive, yet tough and well-supported by the blade geometry. This is a master chef's knife made for accurate cutting, slicing, mincing, and dicing, for generations. A true family heirloom.

The Case, Prise, and Sharpener

Knife Case

• Size: Length: 17.9" (45.5 cm), Width: 5.5" (14 cm), Height: 4.75" (12.1 cm)
• Weight: 9 lbs., 3 oz. (4.2 kg)
• Materials: American Black Walnut Hardwood, Sodalite Gemstone, Laser Engraved Leatherette, Neoprene feet, Engraved Black Lacquered Brass, 304 Stainless Steel Hinges and Fasteners
• Description: I wanted to make a very nice, especially useful case for my client and for this exceptional knife. American Black Walnut is a classic hardwood, beautiful and tough, and I made this case in solid black walnut, with finger-jointed corners. I oiled the hardwood with a Tung-oil and polymer stabilizing sealer, and after drying completely, used a lacquer for a beautiful, rich and easy-to-clean finish. The lid of the case has all stainless steel hinges and screws for zero corrosion and care, and I included an engraved black lacquered brass materials plate on the inside, coated with acrylic. I also included a blue/silver/black polyester and PVC "leatherette" laser-engraved hinge opening stop with my maker's mark, and an extra one, too. The lid overhangs the sides for easy opening, and the bottom has inset foam neoprene feet to protect any countertop and reduce skidding. Notably is a Sodalite Gemstone drawer pull on the right side.

Knife Silicone Prise

• Inside: Knife Prise: My clients requested a silicone prise for their knife, a particularly useful adjunct for the knife. I make the prises myself, designing and making the molds and using food contact-safe high strength silicone, hand-casting each one. For this knife prise, I created a custom dye set that has deep royal blues and wisps of black, working nicely with the black and blue of the knife gemstone handle. Read more about this important accessory for chef's knives on my Chef's knives page at this link. The heavy prise sits on top of a floating shelf inside the case. The knife prise can be removed from the case by removing the bottom screw of the leatherette lid opening stop to move it out of the way, pulling out the sharpener drawer, and pushing up with the fingers on the shelf inside. The beautiful prise can be a stand-alone knife holder, or can be used with the case, depending on my client's preference. See the photos below.
• Knife Prise Size: Length: 16.5" (42 cm), Width: 4.5" (11.4 cm), Height: 1.0" (2.5 cm)
• Knife Prise Weight: 2 lbs., 7.7 oz. (1.1 kg)
• Knife Prise Material: Food grade-safe contact high density silicone rubber, hand-dyed, hand-cast to fit this specific knife and case

Knife Sharpener Drawer and Prise

• Inside: Knife Sharpener: One of the important and critical needs for the knife user, and the only maintenance he will perform himself is knife sharpening. While my cryogenically treated knives have incredible wear resistance, every knife will, sooner or later, need sharpened. I detail this in great length on my Kitchen, Chef's and Culinary Page at this link. I decided to include a specialized drawer for the sharpener, considering that the sharpener is double-sided and needs a strong, non-slip, non-skid silicone prise to use and to protect the counter, bench, table, or surface that the knife is sharpened on. What better place to keep the sharpener and prise than in the base of the case? I made a Black Walnut drawer, and used the same gemstone as the knife (Blue Sodalite) and made a polished drawer pull to add a very classy custom touch. The drawer can be pulled completely out, the silicone prise removed, and the double-sided sharpener fits perfectly in the pocket to provide a non-slip holder while honing the blade.
• Sharpener Prise Size: Length: 14.8" (37.6 cm), Width: 3" (7.6 cm), Max Thickness: 0.5" (1.3 cm)
• Sharpener Prise Weight: 10.7 oz. (303 grams), with sharpener: 22.2 oz. (629 grams)
• Sharpener Prise Material: Food grade safe contact high density silicone rubber, hand-dyed, hand-cast to fit this specific knife and case
• Sharpener (Hone): DMT double-sided diamond phenolic base, 325 mesh and 1200 mesh
• Drawer: American Black Walnut, Sodalite Gemstone, Stainless Steel drawer pull stud and fastener