Jay Fisher - Fine Custom Knives

"Cygnus" Fine Handmade Custom Chef's Knife

• Size: Length overall: 10.25" (26.0 cm), Blade Length: 5.5" (14.0 cm), Thickness: .142" (3.6 mm)
• Weight: Knife: 7.8 oz. (221 grams) Sheath: 6.3 oz. (179 grams)
• Blade: 440C high chromium martensitic stainless steel blade, T3 deep cryogenically treated with triple tempering to 59 HRC
• Bolsters, Fittings: 304 Austenitic Stainless Steel, Mirror polished
• Handle: Cuprite Mosaic Gemstone (Arizona)
• Sheath: Hand-stamped, highlighted leather shoulder
• Knife: This custom knife was made for a great client, to his specifications. Cygnus is named for a the Northern Star constellation, and also means The Swan, befitting this graceful, elegant knife. The design is straightforward, a medium-sized chef's knife, with a good blade length and useful heel to allow work on the board and protection of the hand from the cutting edge. The drop shape of the handle clears the palm comfortably, and the knife has a deep 10" radius hollow grind for longevity and a thin single bevel cutting edge. How thin is it? Just behind the cutting edge, the thickness of the blade is about .020", or the thickness of about five sheets of notebook paper. This can be accomplished because of the steel type and treatment.
  • The steel I chose for this knife is Food Contact Safe 440C high chromium martensitic stainless steel, my most requested steel for a reason. When properly treated, it's a dependable, reliable workhorse of extremely high corrosion resistance, good toughness and high wear resistance. The high chromium of 440C along with the high carbon and moderate molybdenum results in profuse chromium carbides, increasing corrosion resistance as well as wear resistance. To bring this steel to its zenith, I used my proprietary T3 deep cryogenic process in heat treating this blade; it's a highly detailed, extremely sophisticated process that takes 33 individual steps and takes over a week long. The result of this is an incredibly wear-resistant blade that has extremely high carbide development, fine grain, and extremely high corrosion resistance. Asperity is reduced; the microstructure development is superior to any other typical handmade knife, and far above any factory or manufactured knife. This is, simply put, 440C at its very finest advanced condition.
  • I bolstered the knife with zero-care 304 high chromium, high nickel stainless steel bolsters, which are contoured, rounded and finished for a comfortable feel. The bolsters are secured with zero-clearance peened pins and dovetailed to bed the handle scales. The front bolsters are sealed and rounded at the faces, the rear bolsters are wide and flat, for a good feel and counterbalance in the palm.
  • The handle scales of this knife were chosen by my client, and they are called Cuprite Mosaic. This is a bit of a confusing name, since there is so much more to the gemstone. It is a mosaic of different materials, with greenish bronchantite, chrysocolla, rich cobalt-blue azurite, white quartz and limestone, and copper oxide tenorite. These minerals play to give a unique look that my client wanted, with small rivulets of blue-green, blue, and turquoise throughout with sunset-reddish fields in a white background.
  • The knife feels light and tough in the hand, ready for work in the kitchen. It's just the right size for most tasks, a true crossover classic design that is a useful as it is beautiful. This knife is Food Contact Safe.
• Sheath: My client requested a simple sheath, so I hand stamp-tooled a tri-weave pattern, with coffee brown highlights, and a water-based sealant for longevity. It's a deep sheath with a high, protective back, and it's fully stitched with chestnut colored nylon. It's made of thick 9-10 oz. leather shoulder for durability.
• An elegant, tasteful, graceful chef's knife with striking gemstone handle and a comfortable feel.

Thanks, J. H.!