OUR KNIVES

The steel

With selecting the Uddeholm STR carbon steel, we have one of the best European blade steels. A fine steel with high hardness (=HRC 58) and best cutting properties similar to today’s special and rare German carbon steel such as Herder. The similarity of this Uddeholm to the worldwide highly prized Japanese blue steel is very manifest. The darkening of the upper blade is a natural coloration – a rolling skin-, due to the pressure and the heat during the blade’s formation.
This steel brings advantages with it that require special dedication and care:
  • finest sharpness
  • high durability (meaning the knife stays sharp for a very long time)
  • prone to rusting and tarnishing (as result of minor care)
As it was the case here before the 1960s, such carbon steel knives belong to the everyday life in Japan up to this day and their care requirements are manifest – this is a part of the old tradition, which is revived for our Nordic knives. Even today, China, Japan and Vietnam are still faithful to the old traditions and enjoy using knives, made out of carbon steel (just for the previously mentioned advantages and benefits).

The handle

The handle consists of a solid piece of Karelian curly birch. This wood is found only in eastern Finland und neighbouring Russia. It is treasured as a high end material for knife and tool handles since ancient times. The curly birch is botanically a special – “abnormal” – growth of a birch, which occurs rarely. The trunk only increases by a few millimetres each year. Therefore, the handle is characterized by great hardness and durability. A beautiful, uniquely drawn wood, on which we are very proud and which will give you lifelong joy and pleasure.

Usage

Our knives look similar to chopping knives, but they are by no means! This is a very important point: using it as a chopping knife is inadequate to the technical concept of use and would damage the cutting edge in the extreme case. The Vankkas are “chef’s knives” for everything that is cut sharply.

A high level of sharpness excludes good chopping abilities. In order to ensure your pleasure it is important to avoid damage due to improper use such as:

  • chopping bones
  • mincing woody herb stems, e.g. rosemary
  • frozen foods
  • so all materials not suited for a sharp cut

Skillful cooks can easily dissect a chicken with a Vankka, but a bad shot could lead to a nick at the cutting edge. It is best to just chop with a special cleaver and use our knives for the fine cutting work.