A chef's knife in 80CrV2 with a black Cu-mai finish and a teak handle, forged by hand in Groningen. Cu-mai is five layers: cladding, a thin layer of copper, the hard core, then the same again mirrored. The core takes the edge, the outer layers keep the blade tough. I like working with teak, even though the dust is super sticky. The ferrule is buffalo horn, and I keep being amazed how black it becomes when you polish it. The blade has a coffee etch, which forces a patina, a dark layer, on steels low in nickel. The 80CrV2 stains very dark and the 15N20 stays silver, so the steels show contrast.
Care
Wash by hand and dry the knife after use, with the cotton cloth it came in or a dishcloth. Carbon steel can rust and discolour. The darker layer that forms is called patina, and it protects the steel and gives your knife its character. Never leave acids on the blade, they discolour it and destroy the patina. Hone the edge with a honing steel just before or right after use.
