Background... As this knife began to be envisaged on the drafting table, we knew it was going to be special. The french style blade is lithe, making quick work of even the most challenging kitchen tasks, from vegetables to proteins. This knife is the fusion of timeless form, couture styling, and impeccable performance. Handle... Ocean-Wash Gold Mating the high performance carbon steel blade with Genuine 24 Karat Gold and a unique hand picked specimen of curly maple wood was yet another revelation... form and function could co-exist harmoniously, and yet practically. †History of the Name... As you may know, we often name our knives after the highest peaks in the Colorado Rocky Mountains, affectionately known as "fourteeners". Longs Peak | 14,259 feet The most northern Colorado 14er is named after Major Stephen Long, an American army officer and explorer who led an 1820 expedition from Pittsburg to the Front Range in search of Pikes Peak. At the time, he was a member of the U.S. Topographical Engineers. On June 30, 1820, he and his party reached a point where they could just barely see the Rocky Mountains. They set their sights on what appeared to be the highest peak, assuming it was Pikes Peak, when it was in fact modern-day Longs Peak. This expedition was the first recorded sighting of Longs Peak by settlers. After realizing it was not Pikes Peak, but rather some other large mountain, the group decided to name it after their leader. Previously, the mountain was known as Nesotaieux by the Arapaho and as Les duex Oreilles, or “Two Ears,” by French fur traders before it was officially renamed in 1890. Bonus fact: Longmont is named after Longs Peak, since the 14er can be seen particularly well from the Front Range city. The French word “Mont” translates to “Mountain." Blade Options... It is available in the following high carbon steel blade formats: Hand-forged Matte, 230 layer Damascus, and in the extremely unique San Mai. Hand Forged Matte - This is the staple of our limited edition blades. It capitalizes on the beneficial properties of high carbon steel, resulting in maximum performance, and an almost silky textured finish. Damascus - While this legendary knife making process dates back thousands of years old, our modernized process creates timeless, contemporary knives. Each of the individual 230 layers of steel folded by hand to create a remarkable and mesmerizing damascus- a wavy, ripple pattern tracing the lines where the steel layers fused. Each piece is a labor of love and creativity. Each damascus pattern is one of kind. San Mai - This "three parts" composition and construction process is Japanese in origin, and it accurately describes how this blade format is produced. We use an extremely technical process of hand forging a stainless steel around a high carbon steel core. The stainless elements are meant to have an imperceptible flex, around a rock hard core that is also the cutting edge. The visible wave that is created when the layers are bonded together is entirely unique to that blade. No two are the same. Specs... Steel: Hand forged High Carbon Steel (type 01) Steel Hardness: 61 hRc Blade Shape: Chef's Blade Options: Matte, Damascus, San Mai Blade Type: Matte, Full Tang Blade Length: 7.5” Edge Type: Straight-back, Convex Edge Angle: 16º Handle Shape: FH1 Handle Type: Gold Leaf/Resin/Curly Maple † Source: https://www.denver7.com/news/local-news/stories-behind-the-summits-the-history-origin-behind-the-name-of-every-colorado-14er
