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I’ve always been the kind of person who is good with enough, I’ve never had to have the most or the best. But I often wonder though, do I ever know how good something is if I’ve never had the best? Do I really know what it is like to drive a car if I’ve never driven a Lamborghini? Have I ever truly tasted champagne if I’ve never had Cristal Rose touch my lips? Maybe, maybe not. I don’t know. What I do know is what it is like to use a fine chef’s knife in the kitchen, because I have used the best.
A few weeks back I received a package from a company in Wilson, WY by the name of New West Knife Works. I opened it to find, to my surprise, the most beautiful chef’s knife I have ever seen. It was the company’s 8 inch Fusionwood chef’s knife packed along with a large leather sheath covering the blade.
I was immediately drawn to the handle with its vibrant ringed colors seeming flowing through the wood. I read the included card to find out that the handle is made by impregnating hardwood veneers with dyes and resins to create a durable and long lasting handle.
I hadn’t even picked it up yet. I was enamored with the beauty of it and couldn’t get over that I was expected to use it and not just display it as a piece of art. I couldn’t imagine plowing through a pile of vegetables with it. It would be like driving a perfectly clean Porsche through a mud hole. 
But maybe that is the most beautiful part about this knife. Not only does it look good, but it is also an excellent knife.
Once I got over my fear of getting it dirty I took it into the kitchen to put it through the paces with a bunch of onions, peppers and chicken breasts with which I was going to be making a green chili.
Picking up the knife for the first time you immediately notice it’s heft. While I own many other chef’s knives, none come close matching the heavy body of this Fusionwood knife. You know this isn’t going to fall apart.
It’s the weight that makes using this knife such a pleasure. While you may think that using a heavy knife would tire you out more quickly, it’s just the opposite. You use much less energy because the knife is actually working for you. A novel idea, I know.
I have large hands and I would say that the handle is quite comfortable but the overall 14 inch size might be a bit too much for a smaller cook. I also tested different grips on the knife and they all seemed to work fine unless you favor the method where you grip your index finger around the bolster. The inner butt of the handle has some square corners that could cause could cause discomfort with extended use. 
As far as the actual cutting and chopping goes, I have never used anything finer. The big, super-sharp blade easily dealt with the soft chicken and the hard onions. The blade is made from Japanese steel and New West Knife Works claims that it has 70% more carbon than Wustof’s best knives allowing it to hold a truer edge longer. With the way the knife performed, I can not argue with that.
The New West Knife Works’ Fusionwood 8 inch chef’s knife is truly a piece of art. It is also a highly functioning tool for your kitchen. Chances are, it will outlast you. So whether you want a piece of art or a unique kitchen tool that can be cherished for generations, you need to get your hands on one of these.
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March 23rd, 2009 at 11:37 am
Not too long ago the New Yorker ran an article about a guy who makes extraordinary knives:
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/11/24/081124fa_fact_oppenheimer
Cook’s Illustrated said they were the best they’d ever found. Amazing that after 150 years of R&D, there are still improvements to be found in steel.