165mm Stainless San-Mai Utility Knife | Handmade Kitchen Knives
Hand forged in the U.K. by Korben

Stainless San-Mai Utility Knife

Your Investment

£672.00

Tax included. Shipping calculated at checkout.

What's Included

  • One of a kind handmade utility knife
  • Presentation box
  • Microfiber cloth
Lifetime Guarantee

The guarantee of a handmade product is that of the maker's logo - a mark both displaying, and creating a reputation for high quality work. Any issues will be made right. We're always happy to maintain, sharpen, or refinish your knife.

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Knife display stand
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KWB Iron-Guard
KWB Iron-Guard £50.00
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KWB Sharpening System
KWB Sharpening System £195.00
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The story behind this knife

A laser-thin, low-maintenance daily workhorse that fuses cutting-edge metallurgy with a timeless, agile profile.

Handle detail
One of one. Never to be repeated.
"A utility knife shouldn’t feel like an afterthought; it should be the blade you instinctively reach for first. With this 165mm profile, I wanted to forge the ultimate daily driver. By cladding a laser-thin, ultra-hard ApexUltra core within low-maintenance stainless steel, we created a knife that delivers uncompromising, world-class edge retention without requiring constant pampering during a busy service."
Korben Bloomfield
Features & Details

ApexUltra Super-Steel Core: Forged with one of the most advanced high-carbon steels on the market. ApexUltra is engineered specifically for handmade knives, delivering extreme purity, legendary toughness, and a level of wear resistance that outlasts traditional carbon steels.

Stainless San-Mai Cladding: A traditional three-layer construction featuring a premium stainless steel jacket over the high-carbon core. This gives you the best of both worlds: the unmatched cutting feel of carbon steel at the edge, protected by highly corrosion-resistant sides.

KWB Iron-Guard Ceramic Coating: Applied near the spine and heel, this specialized ceramic layer seals the exposed carbon transitions, offering a rugged, modern barrier against moisture where you need it most.

Aggressive K-Tip Utility Profile: At 165mm, this blade balances the agility of a petty knife with the knuckle clearance of a small chef's knife. The reverse-tanto "K-tip" allows for incredibly detailed, precise detail work.

Stabilised Chestnut Handle: Crafted from deeply figured chestnut wood that has been resin-stabilised to completely resist moisture and temperature shifts, paired with a polished black bolster.

Specifications
  • ApexUltra carbon steel core with stainless steel cladding.
  • 165mm - 6.5 ” blade length.
  • 47mm - 1.75“ tall at the heel.
  • Weighs 147g - 0.32lb.
  • ~64hrc.
  • 'Special black' finish.
  • Take-down handle build.
  • Stabilised burl chestnut handle.
  • KWB-Iron-Guard coating.
  • Thin semi-convex edge.
Shipping & Delivery

UK orders are dispatched within 1–2 working days via Royal Mail Special Delivery (Age Verified). International shipping available — calculated at checkout.

All knives are carefully packaged to arrive in perfect condition.

Care & Maintenance

Hand wash after use and dry thoroughly.

Full care guide →

Forging process

The Making of This Knife

The Search for the Ultimate Daily Driver
In both professional and home kitchens, there is a distinct sweet spot between a large chef's knife and a small paring knife. A true utility knife needs to be nimble enough to draft into delicate tasks like shallot prep, yet robust enough to handle proteins or a mountain of herbs.

The heart of this knife is ApexUltra steel. Because it is highly refined for fine carbides and high hardness, working it requires immaculate temperature control during the forge and heat-treat cycles. We sandwiched this high-performance core between two layers of premium stainless steel to form a traditional San-Mai laminate.

During the grinding process, we brought the geometry down to a beautifully thin, laser-like semi convex edge, revealing an incredibly active, wavy lamination line where the two steels meet. To elevate its practicality, we applied our proprietary KWB Iron-Guard ceramic coating to ensure that this functional art piece remains resilient under the pressures of daily culinary life.