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Chris Kidder Special 12" Chef

Chris Kidder Special 12" Chef

Chef knife for the chef’s chef. For those who can wield it, this uber-knife designed with LA uber chef, Chris Kidder, is the greatest chef knife you will ever use. A paradigm shift in what a chef knife can be.

Regular price $500.00
Regular price Sale price $500.00
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Color: Sunburst

Color
This item is made to order and ready to ship in 4 weeks. All Tactical Outdoor Chef orders will ship in May.

Description

Agility meets might in blade design.
While many folks mistake it for a mere slicing knife, The Chris Kidder Special was developed with Chef Chris to be the knife for everything the finest cuisine demands. In an article in the LA Times, Chris was referred to as LA’s “Chef’s Chef” for his long tenure as Chef de Cuisine at Campanile, the James Beard Award-winning “standard” for Southern California cuisine, where he trained many of LA’s finest young chefs. Today Chris works as a private chef who regularly cooks for ex-presidents, super star athletes, rockstars and A-List movie stars.

Brother Chris is the brother-in-law of New West founder Corey Milligan. Milligan says, “I’ve been honing my cooking skills with Chris ever since we made breakfast for a college all-nighter party for St Patrick's ‘Green Beer’ Day. Needless to say we have both gotten a lot better since then. I finally had to break down and make this gigantic knife for him so I could get him to use one of my knives all day, every day. In the kitchen, he’s not easy to please.”

The New West KnifeWorks' Chris Kidder is the ultimate chef knife. Don't be intimidated by the size of this knife, the extra length adds leverage for slicing everything from sushi to meats, soft ripe vegetables, or crusty bread. The length allows you to leave the tip on the cutting board while you lever up and down in a traditional European style.  Resting the tip on the cutting board gives added control for incredibly precise cutting. In SoCal, most meals have some component of raw fish, sushi, sashimi or crudo.  The long blade slices raw fish with the precision of a Japanese Yanagiba or sushi knife. This knife can perform all the chopping, dicing, and general-purpose work of a chef knife while having the added length to cleanly slice the softest food in one long stroke.

In the details: the blade spine does not distal taper for the first 4" of the knife length, which maintains the right amount of stiffness for chopping as well as slicing. Most of New West’s other knives have a full distal taper from handle to tip. And the blade width is 1.75" to ensure that Chef Chris Kidder’s knuckles won't hit the cutting board when chopping; most long slicing knives are narrower.

Specs

Blade length 11 5/8 in
Total length 17 3/4 in
Height 1 3/4 in
Blade thickness 0.015 in
Spine thickness 0.095 in
Weight 8.6 oz
Steel CPM S35VN
Rockwell scale 58-60 HRC
Made in USA
Block height -
Block width -
Block depth -
Clearance height to remove knives -
Handle material -

Use & Care

  • Hand wash with warm soapy water and hand dry for maximum edge retention and stain resistance. For safety and edge protection, store dry knives in their leather sheath, in a wood block, or on a magnet designed to hold knives. For a full tune-up: free lifetime sharpening.
  • Do not put in the dishwasher - this will dull the knife.
  • For edge retention, cut only on wood or softer plastic cutting boards.
  • As needed, apply a light coat of mineral oil to the handle with a soft cloth to enhance vibrance. 
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Lifetime Sharpening

Stay sharp with free tune ups for life. Drop by a store or ship it our way.

Free Returns

Not the right fit? Try another option, or get a full refund within 30 days.

Lifetime Warranty

Every knife comes with a lifetime 100% performance satisfaction guarantee.

A beautifully balanced knife—and it stays sharp. A lot more light and playful than you’d expect a knife this big to be.

The New West Difference

Unmatched Performance

We use CPM S35VN particle metallurgy steel which has the best combination of sharpness, toughness, edge-holding, stain resistance, and sharpenability on the market.

G-Fusion Handle

G10 is an aerospace-grade, fiberglass-epoxy composite material that is virtually indestructible. We developed unique color palettes to inspire creativity in the kitchen.

American Made

Every knife we make is crafted from start to finish by an individual maker in the Teton Mountains using American steel and backed by a lifetime guarantee.

Ironwood

Sustainably sourced, richly textured desert ironwood grows in Arizona where the water-depleted environment creates a grain structure so dense that it sinks in water. The extreme density of ironwood makes it a strong and durable choice of handle material.

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Blade Length 11 5/8 in 8 5/8 in 7 5/8 in
Total Length 17 3/4 in 14 3/4 in 13 3/4 in
Height 1 3/4 in 2 in 1 5/8 in
Blade Thickness 0.015 in 0.015 in 0.015 in
Spine Thickness 0.095 in 0.095 in 0.095 in
Weight 8.6 oz 7.5 oz 6.8 oz
Steel CPM S35VN CPM S35VN CPM S35VN
Rockwell Scale 58-60 HRC 58-60 HRC 58-60 HRC
Made In USA USA USA
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