YOLO III

Is YOLO III a K-tip santoku?

YOLO III has the tall, compact blade of a santoku, 16.8 cm long, with an angled tip instead of the usual rounded sheepsfoot tip. It is Riceknife’s own design for vegetables and everyday preparation: the tall blade gives your knuckles clearance, and the defined tip helps with small cuts. It is at its best on vegetables, but it handles meat, fruit and most everyday preparation just as well; just keep it away from bones and frozen food. The core is cobalt-bearing VG10 and the knife is finished by hand.

What does the Chinese writing mean?

The blade carries 人生苦短及時行樂: life is short, enjoy it while you can. YOLO stands for you only live once. Both the calligraphy and the RICEKNIFE name are engraved directly into the right side of the blade by EDM. Shanru Lin and Jacob Bech gave the knife its name as a reminder to live.

Is YOLO III a good gift?

Yes, for a birthday or a new chapter. YOLO III is a 16.8 cm Damascus santoku vegetable knife with the calligraphy 人生苦短及時行樂, life is short, enjoy it while you can, engraved into the blade. It is the knife to give for a 30th, 40th, 50th or 60th birthday, for a retirement, for Christmas, or to the friend who keeps putting life off. It is also the knife people buy for themselves after a year they want to put behind them. First release of 200, numbered certificate.

Who is YOLO III for?

Someone turning 30, 40, 50 or 60; someone retiring; someone who cooks for one and deserves a proper knife; the friend who always postpones. Its 183 g and compact blade suit someone who cooks at home every day. Because every handle is made from three different pieces of golden sandalwood, no two gifts are the same.

Can YOLO III be engraved or gift wrapped?

Yes. We can engrave a name, a date or a short line, and we can gift wrap the knife. Message Jacob on WhatsApp (+45 20 46 46 90) or Instagram (@riceknife_denmark), or email [email protected], when you order, to agree the text and the wrapping. He will tell you what can be engraved and how long it adds to dispatch.

How does YOLO III differ from TIGRITUDE III?

Both are tall blades for vegetables, both hand-forged on a power hammer and finished with deep acid etching. YOLO III has a 16.8 cm santoku blade with an angled tip and a handle of three pieces of golden sandalwood; it weighs 183 g. TIGRITUDE III has a 20.8 cm kiritsuke blade, longer and with a straighter edge, and a handle of snakewood and dark rosewood; it weighs 185 g. If you want a compact knife for onions, herbs and the day’s vegetables, choose YOLO III; for a longer blade that also covers fish and boneless meat, choose TIGRITUDE III.

Why does YOLO III cost more than an ordinary VG10 Damascus knife?

The steel: not every steel sold as VG10 is the same, and ours is a cobalt-bearing VG10 that comes with a mill certificate, and we publish the figures on it. It is oil quenched and tempered to 62 HRC, and the edge is still ground by hand. The surface: the blade is hand-forged on a power hammer, the forging dies leave fine, irregular marks, and deep acid etching then brings out a real relief you feel under your fingertips, not a printed or lasered pattern. The finish: the calligraphy and the name are engraved by EDM, every edge is ground by hand, and every knife is examined before it is approved.

Is YOLO III laser engraved?

YOLO III is finished by hand. The calligraphy and the RICEKNIFE name are engraved directly into the blade by EDM, not laser. The RICEKNIFE and LINBECH logos on the left side are stamped into the steel. The texture on the flat of the blade comes from the forging dies on the power hammer and is brought out by deep acid etching.

Is YOLO III hand-forged?

Yes. YOLO III is hand-forged on a power hammer. Rough forging dies leave fine, irregular marks in the hot steel, and deep acid etching then brings out the Damascus layers as a relief. The edge is then ground by hand by Jacob and his team in the workshop, and every knife is examined before it is approved.

Is the VG10 in EX-ANIMO III standard VG10?

It is a cobalt-bearing VG10 steel, and it comes with a mill certificate that we keep. The certificate lists the core steel as C 1.10 %, Cr 14.56 %, Mo 0.84 %, Co 1.54 %, V 0.25 % and W 0.11 %. We publish these figures so you can compare them with any other knife yourself; we do not claim they are better than the standard.

Looking for a Japanese VG10 Damascus santoku?

YOLO III gives you what people look for in a VG10 Damascus santoku: a 16.8 cm tall blade with a cobalt-bearing VG10 core at 62 HRC, 73-layer Damascus and a hand-ground edge, with an angled tip for precise cuts. It is designed in Denmark by RICEKNIFE, not made in Japan.

Is YOLO III a luxury knife? What makes it collectible?

A first release of 200, a numbered certificate with every knife, a blade hand-forged on a power hammer, calligraphy engraved into the steel by EDM rather than printed on it, a handle of three separate pieces of golden sandalwood that is different on every knife, a hand-ground edge and a documented cobalt-bearing VG10 core. We call it functional art for the kitchen.

Would you prefer a quieter Scandinavian knife set?

For a more affordable set with a quieter Scandinavian expression, see the Raw Oak six-knife set.

How do I sharpen it?

On diamond stones, following Jacob’s videos. We sell three sharpening sets, each with its own video: Beginner, Chef and Professional. Start with the set that matches how often you cook, not how good you think you are.

How do I care for the blade and the golden sandalwood?

Wash by hand and dry straight away. No soaking, no dishwasher. Wood or suitable plastic board. No bones, frozen food or twisting. The golden sandalwood is already hand-finished with a wood wax Jacob Bech makes from organic beeswax and food-grade mineral oil, so routine oiling is not required; wipe the handle dry with the blade. Sharpen as needed on diamond stones; see Jacob’s videos.