AMOR II
Chef’s knife for vegetables, meat and everyday prep · 73-layer Damascus, cobalt-bearing VG10 core
€ 200,00 incl. tax
The making
AMOR II was designed by Jacob Bech and Shanru Lin, from the first sketch to the finished edge. Every detail was tried, argued over, and tried again. Each of the six knives in EX-ANIMO III has its own finish. That is by design, not by chance. On AMOR II, that finish is the heart: a repeated heart pattern pressed into the hot steel with a die of our own making, etched until you can feel it, and a full-tang handle in red and black G10.
- The steel73 layers in total, including a cobalt-bearing VG10 steel core; the Damascus layers on both sides are 316L stainless steel.
- The heartsA repeated heart pattern is pressed into the hot steel with a die we make ourselves by EDM. The Damascus layers follow the shape of every heart.
- Oil quenched and temperedHardened and tempered to 62 HRC. The figure comes from our production testing.
- Deep acid etchingThe layers respond differently to the acid, leaving the hearts as raised and recessed areas you can feel on the flat of the blade.
- The markThe RICEKNIFE name and a heart wrapped in a ribbon with the words Amor Vincit Omnia are engraved directly into the right side by EDM. The RICEKNIFE and LINBECH logos are stamped into the left side.
- The handleRed and black G10 on a full tang: the steel runs the whole length of the handle. G10 is a glass-fiber laminate that absorbs very little moisture and needs no oiling.
- Ground by hand, then approvedEvery edge is ground by hand. Jacob examines each finished knife before it is approved. A numbered certificate comes with the knife.
I have worked on its shape and balance for repeated use at the chopping board. With AMOR II, I want to remind you to notice the love already around you, and to have the courage to receive it.
73 layers. One cobalt-bearing VG10 core.
The steel, certified
- IA documented core. We keep the mill certificate for our cobalt-bearing VG10 core and publish its recorded composition, so you can see which steel forms the cutting edge.
- IILayers you can feel. Deep acid etching leaves a relief in the steel itself, not a pattern printed or lasered onto the surface.
- IIIA mark engraved, not lasered. The motif and name are cut by EDM to avoid deforming the blade. It costs more time, labor and electricity.
- IV62 HRC, tested. Oil quenched and tempered; the hardness comes from our production testing, not from the certificate.
- VAn edge ground by hand. Ground by Jacob and his team in the workshop, not on a production line. Every knife examined by Jacob before approval.
The certificate describes the annealed raw bar, 236 HB, and does not certify layer count or finished hardness; the 62 HRC comes from our own testing after heat treatment. No single element makes a knife; the core, the heat treatment and the geometry do.
Amor vincit omnia.
Shanru Lin chose the heart as this knife’s symbol. Amor vincit omnia is Latin: love conquers all. On the right side of the blade, a heart wrapped in a ribbon carries the words, engraved directly into the steel by EDM.
Love here is not only the grand kind. It is care, and the things we do for each other. A meal cooked for someone is one of the ways we show it. AMOR II is a reminder to notice the love already around you, and to have the courage to receive it.
The first release includes 200 AMOR II knives. Each comes with a numbered certificate.
The heavier chef’s knife.
Long enough for a full slice through a roast, with enough weight behind the edge to go through dense vegetables without forcing it. Of the two chef’s knives in EX-ANIMO III, this is the one for people who like some authority in the hand.
Hearts pressed into hot steel.
AMOR II is finished by hand. The heart pattern is pressed into the hot steel with a die we make ourselves by EDM, and deep acid etching brings the Damascus layers up around every heart as a relief you can feel on the flat of the blade, away from the edge. Turn the blade in the light and the hearts take on depth.
The heart and the words Amor Vincit Omnia on the right side are engraved directly into the steel by EDM, no laser. Run a finger over them and you will feel the edges. Give this knife to someone you cook for, and the blade says what a meal already says.
Red and black G10, full tang.
The handle is red and black G10 over a full tang: the blade steel continues through the entire length of the handle, and the G10 scales are fixed to it. G10 is a laminate of woven glass fiber and resin. It absorbs very little moisture, it does not swell or shrink with the seasons, and it needs no oiling. The color runs through the material, so it does not wear off.
Where VALKYRIE III balances with a brass weight at the butt, AMOR II balances through the tang itself. The steel inside the handle puts the balance point where your fingers hold the knife, so the extra weight sits in the hand and behind the edge, not at the tip.
About the edge
Warning: this knife arrives sharper than most people expect. Unpack it with care and keep it away from children.
The core is a cobalt-bearing VG10 steel, oil quenched and tempered to 62 HRC, then hand sharpened on stones by Jacob and his team in the workshop. In the film above, at the very end, he tests it the way we test every knife: a sheet of printer paper, no pressure, one clean cut.
Cut on wood or suitable plastic, never on glass, stone or metal. No bones, no frozen food, no twisting in the cut. Wash by hand and dry straight away.
In detail
- Type
- Damascus chef’s knife, Western full-tang handle
- Blade
- 23 cm. Overall 355 mm, handle 125 mm
- Weight
- 242 g
- Steel
- 73 layers in total, including a cobalt-bearing VG10 steel core; the Damascus layers on both sides are 316L stainless steel
- Core
- Cobalt-bearing VG10 steel: C 1.10 · Cr 14.56 · Mo 0.84 · Co 1.54 · V 0.25 · W 0.11%
- Hardness
- 62 HRC after tempering, oil quenched
- Making
- Finished by hand
- Surface
- Repeated heart pattern pressed into hot steel with a die made by EDM, brought out in relief by deep acid etching
- Right side
- RICEKNIFE and a heart wrapped in a ribbon with the words Amor Vincit Omnia, engraved directly by EDM
- Left side
- RICEKNIFE and LINBECH logos stamped into the steel
- Handle
- Red and black G10, full tang
- Edge
- Ground by hand
- Edition
- First release of 200. Numbered certificate included. Further production possible
- Gift
- Engraving and gift wrapping on request
- Collection
- EX-ANIMO III 2026
Designed in Denmark by RICEKNIFE. The cobalt-bearing VG10 core is documented by a mill certificate we keep. Read about the steel
Buy
€ 200,00 incl. tax
- Limited edition. First release of 200, numbered certificate included.
- Ground and finished by hand. Jacob examines every knife before approval.
- Engraving and gift wrapping on request.
Ask JacobAsk Jacob anything: a knife, a stone, a gift, or your own sharpening. We do our best to be here around the clock and to reply within the hour during the day, Copenhagen time, or first thing next morning if you write at night.
WhatsApp +45 20 46 46 90 · Instagram @riceknife_denmark · [email protected]
We keep evolving.
EX-ANIMO III is the third generation of the series, and every generation has been a step on from the last. EX-ANIMO III has a cobalt-bearing VG10 core with a mill certificate we can show you, a motif and name engraved by EDM instead of laser, a deeper etch you can feel, and an edge ground by hand by Jacob and his team. We do not release a new series until we are sure it is a step forward. This is the best we have made so far, and the next one will have to beat it.
The collection
VALKYRIE III
The longer, lighter chef’s knife. 23.7 cm, 204 g, long Damascus lines and runes cut into the steel.
Knife care
Keep it this sharp
A knife this sharp stays sharp only if you maintain it. Jacob spent five years on the sharpening system below, and made a video for each set. Start with the set that matches how often you cook, not how good you think you are.
The full system, Jacob’s story and all the videos: Jacob’s Sharpening
Questions
Is AMOR II a chef’s knife or a gyuto?
AMOR II is a 23 cm Damascus chef’s knife in Riceknife’s own design: a curved edge and a pointed tip like a gyuto, with a Western-style full-tang handle in red and black G10. The core is cobalt-bearing VG10 and the knife is finished by hand.
What does Amor Vincit Omnia mean?
It is Latin for love conquers all. On the right side of the blade, a heart wrapped in a ribbon carries the words, engraved directly into the steel by EDM. Shanru Lin chose the heart as the knife’s symbol.
Is AMOR II a good gift?
Yes, for someone you cook for, or who cooks for you. AMOR II is a 23 cm Damascus chef’s knife with a heart pattern you can feel and Amor Vincit Omnia engraved into the blade. It is a gift for a wedding, an anniversary, a new home, Valentine’s Day, Christmas, a parent or a partner. First release of 200, numbered certificate.
Who is AMOR II for?
Someone who cooks for other people and wants some weight behind the edge. It is the heavier of the two chef’s knives in the collection, 242 g and 23 cm.
Can AMOR II 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.
How does AMOR II differ from VALKYRIE III?
AMOR II has a 23 cm blade with a heart pattern pressed into hot steel and a red and black G10 full-tang handle; it weighs 242 g. VALKYRIE III has a 23.7 cm blade with long Damascus lines and a handle in wood, G10 and brass; it weighs 204 g. If you want more weight behind the edge, choose AMOR II; for a longer blade at a lower weight, choose VALKYRIE III.
Why does AMOR II 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 hearts are pressed into the hot steel with a die we make ourselves and then deep etched, so you feel a real relief under your fingertips, not a printed or lasered pattern. The finish: the heart and the name are engraved by EDM, every edge is ground by hand, and every knife is examined before it is approved.
Is AMOR II laser engraved?
AMOR II is finished by hand. The heart, the ribbon and the RICEKNIFE name are engraved directly into the blade by EDM, not laser. The repeated heart pattern is pressed into the hot steel with a die and brought out by deep acid etching.
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 chef’s knife?
AMOR II gives you what people look for in a VG10 Damascus chef’s knife: a 23 cm blade with a cobalt-bearing VG10 core at 62 HRC, 73-layer Damascus and a hand-ground edge, with a Western full-tang handle. It is designed in Denmark by RICEKNIFE, not made in Japan.
Is AMOR II a luxury knife? What makes it collectible?
A first release of 200, a numbered certificate with every knife, a heart pattern pressed into the steel and engraved by EDM rather than printed on it, 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 G10 handle?
Wash the knife by hand and dry it after use. No soaking, no dishwasher. Use a wooden or suitable plastic board, and avoid bones, frozen food and twisting the blade. The G10 handle absorbs very little moisture and does not need oiling; wipe it dry with the blade. Sharpen as needed on diamond stones; see Jacob’s videos.
Still have a question? Ask Jacob on WhatsApp. We usually reply within the hour during the day, Copenhagen time.