FORGE Ash & Chrome chef's knife, Hainan Huanghuali
Aogami No. 2 chef's knife · 63.5 HRC
With a Hainan Huanghuali handle.
Ultra limited: fewer than 50 Aogami knives made so far.
The heel
The tip
The handle
Where dark meets lightAsh & Chrome
Made to last a lifetime. The rough forged surface, mirror-polished bevel and dark core give this chef's knife its name. Its wide Aogami No. 2 core has a hardness of 63.5 HRC and is clad on both sides in 316L stainless steel. Jacob fits the octagonal wa handle, which has a Hainan Huanghuali exterior and a red sandalwood core. He then darkens the exposed Aogami core with a patina.
Ash & Chrome is a K-tip chef's knife, also called a bunka. You can use it much like a gyuto to prepare vegetables, fish and boneless meat. The thin blade has a hard carbon-steel core. The cladding is stainless, but the core is not, so wash the knife by hand and dry it straight away. Ash & Chrome was designed by Jacob Bech and Shanru Lin.
Return it within 100 days for any reason. If you have simply changed your mind, you pay the return postage. Returns policy · Terms
The nameAsh & Chrome
The name comes
from the blade.
Ash & Chrome takes its name from the contrast between the dark patinated core and the mirror-polished steel beside it.
The power hammer leaves a rough, textured upper surface above the polished bevel. After fitting the handle, Jacob darkens the exposed core with a patina.
- 01
Edge
A fine, mirror-bright line along the sharpened Aogami edge.
- 02
Core
The exposed Aogami core, darkened with a patina by Jacob after he fits the handle.
- 03
Bevel
Ground and polished to a mirror finish.
- 04
Forged surface
The rough, dark upper surface left by the power hammer.
“Having rough and mirror and dark and core, you end up with a lot of contrast. And contrasts are beautiful because it sets things in perspective.”
Chapter IIThe steel
Why it is called
blue paper steel.
Aogami means “blue paper”. The steel was developed by Hitachi Metals, now Proterial. Early batches supplied to selected Japanese blacksmiths were wrapped in blue anti-rust paper. The name stuck.
Ash & Chrome has a wide Aogami No. 2 core with a hardness of 63.5 HRC and a double-bevel edge. The cutting edge can be polished to a mirror finish. The core is carbon steel, so wash the knife by hand and dry it immediately after use. Read more in our guide to Aogami steel.
Chapter IIIThe handle
Hainan Huanghuali
handle.
The handle has two visible sections of Hainan Huanghuali: a long section and a shorter one beside the blade. Jacob describes colours ranging from light yellow and brown through reddish orange to dark red-brown, with “so much life in the wood”.
Inside is a red sandalwood core. Jacob inserts the tang about halfway into the handle and glues it into the red sandalwood core. He chose red sandalwood because this resin-rich wood moves very little as humidity changes, helping the tang stay firmly seated.
Every handle is different. Jacob buys a board of Hainan Huanghuali and cuts the handles from it. The grain changes across the board, so even two handles cut side by side are similar but never identical. Yours will resemble the one in the photos, with its own colour and grain.
Ash & Chrome specifications
The knife
in detail.
- The knife
- A certificate describing its name and story, the steel and its hardness
- Packed weight: 435 g, with the knife and certificate
CompareThree RICEKNIFE options
Aogami carbon steel
or VG10 Damascus.
| Ash & ChromeThis knife · FORGE | Blood & FireFORGE | EX-ANIMO IIISix-knife set | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core steel | Aogami No. 2 carbon steel, clad in 316L stainless | VG10 stainless steel | VG10 stainless steel |
| Hardness | 63.5 HRC | 62 HRC | 62 HRC |
| Blade surface | Rough forged upper surface, mirror-polished bevel, patinated core | Hand-forged copper and brass Damascus | 73-layer Damascus |
| Handle | Octagonal wa, Hainan Huanghuali exterior | African ebony | A different handle for each model |
| Care | Hand wash and dry at once, as the carbon core can rust | Hand wash and dry | Hand wash and dry |
The FORGE series
Explore the
FORGE series.
Blood & Fire
It began with a heat-treatment mistake: the copper burned and the brass melted, leaving each blade different.
See Blood & Fire
Loss & Gain
The hammered texture did not turn out as planned, so the blade was ground much thinner than intended and then acid-etched, revealing a new pattern.
See Loss & GainMore from RICEKNIFEEX-ANIMO III
The EX-ANIMO III
collection.
Chapter IVCare and sharpening
Caring for
carbon steel.
Hand wash
Wash the knife by hand and dry it straight away. Never put it in the dishwasher.
Dry at once
Aogami No. 2 is a carbon steel. If left wet, it can discolour or develop rust spots.
Cut on wood
Use a wooden chopping board. Avoid glass, stone and steel surfaces. The thin blade and hard core make this knife unsuitable for cutting bones or frozen food. Never twist the blade or use it to pry.
Sharpen on stones
Explore the RICEKNIFE sharpening system and its accompanying guides.
Questions about this Aogami chef's knife
Before you decide.
What is Aogami No. 2?
It is a Japanese carbon steel developed by Hitachi Metals, now Proterial. Aogami means “blue paper”. The name refers to the blue anti-rust paper used to wrap the steel. This Ash & Chrome knife has a wide Aogami No. 2 core at 63.5 HRC.
Why is there a black line along the blade?
It is the exposed Aogami core, which Jacob darkens with a patina after fitting the handle. The dark line beside the mirror-polished bevel is part of the finish that gives Ash & Chrome its name.
What can I use Ash & Chrome for?
It is a K-tip chef's knife, also called a bunka, and you can use it much like a gyuto to prepare vegetables, fish and boneless meat. The thin blade has a hard core, so it is not for bones or frozen food, and it should never be twisted or used to pry.
Will this Aogami chef's knife rust?
The cladding is 316L stainless steel, but the Aogami No. 2 core is carbon steel. Where the core is exposed, along the edge and the dark line, it can discolour or develop rust spots if left wet. Wash it by hand and dry it straight away. Never put it in the dishwasher.
Can the edge be sharpened to a mirror finish?
Yes. The Aogami No. 2 cutting edge can be polished to a mirror finish. Our sharpening system and guides are linked in the care section above.
Does the knife have a single or double bevel?
It has a double bevel: the cutting edge is sharpened on both sides.
How is the handle fitted?
Jacob inserts the tang about halfway into the octagonal wa handle and glues it into the red sandalwood core. He chose that wood because it barely moves as humidity changes, so the tang stays firmly seated.
What is Hainan Huanghuali?
Huanghuali is the Chinese name for the wood of Dalbergia odorifera, a true rosewood native to southern China, also called fragrant rosewood. It is best known from classical Chinese furniture. In the trade, Hainan Huanghuali means huanghuali from the island of Hainan.
What woods are in the handle?
The outside is Hainan Huanghuali, in a long section and a shorter one beside the blade. Inside is a red sandalwood core.
Will my handle look exactly like the photos?
No. Jacob cuts every handle from a board of Hainan Huanghuali, and the grain changes across the board, so no two handles are the same, even when cut side by side. Yours will have its own colour and figure.
How big and heavy is it?
Measured by Jacob: a 210 mm blade from heel to tip, a 135 mm handle, 362 mm overall and 200 g.
What comes in the box?
The knife comes boxed with a certificate that describes its name and story, the steel and its hardness. The box measures 43 × 7.5 × 3 cm. The packed weight, including the knife and certificate, is 435 g.
How many are there?
There are eight knives with this handle. All eight are in Greve, Denmark, ready to ship, and Jacob has personally checked each knife.
How are the blade marks made?
The 米刀 / RICEKNIFE and LINBECH marks are made by electrical discharge machining (EDM), rather than laser engraving or stamping.
How does Ash & Chrome differ from EX-ANIMO III?
The EX-ANIMO III knives have 73-layer Damascus blades with a VG10 core. Ash & Chrome has an Aogami carbon-steel core, a rough forged upper surface and a mirror-polished bevel. Because the carbon-steel core is exposed, the knife needs washing and drying immediately after use.
Who designed it?
Ash & Chrome was designed by Jacob Bech and Shanru Lin. Jacob fits the handle and patinas the core.
Is Ash & Chrome a suitable gift?
It suits someone who appreciates carbon steel and the colour and grain of Hainan Huanghuali, and who is happy to wash and dry the knife after use.
What if it is not right for me?
You can return it within 100 days for any reason. If you have simply changed your mind, you pay the return postage. Read the returns policy. Questions before buying? Call or WhatsApp Jacob on +45 20 46 46 90.
I hope this knife will follow you through a long and healthy life!
JACOB BECH
Ash & Chrome.
Hainan Huanghuali.
An octagonal wa handle, fitted by Jacob.
€ 375,00 incl. tax
Spedizione gratuita: UE oltre 399 € · USA oltre 699 € · Reso entro 100 giorni
Disponibilità: 8 disponibili