RAW OAK 3-piece kitchen knife set
Made to last a lifetime.
Three knives for different jobs in the kitchen: THOR Chinese chef’s knife, TYR bread knife and BALDR compact santoku. The oak knife stand in the photos is not included.
Three knives,
each with its own job.
Thorᚦ
God of thunder, protector of gods and people
His hammer Mjölnir was forged by the dwarves Brokkr and Eitri. When Thor throws it, it always strikes and returns to his hand. He rides across the sky in a chariot pulled by two goats.
For vegetables, herbs, fish and boneless meat. The shape recalls a cleaver, but the blade is thin and not made for bones or frozen food.
See THOR
Tyrᛏ
God of oaths and courage
When the gods bound the wolf Fenrir, Tyr laid his hand between its jaws as a pledge. The wolf bit. Tyr lost his hand, and kept his word.
Baldrᛊ
The bright god, loved by all
Frigg made everything in the world swear never to harm her son. Only the mistletoe she did not ask, because it seemed too young. Loki found it, and with it Baldr was killed. After Ragnarök he returns to a new world.
Also intended as a children’s knife. BALDR arrives very sharp, so children should only use it under close adult supervision and guidance.
See BALDRFrom heat
to deep cold.
In Norse myth, the world began in Ginnungagap, where the fire of Muspelheim met the ice of Niflheim. That contrast returns in the treatment of every RAW OAK blade. The steel is vacuum hardened, then deep cooled in liquid nitrogen. The full treatment gives the blades a hardness of 61 HRC.
61 HRC.
Hard steel, used with care.
Hardness is one of the factors that affect how long a knife stays sharp. For comparison, a typical German chef’s knife is made of X50CrMoV15 steel, which is normally hardened to between 54 and 58 HRC. Hardness is only one part of how a knife performs; blade geometry, sharpening and use matter too.
The trade-off: hard steel is less forgiving. Keep these knives away from bones and frozen food, and off glass or stone boards.
The scale starts at 54 HRC so the differences are easy to see. Hardness varies with heat treatment. The hardness ranges are quoted from MachineMFG and the X50CrMoV15 figure from the steel mill SIJ Metal Ravne (56 HRC). They give context; they are not results from a side-by-side test of these knives.
Sources
- MachineMFG: 5Cr15MoV and 9Cr18MoV compared
- SIJ Metal Ravne (steel mill): SINOXX 4116 / 1.4116 data sheet (56 HRC)
- Background reading: Larrin Thomas, Knife Steel Nerds: steel and edge retention (CATRA)
- Background reading: Guo et al., Metals 15(1), 2025: cryogenic treatment of 50Cr15MoV knife steel, a different steel from RAW OAK
What are you
cutting tonight?
Tyr
Use long, steady sawing strokes. Let the serrations work through the crust without pressing down on the loaf.
Thor
Tyr
BaldrOak was
Thor's tree.
Across the old North, the oak belonged to the god of thunder. It is the wood of the whole RAW OAK series, and the reason for its name.
The handles are stabilised North American red and white oak. Brass at the end of each handle helps the balance. Some handles are fumed with our own oak-fuming method, others are burnt. The grain of the wood and the different blade surfaces give each knife its own character.
All the blades in the set are made from 9Cr18MoV steel and hardened to 61 HRC.
We make RAW OAK in small batches in our workshop, never more than 300 of each knife at a time. Every knife gets its final edge by hand.
The gods in
your week.
Two of these names live on in the days of the week: Tyr in Tuesday and Thor in Thursday.
Three knives.
One price.
RAW OAK
- THOR, TYR and BALDR
- 100 days to return, for any reason. If you change your mind, you pay the return postage. If a knife is faulty, we cover the return postage. Returns policy
- The knives arrive sharp. Unpack them carefully. BALDR is also intended as a children’s knife, but children should use it only under close adult supervision.
- The oak knife stand in the photos is not included. A 4-slot oak knife stand is sold separately.
- Questions? Call or WhatsApp Jacob: +45 20 46 46 90
The set
The mark · Thor
The lettering · Thor
The handle · Thor
The teeth · Tyr
The mark · Tyr
The short blade · Baldr
The mark · BaldrSimple care.
A lifetime of use.
Hand wash
Wash each knife by hand, dry it straight away and put it away. Never the dishwasher.
Cut on wood
Use a wooden or suitable plastic board. Not glass, stone or metal.
Wax the oak
If the handle feels dry after many washes, sand lightly with 1500-grit paper and rub in a food-safe wood wax.
Learn to sharpen
RICEKNIFE does not sharpen knives. Jacob teaches you to do it yourself: Jacob's Sharpening.
The rest of
the series.
Before you decide.
Which RAW OAK set should I choose?
The RAW OAK 3-piece kitchen knife set contains THOR for vegetables, fish and boneless meat, TYR for bread, and BALDR for smaller cutting tasks. The 4-piece set offers a different combination: ODIN, FRIGG, TYR and FREYA. The 6-piece set brings all six knives together.
What do I get for the price?
Three knives with blades in 9Cr18MoV stainless steel, vacuum hardened and deep cooled in liquid nitrogen to 61 HRC. For comparison, a typical German chef’s knife is made of X50CrMoV15 steel, which is normally hardened to between 54 and 58 HRC. The handles are stabilised oak with brass at the end, and every knife gets its final edge by hand. As a set, you save 9% compared with buying the knives one by one.
Will steel at 61 HRC chip?
Yes, the edge can chip if the knife strikes bones, frozen food or hard shells, or is used on glass or stone boards. The hardness of 61 HRC helps the edge resist wear, but hard steel is less forgiving. Use each knife for its intended tasks on a wooden or suitable plastic board.
Can THOR chop through bone?
No. THOR has the shape of a Chinese cleaver, but the blade is thin and made for vegetables, herbs, fish and boneless meat. Bones, frozen food, hard shells and hard chopping can chip the edge.
Can children use BALDR?
Yes, but only under close adult supervision and guidance. BALDR is a compact santoku that is also intended as a children’s knife. The blade is 105 mm, the knife weighs 73 g, and it arrives very sharp.
Why are the knives named after Norse gods?
Every knife in the RAW OAK series carries the name of a god from Norse mythology. THOR is linked with thunder, TYR with courage and BALDR with light. THOR, the Chinese chef's knife, got its name because it looks like his hammer.
Can the knives go in the dishwasher?
No. Wash each knife by hand, dry it straight away and put it away. A dishwasher can damage both the edge and the oak handle.
How do I keep the oak handle looking good?
Sand the oak lightly with 1500-grit sandpaper and rub in a food-safe wood wax made from mineral oil and beeswax if it feels dry after many washes.
Is the knife stand included?
No. The set is the three knives. The stand in the photos is not included. A 4-slot oak knife stand is sold separately.
Do the knives arrive sharp?
Yes, every knife gets its final edge by hand before it leaves us. Unpack the set carefully and keep the knives away from children when they are not in use.
Who designed the set?
Danish chef Jacob Bech and Creative Director Shanru Lin, the founders of RICEKNIFE.
Can I return the set?
Yes, within 100 days, for any reason. If you change your mind, you pay the return postage. If a knife is faulty, we cover the return postage. Our returns policy does not affect your statutory rights. Read the returns policy.
The Scandinavian
Kitchen Knife Set.
Three knives, designed by Danish chef Jacob Bech and Creative Director Shanru Lin. Made to last a lifetime.
€ 267,00 incl. taxSave € 27,00 vs. buying the knives separately