Many people stop in our shop and think of STYLE DE VIE Authentique products. Knives with striking patterns, magnetic knife bands, cutting boards of all shapes and sizes, cheese, butter, steak knives and knife sets - the list goes on and on!
Exciting STYLE DE VIE Authentique knives make almost everyone stop, look and touch. Could it be otherwise: after all, the Dutch have been world-famous for their blacksmithing traditions for centuries. So it's no surprise that FORGED knives from the FORFED collections have received so much praise. We can say with confidence that a sharp, high-quality knife with an exceptional design is at the top of the list of desired gifts (for those looking for gift ideas, take note!).
Collections
STYLE DE VIE Authentique hand-forged knives, based on the design, the steels used for the blades, the material and the shape of the handles, under FORGED under the FORFORGED brand and divided into 6 collections: Olive Forged, VG10 Forged, Katai, Brute Forged, Intense Forged, Sebra Forged. In the Griliai.lt shop you can find Olive, VG10 and Katai collections.
All at FORGED collections under the FORFORGED brand stand out from the rest because of their unique, striking and characterful appearance, their carefully considered shape, their excellent functionality and their top quality. These are knives you can be proud of and admire! They are easily recognisable by their forged blade pattern.
How are handmade knives made? A look inside the STYLE DE VIE Authentique workshop
Making a knife takes a lot of time, energy and, above all, patience. A knife starts with a piece of raw steel that is transformed into a gracefully shaped, sharp knife, before going through a series of processes.
The result is determined not only by the meticulous materials, such as the type of metal and the material of the handle, but also by the human factor: knowledge, skills and abilities.
Let's take a look, just for a moment, into the workshop and into the unfamiliar world of knife making. A world where design, craftsmanship and passion go hand in hand. Opening the door to Style de Vie Authentique cechos:
The knife starts with quality, certified steel selected according to the required characteristics. FORGED Knives made from Japanese steel. If Olive Forged collection knives are made from 7cr17mov, while VG10 Forged and Katai Forged - made of 5 layers of VG10 steel, which is continuously tested.
The rectangular metal blanks are heated at high temperatures to harden them. This is a crucial part of knife production. If the technology is not followed, an inaccuracy of just a few degrees and minutes can "ruin" the steel and thus the quality of the future knife.
Once the metal has been hardened, the workpiece is shaped. This is how the knife gradually begins to take on the required thickness (all FORGED collections are the same - 2 mm) and the intended shape. More on knife shapes in upcoming posts.
The steel is machined repeatedly with a hammer and chisel to produce the unique hammered metal patterns on the blade that are characteristic of the FORGED series. Olive Forged and VG10 Forged the robust hammers are selected, while the Katai Forged - extra small. The pattern they leave behind varies accordingly.
Once the shape is formed, the metal is reheated. Once heated to the required temperature, the FORGED logo is hammered in. You can see it on the blade of each knife, close to the handle.
The hot steel is dipped in a special medium to give it the right hardness and certain mechanical and physical properties.
The Rockwell scale (HRC) is used to measure hardness. The higher the number, the longer the knife stays sharp, the harder it is, but at the same time it is more brittle (has more iron). Olive Forged the collection has 58 knives, Katai and VG10 - 60 Rockwell (HRC) hardness.
The metal shall be polished for the first time after the specified hardness has been obtained. After this process, the blade is fitted into the selected handle. The handle is polished and a forged detail is fitted at the end of the handle. This both extends the design, echoing the forged pattern at the end of the handle, and balances the weight of the knife at the same time.
Olive Forged knives in the collections feature natural olive wood handles. Olive has a light but highly expressive wood grain, antibacterial properties, and is a hard, hard wood that absorbs moisture.
VG10 Forged special root wood is selected for the collection knives, and Katai Forged - Rootwood with a special composite filler, giving an atypical but highly expressive handle pattern.
Sharpening the knife is the most important step in the whole process. The skill and knowledge of the craftsman determines whether your knife will cut accurately, comfortably and sharpen for maximum life. Each knife is carefully prepared by experienced craftsmen.
FORGED collections knives are sharpened using special Japanese water bands of different coarseness.
Depending on the knife shape and metal, the knives are sharpened at different angles: e.g. VG10 and Olive Forged The chef's knives in the collection require an angle of 22 degrees, while the Katai - 18.
After this process, the craftsmen carefully inspect each knife to check its straightness, edge and sharpness.
The knives are thoroughly cleaned before being packed in special wooden boxes with padding. The blades are coated with a protective layer of natural oil.
We invite you to watch a short video about the production of these knives STYLE DE VIE Authentique workshop
