Butcher Cimeter Knife, Hand Forged 10 Inch Curved Blade with Rosewood Handle

A cimeter is the long curved blade a butcher reaches for when a large cut has to come apart. The edge runs in one arc and the spine sweeps up through the last third to a point above the line of the handle. This one is a 10 inch cimeter in 1095 high carbon steel, with oiled rosewood scales over a full tang and a hand tooled leather sheath.

Specification

The blade

The steel is 1095 high carbon. It takes a keen edge and comes back on a stone quickly, which matters on a blade this long. The finish is dark gray off the hammer with faint marks across the flat, and the bevel is ground wide and polished mirror bright. The shape does the work. The edge curves through its whole length and the spine climbs through the last third to a raised point. The honest trade is rust, since carbon steel darkens with use and spots if it is left wet.

The handle

Rosewood scales run the length of the handle, oiled rather than lacquered so the grain stays open and the dark red figure shows. Rosewood is dense and holds oil well, which is why it keeps its grip when hands are wet. Three brass pins pass through the scales into the steel, and the tang runs full length behind them, showing as a line all round the outside. That is what full tang means here.

What it is for

This is the knife for breaking a large cut into pieces and for the long slicing strokes after. The curve keeps the edge in the meat through one pull instead of a sawing action, and the raised point leaves clearance at the tip. Home cooks who buy half a hog use one for the same reason. It is not a board knife for onions and herbs.

The leather

The sheath is cut to the shape of this blade, so the cimeter goes in snug. The leather is vegetable tanned. A welt is sewn into the seam so the stitching sits clear of the edge, a wide belt loop is stitched to the back, and a snap strap closes over the handle. The cream stitching is done by hand. The face is hand tooled with a carved feather pattern inside a carved border, cut and shaded into damp leather rather than printed on. Most listings stop at the words genuine leather.

Who it suits

Anyone who buys meat in large pieces and cuts it down at home wants this shape sooner or later.

• Home cooks who buy a half or a quarter animal
• Hunters processing their own game
• Cooks who want a long slicer for roasts

What comes in the box

• The hand forged butcher cimeter
• The hand tooled leather sheath
• A care card

Every piece is different

Every blade is forged, ground, heat treated and sharpened by hand, so runs stay small and no two finish the same. The hammer marks, the depth of the rosewood color and the shading in the tooling vary from the photographs.

Looking after it

Hand wash in warm water and dry it straight away. Never leave it in the sink and never put it in a dishwasher. The gray patina that comes with use is normal and protects the steel. A light coat of food safe mineral oil before it goes away. Sharpen on a stone, following the bevel already there. Wood or plastic boards only. More in our knife care and sharpening page.

Put a name on it

Laser engraving is 20 dollars per piece and you add it on this page. Around 30 characters fits on a blade or a handle, so a name and a date sits better than a paragraph. We send a proof image before the laser runs, and it adds 3 to 5 business days. See the engraving page.

Questions buyers ask

What is a cimeter knife? A cimeter is a long curved butcher blade with the spine sweeping up through the last third to a point above the handle line. Butchers use it for breaking cuts down and for long slicing strokes.

Why is the blade curved? The curve keeps the edge in contact through one long pull instead of a sawing motion.

Is it full tang? Yes, the steel runs the whole length of the handle and shows as a line all round the scales.

Will this steel rust? It can. Dry it after washing and oil it lightly before storage.

Can it go in the dishwasher? No, hand wash only and dry it straight away.

What board should I use? Wood or plastic, never ceramic or stone.

For the same shape in Damascus, see the Damascus cimeter with a buffalo horn handle, and for a straighter blade the hand forged breaking knife in black micarta. More sits in cleavers and butcher knives, in 1095 high carbon steel, and in rosewood handle knives.