{"product_id":"damascus-butcher-cimeter-buffalo-horn","title":"Damascus Cimeter, 12 Inch Butcher Knife with Buffalo Horn Handle","description":"\u003cp\u003eA cimeter is the long curved butcher blade, the spine sweeping up through the last third and finishing in a raised point above the line of the handle. Butchers use one for breaking large cuts down and for long slicing strokes. This is the big version of that shape, a 12 inch blade in hand forged Damascus with a ladder pattern etched along the curve, buffalo horn scales over a full tang, and a tooled leather sheath.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eSpecification\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e12 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOverall length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e17.5 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHandle length\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e5.5 inches\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade steel\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDamascus over a high carbon core\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBlade finish\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLadder pattern, mirror bevel\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHandle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBuffalo horn, brass pins\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTang\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFull tang\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSheath\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHand tooled leather sheath\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEngraving\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e20 dollars per piece\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMade in\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eForged and finished by hand in High Point, North Carolina.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWarranty\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLifetime warranty against defects, free sharpening for life.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe blade\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe steel is Damascus, pattern welded over a high carbon core and etched so the light and dark layers stand apart. The pattern is ladder, so the bands run across the blade and follow the arc of the edge as it rises to the point, with the bevel polished mirror bright against them. At 12 inches this is the long end of the cimeter range, and one pull covers a whole cut rather than half of one. The core is carbon steel, so it darkens with use and will rust if it is left wet.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe handle\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eWater buffalo horn is a natural material, polished here to a deep black with faint gray streaking through it. No two sets read the same, and the streaks catch light in a way a dyed synthetic scale never manages. Horn is dense and warms in the hand quickly. Three brass pins pass through the scales into the steel, and the tang runs the full length of the handle behind them, showing as a line all round the outside.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWhat it is for\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is the knife for taking a large cut apart and then slicing it down, and the extra length suits people working with whole primals rather than a pack from the counter. The arc keeps the edge engaged through one long draw, and the raised point leaves clearance at the tip. It suits home butchery and game processing. The length and the curve make it wrong for fine dicing on a board.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eThe leather\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe sheath is cut to the shape of this blade, which means a long curved throat rather than a straight pocket. The leather is vegetable tanned. A welt is sewn into the seam so the stitching stays 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 paisley inside a beaded border, cut and shaded into damp leather rather than printed.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWho it suits\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis one goes to people who already know the shape and want the version they will keep.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHome butchers working with whole primals\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHunters breaking down deer and hogs\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCollectors who want Damascus in a working pattern\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eWhat comes in the box\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe Damascus cimeter\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe tooled leather sheath\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eA care card\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003ch3\u003eEvery piece is different\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Damascus pattern is drawn out by hand, so no two blades repeat. The horn is natural and its streaking changes from one set of scales to the next. Expect yours to differ from the photographs in pattern and in color.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eLooking after it\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eHand wash in warm water and dry it straight away. Never leave it in the sink and never put it in a dishwasher. Damascus has a carbon core, so it darkens with use, and that gray patina is normal and protects the steel. Give it a light coat of food safe mineral oil before it goes away. Sharpen on a stone following the bevel already there. More in our \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/knife-care-sharpening\"\u003eknife care and sharpening page\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003ePut a name on it\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003eLaser 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 sentence. We send a proof image before the laser runs, and it adds 3 to 5 business days. See the \u003ca href=\"\/pages\/engraving\"\u003eengraving page\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eQuestions buyers ask\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat is a cimeter knife?\u003c\/strong\u003e A long curved butcher blade whose spine rises through the last third to a point above the handle line. Butchers use it to break large cuts down and to slice.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs 12 inches too long for home use?\u003c\/strong\u003e It suits whole primals. For smaller work the 10 inch cimeter is easier.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat is buffalo horn like?\u003c\/strong\u003e Dense, natural, polished deep black with gray streaking, and it warms in the hand.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWill it match the photo?\u003c\/strong\u003e No, the pattern, the horn and the tooling differ on every piece.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCan it go in the dishwasher?\u003c\/strong\u003e No, hand wash and dry it straight away.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow long until it ships?\u003c\/strong\u003e Most US orders arrive in 5 to 7 business days.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor a shorter carbon steel version, see the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/butcher-cimeter-knife-rosewood\"\u003ebutcher cimeter with a rosewood handle\u003c\/a\u003e, and for a straighter edge the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/breaking-knife-hand-forged-micarta\"\u003ehand forged breaking knife in black micarta\u003c\/a\u003e. More sits in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/cleaver-butcher\"\u003ecleavers and butcher knives\u003c\/a\u003e, in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/damascus-steel\"\u003eDamascus steel\u003c\/a\u003e, and in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/kitchen-knives\"\u003ekitchen knives\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Viper Edge USA","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44140535349366,"sku":"VEF-BUT-DAM-CIM-705","price":219.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0710\/2427\/9670\/files\/damascus-butcher-cimeter-buffalo-horn-handle_2f04ff46-c919-4cc2-8b34-02f0992a7825.jpg?v=1788796218","url":"https:\/\/viperedgeforge.com\/products\/damascus-butcher-cimeter-buffalo-horn","provider":"Viper Edge USA","version":"1.0","type":"link"}