Damascus Cimeter, 12 Inch Butcher Knife with Buffalo Horn Handle

A 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.

Specification

The blade

The 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.

The handle

Water 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.

What it is for

This 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.

The leather

The 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.

Who it suits

This one goes to people who already know the shape and want the version they will keep.

• Home butchers working with whole primals
• Hunters breaking down deer and hogs
• Collectors who want Damascus in a working pattern

What comes in the box

• The Damascus cimeter
• The tooled leather sheath
• A care card

Every piece is different

The 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.

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. 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 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 sentence. 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 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.

Is 12 inches too long for home use? It suits whole primals. For smaller work the 10 inch cimeter is easier.

What is buffalo horn like? Dense, natural, polished deep black with gray streaking, and it warms in the hand.

Will it match the photo? No, the pattern, the horn and the tooling differ on every piece.

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

How long until it ships? Most US orders arrive in 5 to 7 business days.

For a shorter carbon steel version, see the butcher cimeter with a rosewood handle, and for a straighter edge the hand forged breaking knife in black micarta. More sits in cleavers and butcher knives, in Damascus steel, and in kitchen knives.