Chef Knife, 6.3-Inch High Carbon Stainless Steel

The Pirge Ecco Chef Knife has a 16 cm (6.30 inch) straight-edged blade of German 1.4116 high carbon stainless steel, glacial heat treated to 54+ HRC and sharpened and polished twice, on an injection-molded plastic handle. At 50 mm wide and 2.0 mm thick, it's a compact, light chef knife that stays quick and easy to steer on a small cutting board.

Specifications

• Blade length: 16 cm (6.30 in)
• Blade width: 50 mm
• Blade thickness: 2.0 mm
• Steel: German 1.4116 high carbon stainless
• Hardness: 54+ HRC
• Heat treatment: Pirge's glacial process
• Edge: straight, sharpened and polished twice
• Handle: injection-molded PP plastic

Best for

The everyday work a chef knife does: chopping vegetables for a stew, slicing meat, and mincing herbs. The shorter blade suits smaller hands and smaller boards. For big jobs like splitting a winter squash or carving a roast, a longer blade does it in fewer strokes. New to a chef knife? Start with our Knife Techniques Beginner's Guide.

Care

Pirge recommends hand washing, because dishwasher detergents can leave oxidation spots on the blade. Dry it right after washing.

Questions

What steel is it made of? Pirge lists 1.4116 German stainless steel, glacial heat treated to 54+ HRC.

What angle should I sharpen it at? Pirge doesn't publish one for the Ecco. For a Western-style stainless chef knife like this, our How to Sharpen a Kitchen Knife guide works at about 20 degrees per side.

Can it go in the dishwasher? Pirge advises against it. Hand wash it and dry it right away.