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Home | Knives for Gifts | K Sabatier x Bernal Cutlery Nouvel Ideal 4" Paring Bolsterless Stainle

K Sabatier x Bernal Cutlery Nouvel Ideal 4" Paring Bolsterless Stainless Palissander

$119.40
$119.40
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Nouvel Ideal series knives are drop forged from a single piece of Z50C13 stainless steel and tempered to 54-56 HRC. They are hand ground extra thin behind the edge for awesome cutting feel, easy to sharpen and have good toughness, and a great all around workhorse. Dry immediately after use, never soak or put in the dishwasher. Rust can be removed with a light abrasive.

Over the years, many cooks who appreciate classic French carbon steel chef knives have requested that we grind down the bolsters to make sharpening easier. In response, we worked with K Sabatier to modify the bolster and create an exclusive line of palissander handled carbon steel and stainless knives.  These knives draw their inspiration from the first iteration of this quintessentially French knife design.

All-around Use

Can handle almost any kitchen task.

Light Butchery OK

Safe for use around bones.

Stainless Steel

Non-reactive blade.

Tough Edge

Durable edge grind.

Ambidextrous

Suitable for all users.

Paring

A paring knife is a small, nimble kitchen knife designed for precise hand-held tasks. Its short, pointed blade excels at peeling, trimming, coring, and detail work on fruits and vegetables. Easy to control and maneuver, it’s a core tool for any fine prep that requires accuracy over power.

Listed Length: 4"
Total Length: 187mm
Edge Length: 97mm
Heel Height: 23mm
Spine Thickness:
Weight:
Orientation: Ambidextrous

Blade Type: Stainless Steel
Steel Type: Z50C13
Steel Hardness (HRC): 54-56
Maintenance: Less Attention
Handle Type: Western
Handle Material: Palissander

  • This is a stainless steel knife.
  • It should be hand washed and towel dried. Dishwashers will degrade the edge and handle over time. Extended moisture exposure can still cause oxidation.
  • Use on wooden cutting boards for best results.
  • Avoid hard surfaces like bamboo or plates. Don't twist or scrape the edge on the cutting surface to avoid early dulling and edge damage.

True to 1920s Forging

Our Nouvel Ideal line is an homage to the original Sabatier Ideal model of the 1920s.  Forged full tang integral ferrule/bolster stainless steel construction with aluminum riveted palissander handles are the less reactive cousin to it's Nouvel Carbon counterpart, and *mostly* true to the first Ideals forged in the 1920s in Thiers. 

We have added or subtracted some design features on different knives, but the essentials are still intact after 100 years.

Blending of Past Innovations

The original Ideal pattern is a blend of two knife patterns. The original hand forged Cuisine Massive (aka Nogent) with triangular blade, short tang and second ferrule ring and the drop forged, full tang, short bolstered Canadian.  The Ideal line blends the two with its integral, round ferrule extension of bolster, now synonymous with French knives.

Dive Deeper

Medium - Western Stainless

We recommend hand sharpening on whetstones to a low-medium finish starting around 400 and progressing to 1000 grit with a monodiachrome strop finish. Gentle use with steel honing rods work well for as-needed edge maintenance. Avoid pull-through sharpeners and non-water-cooled mechanized sharpening. If you have to use a honing rod to be able to use the knife comfortably, it's time to sharpen the knife.

Sharpening Supplies

Stones & Accessories selected specifically for this knife.

Bernal Cutlery Takarazukushi 320 WA/800 Cobalt Combination Grit Japanese Whetstone

Bernal Cutlery Takarazukushi 320 WA/800 Cobalt Combination Grit Japanese Whetstone

$123.94
$123.94
Bernal Cutlery Takarazukushi 500 Grit Soft & Fast Ceramic Japanese Whetstone

Bernal Cutlery Takarazukushi 500 Grit Soft & Fast Ceramic Japanese Whetstone

$69.53
$69.53
Bernal Cutlery Takarazukushi 1200 Grit Blue Marble Semi-Soft Ceramic Japanese Whetstone

Bernal Cutlery Takarazukushi 1200 Grit Blue Marble Semi-Soft Ceramic Japanese Whetstone

$111.85
$111.85
Takarazukushi Porous Ceramic 220 Flattening Stone

Takarazukushi Porous Ceramic 220 Flattening Stone

$60.46
$60.46
Bernal Cutlery Monodiachrome™ Precharged Deburring Strop

Bernal Cutlery Monodiachrome™ Precharged Deburring Strop

$60.46
$60.46
Bernal Cutlery Monodiachrome Precharged Microfiber Strop

Bernal Cutlery Monodiachrome Precharged Microfiber Strop

$113.36
$113.36
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Bernal Cutlery Vanadium Carbide Precharged Abrasive Strop

Bernal Cutlery Vanadium Carbide Precharged Abrasive Strop

$52.90
$52.90
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Atoma #140 Diamond Stone With Handle

Atoma #140 Diamond Stone With Handle

$196.49
$196.49
Sold Out
Atoma #140 Diamond Stone with Holder

Atoma #140 Diamond Stone with Holder

$193.46
$193.46
Atoma #140 Diamond Stone No Holder

Atoma #140 Diamond Stone No Holder

$158.70
$158.70

Z50C13

C ≈ 0.48 %, Cr ≈ 13 %, Mn ≈ 0.6 %, Si ≈ 0.4 %, Mo ≤ 0.2 %

Z50C13 is a French 13 %-chromium stainless steel used in Sabatier-type kitchen knives. Typically hardened to 54–56 HRC, it provides reliable cutting performance with very good corrosion resistance and easy maintenance. It sharpens quickly to a fine edge and resists staining during normal kitchen use. The trade-off is moderate edge retention compared to higher-carbon or powder steels, but its forgiving nature and ease of care make it an excellent everyday stainless for culinary applications.

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Bernal Cutlery

San Francisco, CA

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