Blenheim Forge, based in London, hand forge the most stunning knives and I have been a fan for almost a decade. This set of four knives has to be the best set of steak knives I have ever handled. I have taken the following text from the Blenheim Forge website, as they say it best:

This year the whole team has been involved in our annual steak knife build.

This version is forged from our own house made carbon steel Damascus. Formed from multiple layers of nickel and mild steel, the billet is manipulated to reveal a dramatic, high contrast pattern that echoes natural wood grain across the full surface of the blade.

The knives feature a tapered octagonal handle, refined to be more slender than our usual style: delicate, balanced and precise. The blades also carry a fine forged taper, moving from robust thickness at the heel to a keen, agile tip.

Despite being designed for the table, these are not your average steak knives. We have paid just as much attention to the forging, heat treatment, steel choice and edge geometry as we do to our kitchen knives. The result is a set of blades that feel every bit as capable as our kitchen knives, cutting exceptionally well and are a pleasure to use at the table.

To accompany this release, James and Ralph have also developed cork storage boxes, made in house to keep each knife safe for years to come.

Blade: Blenheim Black clad with nickel and iron Damascus
Handle: Fumed Oak and Brass
Blade length: 125mm
Overall length: 240mm
Blade thickness: 2.5mm
Suitable for: Slicing through steaks, chops and other cuts of meat

The folded iron cladding gives these blades great character but, as with all high carbon steel, are reactive, requiring basic care.