That is almost always the first question people ask, especially if they are aware of our prices, which, though not cheap, are very competitive with higher-end mass produced knives from well known companies in Germany and Japan.
Our knives are set apart from the competition by the high quality materials we use, their unique appearance and their small scale, local production.
The heart of any knife is the steel it is made from. The steel used in almost all German factory knives has been around for over 3 decades. The steel we use, CPM S35VN, was introduced by its American manufacturer, Crucible Industries, in 2009. CPM S35VN was designed specifically for high end cutlery. Its modern chemical composition and manufacturing process give it significantly better edge retention than the older softer steels used by many knife manufacturers. Great steel means keen edges that last a long time. Sharp edges are not only safer to use but add immensely to the enjoyment of meal preparation or any cutting task.
Our standard handle material, G10, is another top quality component, used extensively by custom makers and the manufactures of high end production knives. It is an epoxy fiberglass laminate which means it is extremely tough. It won’t crack, crumble or absorb liquids. If you ever did manage to wreck the handle on your knife, we thought of that too. They are attached with stainless steel screws instead of rivets (what most knives use) which makes them easily removable/replaceable. By the way, under the handle scales, in the tang steel we engrave the month and year of production, the model and the type of steel used.
For British Columbia residents or tourists to BC, having “Made in BC” engraved on their knife undoubtedly makes for a good story, and certainly makes a great gift. For other Canadians, we’re still sort of local, and for other North Americans we’re still not that far away. For the rest of you, though the distance from us to you may be greater, a North Arm knife still represents an ecological choice because in all likelihood it will be the last one you ever buy.