Chef's Kiss 7" Hand Forged Serbian Chef Knife, Handmade High Carbon Steel, Tall Blade, Hardwood Handle

The Chef's Kiss is our take on the Serbian chef knife: a 7" hand forged high carbon steel blade with a tall face, a curved belly and a hammer textured finish that looks like it came straight off the anvil. It sits somewhere between a chef knife and a small cleaver, and it handles most of what a home kitchen throws at it.

What the Tall Blade Does

Height is the whole point. Your knuckles clear the board when you chop, and the wide face works as a scoop to carry diced onion to the pan. The curved belly lets you rock through parsley, garlic and ginger without lifting the tip. It breaks down vegetables and boneless meat with ease. It is not a bone chopper, even though it looks like one, so leave joints and frozen food to a true cleaver. If you prefer a slimmer, more traditional profile at the same length, go with the Orca 7" chef knife. See the rest in our chef knives collection.

A Gift That Gets Used

This is the knife for the cook who already owns a block full of knives and still wants something with character. It suits a birthday, a housewarming, or a Christmas box for the friend who shares every dinner they make. The Serbian style shape starts a conversation at the counter, and the handmade finish means no two look quite the same. More ideas live in our knife gifts collection.

Every Xcutlery blade is high carbon steel, hand forged one at a time in the Serbian style: thick stock, a lot of hammer work, and the forge finish left on the flats.

A Serbian chef knife is known for its shape. The blade is tall and wide, the flats carry hammer marks, and the whole thing feels more like a tool than a showpiece. The Chef's Kiss is forged that way by hand. The smith draws out the height first, then works the curve of the belly so it rocks cleanly on the board. The hammer texture is left on the face, and the edge is finished by hand until it is razor sharp. A full tang with steel pins holds the hardwood handle.

Why high carbon steel

It takes a very fine edge and comes back quickly on a whetstone. The price of that edge is a little care. This steel is not a rust resistant alloy, so water left on the blade will mark it. Wash it, dry it, wipe on a light coat of oil, and it will be cutting long after the cutting board has given up.

Patina

With use the steel darkens to a grey or blue patina. That is normal for high carbon steel and it helps protect the blade. Red rust is a different thing, and it comes from a knife left wet.

• 7" hand forged blade, tall profile with a curved belly
• Hammer textured high carbon steel
• Razor sharp edge, finished by hand
• Full tang with steel pins
• Premium hardwood handle
• Built for all purpose prep, dicing, mincing and slicing

Specifications

• Blade: 7" hand forged, tall profile with curved belly
• Steel: Hammer textured high carbon steel
• Edge: Razor sharp, finished by hand
• Handle: Premium hardwood
• Construction: Full tang with steel pins
• Best for: All purpose prep, dicing, mincing and slicing

• Chef's Kiss 7" hand forged Serbian chef knife
• Lifetime warranty against defects in materials and craftsmanship

Each blade is forged by hand, so the forge texture, hammer marks and wood grain on yours will be its own.

Hand wash it and dry it straight away. A light coat of food safe oil keeps the high carbon steel happy between uses. No dishwasher and no soaking.

Every time you use it

• Hand wash it right after use and dry it straight away
• Wipe on a light coat of food safe oil before it goes away
• Cut on wood or plastic boards
• Touch up the edge on a whetstone when it starts to drag

Keep it away from

• The dishwasher, and a sink full of water overnight
• Glass, stone or metal cutting surfaces
• Prying, twisting or throwing

The full routine is in our high carbon steel knife care guide, and the edge work is in how to sharpen a meat cleaver.

Every Xcutlery knife is covered for life against defects in materials and craftsmanship. If a handle works loose from the tang, a pin comes free, or there is a flaw in the steel or the build that came from us, we repair or replace it free of charge.

It does not cover normal wear such as a dull edge, damage from misuse, or rust from the dishwasher or soaking. Slight differences in forge texture, hammer marks and wood grain are part of a handmade knife, not defects.

To make a claim, email sales@xcutlery.com (Australia: sales@xcutlery.com.au) with your order number and photos. Separately, you have 30 days from delivery to return an unused knife. Engraved and custom knives cannot be returned for a change of mind. Full terms are on the warranty page.

What is a Serbian chef knife?
It is a hand forged kitchen knife with a tall, wide blade and a hammered finish. It chops like a small cleaver and slices like a chef knife.

Can it cut bone?
No. The shape looks tough, but this is a prep knife. Use a cleaver for bone.

Does it come sharp?
Yes. The edge is finished by hand and ships razor sharp.

How is it different from the Orca?
Same 7" length, but the Chef's Kiss has a taller blade that gives more knuckle clearance and scoops food better.

It rocks through parsley and garlic, then carries the pile to the pan on the flat of the blade. Our guide on what makes a Serbian chef knife different explains why the tall shape works that way and where it stops being useful.