In brief: SARACEN® is a kitchen knife with a saber-shaped blade made of 67-layer Damascus steel (hardness 60 ± 2 HRC, edge sharpened to 20°). A conventional knife has its handle behind the blade. SARACEN’s handle is moved forward, toward the center of the knife above the cutting edge, along with its center of gravity. This means the hand’s pressure goes into the blade perpendicularly instead of at an angle, and your knuckles don’t hit the cutting board while chopping. The design is protected as an industrial design and was created by Czech designers.
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How a conventional knife works
With a conventional chef’s knife, the handle continues along the blade’s axis. Your hand holds the knife by the heel of the blade, and the center of gravity lies roughly where the blade meets the handle. When you press down, the force doesn’t act above the point where the blade is cutting, but a little farther along. The knife acts as a lever: your wrist uses some of the force to keep the blade aligned with the cut, while the pressure on the food comes in at an angle.
You won’t notice it with a few slices of tomato. You will with a kilo of onions or a tough piece of meat. Your wrist works harder than it needs to, and when the blade reaches the cutting board, your knuckles are right above the board. With shorter blades, they sometimes knock against it.
What SARACEN changes
SARACEN’s designers moved the handle forward and up, toward the center of the knife. The center of gravity shifted along with the handle and now sits above the cutting edge. Your hand presses directly above the cutting point, shortening the lever arm that your wrist has to compensate for with a conventional knife. The manufacturer calls this perpendicular pressure transfer: less force goes into holding the knife and more into the cut itself.
You can recognize it by four details:
- The handle sits above the blade. Your hand is above the cutting edge.
- There’s a protrusion on the front of the handle, called a beak. Your thumb or index finger rests against it, and pressure travels from it to the blade by the shortest route.
- There’s space between the handle and the cutting board, so your knuckles don’t hit the board even when the blade reaches all the way down.
- The blade is curved like a saber, which helps with draw cuts. The next section explains why.
In her review, customer Petra mainly described that third detail:
“…that ‘beak’ really makes sense when cutting on a board – I finally don’t keep knocking my knuckles against it”
Petra, customer review on nuzsaracen.cz
Why the blade is curved like a saber
The name SARACEN refers to the Saracens. This was how medieval Europe described Arabs and later Muslims in general, with whom it clashed, among other times, during the Crusades. The image of them is still associated with the curved saber, and the knife borrowed its blade’s curve from the saber.
That curve has a practical purpose. A straight blade that you simply press down mainly squashes the food. With the same motion, a curved blade also moves along the cut, so the edge glides through the food. In 2004, A. G. Atkins’s team at the University of Reading reported in the Journal of Materials Science, based on experiments with Cheddar cheese and salami, that the greater the proportion of sliding relative to pushing (what the authors call the slice/push ratio), the less force is needed to cut. That’s why even a very sharp knife cuts more easily when you pull it as you press down.
The saber-shaped blade makes this motion feel natural. Simply guide the knife in a smooth stroke along the full length of the blade. Customer Tomáš summed it up in five words in his Slovak review:
“A clean cut in one stroke.”
Tomáš from Prague, customer review on nuzsaracen.cz
Classic knife and SARACEN in a table
How to hold a SARACEN knife
For the SARACEN® Original and SARACEN® PRO models, the manufacturer recommends resting your thumb or index finger against the handle’s beak and wrapping the other fingers around the handle. Pressure then travels straight from the finger on the beak to the blade. The SARACEN® Eclipse has a differently shaped handle, designed for a pinch grip: the thumb and index finger pinch the blade near the bolster while the other fingers hold the handle. Chefs use this grip when they want the most precise control over the tip.
The other hand works the same way as with any knife. It holds the food in what’s called a claw grip, with fingertips curled under the knuckles, and the side of the blade rests against the knuckles. This keeps the fingers out of the blade’s path.
The length can take some getting used to, too. One customer initially thought the knife was long:
“At first glance, it seemed a little long to me. But now I use it almost every day.”
Miroslav P., customer review on nuzsaracen.cz
Four SARACEN models
Three models have a center of gravity above the edge and an industrial design-protected design: Original, PRO, and Eclipse. All have a blade made of 67 layers of Damascus steel with a hardness of 60 ± 2 HRC, a 20° edge, and a polished birch handle. They differ in blade shape, weight, and grip. The fourth model, Basic, is based on the same Czech design in a more classic form.
The Black Diamond finish is a thin layer of DLC (diamond-like carbon), which reduces friction while cutting and gives the blade a dark sheen. It does not change the edge's sharpness or hardness. The article DLC coating (Black Diamond): what it's really for explains it in detail. All four models are compared side by side in Comparing the SARACEN, PRO, Eclipse, and Basic ranges.
The Basic model also has joints protected from impact with the cutting board, and the manufacturer says it is better balanced than a classic knife. However, its center of gravity is not shifted as significantly as on the other three, and it is not covered by the industrial design protection.
What SARACEN is not for
Hard steel keeps its edge for a long time, but it has its rules. The manufacturer lists the same limitations for all models:
- Bones and frozen food. A blade with a hardness of around 60 HRC can chip if it strikes bone or frozen meat. Use a cleaver for bones.
- Dishwashers and harsh cleaning products. The manufacturer recommends hand-washing and drying the knife immediately; this also protects the wooden handle.
- Scraping with the edge. Use the spine of the blade to move chopped ingredients off the cutting board. The board will dull the edge.
- Dropping it on the floor. The tip of a hard blade can easily chip if it hits a tiled floor.
The unusual shape takes a few days to get used to. Anyone who has been cutting with a classic knife for years will find themselves searching for the right grip during the first few days. Customer Petra writes in her review that the shape took her by surprise at first, but after a few days, she wouldn't go back.
Glossary
The article How Damascus steel is made explains how a layered blade is made. The article Steel hardness HRC in kitchen knives explains what a hardness of around 60 HRC means in practice. The article Blade sharpening angle discusses why it is 20°.
Who is behind SARACEN
The SARACEN concept was designed by Czech engineers. The shifted center of gravity, handle shape, and blade curve are the result of Czech development, and the design is protected as an industrial design. The SARACEN® brand belongs to the Czech company IQ Tools s.r.o. from Bílá in the Beskydy Mountains.
SARACEN knives appeared on Czech Television's Polopatě, where they were used for cooking during filming. You can find the full range in the SARACEN® Knives collection.
Frequently asked questions
What is a SARACEN knife?
SARACEN® is a kitchen knife with a scimitar-shaped blade made of 67-layer Damascus steel, with its handle and center of gravity shifted toward the center of the knife above the blade. This directs pressure from your hand perpendicular to the blade rather than at an angle, and keeps your knuckles from hitting the cutting board while cutting. The knife’s design is protected as an industrial design and was created by Czech designers.
Why does the SARACEN knife have a handle above the blade?
So that your hand applies pressure directly above the cutting point. With a traditional knife, the handle is behind the blade and the knife acts as a lever, so some of your force is taken up by your wrist and the pressure on the food is angled. The shifted handle shortens this lever, directing more force into the cut.
What is protected about the SARACEN knife?
The protected design covers the knife’s appearance: the shape of the handle, which is shifted toward the center of the knife above the blade, and the overall shape of the knife. It is registered as an industrial design and applies to the SARACEN Original, PRO and Eclipse models. The Basic has a more traditional shape and is not covered by the protection.
How do you hold a SARACEN knife?
Rest your thumb or index finger on the notch at the front of the handle and wrap your other fingers around the handle. This is the manufacturer’s recommended grip for the Original and PRO models. The SARACEN Eclipse has a handle designed for a pinch grip, with the thumb and index finger pinching the blade near the heel.
What steel is the SARACEN knife made of?
The Original, PRO and Eclipse models have a blade made of 67 layers of 10Cr15CoMoV Damascus steel, with a hardness of 60 ± 2 HRC and a 20° edge angle. The SARACEN Basic has a blade made of 9Cr18MoV stainless steel, with a hardness of 58 ± 1 HRC and the same 20° angle.
Why is the knife called SARACEN?
Named after the Saracens, the term medieval Europe used for Arabs and later, more generally, Muslims, whom it encountered, among other times, during the Crusades. They are associated with the curved scimitar, whose shape inspired the knife’s blade. The curve also makes draw cuts easier.
What is a SARACEN knife not suitable for?
For bones, frozen food and the dishwasher. Hard steel around 60 HRC can chip when it hits a bone, and Damascus steel is not suitable for the dishwasher or harsh cleaning products. Wash the knife by hand, dry it immediately, and use the spine of the blade to push cut ingredients aside.
How long does it take to get used to a SARACEN knife?
According to reviews, a few days. Customer Petra writes in her review that the shape initially took her a little by surprise, “but after a few days of use, I wouldn’t change it.”
Three models with protected designs share the same foundation: a handle and center of gravity above the blade, a blade made of 67 layers of Damascus steel with a hardness of 60 ± 2 HRC, and a 20° edge. Their grips are what differ most. You hold the Original and PRO with your thumb or index finger on the notch, while the Eclipse is held with a pinch grip on the blade. Which one suits you best depends mainly on what you cut most often.