A state-of-the-art kitchen knife that hews to the traditions of its 18th century Spanish origins, this 4-inch vegetable knife (105 mm) from Arcos is part of its best-selling Maitre series, which is made to be dependably durable for everyday food prep. It's specially designed for peeling and slicing fruits and vegetables, and it has a longer blade than the Maitre line's paring knife.

Featuring an exclusive Arcos stainless steel formula called Nitrum, this blade is made from martensitic stainless steel with added molybdenum and vanadium for strengthening. It's then enriched with nitrogen in Arcos' Nitrum process and hardened to 53-56 HRc (on the Rockwell C scale) for extra durability. The nylon plastic handle is infused with micro glass beads for added strength and light resistance to prevent fading, and the three rivets are made of a high-quality stainless alloy to prevent corrosion. Dishwasher safe, though hand washing is recommended.

Arcos Nitrum Stainless Steel

Nitrum is a nitrogen-enriched stainless steel formula that's found exclusively in Arcos knives. With Nitrum stainless steel, your Arcos knife will possess improved hardness for a longer lasting sharpness, enhanced microstructure for higher resistance to corrosion, and exceptional edge durability for longer periods between re-sharpening. The Nitrum production process has no negative effect on the air, water, or soil.

How to Correctly Sharpen Your Arcos Knife

Arcos recommends the regular use of a sharpening steel to keep the cutting edge of your knife razor sharp.

• Place the blade of the knife on the steel at a 20 degree angle.
• Keep the arm that is holding the steel steady and swipe the blade lightly over the steel keeping the angle at 20 degrees.
• Give each side of the knife an equal number of swipes (about 20).
• Sharpen the other side of the blade as before, this time using the other side of the honing steel.

  And remember to always protect your fingers.

  See larger image.

  Tips For Use and Maintenance

  • Wash knives immediately after use with a mild soap. Avoid prolonged contact with leftover food.
  • Do not use bleach, soda or detergents containing chlorine or chlorides ions because they rust the steel and may cause it to lose its shine.
  • Avoid rubbing your knives with abrasive products, hard cloths, and metallic or synthetic cleaners.
  • If you use a dishwasher, place your knives in with the blades facing up and in separate containers from the rest of your cutlery to avoid scratching.
  • Avoid leaving your knives submerged in water for long periods of time, especially in hard or salty water that can affect metals.
  • Dry immediately with a soft cloth.
  • Leaving your knives to dry in the dishwasher is not recommended.

    About Arcos

    Arcos is a leading Spanish knife manufacturer and one of the oldest knife and cutlery manufacturers in the world. In 1745, Don Juan de Arcos started hand-crafting the first knives and scissors marked with the Arcos brand, and many of these pieces are displayed in the National Museum of Archeology of Madrid. Gregorio Arcos Aroca turned the small hand-crafted workshop into a mass-production factory for professional knives in 1875. And a century later, Gregorio Arcos Villanueva started the international expansion of the company. Today, Arcos is still a family owned business and proud of its remarkable heritage.

    To learn more about the history of Arcos, see this larger timeline image.