The Hearth: Butcher Block & STEELPORT Chef Knife Gift Set

Some gifts arrive and get used once. This one becomes part of the kitchen.

The Hearth pairs a STEELPORT 6-inch Chef Knife with our Signature End-Grain Butcher Block with Handles. The knife is forged carbon steel, made in Portland. The board is end-grain Black Walnut or Hard Maple, handled for easy grip and movement, sanded far beyond the point most shops stop and finished with our handmade Wood Butter before it leaves the shop.

This is the combination most kitchens are missing. A knife that holds an edge. A board that absorbs impact and gets better with use. Our Wood Butter, so whoever receives this can maintain it the right way from day one.

What's included:

• STEELPORT 6" Chef Knife (forged in Portland, Oregon)
• Signature End-Grain Butcher Block with Handles in Black Walnut or Hard Maple (Medium, 16x12x1.5in)
• NW Co. Wood Butter

Caring for the knife and the block

Is carbon steel hard to look after? No, but it has two rules. Rinse and dry it right after you use it, and never leave it in the sink or the dishwasher. That is the whole routine. A light wipe of food-safe oil before it goes in the drawer keeps it looking new.

Why is the blade changing color? That is the patina, and it is supposed to happen. Carbon steel darkens as it meets onions, tomatoes, and lemons. The patina protects the blade and is the mark of a knife that gets used. If you want it bright, a little baking soda paste takes it back.

How do I keep the edge? A few passes on a honing rod before you cook keeps the edge straight for months. Sharpen on a stone only when honing stops helping, which for most home cooks is once or twice a year. End grain helps here too: the blade slips between the wood fibers instead of cutting across them, so the edge lasts noticeably longer than on a plastic or face-grain board.

And the block? Wash it by hand, dry it standing on edge, and rub in Wood Butter when the surface looks dry, about once a month at first. Never soak it and never put it in the dishwasher. A cared-for end-grain block outlasts the kitchen it lives in.