Dexter 10″ Hollow-ground Chef Knife 48910HG Carbon Steel Rosewood & Nickel USA 1950s-70s

Dexter 489 series hand forged after drop forged carbon steel 10″ chef knife with hard to find hand ground hollow grind in center of blade with eased spine made in Massachusetts by the venerable Dexter company. Before they were known for their economical stainless knives (especially with the white plastic handles) Dexter was the Harrington Cutlery company which was then named Dexter after Mr Harrington’s son. They are one of the USA’s oldest knife-making firms with their roots along the Green River in Massachusetts shared with some of the USA’s finest old knife making. 

This knife is a great example of the interface between industrial production and skilled handwork, drop forged and then hand forged and hand ground with a springy steel that holds an edge well and sharpens super easily and the fine hand ground blade is impossible to make without skilled smiths and grinders. It’s characteristic blade shape; wide & full bellied with a flat heel is a distinctive Dexter style. 

While they are less common I have found plenty of the Dexter carbon steel hollow ground, boning knives, scimitars and slicers but not many chef knives. 

This knife has been sharpened down very little and is still very thin behind the edge. It has seen some rust leaving mostly small pits. nothing extreme. Rosewood handle is nice and solid with no cracks or gaps. 

10″ blade, 15.25″ overall length 8.4 oz