Chef and gear reviewer Justin Khanna shares opinions on New West KnifeWorks’ Ironwood line

Chef and chef gear lover Justin Khanna dishes about the New West KnifeWorks Ironwood line. Photo: Justin Khanna and New West KnifeWorks.

VICTOR, Wyo. — New West Knifeworks’ Ironwood line is crafted from sustainably sourced desert ironwood from Arizona. The wood is extremely durable and one of just a handful of woods that don’t float in water. Renowned chef and gear reviewer Justin Khanna partnered with New West KnifeWorks and put the Ironwood line to the test.

New West KnifeWorks founder Corey Milligan explained during Khanna’s visit to the factory, “it’s the most durable natural material that we’ve found.”

“I tested these three knives with a four-course 15-person lunch, and then I did a tasting menu for 12, and then I did another four-course lunch for 10 people,” said Khanna. “That’s what I put these knives through their paces on. ”

Khanna tested the 9″ Chef knife, 6″ Petty knife, and the unique 8″ Western Chef knife.

Watch the full review below and learn about the Ironwood line’s details and extras like brass mosaic pins and how New West crafts these hand-finished knives. Or visit New West KnifeWorks in person at 625 Main Street, Park City.

The 9″ Chef Knife

“The 9-inch chef knife is the one that I wanted to review the first time I collaborated with New West KnifeWorks,” said Khanna. “It’s a length on a chef knife that I feel immensely comfortable with. I love the fact that it’s actually a little bit shorter. So this kind of rides the line between feeling like a slicer in some ways. Which again. I also gravitate towards quite a bit. It just makes it a little bit more nimble than your standard chef knife.”

The 6″ Petty Knife

“The petty knife…quickly became a go-to for me. I found myself reaching for and putting this in my knife bag. Even outside of the testing that I did for this video, I found myself tossing this into my bag. It’s fun to work with.”

The 8″ Western Chef Knife

“I think about this like a cleaver at the bottom, and then you have this tip work that you can do on the top. Projects with beefy stuff…Like taking the core out of a cabbage, or a tomato…keeping in mind that you’re using a knife with a completely different blade profile than anything else in your bag…I would start with a lot of my big beefy prep projects with the Western chef.”