We designed and built our first knife roll for Chef Matt Vawter of Mercantile Dining & Provision. I was a server there at the time. He gave me measurements and a list of his must-haves, which I brought back to Ryan who began the prototyping process. Honestly, we had no intention of making more than that one roll, but as soon as Chef Matt received his, other chefs wanted to place their orders and we knew we were onto something. Soon after, we listed them for sale on our site and that Christmas our "Oui Chef" Knife Roll became our best-seller.
Over the years we've made some changes to the design. We're always looking to evolve and we take customer feedback seriously. For example, we added a larger zipper pocket to the knife roll, perfect for spoons & miscellaneous tools, but also great for a mandolin slicer. And we're currently working on a brand new knife bag for chefs that we think will be a game changer. But, for now, here's a closer look into what makes our knife rolls so popular. Scroll to the end to watch a video the process.
Wax On, Wax Off
Wax, it protects your roll, which protects that beautiful knife collection, baby! But, for real, what is waxed canvas? Waxed canvas is canvas that has been coated in paraffin wax. The wax gets completely embedded into the canvas, making it waterproof while giving it that classic, crinkly look. It's what cowboys used to use as rain slickers and it's one of our favorite materials. It's extremely durable and it just makes sense in the kitchen.
Leather Deets
Who doesn't want a little bit of leather in their life? (Don't worry, we can make vegan-friendly rolls too). We love the added bit of leather for looks as well as function. We use premium leather ties for our classic wrap closure, which we cut by hand. We also add leather around the grommet of the closure, which is a point of stress on the bag. On the inside, you'll find a leather flap to ensure your largest knife will be protected and safe as you roll it closed. And, don't forget our leather patch, so everyone will know where you got your roll!
Spoon/Mandolin Pocket
Our gusseted zippered spoon pocket is great for all those items that don't fit neatly into slots. Spoons, tweezers, and even a mandolin can all fit into this pocket with ease.
Notebook Pocket
Keep your recipes and prep list protected in a pocket that perfectly fits your moleskin or similarly sized notebook. I've also seen chefs use this pocket for peelers and other smaller items.
Nylon Binding
All our knife rolls are bound with a durable nylon tape to ensure no raw edges are in danger of fraying. It's just another way of making sure this knife roll will be around for years to come.
Price
Knife rolls are often expensive. We tried to create a roll that is affordable, without sacrificing quality or style. Our knife rolls start at $150, and if that seems steep, check out our Mystery Knife Roll for just $99. Same great quality, but we choose the color!
What Chefs Say
Chefs have called our rolls a "thing of beauty", enjoying the "lightweight design" and the length, which allows you to fit a 12" steel and carving knife. One chef wrote that our knife roll makes him "feel like I'm unfolding a scroll that tells my story as a chef every time I open it."
Here's a video of Ryan in our old apartment making one of our knife rolls.