Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Culture
  3. Food & Drink
  4. News

A Cut Above: Chatwin Co. Releases CRUCIAL Heirloom Collection

You can’t do much in the kitchen without a sophisticated chef knife.

The CRUCIAL heirloom knife collection by Chatwin Co. hails from the mind of Philippe Schlesser and includes three knives: paring, boning, and a chef’s knife.

Recommended Videos

Their minimalist aesthetic is a giveaway that this collection’s focus is on high-quality materials and ergonomic design. With Swedish Sandvik 13c26 steel blades and solid rosewood handles, this is a set of knives that will gracefully age right along with you.

Phillip Schlesser in baguette glasses
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Industrial designer and former chef, Schlesser, seen here sporting a pair of high-carb glasses, considered every detail to make the collection one that will last year after year: “Natural materials simply age better. Think of it as comparing a new leather bag and a new nylon messenger bag, and compare those bags five years later. Leather has a nice patina, whereas the nylon looks like it is ready to be replaced.”

Crucial heirloom knife collection and storage rack
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The collection’s wooden holder, which also serves as a free-standing knife block, magnetic knife rack, or travel case, is also designed to be about as child-proof as a knife holder can get. Rather than a giant hunk of wood, the holder folds in half to about the dimensions of a laptop — meaning you can carry it in your everyday bag when you’re heading out to a weekend cook-out or dinner party.

Luxembourg chateau

Every object tells a story, and the CRUCIAL collection has some pretty interesting origins. Schlesser attributes the inspiration to an heirloom knife passed down to him from his great-grandmother. The Chatwin brand is based out of Châteu de Wintrange of Luxembourg, Chatwin being the portmanteau of its 400-year-old Renaissance namesake.

Find out more from Chatwin Co.’s CRUCIAL Kickstarter page and pre-order your set today. 

Megan Freshley
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Megan Freshley is a freelance copywriter and poet living in Portland, OR. She’s studied at Antioch College and the Esalen… Read Full Bio
The 10 best flavored cigars I’ve tried and tested in 2026
Face, Head, Person

Cigars are a newer hobby for me. I found myself randomly walking the streets of New York with coworkers way back in January of this year and we stopped of at The Carnegie Club. Think dark acedemia with cigars and cocktails. I was immediately struck by the culture. By the way the men around me dove deep into the menu and meticulously chose the right stick. Then, paired it with the right drink. Next thing I knew, I was sitting on the deck of a Windstar cruise smoking a cigar and staring at the French coastline. I found myself on safari and spending every night smoking a cigar and staring at Kilamanjaro.

Here is the truth though, I didn’t know a damn thing about cigars, so I reached out and got some help. Here are the best flavored cigars I tried in 2026 that were recommended to me.

Read more
Every guy should appreciate film noir — here’s where to start
Body Part, Finger, Hand

There are certain things every guy should know. How to make a decent drink. How to cook at least one impressive meal. How to change a tire. How to close with style. And somewhere on that list should be an appreciation for film noir.

Even if you’ve never watched one, you already know what film noir looks like.

Read more
Cigar Lounge Spotlight: The Flama Cabana in Key West, Florida
Ashtray, Person

Welcome to the inaugural Cigar Lounge Spotlight at The Manual, where every Friday I’ll aim to bring you some of the best cigar lounges in the country. Yours truly travels a lot for a living, and during that time, I’ve ensconced myself in local cigar lounges in the cities I visit when the opportunity arises. While many of my dispatches here will include cigar lounges I’ve visited during my time as a longtime sportswriter — and in my current capacity as a travel and lifestyle writer —  this space will also feature lounges I’d love to visit one day, perhaps on my next trip.

Such is the case with The Flama Cabana at Havana Cabana Key West Hotel in Key West, Florida. There’s no better way to kick off this series than with a cigar lounge in the Southernmost Point of the United States, a mere 90 miles from cigar heaven, Cuba.

Read more