Slim, light, and quick in the hand, this captivating chef knife by Canadian artist Casey Vilensky combines a number of thoughtful attributes to produce a very handy and versatile work of functional art. While quite thin at the razor-sharp edge for precision and finesse on the cutting board, the blade's material, Damasteel stainless damascus, is strong and durable, helping to ensure that it will stand up to tough cuts in a busy kitchen. Just 2.7mm wide above the heel and tapering further toward the pointed but resilient tip, Casey nonetheless is able to maintain stiffness throughout the 172mm / 6.8" blade by carefully honing the geometry and hardening the finished blade using a precisely calibrated heat treatment process. The stainless Damasteel itself, although remarkable in its classic form as received from the small, specialty north-Sweden forge where it is created in small batches, has been modified and feathered by Casey to produce a one-of-a-kind presentation of the Heimskringla pattern. The handle is, as expected of this North Vancouver bladesmith, equally as marvelous as the blade. A bold and remarkably piece of cedar burl with as much grain and character as one could find is matched to an anodized ferule of house-made timascus, a damascus-like materials that combines multiple alloys of titanium. All together a hard-working chef's tool designed for daily use, and styled and crafted to create an heirloom worthy of the most discerning chef.
