The extraordinary attributes of this gyuto by California artist Nick Anderson span the blade's refined and precise geometry, designed for versatility during every-day cooking tasks, to the forging and compilation of steels in the homemade mosaic feathered damascus steel, and on to the sculpted vintage micarta handle. To our eyes as beautiful as they come, the 229mm / 9" blade is shaped from a two-ingredient mosaic in which the bright, high-nickel 15n20 alloy alternates positions within the pattern from tile to tile before being brought together and then feathered from tip to bolster to create the final aesthetic. And that only describes the head-turning looks; Nick's geometry is superb, the full convex bevels slimming downward from a comfortably faceted blade spine to a thin, razor-sharp edge with the toughness in the rear for tough chopping tasks and the finesse toward the tip for delicate cuts and slicing. All supported by the spine's steady, full-distal taper, a touch of lateral flexibility is present in the final inches. And to wield this one-of-a-kind chef knife Nick has paired the forged, octagonal integral bolster that condenses and accentuates the damascus pattern with a classic piece of storied vintage micarta, complete with nickel spacer at the heirloom-fit bolster transition and flush, stainless retention bolt cap visible at the rear.
