The latest heart throb from North Carolina bladesmith Charlie Ellis is this rather gorgeous and unique integral construction chef knife in his new tributaries damascus steel. Forged from 1084 & 15n20 carbon alloys, bands of tightly wound pattern-welded steel, bright with high nickel content, meet centrally at a dark river of the 1084 to create a wonderful feel of movement and organic flow. Above all else, though, this knife is built to use, the ultimate daily workhorse for all manner of food prep. With compound 'B-grind' bevel geometry, a wide, sturdy spine sits above a pronounced hollow-ground section, followed abruptly by what can be called a fuller which, above the third and final convex section that leads to the edge, all but guarantees near-unparalleled food release and performance for all types of cuts. A needle-like tip at the front provides for precision slices and detail work, and at the rear, stunning undulations and sculpted curves transition the blade into the handle's choil and heirloom-fit integral bolster, faceted on top, rounded on the bottom and sides. Finally, a handle of unabashed comfort is formed from a truly beautiful piece of dark, dyed quilted maple with G.L. Hansen & Son's G-carta and red-dyed maple spacers, and a matching red-dyed maple inlay at the back to cover the mechanically fastened through-tang. Unabashedly original in every way.