The second time we have experienced 'Gunsmoke' pattern damascus from bladesmith Joshua Prince, and we are only more and more impressed by the transformation of this striking pattern into a one-of-a-kind culinary tool. With 253mm / 10" of tall, sharp, and precisely hardened cutting power, Joshua has delivered a full-size chef knife capable of the day's most demanding tasks. Moving forward from a tapered integral handle bolster where a section of mono-steel gives way to the damascus seen across the blade's convex bevels, the knife's spine tapers steadily to a pointed tip where a touch of lateral flexibility is enjoyed while a maintaining strength and rigidity further back. The European-style profile rocks wonderfully on the board, a long flat section forward the heel for chopping giving way to a nice curvature upward to the tip. True to Joshua's approach that never sacrifices either form or function for the other, behind the bolster is first a spacer of grey G10 followed by a sculpted and quite comfortable piece of redwood burl to complete the handle. And finally, by artist Francesca of Teton Leather, a custom magnetic sharkskin saya.