When Salem Straub delivers a new and striking material combination employed in his recognizable style, with ten inch blade no less, it's hard not to get overly excited...impossible, in fact. This one-of-a-kind chef knife, featuring a 255mm / 10" cutting edge, is forged by hand from a homemade san mai formula with hard core of CruForge V carbon steel and cladding of beautiful, reclaimed wrought iron sourced from an old Kalispell, Montana bridge, imparting not only on the blade, but on the sculpted and detailed bolster as well, a storied piece of history. Thin, light, and quick in the hand for its size, the blade enjoys a flat grind with enough convexity added above the razor-sharp edge for food release and overall performance. The rounded spine maintains stiffness and near uniformity for much of its length until it tapers in the final inches to a high, pointed, needle-like tip for detail work. Beyond the stand-out bolster with stepped-down heirloom fit is a gorgeous piece of ringed gidgee sculpted into a comfortable Western form and completed with a single, domed, and polished steel pin. A tool to easily become your go-to knife in the kitchen, breakfast, lunch, and dinner.