The bold style and classic lines bladesmith Steven Pellegrino brings to his work are on full display in this new handcrafted chef knife, designed and built in his one-man Philadelphia studio. First, a billet of steel is created in-house, its seven layers (ie. 'shichi mai') consisting of 304 stainless steel outer jackets, thin layers of carbon steel and nickel, and finally, a core of 1084 high-carbon steel to form the blade's edge. This formula is then forged by hand into the 190mm / 7.5" blade seen here, refined and given its convex bevel geometry, thin, razor-sharp edge, and needle-like tip, through freehand grinding, and thin hand-sanded to a beautiful, satin finish. Balanced just at the blade's 56mm tall heel, a rounded spine and choil offering comfort in the pinch grip, the knife is solid and rewarding in the handle, poised for all manner of meal prep, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Steven completes the build by sculpting a lovely piece of ironwood into a unique, octagonal form, tapered at the front, and fitted with copper and white G10 spacers. A saya, crafted from the3 wood of a paulownia which Steven's own grandfather planted, is included.