Bladesmith William Porto of Brazil has delivered another piece of art for the enjoyment of the chef, the kitchen, the meal, and all those who benefit from the food it prepares. Forged by hand from house-made, deeply etched carbon damascus steel in a modified W's pattern damascus of his design, the long and elegant blade offers 263mm / 10.4" of thin, hard, razor-sharp edge beneath tall, beautifully shaped convex bevels. Gently rocking on the board, the Western profile provides a tough and flat edge section toward the heel before slimming and sweeping upward toward a fine, pointed tip. The combination of a full-distal taper along the spine, refined geometry, and excellent hardening, has resulted in a slight but welcomed degree of lateral flexibility, further adding to the knife's versatility. In the artist's one-of-a-kind style, an integral bolster forged from the same damascus pattern as the blade is inlaid with 24k gold, visible throughout the rounded top and bottom and flat sides. With heirloom fit between metal and wood, the bolster meets a gently and comfortably sculpted piece of amboyna burl to complete the handle. A custom saya of ostrich leather is included.