Kaleidoscopic refractions draw steel together and disperse with the colliding alloys just as quickly. And, repeat. In a mosaic formed by repeating tiles of the kaleidoscopic 15n20 and 1080 carbon damascus steel, Salem Straub forms the all-business blade of this extraordinary chef knife. For 260mm / 10.2″, a thin, hard, razor-sharp edge extends outward from the forged integral bolster to a pointed, needle-like tip, imbuing the one-of-a-kind cutting tool with power and versatility aimed at all manner of daily meal preparation in kitchens large or small. Purposefully shaped at every step, the blade’s rounded spine gives way to the concave portion of Salem’s compound ‘S-grind’ bevel geometry, a feature that begins half an inch forward from the heel and tapers out gently around two inches from the tip: strength and material are maintained where they are most needed while cutting performance is aided by the compound geometry where it counts. Beneath the concave section and extending the blade’s full length from 54mm tall heel to slim tip, convex geometry, around three-quarter of an inch in height, culminates at an edge that is thin enough for precise and delicate slices, backed by enough toughness for big chopping tasks. Weighted and powerful in the hand at 9.7oz / 274g overall, the knife delivers more mass than some of Salem’s work, while his superb heat-treatment and hardening process still produces a touch of welcomed lateral flexibility in the final inches. For comfort and control with which to wield this stunning object is a sculpted, Western-inspired handle of black and white ebony to complement the kaleidoscopic bolsters.