Of the three distinct (and each equally breathtaking) mosaic damascus patterns that form the blade, one both lends its name to the knife itself, and conjures childhood memories of ‘cootie cutter’ origami and the fortunes they foretold. By artist and bladesmith Salem Straub of Washington State, his incredible Cootie Cutter damascus accounts for the widest swaths of this 250mm long by 60mm tall blade, from the rounded spine down through the compound ‘S-grind’ geometry’s concave channel. Just below the point that concave transitions to convex nearest the edge, honed with precision for cutting performance and food release, the Cootie Cutter meets an ‘edge bar’ of twisted-Ws pattern damascus, with wonderful interplay between the imagery the defines each. As expected of Salem’s world-class work, the cutting edge is thin, hard, and sharp, the blade shaped for cooking versatility with strength and rigidity in the rear, and becoming increasingly slimmer and more flexible toward the needle-like tip. Salem’s carefully calibrated heat treatment and hardening process plays no small part in this flexible, dynamic blade. The third and final damascus pattern of Salem’s making found in this stunning culinary object is his iconic Spawn Chains mosaic, used to form the sculpted handle bolsters. With stepped, heirloom fit-up in a contoured form, the Spawn Chains meet a piece of beautiful maple burl that has been carved into a comfortable, hand-filling, ergonomic grip with which to wield the tool breakfast, lunch, and dinner. At the rear of the handle a flush, polished, stainless steel cap signifies the handle’s mechanical internal construction that employs a retention bolt which secures all elements to the blade’s tang.