With the power to demand respect from the toughest ingredients, and the subtlety to perform with finesse, a dynamic and beautifully styled one-of-a-kind chef knife by Nick Rossi is here. Forged at his studio in Maine, the carbon damascus steel pattern Nick calls his ‘German style,’ bold and unique, and unlike any we have witnessed from this maker or any other. A silky, hand-sanded satin finish and etch bring out the nuances of the alternating alloys, producing a near-3D effect when viewed from varying perspectives. The steel is not, of course, only about exceptionally good looks; to create this workhorse chef’s blade Nick has shaped it with care and balance, the mid-height convex bevels slimming from the shinogi downward to an extremely fine, razor-sharp edge. In the rear where the blade’s spine measures 3mm across above a heel that stands 52mm tall, the knife is tough and robust enough for the densest foods, with the rounded spine then tapering forward and maintaining it’s strength and rigidity while also culminating at a fine, needle-like tip perfect for slicing and detail work. Balanced just at the front of the handle, this handsome tool feels steady and weighted in the chef’s hand. Sculpted for comfort and control and layered over a tapered, full tang, are scales of a rare tri-tone G10 we’ve not seen before, shaped in Nick’s well-loved Western form, secured with two flush, polished, oversized stainless steel pins, and highlighted by two red G10 inlays.