In 2014 I met a restaurant owner who collaborated with me on several projects over a handful of years. His obsession with perfection in high-end custom chef knives, particularly gyutos and single-bevel fish knives, shaped my knowledge of the craft in the early days.
Commissioned in 2016, the “Black and Yellow” project was a series of seven knives made over 4 years. The theme was high carbon raindrop damascus, carbon fiber, yellow mammoth and anodized titanium. The final collection consists of two gyutos, kamagata usuba, ajikiri, deba, kiritsuke, yanagiba and moriboshi.
Raindrop Damascus Integral Ajikiri custom chef knife - Raindrop damascus integral ajikiri handled in carbon fiber with yellow mammoth tooth inlay. The saya is solid carbon fiber milled for a single bevel grind with a leather liner. The saya has a yellow mammoth tooth inlay and a gold-anodized titanium keeper pin.
Damascus Usuba Integral custom chef knife - Custom integral raindrop damascas usuba kamagata knife. The carbon fiber handle is inlaid with yellow mammoth tooth and pure nickel capped with a faceted damascus butt cap. The saya is carbon fiber milled to match the angle of the usuba grind and lined with a supple pig skin. The saya is asymmetrical to match the blade and inlaid with matching mammoth. A feather damascus keeper pin keeps the blade snug and protected.
Raindrop Damascus Yanagiba Integral custom chef knife - This 270mm custom yanagiba features raindrop damascus, a hand-forged integral bolster, and handled in carbon fiber with mammoth tooth and mokume gane spacers. The saya is solid carbon fiber with mammoth tooth and a mokume gane keeper pin.
Pair of Raindrop Damascus Gyuto custom chef knives with black carbon fiber handles featuring yellow mammoth tooth inlays.
Raindrop Damascus Deba Integral custom chef knife, carbon fiber and yellow mammoth tooth handle, with saya and an anodized titanium keeper pin.
Custom-Anodized Titanium and Carbon Fiber Moriboshi - A custom moribashi set turned from titanium and carbon fiber.
Raindrop Damascus Full Tang Integral Kiritsuke custom chef knife - Carbon fiber and yellow mammoth tooth inlay on the handle. Leather-lined, solid carbon fiber saya with inlay in yellow mammoth-tooth and Timascus and a threaded Timascus keeper pin.
Solid Carbon Fiber, Leather-Lined Saya - Inlay in yellow mammoth-tooth and Timascus and a threaded Timascus keeper pin.