Don Carlos Andrade’s functional art has long occupied an intersection of eclectic visual design and high-performance tool unlike anyone elses, and the Shadow Puzzle Gyuto fits squarely with his modus operandi. In a style long-loved by the maker, a formally trained chef, and his loyal fans around the world, a 197mm / 7.8″ kiritsuke-inspired gyuto profile is forged from 26c3 “Spicy White”, a clean, low-alloy high-carbon steel prized by bladesmiths for its fine grain structure, hard, sharp edge, and ability to be sharpened and maintained easily. As is common from Don, this blade has been differentially hardened through a careful heat treatment and quenching process, the final etch and hand-sanded satin finish revealing the resulting hamon line near the spine where the material remains softer than at the edge. The beautiful, foggy finish Don attains is embellished by a hand carved line that snakes along the bevels on each side, mimicking the undulations of the hamon itself. Stiff and rounded at the spine for toughness and strength, tall, pronouncedly convex bevels slim downward to a razor-sharp, thin edge that is backed by enough materials for the most demanding kitchen work. Tapering forward from the hidden tang to a pointed, low tip positioned perfectly for slicing and carving work, the blade is versatile and dynamic while remaining rigid and capable of tough cuts throughout. And then, there is the handle. Every cook in the kitchen will want to play a piece in this puzzle. Partially 3D printed and sculpted from an Alumilite resin puzzle construct in Don’s hand-filling, well-loved, shield-style wa handle profile, the finished grip is inlaid with his trademark translucent green G10 disc and capped with a matching translucent green ferrule. A custom cloth-covered saya is included.