By artist Don Carlos Andrade, heirloom quality craftsmanship in a tough, unyielding build produces a workhorse tool for the hard-working chef. A hybrid blade shape of Don’s design that combines his favored elements from both the gyuto and honesuki profiles of traditional Japanese cutlery, the gyuteseki blade in this rendition is married to Don’s French-inspired Alsace handle form resulting in a unique and handsome chef’s knife made to stand up to the most demanding cuts. Shaped from 26c3 ‘Spicy White’ high-carbon steel, the 165mm / 6.5″ blade features a tall heel, pointed tip, deep belly, and upswept edge profile, altogether creating a knife that can slice, carve, and even perform light-to-medium boning work, and more, with durability and strength. Throughout the blade’s bevels where the beautiful lines of Don’s superb differential heat treatment are visible, the geometry is pronouncedly convex, slimming to a thin, razor-sharp edge. With the well-loved combination of flat facets and gently curved faces associated with Don’s handles, this Alsace grip is sculpted from vintage red linen micarta, polished along the top and sides and retaining a purposeful touch of texture on the bottom contours for extra slip-resistance. Tapering for comfort and control, the handle is completed with Don’s trademark translucent green G10 inlay and a single, hand-peened stainless steel pin.