Golden Fern Chef 233mm

Sometimes an object has the power to stop us in our tracks. As we walk the culinary path, William Porto’s Golden Fern does just that. Forged by hand at his studio in Brazil, as natural an endeavor for this talented maker as for a fern to reach for the sun, William combines three distinct, house-made damascus patterns to form the blade and integral bolster of this exquisite creation. The blade, balanced, refined, and built to tackle every cut the kitchen presents, is shaped from William’s double-twisted carbon damascus which wraps around a central river of a linear pattern damascus’ meandering, parallel lines that converge in the final stretch, almost seeming to mimic and foreshadow the aggressive, needle-like tip that lies ahead. A sharp, thin, yet tough edge sits beneath convex bevels, extending straight and forward from the 56mm-tall heel and then sweeping upward for 233mm / 9.2″ of total length, and honed for all manner of chopping and slicing tasks. The rounded, tapering spine begins on the slim side at 2.1mm, reducing to around 1.6mm at the midpoint, and 1.1mm an inch from the tip, resulting in a versatile blade that exhibits both strength and a welcomed touch of lateral flexibility throughout its length. Then, as blade meets handle, just at this one-of-a-kind knife’s balance point, the artist’s third damascus pattern is revealed: a stunning mosaic of folded, turned, cut, and recompiled carbon steel alloys that form the left and right faces of a botanically-inspired damascus bolster. Between these rounded, outer faces, on the top and bottom of the museum-fit bolster, the blade’s twist pattern interplays with the surrounding lines to produce a beautiful effect. A single 24k gold inlay wraps the bolster tightly. For the final offering of comfort and control over a piece that is both art and tool, dyed and stabilized maple burl is sculpted into a Western handle shape that hugs the fingers and welcomes the meal to come. A custom buffalo and lizard leather saya made by William is included.