Clarksdale, Arizona. May 2019. This custom Takeda Gyuto holds a special place in my heart. It's for Aamir Hashmi, a young chef who owns the first handle of my styling that graces the front of my business cards. It was after that first custom, that I decided to take all of the skills that I learned into a business of my own. Years later and I'm still continually pushing my boundaries, by experimenting in the moment.
The balance on this one is absolutely perfect. The ladderback mokume top cap along with the rest of the weight brings a little more power behind each chop, and it still feels great in the hand.
To this day, Aamir still sends me pics and performance videos of his love in action. Needless to say, this Takeda is a dream!
Handle materials include: ladderback mokume, red and black fiberboard, cholla cactus in black resin, red spalted maple, 3700 year old bog oak, and mirror polished nickel silver.
The saya is crafted from: wenge, cholla cactus in black resin, red spalted maple, and a hand forged nail for the pin that was found on family land, originating from the 1890s.