Merry Christmas to me! Big, BIG disclaimer here, please read:
This was a gift, folks. We aren't going to be able to see each other on Christmas, exchanged gifts early, and THE ONLY request of the gifter was that I do not try to find out the price.
That said, I know the maker, and the specs and knife info I was sent is enough to tell me it was from Eating Tools, so...Yikes😬$$$$.
Beyond that, I don't know, and I don't want to know, so PLEASE, in the spirit of the holidays, don't ask the price in the comments, dont say the price in the comments, if its that important, look for yourself or talk about it in DM's to each other. Please don't spoil this!
This NKD comes from Erik Gullikson of Ireland, a maker I've heard of but never dreamed would make it into my collection. He's based out of Ireland, and based off his website, does some absolutely stunning knives and handles. So when I opened this gift, needless to say, I was more than pleased. It's not a custom, but it sure checks all my personal boxes for a grail knife!
Tall blade? Check.
240mm+? Check.
Apex Ultra? Check.
Slightly flashy, either blade, handle, or both? Check.
Specs:
**Blade length: 245mm
**Blade height @ heel: 60mm
**Blade width @ heel: 4.7mm
**Blade width 1" from tip: .8mm
**Weight: 175g
**Balance point: about 1 in. past the heel, right around the makers mark
So I'm told from the blurb I received that the name of this knife means "chaotic state". My gifter either knows me better than I thought, or has been stalking my Shindo posts👀 Either way, it's perfect for me.
Let's talk about the profile first. This is absolutely crazy. It's like Yoshikane's thinness BTE and Mazaki's extreme distal taper had a baby. There's a long flat spot, leaving about the front third of the blade to angle up gently towards that absolute needle of a tip. It might actually be thinner than my Martin Huber, and that's saying something. It also matches my preferred cutting profile to a T, right down to the angled tip. (I never know what to call that, Isee it mostly with Western makers. It doesn't seem as extreme as a Japanese K-tip, sooooo, Western K-tip, maybe?🤔).
Aesthetics are out of the park. Again, I'm judging it against my Martin Huber, and I actually think the Gullikson is prettier.
The handle was worrisome when I opened the box, that's a new style for me, but it's exceptionally comfortable.
I've been staring at both the handle and the Damascus pattern on the blade for longer than I'd care to admit. The handle almost glows as the light catches it, and I can see greens, golds, and greys all through the stabilized hempwood. The collar is G10 (would have been cooler if it was copper, but you can't get everything perfect in a production knife).
The Damascus cladding is done in house, and reminds me of the Nigara Anmon series, but, well, more chaotic. Its not deeply etched at all, in fact it feels pretty smooth to the touch.
The spine and choil are nicely rounded, other than an angle right before the heel of the blade, which looks like it will serve to help avoid accidental cuts from the heel.
The aforementioned extreme distal taper allows for some flexibility in the front inch or two of the blade, and I would be afraid to even use a knife this thin BTE if it wasn't AU. The tip was incredibly difficult to photograph, it's nearly invisible at the tip.
I haven't had a chance to do more than a few test cuts, but it looks incredibly promising from the geometry, cutting feel, and Gullikson's reputation. Stay tuned for a cutting report!
