Saturday, February 12, 2022

I Studied the Blade

What sort of housewarming present does one get for someone moving into a Manhattan apartment?  You buy something that doesn't take up too much space, for starters.  Dr Jen recently closed on a place and I figured I'd give her practical present:


I believe that, if possible, a gift should be freighted with meaning, and this one works on several levels.  On the simplest level, it's a practical object, suitable for everyday use, which can fit in a drawer in the kitchen.  On a slightly deeper level, it's a beautiful artifact, well crafted, and with a good feel in the hand.  It's also a callback to the 'Redheads with Knives' running joke.  

Finally, the Damascus steel of the blade is a reference to the good Doctor's Syrian heritage, and the blade, a pattern-welded blend of hard high carbon steel and softer low carbon steels, is a good balance... hard enough to hold an edge without being brittle, flexible enough to be tough without dullness.  A metaphor?  You be the judges.

3 comments:

StringOnAStick said...

That's a gorgeous blade!

Big Bad Bald Bastard said...

Isn't it, though? The patterns are mesmerizing.

Ali Redford said...

It is beautiful.