Gyuto
Handmade Japanese-style chef's knives, precision-crafted in our Rocklin, CA shop. The ultimate multi-purpose tool for serious cooks who demand USA-made quality and performance.
49er
This bad boy was custom ordered by an accomplished home chef in Northern California. The red and gold hybrid handle is an homage to the his favorite football team. The Golden Gate bridge was laser etched into the matching saya. He choose a distressed acid finish on the AEB-L blade which was professionally heat treated with cryogenic treatment. A workhorse cutting profile was chosen to allow for heavy use and without having to be overly cautious with the edge. Being a 3rd generation San Franciscan myself, I took a lot of pride in this build!
BEASTLY
"Make me a laser, go crazy" was the request from this client, an excellent home cook looking to add to his growing knife collection. Super fun build. To push the limits on how thin I could go, I added a water misting system to ensure the blade was kept cool and happy while grinding. The finished knife is a dream to cut with.
Bonita
<strong>Introducing Bonito: Where Precision Meets Personality</strong> Bonita is an 8.25" gyuto-style knife, standing 2" tall at the heel with a thickness of 0.165" at the handle. Its blade, made from professionally heat-treated AEB-L steel with a cryo finish, provides exceptional sharpness, edge retention, and durability. This knife isn’t just a tool—it’s a trusted companion for anyone serious about cooking. The western-style handle is crafted from richly figured desert ironwood, known for its stunning grain patterns and unrivaled durability. Why desert ironwood? It’s one of the densest hardwoods on the planet, naturally resistant to moisture and warping, making it ideal for a hardworking kitchen knife. Beyond its practicality, the polished finish feels luxurious in the hand, bringing comfort and elegance to every slice. Bonita was custom-built for an avid home cook who worked closely with Honest Knife Co. to design every detail, ensuring the handle perfectly fit her hand. This collaboration is reflected in its balance, ergonomics, and tailored craftsmanship—proving that no two knives have to be the same.
Diablo
Diablo was commissioned by an accomplished Norcal home chef whom I've had the pleasure of sharing many meals with. The knife is a perfect balance of toughness and agility. Crazy thin at the tip for precise detail cuts and medium heavy at the heel for tough board work. The saya features a personal design that the chef created. The design was then made into a full depth inlay which was laser cut.
Ginger
Ginger is a workhorse! She's ready for just about anything you want to throw at her. Especially thick at the heel, she'll cut through bones with no problem. The tip is tapered for fine detail work. The hybrid resin/maple handle lets her shine and the matching saya is a piece of art on its own. Don't let her good looks fool you though, she's all business.
High & Tight
Custom made knife for proficient home chef that also happens to be my barber. We decided go with a standard profile which gives the knife extremely great performance for cutting board work while maintaining enough heft to easily work through spareribs without worry. The hybrid wood/resin handle was shaped into a classic western shape that looks and feels great.
Honu
Hono is a beautifully balanced knife with a hand satin finish. These finishes take hours to get right so I don't do them that often and only on request. I might try to talk you out of it but don't let me! Just inisist. The saya was laser cut from my original design. The handle is an attention grabber for sure with stunning burl wood, black G10 bolster, and two-tone green G10 liners.
J-Lo
This little darling was custom ordered by an aspiring home chef in Northern California. The smooth acid finish on the AEB-L blade allows the hybrid resin/wood handle to really shine. A standard cutting profile was chosen to allow for great detail work while still being able to withstand heavy use and without having to be overly cautious with the edge. I really fell in love with this knife and it was tough to say goodbye!
Keeper
This was one of my early "test" knives. I liked it so much that I kept it! It's a beast at almost 0.20" at the spine. A true workhorse that I can beat on and not have to worry about. Most of my knives are under lock and key but this one just sits in the drawer so anyone can use it. I've changed the handle a few times just for fun. If you are thinking about a heavier knife but you're not sure, let me know and we can arrange for you to test this one out.
Limey
Limey is a crazy thin laser of a gyuto. This was a spec knife that got grabbed immediately. The handle design was inspired by, Don Ngyuen, who is one of the great knife makers of our time and of my online mentors. Don was kind enough to answer many questions for me and I appreciate his patience and willingness to help new makers. It's a really fun knife and looker as well!
Mizukiri
This knife is a laser. It’s not just thin- it’s crazy thin. Ideal for precision cuts and protein slicing. No bones! Recommend an edge grain cutting board only with this one. The wa style handle features a highly figured maple that's paired up with a deep, resonant Ebony. The contrast is awesome, there’s a harmony between the mellow and the bold that compliments the best of both woods. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0Zc2OQP_RU/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> View this post on Instagram <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C0Zc2OQP_RU/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Rick Davis (@honestknifeco)</a></p> </blockquote> <script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script>
Mr. Happy
This bad boy goes out to a long-time dear friend of mine. I chose a standard cutting profile that allows for great detail work while still being able to withstand heavy use and without having to be overly cautious with the edge. There was a piece of walnut that had been sitting in my wood collection for years. When it came time to build the handle for this, well, it kind of just called to me. Good thing too, it turned out great. I enjoyed this build immensely, and as always, it was tough to say goodbye!
Patriot
This was a really fun build! A client reached out and wanted to buy a special gift for her husband. The theme was to be based simply on "America". This was the result we came up with. The blade is a standard balanced gyuto in AEB-L steel. It was professionally hardened and cryo-treated by Paul Bos Heat Treating in Idaho (they do all of the heat treating for Buck Knives). The saya was fabricated with help from my friends at Repkord that allowed me access to their laser cutter. The saya pieces are cut from maple and dyed to match the hybrid maple/resin handle.
Pinkie
Custom-ordered by a NorCal chef who works in a fast-paced professional kitchen. She wanted a workhorse beast that could take abuse and still maintain a fine edge. We decided on a thick heel for tough work and a tapered tip for detail work. The handle reflects her spirit, cute pink liners with a base of strong desert ironwood. Yeah- it looks darling but trust me, this knife is a beast. I've had it back for sharpening multiple times and it looks great
Pua'a
Pua'a was commissioned by full-time professional chef who wanted "A heavy-duty sharp workhorse that can do fine slicing but also cut through bone". Wow, really chef!? Now those attributes don't usually combine in a single knife but, I love a challenge so off we went. I did a lot of reading and also reached out to some other, seasoned makers who provided solid advice. The final product is a hybrid design which is heavy at the heel and much thinner towards the tip. This provided the characteristics the chef wanted. It's also very balanced and feels great in the hand. When it came to the saya, I asked chef for ideas and the answer was "A pig". Okay! challenge accepted again! I came up with a design and did an inlay with contrasting woods. I was really happy with the result and chef loved it. For the handle, we went with a hybrid design. I sourced the handle scales from my friend at <a href="https://www.285woodworks.com/">285 woodworks</a>. He always does a great job.
SEMPER
A super fun and challenging build for a retired chef/caterer. This client knew exactly what he wanted so I had to push hard to deliver. Luckily he's a great guy and we took time to meet for a couple of beers a few times during the build. In addition to being a chef, he was a US Marine. After that he became fire fighter. From the SEMPER etch, to the red and brass, this knife tells a hell of a story and I'm honored that I was able to be a small part of it.
Steelhead
This was a very special build for one of the premier fly-fishing guides in Northern California. He's also an accomplished home chef and wanted a balanced blade that would handle day-to-day kitchen chores and still excel at slicing fish. We agreed on a balanced style geometry but emphasized a super thin edge section. Super happy with how it turned out. The handle is stabilized curly koa with black ebony.
T-Rex
Custom made for Rex, an accomplished home chef. This one-off piece is a true workhorse- a robust, versatile blade, capable of intricate precision work yet tough enough to slice through the occasional bone without worry. The handle features a museum-quality piece of sustainably harvested Desert Ironwood in western grip style. The accompanying saya features a custom-cut T-rex design.
Tako
Tako was one of my early knives. I've learned a lot since then but this one still holds up! The blade steel is s35VN. I've since switched to AEB-L for my kitchen knives as I can get it much thinner and it's a lot tougher. The handle and saya for Tako are made of Brazilian rosewood. It's a lovely wood to work with and polishes up to an amazing shine. The octopus design was laser cut at Hacker Lab in Rocklin, California.
Tortuga
A workhorse gyuto, Tortuga's blade is AEB-L steel hardened to 61HRC and comes in at exactly 8" long. An everyday knife in the kitchen, the design is suited to vegetable work as well proteins and some light bones. The design of the knife and saya were inspired during many lazy hours of shore fishing on west Maui beaches where I encountered many sea turtles.
The Books Are Closed
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