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 285 woodworks. He always does a great job.