Laminated Knife #1

This Japanese-style santoku was the very first Laminated steel blade I ever made.  It was made in 2005 after several attempts, and was in daily use in my kitchen until 2012 when I decided to retire it.  It still looks almost exactly the same as the photo, but as it was the first successful blade made from a steel that was to become such a big part of my knifemaking career, it seemed fitting to give it a permanent place of honor outside the kitchen. 

The blade was made from 304 stainless with a core of L6 and O-1 Damascus.  It is a mix I no longer use because of the inherent problems I eventually discovered in the forge-welding process.  The handle is water buffalo horn with stabilized maple spacers and nickel silver caps.