What you are looking at here is a constant companion of mine for over (ahem) 30 years. Yep, this baby and I have been through a lot together. It was given to me by my Mother when I was in college, though I don't think it was an intentional gift. In those days my family owned a restaurant and catering company on the East End of Long Island in Greenport. On occasion wayfaring types would appear outside the back door selling all sorts of things, quality knives being one of them. I believe my Mom bought it to save her a trip of 30 miles to buy me some other sort of birthday gift, but I was thrilled to have it. She also knew that a good knife is a worthwhile gift for someone who loves to cook. It made me feel like a cook, it made me take cooking seriously.
If you know anything about professional chefs, you know that they are religious about their tools. Wherever they go, their knives go with them. This one is an 8" Chef's Knife made by Ludwig Schiff with a wooden handle. They don't really make the wooden handles anymore. You can see why from the photo. Over time the wood splinters and cracks, even with diligent care- which I practice, (always washed by hand, never left to soak, never left in the bottom of the sink, and never- EVER washed in the dishwasher). I love that about this knife though. Like the lines around my smiling eyes, it tells a tale of travels.