With this piece, Stardust Crusader, Ksawery Szymczak allowed himself a greater degree of formal freedom. The result is his first full black mesh‑steel construction.
At its core lies Apex Ultra, clad in O1. Between them sits a layer of mesh steel, forming a composite structure rarely seen in kitchen knives. Once black acid‑etched and refined through S‑grind geometry, the mesh emerges as a fractured constellation across the blade face — a direct consequence of the layered build.
The blade reads almost astronomical: scattered nodes suspended in a dark field, giving substance to its name.
With a blade height reaching an imposing 68 mm, the profile carries the presence of an enlarged Bunka — broad, assertive, and visually commanding. The additional height amplifies the canvas on which the mesh pattern unfolds, giving the surface unusual impact.
The handle continues this material dialogue. Dyed blue stabilized maple provides depth and organic movement, while the bolster is crafted from crystallized titanium. The crystalline structure is formed through controlled high‑temperature treatment, allowing the titanium’s grain structure to grow and later be revealed through surface finishing. After repeated refinement, the final violet‑blue anodisation was chosen deliberately, intensifying the chromatic tension between metal and wood, austerity and nature, structure and light.