I was stoked to meet Brian Hanson a few months ago, he just wandered into the shop one day and introduced himself! We talked knives for a while and he showed me some photos of the knives he has been making in the last few years. Like myself, he spent quite a few years cooking in restaurants, and his knives show it. He makes the knives that he would want to use. I was happy to hear from him again, he just got done with run of 18 knives, and would I want to stock a few in my shop? Hell Yea! I got two santoku to start, one with a Birch Burl handle, and the other with Walnut (which is super lightweight, under 4 ounces!)
He specializes in Damascus steel, which is a mixture of two steels that are folded and welded together during the forging process, making beautiful, one of a kind patterns. They are etched in acid to bring out the pattern. Each knife is completely unique, free forged, and hand ground. He also makes exquisite handles. Brian is based out of Arlington, Washington, just north of Seattle.
Check them out here: https://uptowncutlery.com/collections/brian-hanson-knives
You can find out more about him on his website: https://www.bhknives.com/ and follow him on instagram @brianhansonknives