Shun’s Kanso series is designed based on a Zen philosophy meaning Simplicity. To make this series, Shun eliminated everything that was not essential to creating an excellent knife. According to Shun, the necessities for making a high quality knife are: high-quality steel, a razor-sharp edge, perfect balance, and precision cutting control. Kanso blades are made from a highly refined, high-carbon, vanadium Japanese stainless steel that is capable of taking a razor-sharp edge and holding it longer than other blades. The blades have a Heritage finish designed to hide scratches and give the knife a rustic look that just gets better with age. The handles are made from tagayasan wood and are contoured to fit comfortably in your hand. These knives have a full tang that gives the knives strength and perfect balance. The Shun Asian Utility Knife is designed for multi-tasking. Its sharp tip is perfect for peeling ginger, and the long, flat blade is great for processing vegetables and portioning meats. It may look like a meat cleaver, but this knife is not quite heavy enough to break bones. However, the back of the knife can be used as a meat tenderizer, and the flat of the blade can be used to crush garlic. You can also use this knife to skin fish and shave vegetable. Features: A multi-purpose, must-have knife in Asian kitchens Hand-sharpened 16° double-bevel blade (32° comprehensive) Heritage finish hides scratches, gives Kanso a rustic look that just improves with age Steel: AUS10A high-carbon, vanadium stainless steel Handle: Contoured tagayasan wood Blade length: 7 in. (17.8 cm) Handcrafted in Japan