Shun Classics are the original Shuns, the first Japanese-style knives to be made available to a wider audience in North America. Instead of heavy, ponderous blades, Shun Classic blades are lighter with razor-sharp edges and crafted from advanced steel. Rather than weighty, Western handles, Shun Classic offers the graceful control of a traditional Japanese handle. The Shun Classic line also offers you the widest assortment of both traditional culinary blade shapes and cutting-edge designs, so you can always find the right knife for the task. Each Shun knife gets its unique and individual character by refining the natural beauty of the damask grain. This way every Shun knife is unmistakable and unique – a piece of art, united by craftsmanship, technology and design. Features Shun Classic features stainless damask steel with 34 layers each side (68 total) and D-shaped ebony PakkaWood handle Every Shun Classic Knife has a core layer made from high performance VG MAX steel. VG MAX is Shun's Proprietary steel blend. Carbon is added to improve strength and durability. It has more chromium for wear and corrosion resistance. More cobalt enhances strength. Increased tungsten enables the steel to be very fine-grained; so the edge can be extremely fine and sharp. VG-MAX is an extremely hard (HRC, 1.0% carbon, 1.5% cobalt) and corrosion-resistant steel that gives the blade a sharpness that is second to none and blades remain sharp for longer The convex cut of the blade together with the manual honing of each Shun knife delivers an unparalleled sharpness that allows the knife to cut through even the toughest material Blade is double-bevel, flat ground for easy cutting and food release Full composite tang for strength and balance Blade length: 4.5-in (11.43 cm) Handcrafted in Japan