Shun Classic Blonde 5.5" Santoku Knife Stocking your kitchen is all about getting the tools that work best for you. May we suggest you try the Shun Classic 5.5-in. Thie smaller size makes it perfect for medium-sized kitchen tasks, from slicing carrots and shallots to mincing herbs to cutting chocolate or butter. Shun pronounced "shoon" in Japanese, is known as "at the peak of perfection". Each knife is handmade by skilled specialists and requires at least 100 handcrafted steps to complete one knife. Shun Classic knives feature a VG-Max super steel core encased with 68-layers of Damascus stainless steel (34-layers on each side). The Damascus steel supports and protects the core, which provides toughness, and is stain resistant. Each Shun knife provides a Japanese blade angle of 16. You will enjoy the ease of cutting the thinnest slices without bruising or tearing the most delicate foods while prepping; this ensures the ingredients to stay intact, retain flavor, and stay fresh. The blade is complimented by a D-shaped traditional Japanese handle, made out of blonde PakkaWood. Shun offers a full assortment, so you will always find the right knife for the task. Made in Japan. Like a chef's knife, the Japanese santoku is a multipurpose knife used for just about every cutting job in the kitchen. The name means ?three virtues.? and may refer to the three types of foods it works especially well with?vegetables, proteins, and fruit. Slightly shorter than the standard chef's knife, a santoku is very easy to maneuver?even in a smaller kitchen. There is just enough belly curve to enable rocking cuts, which enhances the knife's versatility. This distinctive piece of kitchen cutlery performs beautifully and you will find that the new blonde Pakkawood handles fit your hand like a comfortable glove. Blade Construction: VG-MAX cutting core, 34 layers each side (68 total) stainless Damascus cladding Full tang, provides strength balance Rockwell Hardness: 60-61; traditional Japanese blade angle- 16 (each side) D-shaped Blonde PakkaWood handle, is strong, durable and resists moisture Made in Japan Lifetime Manufacturers Warranty