The Kai Shun Engetsu Blade Unlike your everyday, common-or-garden Damascus steel, the Engetsu blade does not have a core material. Instead, its blade is made with 71 layer of Dual Core - a mixture of VG2 & VG10. This construction technique brings the steel lamination right to the edge, resulting in a microscopic serration at the blade tip for extremely fine cutting performance. The blade pattern creates three distinct zones on the blade. A deep and intense pattern in the middle of the blade brings additional food release and low friction properties. The tip and heel have superior toughness and durability. 

The Kai Shun Engestsu Handle A fully forged handle, triangular in section, with exquisite black & blue pakkawood inlays with microscopic serrations on the edge of the blade, three 'zones' for stick-resistance and perfect blade-to-handle balance, the Engetsu range is a masterpiece of ironmongery. There are only a few hundred of these knives in Europe, and each features a unique serial number at the bottom of the handle.

The Santoku is the most popular knife in the Japanese home and considered to be an all rounder in the kitchen. The meaning of Santoku is the “three virtues” in Japanese and is a reference to its multi purpose and versatility. It can be used to prepare fish, chicken and most fruits and vegetables but is too small for large food items like watermelons and bigger cuts of meat. The Santoku is great as an alternative if you have a larger chef’s knife as most Santokus come in at around 165mm to 180mm its easy to handle and has a snubbed nose to it.

This is a great type of stainless steel for kitchen knives and is very common. Typically, these knives have an HRC between 60 and 61, good edge retention, and excellent corrosion resistance. Damascus-style knives often use VG-10 as the core, with Damascus steel wrapped around them. VG-10 is a grade of Japanese stainless steel primarily focused on cutlery. The name stands for V Gold 10, where "gold" refers to quality. The approximate content is 1% carbon, 1-3% vanadium, 14.5%-15.5% chromium, 0.9-1.2% molybdenum, 1.3-1.5% cobalt, 0.5% manganese, and 0.03% phosphorus.

Weight: 240g

Handle Material: Pakkawood

Handle Length: 140mm (5.5")

Blade Length: 182mm (7.1")

Blade Depth: 56mm

Thickness at spine: 1.6mm

Thickness at tip: 0.3mm

Cutting Edge: 50/50

Blade Material: VG10 & VG2

Hardness (Rockwell scale): 61 - 62

Layers: 71