Daitoku knives are one of the most unique blades even for us. The almost-indigo coloured rustic kurouchi finish along with the hand-carved walnut handles with brass bolster make for such an incredible aesthetics. Not only are they beautiful, the hand-forged, hand-sharpened carbon steel blades retain their sharpness for a long time without being difficult to sharpen using whetstones (we recommend the Imanishi Arashiyama #1000). We do, however, caution the users to keep these blades dry as often as possible to prevent possible rusting. As for all carbon steel knives, a beautiful patina will form overtime. Santoku is an all-purpose blade that is incredibly useful for tight spaces and it is the one that most home cooks should purchase first. Even folks who use paring knives for everything can quickly get used to this blade since it brings so much utility in a compact size. Brand: Daitoku 大徳 Blacksmith: Tomonori Akahata 赤畠 大徳 Producing Area: Mie/ Japan Profile: Santoku Size: 165mm Steel: Yasuki Blue (Aogami) #2, Soft Iron Clad Handle: Walnut & Brass Ferrule Original Total Length: 292mm Edge Length: 164mm Handle to Tip Length: 174mm Blade Height: 46mm Thickness: 3.9mm Handle Length: 116mm Weight: 116g Hand Orientation: Ambidextrous