Forged in Sanjo exclusively for Best Made, our kitchen-proven Japanese Chef Knives have been updated with an improved, hand-scorched Shou Sugi Ban chestnut handle. Shou Sugi Ban is the centuries-old technique of charring and brushing the wood's surface, traditionally used to weatherproof cedar siding on buildings. In the kitchen, this gives our S.S.B. Japanese Chef Knives newfound resistance to both water and heat, the two primary instigators of a cracked handle. The expertly crafted Shou Sugi Ban handle is affixed with a water buffalo horn collar to a forged, triple-laminate blade with stainless surface layers and an Aogami blue steel core. The high-carbon steel core is exposed only at the knife's edge, providing higher hardness for long-lasting sharpness, while the stainless surface layers improve toughness and reduce overall maintenance. As with all our exclusive Japanese blades, the S.S.B. Japanese Chef Knives are stamped with the “Best Made” Japanese emblem, and each knife ships with a canvas blade guard for protection from moisture and chipping while in storage.