About Masashi Kuroshu -  This blade's core is made from hard SLD steel clad in softer stainless steel, and, thanks to his insane skill and blacksmithing genius, Masashi-san has pushed it to the absolute limit of hardness. Basically, this means his knives stay sharp way longer than this steel typically would but aren’t as fragile as most steel in this category. The best of both worlds! He also gives the blades a special edge, making the back end a little tougher for chopping and the tip finer for delicate work. The lightweight Japanese ‘wa handle’ perfectly compliments this gorgeous blade and gives the knife a forward balance that makes it super fun to cut with. First training with his brother at Yoshikane, then striking out on his own, Masashi Yamamoto relentlessly pursues the creation of a perfect knife using the traditional techniques passed down in his family and augmented by a modern understanding of metallurgy. He’s also a certified badass, forging in flip-flops and lighting cigarettes off red-hot steel like an 80’s action hero. About the Shape - Inspired by the profile of a traditional European chef knife, Gyutos are a multi purpose knife with a slight meat cutting bias. “Gyuto” translates to “cow sword.” If you want one knife to do it all, This is it. Starting at 180mm, Gyutos can reach the ridiculously long (and awesome) 370mm. For the at-home or professional cook, we recommend a Gyuto which measures between 210mm and 270mm long.