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 - A Nakiri is a vegetable knife. Under utilized in the Western kitchen, the Nakiri’s flat blade is meant for the push/pull chopping of vegetables. Since the entire flat edge of the knife kisses the cutting board at once, you wont be turning the vegetable into an accordion. Accordion vegetables are still connected like a paper doll after you're “done” cutting them. To truly understand the awesomeness of a Nakiri we recommend making onion soup your first night with the knife. The ease of chopping will blow you away.