These knife ranges differ in terms of the wood used in the handles: Cherry wood (Sakai Kyuba Classic) and Stabilised Maple Burl (Sakai Kyuba). Both types of wood are cut into octagonal shaped ambidextrous handles, giving you a firm grip on the knife. They are both perfectly balanced and light, allowing for maximum precision and more controlled movements during use. Sakai Kyuba handles are made of limited European Maple Burl. The burl has to be dried for two years before it undergoes the process of stabilisation and colour dying. This ensures the wood is completely waterproof to avoid bacteria growth and is able to last generations. These are available in Green (dyed), Mediterranean Blue (dyed) or Natural Brown (not dyed) colour. Sakai Kyuba Classic handles are made of limited European Natural Cherry. The wood is dried well before it undergoes the process of handle forming and blade mounting. Consequently it has a high water resistance and is able to last generations. For more specifics read our Wooden handles: Maple burl vs Cherry wood blog post.