Shun VG0015 Blue 9" Slicing Knife The Shun Blue 9-Inch Slicing Knife allows you to make long, thin slices without pressure or sawing, retaining precious juices Featuring Japanese san mai (meaning, "3-layers") construction; carbon steel sandwiched between two layers of stainless steel Blue Steel cutting core of fine-grained "blue" carbon steel hardened to 61 Rockwell Knife blades feature a mirror-polish that enhances stain resistance; Light bead-blasting along the edge shows off the san mai construction Made with traditional Japanese knife handles; each knife comes with a Japanese-style saya, or sheath