The Messermeister Meridian Elite Hollow Edge Santoku Knife is also known as a Japanese Chef's Knife, features a wide blade with an overall thinner spine and taper. The blade thickness is lengthened to give it maximum precision when slicing. The spine runs parallel to the relatively flat cutting edge, which has a bolsterless heel and only curves near the tip to create a broad bladed knife similar in shape to a cleaver. The hollow edges on each side of the blade reduce drag and prevents food from sticking to the blade, such as vegetables, fish, meat and more. Messermeister Meridian Elite knives are one-piece, hot-drop hammer forged from a single billet of the finest German stainless steel alloy and outfitted with the most durable industrial strength handle in the world. Messermeister Meridian Elite knives are handcrafted one at a time using the same techniques that have been the hallmark of fine Solingen made cutlery for hundreds of years. Messermeister Meridian Elite knives are simply the best original forged knives made in Germany.