The Messermeister Oliva Elite Meat Cleaver is drop forged from 4mm thick German X50 stainless steel for toughness, then finished with a durable 22° edge to cleanly cut through bone, pieces of meat or whole poultry with ease. The straight edge is designed for solid contact with your chopping block. The weighted tip focuses power over the strike point. The Messermeister Oliva Elite knife collection boasts an exquisite natural, Mediterranean olive wood handle in the popular straight tang, forged knife line series. The highly figured, beautiful golden-brown handle provides a secure ergonomic pinch grip with an unsurpassed balance. The blade, bolster and tang are one piece, hot-drop hammer forged from a single billet of the finest German 1.4116 steel alloy and heat treated and cooled to achieve a Rockwell of 57-58. The 15° Elite edge is hand stropped on a cloth wheel, creating the sharpest possible cutting surface on an edged tool. Oliva Elite knives are of heirloom quality and one of the best original forged wood handle knives. Handcrafted in Solingen, Germany.