KASUMI V-GOLD NO. 10 DAMASCUS PATTERN KNIVES These knives are made from 33 layers of stainless steel. Only the middle layer acts as the cutting edge, and it is made using V-Gold No. 10 stainless steel. V-Gold No. 10 is a high carbon stainless steel with cobalt, manganese, molybdenum and vanadium for added durability and ease of sharpening. V-Gold No. 10 is a high quality steel developed exclusively for knives and scissors. The addition of cobalt to this steel requires special tempering in order to maximize the full benefit of this steel. Sumikama's technique for this special tempering is a closely guarded secret.

The layers on both sides of the V-Gold No. 10 core are made by repeatedly folding together two different types of stainless steel and forge welding them by hand until you have sixteen exceedingly thin alternating layers. These sixteen layers are then forge welded to both sides of the V-Gold No. 10 core.

The edge on a Kasumi knife is beveled like a western style knife. However, the bevel is much larger than the bevel on a European or American brand. This larger bevel creates a sharper edge. Kasumi knives do not have a bolster. They do have a stainless steel ferrule that is forge welded to the blade to ensure that food particles do not become trapped between the blade and the handle. They also have a full tang. The handle is made from multiple layers of wood impregnated with a plastic resin. The handle is riveted to the tang.

KASUMI CERAMIC KNIVES Kasumi ceramic knives are made out of zirconium oxide particles. The zirconium oxide is hardened at approximately 1500 degrees Celsius in a special kiln. The result is a material which is second only to diamonds in hardness. The particles of zirconium oxide from which the Kasumi blades are fashioned are particularly fine. These finer particles allow for the smallest amount space between the ceramic molecules. This results in the hardest ceramic knife available.

The major benefit of using zirconium oxide is that it does not wear as quickly as stainless steel. Therefore, it stays sharper longer. It may stay sharp for a year or longer depending on frequency of use. There are also several other benefits to using ceramic. Ceramic will not tarnish, rust or stain, since ceramic is chemically inert. Ceramic knives will not give a metallic taste to your food. They are easy to clean merely by rinsing with soap and water. They do not have to be thoroughly dried before storing. AS WITH ALL KNIVES, WE DO NOT RECOMMEND PUTTING THESE KNIVES IN THE DISHWASHER.

Just as there are many advantages to ceramic knives, there are also some disadvantages. See Product Care and Warranty Information.

The handle on the Kasumi ceramic knives is ergonomically designed to perfectly fit anyone?s hand. The handle of each size knife is weighted so that each is perfectly balanced with its respective blade. The handles are made of polypropylene which requires no special maintenance or care.

The paring and utility knives come with an acrylic knife stand so that they can be used at the dining table.