Yaxell MON Knives

These are excellent knives, AND they're an excellent value! Fit and finish are superb, they're beautiful, have VERY sharp and well-finished edges, and the shapes and sizes are "standard" and useful. Handles are made of micarta, which is a beautiful, hard, comfortable, rugged and long-lasting material made of linen bonded with waterproof resins -- you have to see it to appreciate how beautiful it is! The handle shapes are also comfortably rounded without being overly curvy or so-called "ergonomic". The blades are made of the very popular VG10 stainless steel which is an ideal knife-making metal as it is hard enough (HRC61) to take and hold an edge very well, and yet it is still reasonably easy to maintain (it's not overly hard -- harder is NOT always better and yes, it IS possible to overboard in this regard!).

Here's what the manufacturer says:
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Since 1932, Yaxell has been a major knife manufacturer in Japan. Our superior quality kitchen knives are sold around the world and renowned for their quality, performance and beauty which makes them a perfect choice as professional kitchen knives. They are favoured internationally by top chefs and are equally regarded in home kitchens.

The outstanding edge of the MON 3 layers VG10 knives has been achieved by combining the best of advanced technology with unsurpassed knowledge and expertise of our Japanese craftsmen making these professional kitchen knives. Their skills have been honedby traditional Japanese sword-making techniques, handed down from generation to generation over seven centuries in Seki, Japan, the capital of swords and knives.

The blade has an extremely sharp cutting angle and is made from Japanese VG10 Cobalt-Molybdenum-Vanadium stainless steel covered with high quality stainless steel on both sides. Our heat treatment achieves the outstanding hardness of HRC61 (61 on the Rockwell scale) and guarantees a long lasting cutting performance.

The handle is made out of FDA-approved black Canvas-Micarta, made of resin and linen, an extremely solid and hard wearing material which will last for decades. The end of the handle is made out of high quality stainless steel, ensuring the knife's outstanding stability while the leading edge of the handle bears our beautiful Yaxell logo.

Use and care:
- Only use cutting boards made of wood (maple) or plastic. Do not use glass, tile, stone, or granite surfaces.
- Do not use knives for hacking food, cutting bone, or meat containing bone.
- Do not use to cut frozen food.
- Wash the knives immediately after use in lukewarm water. Wipe completely dry and store them securely in a dry place.