With their common goal of creating the best knives possible Michel Bras and KAI discovered, as their friendship deepened, that they had many other things in common besides knives. Just as Michel loves his birthplace Aubrac, the source of his inspiration, so the spirit of KAI is rooted in the Mino region and in the skilled craftsmen who live there. Both the high plateau of Aubrac and the plain of Mino lie inland and are blessed by an abundant nature. Both Laguiole and Seki are famed for their excellent knives. And finally Michel Bras' father was also a blacksmith. What Michel Bras expects of a knife is first that it be "sharp and beautiful," and second that it be "well-balanced and fit firmly in the hand. "Cutting herbs with a blunt knife is like wounding them," Michel points out. "If the herbs are wounded," he says, "their blood is lost, along with their beauty and savor. They just wither and die." The act of cutting means finding harmony for Michel Bras. He expresses this using the example of Japanese archery. "In archery, the arrow becomes a part of the archer's body, and if the archer lets go of it just when he feels he has become one with it, he knows he will hit the bull's eye even if he's blind-folded. For all those who love cooking: A delicately polished sharpness, an effortless feel in the hand when used and a refined beauty. Such are the hallmarks of this collection of knives designed by Michel Bras and manufactured by KAI. Achieving a perfect fusion of beauty and usefulness, of esthetics and gastronomy, was the goal that this great cook set for himself. Michel Bras knives are the ideal companions of all those who love cooking. Features Ideal for cutting, pounding and separating at will This is a combination of a kitchen knife and a cleaver enabling greater versatility. It is a dynamic blade that is 4mm thickness at its widest. Strong and flexible three-layered blade, the blade is produced in three layers: a hard stainless steel sandwiched between two layers of a more flexible stainless steel. This makes for better resistance and durability. A titanium coating has been added to enhance its anti-oxidation properties. The matt satin finish makes for a beautiful and sober appearance. Oblong-shaped handle spares the hand while cutting. Made of black laminated wood resistant to water and moisture, the handle has a distinct chestnut shape. The apex of the handle naturally accommodates the fingers and the hand does not tire while cutting. Connoisseurs will appreciate the beautiful grain of the wood and its silken feel. Plain wood sheath embodying the image of nature in Laguiole, the home of Michel BRAS. High-quality hard maple wood fashioned into a simple rectangular shape. The beauty and serenity of the Laguiole knife find their natural expression in the texture and color of this wood, which is unaffected by changes in the weather. A magnet inside the sheath holds the knife snugly in place. Dimensions: Blade length: 7.75-in (200 mm), Total length: 13-in (330 mm), Blade thickness: 0.15-in (4 mm) Weight (without sheath): 20.1 ounces Knife made in Seiki, Japan