Kikuichi's Swedish StainGold Knives feature a core of premium alloy steel which includes Chromium 15%, Cobalt 1.5% and Molybdenum 1.0%. It is clad on both sides with SUS410 stainless steel and tempered to a rockwell hardness of 61.
In plain English, this is a premium quality knife. Iron ore from Sweden is reknowned for it's low sulfur content, which is a contaminant that must be removed. When a company sets out to create a Premium knife, they must use the best steel available, and then subject it to a series of special heat tempering processes. The net result on this line of Kikcuichi knives, is a blade with terrific edge retention that resists micro-pitting. Suitable for heavy professional as well as home use.