The most prestigious knife brands in Japan are Masahiro, Masamoto, and Misono. Together they form an elite group known as the three M¿s. Masahiro MV-H knives are produced by Masahiro Co., Ltd. in Seki, Japan. Among the numerous ranges of knives produced by Masahiro, the MV-H range is the top of the line. It is indisputably the best range from one of the best factories in Japan. The cutting edge is asymmetrical: 80% on the right side of the blade and 20% on the left side, then polished to a mirror finish. This tapered style edge takes pressure off food for a perfect finished cut. This asymmetrical edge is derived from traditional one-sided Japanese knives which are also 80/20 asymmetrical. The 80 percent side on the MV-H is only ¼¿ high as compared to the ¾¿ on a traditional Japanese knife, but the idea is the same. An asymmetrical edge is approximately 35% thinner than a 50/50 straight edge. The Masahiro knives are amazingly light weight, yet perfectly balanced. The handle is a composition plastic handle which is remarkably durable and is much more practical and longer lasting than a laminated wood handle. The composite handle is resistant to bacteria, which keeps the knife very hygienic in daily use. The handles are a three rivet design and use a very wide full tang, almost as wide as the handles themselves. This design provides plenty of room for the rivets and still allows room for the handle to cover the tang, which results in an incredibly smooth rounded handle that feels great in your hand. The MV-H range is made from MBS-26 high carbon stainless steel. This MBS-26 is proprietary to Masahiro; however, it comes from the VG family like VG-10 that the Kasumi Damascus knives first used. The MBS-26 stainless steel is treated by three stages of quenching, sub-zero treating and tempering until the steel reaches a hardness of 58-60 HRC. Masahiro believes this is the ideal hardness the for a kitchen knife with the features of the MV-H.