The Maguro Bocho tuna knife is an extremely long knife that is highly specialized to fillet tuna and other large fish in a single cut. This Maguro bocho represents the highest level of traditional Japanese craftsmanship and is an extremely special collectible piece that’s truly one-of-a-kind for two main reasons. This knife uses a material that’s extremely rare to be used in a Maguro bocho and has an exemplary level of finishing rarely seen for a knife of this length. The majority of Maguro bochos are typically made in Blue/White J2 Steel or a lower carbon content steel due to the added difficulty of forging an extremely large and long blade with a harder steel Maguro Bocho is extremely rare and is perfectly finished in comparison to a standard Maguro bocho. A standard Maguro bocho will typically have a rougher finish with imperfections along the blade and may not have a straight blade due to the difficulty of sharpening and extremely sharp blade. In contrast, this Maguro bocho is extremely straight and the finishing and polishing on this knife is perfectly done This Maguro knife is exceptionally special as it was made around 20 years ago and sharpened and polished it during last year of the Heisei emperor. The tang is also polished and engraved with the grandmaster’s name and special Japanese engraving. A custom-matched protective wooden sheath called a Saya is included, which protects the knife and adds to its appearance when not in use. Proudly made in Italy and one-of-a-kind collector's item. Carbon steel can oxidize if not properly maintained. Keep dry and oil regularly to prevent oxidation.