Santoku from Yaxell in the RAN series is a knife that resembles a classic chef's knife but has a shorter blade and rounded tip. The name "santoku" means "three tasks" and refers to the knife's versatility for cutting, dicing and chopping. Ran, which means "the excellent" in Japanese, is a fitting name for this series of knives. The blades consist of 69 layers of damascus steel with a core of hard VG10 steel and outer layers of softer, rust-resistant steel, giving the knives extreme sharpness and durability. The blades are hammered and polished to create a beautiful grain. The degree of hardness is 60–62 HRC. The handle is made of black micarta, a material produced by combining linen cloth and special plastic under high pressure. This results in a hard, water-resistant and hygienic material, perfect for kitchen environments. The handle is attached with two strong steel rivets and has a stainless button at the end to ensure perfect balance.