Ran Kiritsuke 20 cm from Yaxell is a Japanese knife model that combines features from vegetable knives and fish knives. Traditionally, the kiritsuke is used by chefs as a symbol of status, as it is more difficult to handle than other knives. It is a flexible and versatile knife that can be used for most ingredients once mastered. 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. This gives 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 a kitchen environment.