The Shun Classic 9" Honing Steel features a specially angled bolster designed to align your Shun knives to the correct 16 degrees required for honing. (Shun blades are ground to an angle of 16 degrees, making for an extremely sharp edge, while most other manufactures grind their knife blades to an angle of 22 degrees.) With the beauty of genuine wood, the black PakkaWood handle is made by fusing layers of birch with a waterproof resin that results in a durable, dishwasher safe material. Shun Knives are technically dishwasher safe, however, as with any lifetime investment, it's important to take the best care possible in order to prolong the life of your knife. For multiple reasons, Shun does not advise you put your steel in the dishwasher. Hand-washing is recommended. Shun Knives are hand-made in Seki City Japan, the ancient home of samurai swords. NSF approved. Limited lifetime warranty.