Page "Santoku" Paragraph 7

Many copies of santoku-pattern knives made outside of Japan have substantially different edge designs, different balance, and softer steels ( thus requiring a thicker cutting edge profile ) than the original Japanese santoku.

One trend in some non-Japanese santoku variations made of a single alloy is to include kullenschliff ) hollowed out of the side of blade, similar to those found in meat-carving knives.

These scallops create small air pockets between the blade and the material being sliced in an attempt to improve separation and reduce cutting friction.

However, manufacturing limitations generally restrict such features to mass-produced blades fabricated of softer, less expensive stainless steel alloys.