Made in the USA, CPM S35VN and its predecessor CPM S30VN, was the first CPM steel developed specifically for knife making. It has superior edge holding to any other steel used in kitchen cutlery manufactured today but that is only the beginning of the story. Edge holding is only one characteristic that is important in superior kitchen knife construction. Equally as vital is toughness and stain resistance. The CPM process allows for incredible wear resistance (edge holding) combined with bombproof toughness, vital in a thin fine bladed knife. Finally, S35VN provides superior stain resistance which in the corrosive, alternately wet and dry kitchen environment is crucial to a knife that lasts a lifetime.