Konosuke GS+ new wide bevel ground blade with stainless clad SLD steel core and octagonal Laurel wood octagon handle and leather sheath. Konosuke GS+ series knives are a wide bevel ground three layer san mai forged blade with a stainless cladding and a semi-stainless/stainless SLD core with a laurel wood handle. SLD steel is an improved SKD11 steel most commonly used in tap and die tools and metal stamping dies. It is designed to stay tough when treated hard and to retain its workability at a high hardness as well. For knife making this translates to a very long lived tough edge with near stainless or stainless properties; it holds an edge well and even cuts well as it dulls.