This is simply an amazing bow saw. Hot bread, crusty French, tough bagels, and mushy sourdough can be cut with ease. In addition, this knife can be used for vegetables, fruits and cheeses. After using the knife, simply wipe the blade clean. The blade is high carbon steel and very sharp. It is scalloped, doubled beveled and extremely thin, which is part of the reason it cuts so well. A back and forth motion when cutting like a carpenters saw with very little downward pressure is needed for a clean, precise cut. This knife is beautiful too, handcrafted from straight-grained hardwoods of oak, maple and cherry! 2 FREE French Baguette Bread Mix with this purchase!