the steel is 52100 made by bark river. it has a very thin edge. much thinner than any of my busse kin knives. the knife is great. I use it a lot. I don't think it was the cutting but rather torquing or twisting the blade that caused it. I would have called it rolled and maybe that is the right terminology but I am not sure. the edge is not straight. the overall length of the edge is straight but small portions are bent. even the bent portions are extremly sharp.