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Shun Classic 7-3/4-Inch Chinese Chef's Knife
An Asian chef might find this to be the ultimate kitchen tool, as it's sharp enough to slice through bones and cartilage in one single slice, yet can be used for tenderizing meat or fine dicing as well. The extra-wide blade with a slight curve is a traditional cleaver design, plus it features the one-sided bevel and hollow-ground back side which ensures swift and confident motion.
A member of the stylish Shun Classic line, this heavy-duty Chinese chef?s knife comfortably handles hearty kitchen tasks ranging from cutting through poultry bones to chopping vegetables. Essentially a cleaver, this tool features a wide, rectangular blade measuring 7-3/4 by 3-3/8 inches. The slightly curved cutting surface rocks gently and maintains its razor-sharp edge. Leveraging a 90-year history of superior workmanship, Shun knives are precision-forged in Japan by renowned blade manufacturer KAI. Using technologically advanced processes, a VG-10 "super steel" core is clad with 16 layers of high-carbon stainless steel to produce a rust-free Damascus-look blade. The Damascus detailing not only enhances the knife?s aesthetic appeal, it also prevents morsels from sticking and avoids crushing or damaging foods. Forming a comfortable D-shaped hold, a fused blend of hardwood veneers and resin comprise the unique ebony Pakkawood handle. A traditionally offset stainless-steel bolster protects knuckles while a steel end-cap finishes the piece. Although dishwasher-safe, hand washing is recommended. This product includes a lifetime warranty. -- Amy Arnold
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Shun Classic 7-3/4-Inch Chinese Chef's Knife Reviews
My parents will never understand how I can pay more than a $150 for a knife, but after cutting some vegetables and onions, I was out of words. Rarely in life does something that garners so much hype and attention stands up to expectations. My next target is the 8" classic chef's knife, replacing my Twin Henckels 4 star. The sad thing about having one shun knife is, I am sure to buy more. The D shaped handle fit my hand very well, it was not as heavy as I expected. It was sharp out of the box and the Damascus pastern was very attractive. However the Shun knife I received not only met, but beat expectations.
this is nice, but i already had a german steel and really couldn't justify buying a new one for one knife if i didn't have to. the weight combined with the size really turns my wife off, so this is a knife you need to hold for a few minutes before you purchase it. it cuts very well, and with very little effort. turns out that the weight behind this blade lets you work quickly and accurately, even when making thin slices in a small vegetable.
finally, the large blade is also great for guiding your hand. it's not as heavy as a meat cleaver, but it's heavier than a 8" german chef's knife. a minute with a sharpening steel got it extra sharp. i think this is probably the function of the 16 degree angle of the cutting edge. where smaller knives tend to come away from my knuckles when i'm chopping, this blade is always right there, and that makes me feel safe. i'm used to a wusthof chef's knife with a fairly beefy bolster, so initially this felt a little thin. yes, this is definitely sharper out of the box than most german knives.
i don't regret the decision. one thing that has suprised me is i find myself using it for more detailed work. for instance when i'm very thinly slicing mushrooms, i always thought i'd stick with a smaller knife to allow me to move really quicly and precisely. on the flip side of the weight issue, the blade has great momentum and the weight just lets it drop through foods with very little effort. i've been working with this knife for several weeks now, and really enjoy using it.
i also like having the ability to scoop large amounts of chopped foods onto the blade so i can transport them to a bowl or a pan. a really good knife. i was initially a bit concerned about the bolster - or lack thereof - and how that would translate comfort wise in my hand. it's clearly very expensive, but i've seen the traditional round wooden handles coming loose on other less expensive versions of chinese chef's knives, and figured i'd spring for something i felt would really last.
this knife isn't WAY sharper than my wusthof chef's (that i've got a really nice edge on), but it is a bit sharper and is definitely a smoother cut. Update 4/29/08: after using this knife for a while longer, i can still say i highly recommend it. i like this a lot. sharpness. the knife is fairly heavy, not due to it having a thick blade, but simply because of the size of the blade itself. an excellent knife - but make sure you hold it for a while before you buy it to make sure it's right for you. i contacted shun and they told me that you can use a german steel on these knives without worry, and it will work fine. after working with it for a while, i've found that the knife is actually very comfortable to hold and my concerns were unnecessary.
on the topic of the angle of the edge: shun makes a steel with a angled guard that lets you align the knife to a perfect 16 degrees off the steel. it's also a piece of cake to smash cloves of garlic or ginger with the wide blade. they'll just lack the 16 degree alignment guide, so you have to learn your angle and make sure you steel it properly. so overall this is a great knife. make sure it's your style.
At first site, the knife looks intimidating, it looks very big and heavy compared to the normal chef knives. The quality of Shun is good, but the price tag is really really out of reach. Now I need to find a holder for this thing, it's too cool looking to go into a drawer. Wish for $180 it would come with a holder. Once you pick it up, you'll be amazed. I have a Shun KenOnion style knife, but then I'm chinese and always wanted a asian style knife. The weight is perfectly balanced, and the wide edge makes picking up chopped veggies or meat a cinch.
You can slice, chop, dice with ease on this blade. In fact, this one feels more ergonomic than the ergonomically designed Ken Onion Chef knife, hardly even use that one anymore since I got this. .
After having used, abused, and worn out a number of lesser cleavers, my only regret is not purchasing this one sooner. rl123 compares the Shun to a Dexter cleaver. This knife comes in left or right hand versions. Addressing several comments made by previous reviewers:. Whether this knife is worth the price of admission depends on the depth your pocketbook and your intended use.
It rapidly became my favorite cutting implement. Using the Shun with your off hand is uncomfortable at best. If you are not going to use this knife often, a cheaper one should suffice. The wood handle is warm and easy to grip even with wet hands. My cleaver came sharp - for a factory edge.
I do agree with the mention of the asymmetric handle. DAL notes that the edge notches when cleaving a chicken. This is a medium cleaver, weighing the shy side of 12 ounces. Owning one of each, my preference is strongly for the Shun. Symanski's cleaver came with a sharp spine. D. As Bobo mentions, this knife slices into soft cutting boards.
easy to sharpen and takes a razor edge) but it can bend or nick, particularly with the thin working edge this knife has. That did not rate high on my list, but I presume it does for some. I bought this knife a year ago. The VG-10 steel used for the cutting edge is not the best choice for whomping on thick bones. For those wanting a fancy knife to display, the Damascus edge makes for a striking appearance. I postponed reviewing it to make sure initial infatuation was not coloring my opinion.
Heavy cleavers start at a pound and a half and go up from there. Mine did not, nor did ones I have handled in several stores. This cleaver excels at both moderate cutting and delicate work. I use this knife on a daily basis; it is a pleasure to work with and does the job with a minimum of drama. The build quality is such that I see this knife lasting for many a year to come. The steel readily takes a sharp edge and holds it well. The Vanadium content makes for a fine-grained metal (i.e. A few minutes with stone and strop brought out a wickedly sharp edge, but the out-of-the-box blade was serviceable.
The balance is near perfect, the blade shape works well for cutting, slicing, mincing, and chopping. If, like me, you are used to wielding two cleavers at once for mincing meats and veggies, you will need to pay attention to which hand holds the Shun. As a daily workhorse, I know of none better than this baby. A good end-grain wood block solves that problem. That's a rarity for most cutlery. The strong blade allows using the side for mashing and as a spatula, the back as a scraper and tenderizer, and the end of the handle to pulverize.
This is a fine chefs knife, treat it as such. In order to make my knife usable I had to carefully grind the edges off the spine with some 220 grit wet/dry sandpaper (keep the paper wet while you grind and be sure to clamp the knife securely so you don't have an accident). The hollow metal handle is slightly cold when you first pick it up. Now for the Ugly part of this knife. It had a beautifully ground edge that was very precise and defect free but it was simply not sharp.
Please never use a knife like this on bones, that is what a western style cleaver is for. For me it was fairly easy and took me only about 20 minutes, however I cannot recommend that anyone use this knife in its stock form without rounding the edges or getting someone to do it for you. The rest of the knife was finished beautifully so I'm not sure why they overlooked something as important as this on an otherwise flawless knife. The spine of this knife is simply too sharp out of the box.
I was slightly apprehensive about ordering a knife with an all metal handle because I thought it might become slippery when wet or greasy, however the wonderful asymmetric shape(for my hands at least) and lightly sanded finish provide a very secure grip, perhaps better than my old knife. I highly recommend this style knife for anyone who does not mind learning some new knife skills. Easily used as a spatula to move food off the cutting board. If your left handed you need to order the left handed version because the handle is asymmetric. The Spine on my knife came much too sharp to use without modification. This is my first Chinese style knife and it really amazes me how great this design is. I recently purchased the Shun 7 3/4 Chinese Chefs knife to replace my very very old carbon steel 10" french chefs knife which had developed a cracked, loose handle. Cons:.
The steel in this knife seems very hard compared with my old chefs knife which makes it a pleasure to sharpen because it grinds precisely and forms only a very small burr. I own the stainless version of the Shun instead of the "classic" version with the composite wood handle. Requires much less cutting space than a traditional chefs knife. It is ground square with the blade and was sharp enough on my knife for me to worry about cutting my fingers on it. It is very easy to clean because of its one piece stainless steel design.
Its very wide slightly curved blade, medium weight and high handle make it the most ergonomic knife I have ever used, vegetables just fall into the most perfect pieces with the least amount of effort, chicken and beef slice into perfect strips with even less effort. This knife is so easy to use compared with my chefs knife it has already cut my prep time to 2/3 of what it was. No commercial knife I have ever owned has been sharp out of the box so I'm not faulting the manufacturer. The layered steel looks really nice on this knife, it is assembled and ground very nicely and feels solid. Ergonomic cleaver design makes short work of food preparation. Quite a few other reviewers of Shun knives said that their knifes came razor sharp but mine at least did not. Pros:.
Requires a different cutting technique from a western or Japanese chefs knife. Nicely shaped stainless handle that doesn't make the knife uncontrollable when its wet or greasy. Extra hard stainless steel blade sharpens easily and stays consistently sharp with a small amount of steeling. I was able to put a "scary sharp" edge on it in about 2 min with my extra fine whetstone and a few strokes with my ceramic steel.
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