Why Shun Knives Are So Respected

While Shun Knives weren’t the first high quality Japanese cutlery on the market, they have become rapidly more popular with professional and amateur chefs. The Japanese are known for their level of detail and superb craftsmanship. The Shun, in particular, are made with the sharpest of an ancient Samurai sword. It is this sharp edge that has made Shun advance of their competitors. The appeal of using something akin to the Samurai sword in the kitchen makes cooking seem trendy and fashionable.

Since quality steel is the main component of most of the highly valued Japanese cutlery, the Shun Knives are sixteen layers of steel pressed down to a then 3/1000th of an inch. This is the secret to the blade’s strong but precise strength and sleek design. An added bonus is that despite the blade’s strength it still maintains flexible during use.

Of course, the reason it is compared to the Samurai sword is not because of its strength or its sleek design, but because of how sharp it is. The edge of the Shun blades are ground to a 16 degree angle using one piece of steel like the Honyaki method and the steel includes tough carbon edges like the Kasumi method. These blades focus on all the best methods of knife production to make them the best they can be.

Purchasers can get a Shun Knife for most purposes including the Classic Knives, Elite Knives, and Ken Onion Knives. There are other lesser known product lines including the Shun Steel and Pro II.  The Classic Knives are the common choice for home enthusiasts and many restaurants. The premium materials and excellent performance of these blades make them expensive but worth the investment.  The Elite Knives are made from a powdered steel that makes them just a bit better than the classic knives. Both versions of Shun products should be carefully maintained and cared for. Never put a Shun in the dishwasher.

Popular knife designer, Ken Onion, has his own line of Shun products. They are VG-10 blades, with Damascus patterns and pakka wood handles. The difference is the ergonomic shape geared towards reducing fatigue when slicing and chopping for long periods of time.

The Shun Knives are well respected for good reason. The Japanese know what they are doing when the craft a blade and the demand for Shun is proof that both amateur and professional chefs consider them to be above par of the competition.