Style and performance make this Japanese beauty a winner
Written: Jul 14 '04
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Pros: wonderful edge, high-tech VG-10 steel edge, beautiful Damascus steel, stylish Japanese handle
Cons: Balance not quite perfect, handle could be more comfortable
The Bottom Line: Lighter and sharper than German knives and a real looker.
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| icevic's Full Review: Kershaw Shun Classic Chef's Knife DM0707 |
I have been using this knife for two months now and am very pleased.
This knife is made by KAI in Japan, which has an arrangement with Kershaw knives in North America. You may see it sold as a Kershaw but it is a pure Japanese knife.
Japanese knives are sharper, harder, and lighter than other knives ("other knives" usually refers to German, the standard for Western knives, or sometimes French).
Sharper: they are usually sharpened by hand to a very acute bevel. Western knives are often machine sharpened to a wider bevel. Think of western knives as an axe and Japanese as a sword.
Harder: usually made from harder steel, meaning they will keep their edge longer, but are also harder to sharpen.
Lighter: not as thick as Western knives. Less weight, more maneuverable. The blades are thinner, which is why there are no bolsters on most Japanese knives.
The Shun line is made of laminated steel. There is a core material of high tech super-steel (VG-10) between layers of softer stainless steel. The stainless steel is in a Damascus pattern. Damascus is an ancient sword making technique where layers of steel are folded to make the hardest, sharpest possible edge. In this sword (oops I mean knife - hey it is 10 inches), the Damascus outer layers do not form the cutting edge, so it is not a true Damascus knife. The Damascus is used here more for looks than anything else, as it gives a beautiful wavy pattern to the steel. KAI claims the Damascus pattern helps prevent sticking but I haven't noticed too much difference. It definitely kicks up the cool factor of this knife. If your kitchen is also a style showcase, then this is the knife you want.
The inner layer of steel, VG-10, is for the cutting edge. This steel is designed by keep an extremely sharp edge for a long time, but at the same time be easy to resharpen. It is also advertised as being stainless, but I have noticed some stains on my knife edge. Stainless steel is always softer than non-stainless, high-carbon steel so every stainless steel is a compromise. I haven't needed to resharpen my knife yet so I would say this is a good steel. It came out of the box razor sharp.
The D-shaped handle is made of sealed, resin-impregnated wood. It has the look and feel of wood but isn't supposed to crack or split like untreated wood. So far so good. I really like wood handles.
These knives are advertised as dishwasher safe, but I haven't tried it yet. It is so long that I would be afraid of it banging into something while in the dishwasher and chipping the edge. Also, as I mentioned earlier, it isn't completely stainless. There is plenty of misinformation about dishwashers - no, the high heat won't hurt the knife (think about it - it is made of steel, not pottery) and the detergents won't dull the edge. The only worries about the dishwasher are staining (from bits of food or grease that aren't completely washed off then get baked on during the dry cycle) and chipping (an extremely fine edge can get chipped if it bangs into something else hard). If you have young people or clumsy adults helping with the washing, it is much safer to put it in the dishwasher. A knife this sharp can inflict some serious cuts without much effort.
The handle is a Japanese-style cylinder, instead of the Western handles which are shaped to fit your hand. I miss the Western handle a bit, and find this one a little small, but am adjusting. Overall I would say it is very stylish, and makes the knife look very Japanese, but I would prefer a Western style handle. The handle is shaped for your right hand, and the blade is offset slightly for right-handed use. If you are a lefty you may find this uncomfortable.
There is a stainless steel cap at the end of the handle which helps balance the knife, but also is stylish looking.
Overall balance of the knife is good. Balance is most important in a Chef's knife. I like my Chef's knives to balance just in front of the handle, right where the edge begins. This knife is slightly forward of that. I suppose this is designed for using a pinch grip, where your hand ends up forward of the handle and holding the knife on the blade. If you tend to hold your knife further back on the handle you will find this one blade-heavy.
The Shun is a wonderful cutter. It is light for it's size and I can really fly with it. I love the 10" length - just perfect for big tasks but not to big that I can't do quick detail work with the tip. I also use it for bread and sometimes as a slicer. It has a nice deep belly, great for knuckle clearance, moving cut food off the board, or just high speed chopping in general. It is wonderful with herbs and a joy to mince with. The perfect edge combined with the size and shape make it a great performer.
The price was about the same as the high-end German knives and in my opinion buys a much better tool. It also has a unique look - I find visitors are enthralled when I pull it out of the drawer. It comes in a nice box, which is useful for storage or for gift-giving.
The Shun line is not widely available and can be expensive.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 85
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Epinions.com ID:
icevic
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Reviews written: 12
Trusted by: 1 member
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