About Shun Knives

Shun Knife

Shun Cutlery's mother company, the Kai Corporation, has more than 100 years of blade-making experience. Today, Shun knives still are handcrafted in a specialized process involving more than 100 steps by experts who balance traditional techniques with modern technology and materials. These blades are sharpened to a 16-degree cutting angle, making them thinner, lighter, and sharper than classic Western blades.

In addition to a number of Western-style blades, such as utility, chef's, paring, bread, and boning knives, Shun offers four classic Japanese-style blades. These include:

  • Deba, or jutting blade. Its versatility enables users to fillet fish with the front of the blade and dissect small bones with the blade's rear part.
  • Nakiri, or vegetable chopper. This type of knife excels at chopping myriad vegetable varieties.
  • Santoku, or three advantages. Similar to a European chef's knife, this knife is named for its three main uses: cutting vegetables, meat, and fish.
  • Yanagiba, or willow blade. This blade is suited for slicing, particularly when preparing food in incredibly thin cuts.

Shun Knife Series

To help you find the perfect piece of cutlery for your kitchen, KaTom offers several series of Shun knives. Read about each of them below to determine which one is right for you.

Classic Series

The blades on Classic series knives are made from VG-MAX steel, which offers corrosion resistance and durability. Each side is clad in more than 30 layers of Damascus steel, which is then ground and bead blasted to create a beautiful, unique pattern. These knives feature a D-shaped PakkaWood® handle, finished in ebony and designed for maximum comfort for right- or left-handed users. This Classic series offers the widest variety of Japanese- and Western-style blade shapes.

Classic Pro Series

The Classic Pro series also offers user comfort with a D-shaped PakkaWood handle. The blades in this series are made of VG10 stainless steel, which provides stain resistance and edge retention, and are etched with unique designs that add visual appeal.

Dual Core Series

Knives in the Dual Core series are distinguished by their unique blades. Their dual-core construction showcases a herringbone pattern, created by forging 71 microlayers of alternating VG10 and VG2 stainless steel. These knives also are designed with traditional Japanese handles of a comfortable octagon shape finished in ebony PakkaWood.

Premier Series

Designed to evoke the hand-forged knives of ancient Japan, Premier series knives feature comfortable handles crafted of walnut PakkaWood. Blades in this series have a VG-MAX cutting core surrounded by more than 30 layers of stainless Damascus steel cladding and given a hammered tsuchime finish.

Reserve Series

Reserve series blades are outfitted with Shun's most impressive steel, SG2 powdered steel, which is given more than 30 layers of Damascus steel on each side. The handles in this series are crafted from a combination of charcoal and crimson PakkaWood, offering a beautiful, unique pattern. This line exclusively features Western-style blades.

Sora Series

Blades in the Sora series are made via san mai, or three layers – a method of creating a cutting edge with a VG10 core enhanced by two layers of stainless steel. This is accompanied by a 420J stainless steel upper potion. The two sections are laser cut and braze welded together, with a wave pattern adorning the joint to add visual appeal. Its traditional Japanese handle is designed with a comfortable, easily maintained PP/TPE polymer blend that gives these knives a contemporary look.

Wasabi Series

Knives in the Wasabi series feature single- or double-beveled blades made of polished, high-carbon stainless steel. Its traditional Japanese-style handle is made of polypropylene and attractively finished in black. This handle completely surrounds the blade, making it a hygienic knife that doesn't give dirt or bacteria a place to settle.

Shun Knife Sets and Accessories

Many Shun series knives are available in sets. For your convenience, these are available in numerous different combinations and may come with a knife block or other holder. Shun knife blocks and holders, including rolls and bags, are sold separately and have 6 to 22 slots. Shun also provides whetstones and electronic sharpeners so you can round out your culinary collection.

Maintenance

No matter which series you choose to invest in, your knives must be maintained. Shun recommends storing your knives in a block, case, sheath, or other protective case, as well as practicing proper knife technique, because improper use can cause irreversible damage to the blade.

To protect your equipment from further damage, your Shun knife should be handwashed with gentle dish soap. Shun offers a free sharpening service at their Tualatin, Oregon facility, but Shun knives can be sharpened by other professionals or by users themselves with a whetstone or electric sharpener. Knives also should be maintained regularly with a honing steel, which realigns the knife's edge.