Shun Ken Onion Chef's Knife Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I got this knife as a kind of impulsive indulgence, I think it looked cool in its own holder and I had heard good things about Shun knives. However, all those good things are true. It is by far the sharpest knife I've owned, and I've got Henckel Zwillings (not the cheapo kind you get at Target) that have been sharpened to what I USED to think was the sharpest blade around.
I'm not dissing the Henckels - if I had not indulged in the Shun I would have been very happy with their performance. But I did get a chance to make some observations on how the Shun shone (no, it's not the same "u" as in "Sun" but it's a borderline pun):
- Ripe tomato: The Shun needed no sawing action whatsoever. It cut the initial waxy and soft skin like it was being dipped in water. All my other knives need to break the skin either with pressure, angle, or a teensy bit of sawing motion
- Dish brush: While cleaning the blade side with a circular motion in sudsy water (safe for sharp knives) I found bits of the brush bristles in the water. Anything that touched the sharp edge was cut, and that has never happened with the best knife I'd had prior to that. I can normally touch a sharp blade without cutting myself, I am not going to try that with the Shun.
- Tortilla stack: I make chips out of 8" flour tortillas by taking a thick stack and chopping it into diamonds or strips, then frying. I've always had to get over the knife and press it in because the multiple layers (20) would slow down the blade. Or I'd work in batches of 6-8. With this knife, I cut the whole 20-thick stack with less pressure than I've used for half that many.
- Potato - while hardly a test for a knife (anything cuts potato) the slicing was awesome. After cutting into the potato, it felt like the Shun DREW the potato into itself and the potato came apart like it was already sliced. If you've ever held a potato in your hand and expected to re-position your hand after you're halfway through, DON'T do it with this knife. It will be cutting into your hand before you even realize it.
If anything got close to cutting like a lightsaber, this would be it. I kid you not. I wonder how long the sharpness lasts, but I'm enjoying it while it's there.
About the Ken Onion design - those used to the generous handle on Henckels might find the handle appearing to be a bit short (I have big hands) but that's until you find the thumb and forefinger position that fits almost over the blade. However, once you hold it, you realize it gives you an added cutting advantage. My only complaint is that the advantage is wasted. You'd have to wait till the blade goes blunt before the handle's design can actually help you cut better.
Did I mention I'm extremely happy with it? Happy indulging.

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Feel the power of the first truly ergonomic chef's knife!This Shun Knife by Kershaw is designed by Ken Onion, one of the worlds top knife designers.This patent pending design features a special angled curved bolster and specially shaped handle that fits perfectly in the hand, releasing all tension in your arm.The extra curve on the blade allows for an easier flowing motion across the cutting board, and the tip allows for easier scooping.Combine all of this with the sharpest Japanese edge available, and you have perfection.The design of this knife will make you an immediate chopomatic in the kitchen.

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Shun Classic 8-Inch Ultimate Cooks Knife Review

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(More customer reviews)The knife edge has a very pronounced curve, the 'belly' of the knife doesn't transition to a straightened out 'edge' before ending up at the 'bolster'. This may be a great feature if you rock the knife alot mincing herbs and vegetables, but I personally prefer a more traditional chef's knife profile where the 'edge' of the knife is more flat creating a longer cutting edge that is actually in contact with the board. When you place the edge of the "Ultimate Cook's" knife against the cutting board, you will see that at any angle, very little of the knife's edge is in contact with the board.
What I noticed when quickly slicing, dicing, and chopping various vegetables (green onions, bell peppers in my case), was that I was not completely slicing through items that were closer to me. Because of the continuous curve of the 'edge', items closer to the bolster weren't getting cut completely. You really have to adjust your slicing motion to account for part of the blade / edge that you might say is missing from a traditional chef's knife or santoku.
Bottom line, I am happier with the 8" Shun Steel Chef's Knife. The U-Cook's knife is beautiful, sharp and well made, but it did seem a little blade heavy. The serrations on the U-Cooks seemed like a great idea, but when you have a razor sharp Chef's knife you don't really need them.

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The Shun Classic 8-Inch Ultimate Chefs knife is extremely versatile. The first 3 inches of the knife from the tip has a reversed scallop edge for cutting bread, and soft skinned vegetables, the remaining 5-inch (belly) is perfect for general prep and cutting.Great for making sandwiches since its cuts like a dream and the special blunt tip allows for spreading mayo.You can cut through bread without tearing and just as easily the tough skin of a pineapple.It works wonders on soft-skinned vegetables, hard cheeses, and sandwich meats. It makes a superb pastry knife, slicing through delicate dough or spreading icing with ease.Our Shun Classic 8-Inch Ultimate Chefs knife effortlessly dices and chops its way through all your recipes, and looks beautiful doing it. All knives in our Shun Classic Series feature VG-10 "super steel", which is made of Carbon, Chromium, Cobalt, Manganese, Molybdenum, Silicon, and Vanadium. They all feature our "D" shape Ebony-black PakkaWood handle, specifically designed for premium applications.These specially shaped handles rest perfectly in the curve of the fingers, for a more secure grip.The bolster is ground out more on the right side for proper finger placement, as well as balancing the knives perfectly. Precision blades and handle engineering mean long-lasting use and comfort-no matter how large or small you kitchen prep may be.

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