Shun Classic 7" Hollow Ground Santoku Knife, Handcrafted Japanese Cutting Knife, VG-MAX Core with Damascus Stainless Steel Cladding, Pakkawood Handle

I should start by saying this is not a true santoku. The reason I say this is because the edge has a considerable rocker to it (curve), unlike the traditional and much flater santoku blade. In fact, the rocker is much closer to the shape of a regular chef's knife. The good news is that this means people accustomed to western chef's knives can jump right into this knife. The bad news? If you're used to a flater santoku this knife will not chop as much (since less of the blade is in play) and it's a little harder to use this blade to scoop the things you've just cut. If you like to rock-and-chop, this knife will do it better than any other santoku. If you like to drop-chop, then this knife isn't going to get quite as long a chop. I like both, so I'm quite happy the knife can perform both jobs. As advertised, this knife comes with one of the sharpest factory edges you could ever ask for. So far the edge holds up extremely well, a few stroke on the steel and knife edge remains razor sharp. The knife comes in a nice presentation box, which although pretty, does not present a good way to carry the knife. If you plan on using this outside your house, buy a blade guard or a carrying case. Also, if you're buying a knife this nice, let me recommend that you get a hardwood edge-grain cutting board (or plastic, for you germaphobes). Don't cut on glass or tile, and any other such silly new-tech board. If you're going to pay big bucks for an nice knife, do what it takes to keep it nice. About actual use: The knife is extremely well-balanced, although I find that the location of the balance take a little getting used to. If you use a standard chef's pinch grip, you will find there are actually two places you could grip the knife. The first place is where the handle curves into the blade. If you look at the picture, you will see this is actually a half inch or so back from the full face of the blade. If you pinch the knife here, you will find the balance to be off slightly, and your index finger will probably fatigue from being wrapped where it is. Also, since you will not be pinching the full face of the knife, you won't get the fine control that the chef's pinch is designed to give. So, why would you do this? If you're not used to this knifes design you might because of the short part of the tang that extends from the pakka handle. On most chef's knives, your middle finger would wrap around the very front of the handle. You need to break that habit with this knife, because your middle finger actually wraps around the protruding tang, and your ring finger is the first one to wrap around the pakka handle. If you do this, and pinch the full portion of the blade, the balance of the knife is wonderful. It is lightweight, and chops and slices extremely well. Unfortunately, the knife was definitely made for right handers (good for me, since I'm right handed, but bad for you lefties out there). Not only does the "D" shape of the handle favour a right handed palm, but the blade of the knife is actually off-set from center to the left. That means if you look straight down at the spine of the blade, it is set slightly to the left. This is good for right-handers since it makes the pinch easier (more room to curl the index finger along the face of the blade, and less power needed from the thumb to hold the knife balanced). I tend to think this off set would probably adversely affect left handed use. But, if you're thinking about getting this knife and you're left handed, I'd say go ahead and order it from Amazon. If it doesn't work out, send it back (and post your comments for other left handers!). As for the scallops, a lot of people ask me if they work. This is what I say: if you're looking for some magical solution that will keep *all* thin-sliced tomatos or mushrooms from sticking to your knife during quick chopping, no, they don't work. If you're looking for something that will help decrease the stickage factor, then yes, they work. Is it worth the $20 price difference? Well, it was for me, but then, I cut a lot of stuff that tends to stick to the blade, so even a little extra help is appreciated. Overall, for ease of use, Kershaw/KAI has created a superlative product in their Shun line. The knives look great. They are well-balanced. The factory edges are razor sharp. The handles fit a right-handed person extremely well. The materials used are absolutely top notch, and should stand up to a lifetime's worth of residential kitchen use. And, since they are stainless steel, cleaning and maintaining them is a breeze. I would recommend this knife to anyone who really wants to have a great knife in their kitchen.

I use traditional carbon steel Japanese knives for cooking, as the hard C-Mo steel used in the edge holds a much narrower (sharper) angle than your typical stainless steel knives. This means that a traditional carbon steel knife is unparalleled when it comes to achieving and holding a sharp edge, feeling more like food prep razors than kitchen knives, but you have to take care to constantly wipe them and leave them completely dry or they will rust. As it turns out, Shun can achieve practically the same performance with a stain-resisting steel. This knife has the advantages of both western and traditional Japanese manufacturing: sharp edge and stain resisting materials. Pros: - Sharp, sharp, sharp. Will achieve and, given proper care, maintain a sharper edge than any western knife I have gotten my hands on (Victorinox, Whustoff, ect.) - Beautiful to look at, comfortable to use with its D-shaped handle - Comes with a practical blade sheath, so it can be safely stored in a drawer. Cons: - Made for right-handed users (as Japanese knives for left-handed users are usually made to order). Left-handed use might be a bit awkward. - Expensive. For the price you can buy a traditional Japanese knife (which I still prefer) - This type of knife requires special care. Stropping should be done on a smooth steel or s leather strop (not textured steel, ceramics or diamond-coated). Honing (sharpening) should be done by someone with experience, using whetstones or waterstones. IF YOU CLANK THIS ON AN ELECTRIC SHARPENER, OR USE ONE OF THOSE EASY NO-SKILL SHARPENERS YOU WILL RUIN THE EDGE OF THIS BLADE. I cannot be emphatic enough about this. Those instant or easy sharpeners have a wider preset bevel angle which is designed for softer steels than those used in this blade. They will reduce the performance of this knife to that of a $30 German steel blade. - Also, hard steel is also brittle steel. You will have to learn proper "manners" when handling this knife or it will chip or dull quickly. No dropping carelessly, no sideways scraping with the blade edge, no brute force and always use a proper cutting board. Again, this is a BMW of a knife and should be treated as such. If you do not have the skills and equipment to take care of this blade, please do yourself a favor and (every few months) have sent to a professional Japanese knife sharpening service.

The Shun Classic 7” Knife is an absolute dream to use. It’s razor-sharp, perfectly balanced, and glides through everything with ease. The craftsmanship is outstanding, and the handle feels comfortable and secure. Whether I’m chopping vegetables or slicing meat, it makes prep work effortless. Beautiful, durable, and a joy to cook with—worth every penny!

This review is for the Santoku with scallops. This is the best kitchen knife that I have gotten. I have Kasumi, Kyocera ceramic, Henckles, plus some Japanese sashimi knives. This is the sharpest knife that I have gotten from the factory. It is far sharper than my ceramics. I first saw the knife being used in a knife class in a cooking school. The scallops work very nicely to prevent tomato slices from sticking to the blade. One of the ways that I know a knife is sharp is how it cuts into the skin of a tomato. It takes almost no force with the Shun. You can just pull it and the weight of the blade cuts into the tomato! As mentioned before, the handle is for right handers and feels really good. I have never gotten used to the real chef way of grasping the blade between the thumb and index finger. If you do it this way, the handle shape doesn't make much of a difference. This is the first santoku blade that I have gotten. I like the depth, but I haven't gotten used to the straighter edge. I am used to the more curved edge of conventional kitchen knives. It is easier to rock a curved edge in making a complete cut. The damascus pattern is nice, but the Kasumi had a much denser pattern and looks like wood. The Shun looks like wide stripes. I use a ceramic hone to keep the edge before I use the knife. It seems to really keep the sharpness. So far, I haven't had to really sharpen the blade yet. I got it from amazon.com.

This is a beautiful knife. It was very sharp new and holds an edge well. It is my first Shun knife and I hope to purchase additional Shun knives in the future. In the two years I've had the knife it has developed a few minor nicks in the blade. I attribute this to (1) the thin edge of the blade; and (2) the abuse I subject it to. I use this knife daily. It is the first knife I grab from the drawer whenever I cook. The handle and the surface of the blade are as new as the day I bought it. I use a sharpening steel to keep it honed but I think I need a whetstone or Japanese water stone to keep it in prime condition. I gave it 4 stars (instead of 5) because it requires more care than similarly priced kitchen knives.

I've used Wusthof knives, and while their quality seems to have diminished in recent years, Shun has maintained a strong presence on superior quality. Japanese steel stays sharper than what is typically found on German knives, plus Shun offers 100% free sharpening (al you pay is shipping). If you live near their Oregon facility you can just walk in and drop them off by the armload and pick them up the next day all sharpened up nicely. The Shun Classic line features an ergonomically-shaped handle to fit the right hand (southpaws, beware: Some people say they get used to the odd grip in their left hand, but it is technically *designed* for right handers). Shun knives arrive very sharp (unlike some reviews for Wusthof, for instance). I was handling this knife and knocked myself within five minutes when the tip just tapped my knuckle. The size is a bit misleading: It looks smaller than it actually is. However, it's very well balanced and handles so well you basically use this for most stuff in the kitchen. This and a pairing knife are basically the only two you really need unless you're working with fish or something that more or less requires a particular blade. Recommended for anyone who wants a quality main knife for their kitchen. The handles also do not get slippery when wet or fatigue the hands. Wood seems to hold up very well to wet conditions - but then again I take care of my equipment.

I have bought several of this brand of knife: 2 paring knives, a chef’s knife, a small cleaver and two santoku knives. These knives are amazing. So sharp, easy to handle and beautifully designed. For home cooks (which I am too) they aren’t inexpensive, however after many years of cooking and dozens of other brands of knives, these are the best for the money that I have found.

Pretty good knife. I keep it honed with a Spyderco Sharpmaker set to the 15-degree angle and it keeps an edge very well. I find that it does especially well with harder vegetables. It's great with meats, fruit, herbs, and pretty much everything else I've thrown at it, but for some reason, I really notice it when cutting carrots, potatoes, radishes, etc. Slicing a large carrot or a potato into chunks, I just expect a certain amount of resistance, not much, but some, and this knife behaves as if there's nothing there. On another note, when I was still deciding, I read a few reviews saying the handle was slippery, which almost turned me off the knife. After working with it for a while, I now think those reviews were fake. Nobody could hold this knife in their hand and think "oh, slippery". The pictures make it look slippery (shiny!), and the actual handle has a nice smooth polish and seems like it SHOULD be slippery, but it just isn't - when I grip it, it grips back. Even wet or with various food juices on my hands, the grip is 100% reliable. It seems weird to say so for something so smooth, but it holds in the hand like it was wrapped in sandpaper. My first Shun, but I suspect I'll be buying more.