Shun Classic 7 1/2 Inch Wide Santoku

I currently own several Shun knives and use them constantly at work (see my review for the 8 inch chef knife). However, I find myself coming back to using this knife more than the others. A santoku knife is an excellent knife, one to rival the chef knife, but the wider version seems to really work best for me and now eclipses the versatility of my 8 inch chef. At razor sharp, this knife gives me great control when chopping and dicing vegetables. I am able to get the precision cuts I need whether working at the nicely pointed tip or working the rounded cutting edge.

But what really helps me is the heft and width; being a wider blade keeps food from sticking it peels away from the blade onto the cutting board and allows you to continue working without having to stop and remove food from the blade (so ok...maybe you are only chopping 1 or 2 carrots, not 45 carrots, but you still don't want to be spending precious time stopping and starting). And the heft allows you to tackle larger pieces of work those big root vegetables and squashes things with their own weight and resistance. I have found that the 8 inch chef knife really didn't give me the weight I needed to slice through these items without a bit of an effort; yes, my 10 inch chef knife works great here but constantly changing out knives to work a simple chopping project is a pain, not only for me at work (although I have space to do this in) but also at home (where I have no counter space to do this in. Remember, that 10 inch chef knife has 10 inch blade and a 5 inch handle which means that on a long slicing stroke, you run the risk of skewering the coffee maker sitting on your countertop).

All in all, I find the wide blade santoku is the ultimate chopping and dicing tool. It's heft also helps in mincing projects; from garlic to parsley, the weight of the knife helps it move through the food rather than squashing it you want that minced parsley to look fresh and feather-like, not like mulched grass. But I will concede that for slicing items other than vegetables, the chefs knives are really worth their investment too. And when considering this wide santoku against the regular santoku, the regular santoku is pretty similar to your 8 inch chef knife I'd opt for the 8 inch chef here.

Hopefully this helps those of you who are not sure if or of which knife you should buy. All of the other reviewers talk about the beauty and cost factors and the incredible sharpness of these knives all excellent reviews but sometimes you need to stop and think about purpose and use before you lay down your hard-earned cash. I buy mine for work which means I have more than most would ever consider purchasing so I consider no purchase a mistake. However, for a first or additional knife to your set, you are safe; you won't go wrong with this one.

Shun knives are beautiful creations period. Since I'm Asian, I love the tradition look and feel of this Japanese knife. I love the beauty of the blade and the dark, polished, Pakkawood handle. The unique "D"-shaped, Wood handles are preferable. The shape fits my hand perfectly, and the wood does not get slippery when wet providing a very secure hold. The steel is of utmost quality and sharpness. Do not put this blade into any old electric knife sharpener! Electric knife sharpeners are made to put one angle on any blade. These blades come with a 16 degree angle and you don't want to be changing that angle. There are electric knife sharpeners that can sharpen these knives, but you'll have to do some research and find out which ones can be a fit with these knives. I prefer to hone with a sharpening steel and manually sharpen with a stone if necessary (and I don't see it being necessary to touch it to a stone any time soon). The blade is sharp straight off the factory and as Alton Brown says it's the sharpest straight out of the factory edge as he's ever seen.

These knives are more expensive than most, but I think it's definitely worth it. To have the sharpest, most beautiful knife around it's no contest. If you are on a budget, build your collection slowly. It's been said that there are only 3 knives that are the absolute basics for any kitchen: A 8" Chef's Knife (or some kind of similar, large-ish chef's knife), a Paring Knife, and a Long Serrated blade for cutting bread and larger items. I would add a thin utility knife and a boning knife to that list next. Then I would add those "in-between" sizes as I get more money flow in. =)

If you plan on spending any time in the kitchen, good kitchen knives are a definite must. Preparation is the bulk of cooking and when you have good knives, it cuts down on the danger of cutting yourself, it adds pleasure to the work, and it cuts down on prep time. Knives are also a very personal choice and it's best to at least go to a store and try it out for yourself first. Shun Knives are designed by the Japanese, so remember it's designed for small hands. This makes it fit most women's hands perfectly, but I've heard of guys with larger hands not like it so much and going back to the German knives. So definitely try it out. It's a personal thing, it needs to fit you.

Why spend so much money on a knife? Well, if you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, and you almost always have to bust out a knife to prep a meal from scratch why not use the best? Why spend that time with items that you love and brings you pleasure to use? Many times, it's the small things that brings us the most pleasure in life, and I consider my Shun knives as one of those things. Having something so beautiful and yet so sharp and perfect it makes my time cooking just that much more enjoyable.

Another good thing to know is that although the Shun Knives are usually offered for right-handers, you can get these knives for left-handers. You just need to find the guys who stock and sell those ones as they are less known, and less common.

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This is an incredibly beautiful knife, with an excellent weight. Well-balanced. The damascus steel is just so nice. My husband had been drooling over this knife and we received it as a wedding present from a very generous relative. This is our third expensive kitchen knife and I would say that in terms of general use--meat to vegetables--this is my second favorite, with my large, 8" Henckel being my best knife. The Shun is much nicer than the Wusthof Prix II, which sports the comparable Santoku shape. My complaint has much to do with the design and that is that the blade is set at an angle, making this a much better knife for filleting motions, of which I do few. It's marketed toward general chopping and slicing, but I find that slant makes my cuts less precise. It's still my husband's favorite, but since I'm the one who does the majority of the cooking, I'd still rate it four out of five in comparison to similarly excellent brands. But it's a real marvel to behold and I love the high quality of the wooden base and that lovely steel.

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As a professional chef , I have seen many knives ,in many kitchen"s ,that people thought were a good knife , but none can compare to the quality and workmanship of this Shun Sumo Santoku.

For starters it is a thing of beauty to look at , and when you use it ,the VG-10 stainless steel in the core, wrapped by 16 layers of high carbon steel ,make it a thing of beauty to cut with. Even after many uses ,

Everyone who uses this knife wants one! a few strokes on the Shun steel, will make it as sharp as it can be, again ,and again. The friction of cutting is reduced ,by the Damascus look and gives the knife a look of beauty ,when it is displayed on the bamboo stand, that comes with it.

I give this knife my highest recommendation , for quality ,workmanship and sheer beauty.

I hope this review is helpful, for you, to make an informed, buying decision.

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After years of using German steel exclusively (I've got a drawer full of Henckels and Wusthof), I received a Shun paring knife as a gift and found it to be the best blade I've ever used.

As a dedicated home cook a good knife is probably the most important tool in my kitchen arsenal and I'm slowly adding Shun knives. I recently received this one as a Christmas gift and just adore it.

These thin blades are razor sharp out of the box and, while not as easy to self-maintain as thicker German blades, not impossible once you get the hang of it (warning though: these are MUCH easier to knick up if you make a mistake). And while these seem sharper, they don't seem to hold their edge at the pinnacle of sharpness as long as the sturdier German blades.

Of the four Shun knives I now own, this is my very favorite and currently the most-used knife in my kitchen, getting almost daily use. I love the deep wide blade that makes cutting a breeze and doubles as scrapper/spatula for transferring just chopped ingredients to a bowl or pan. The handle provides a super-comfortable grip and the knives are always exquisitely balanced (my favorite thing about Shun). They just feel really, really good in your hand and are, therefore, a joy to use.

I just can't say enough good things about these knives. I just hope they hold up as well as my Henckels, most of which I've had a decade or more, have.

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