So, I should start out by saying that I am career cook and have used many brands of knives over the years, even thinking that I had found the perfect knife many times over, but alas, I was mistaken. I had not found the perfect knife until I purchased the Shun Elite Ken Onion 8" Chef's Knife.I can say without hesitation that it is a knife without peer in my humble opinion. The combination of its style, craftsmanship, endurance and simply fantastic ergonomics makes it my absolute go-to knife no matter if the knife was designed for the job or not (I find myself frustrated with having to use other knives!)
I know the secret to its everlasting sharpness is in the alloy they use to make the knife but I am not a metallurgist, only a cook, yet I can only imagine it must be some alloy from outer space because this knife hasn't lost its killer factory edge since the day I bought it about a year ago. I hone it on a standard steel, about 4 to 5 swipes on each edge at 16 degrees about twice a week, and I use it daily for at least 3 to four hours of continuous use. Still sharp as ever.
Because it looks so gorgeous, owners may be tempted only to bring it out for special occasions, or to inspire a little knife-envy amongst their friends or fellow cooks, but I have to say this knife begs to be used., and you should use it every chance you get. Its look and style communicates a serious statement about the respect for your craft or hobby and the ergonomics of Mr. Onion's design induce no fatigue or burn-out in your wrist or forearm. My hands are of a normal average size for a man and the grip on this knife is stellar. I imagine it's the closest one could get to having a knife custom molded to your hand.
The blade slides effortlessly in a gentle, controlled rhythm whether you're a novice or an experienced cook. As I mentioned, it is seriously sharp, but the sheer design of the knife acts as its own safety feature by preventing any unnecessary force to be put against the blade and aligning the hand to properly secure the knife. The balance between the blade and the handle is superb and the curve of the blade edge makes it perfect for slicing and chopping.
Sure it's a chunk of change, but I would have to say that if you had to only have one knife (and believe me, when you purchase this knife, you'll only need one knife) this would be it. It'll last a lifetime or more with good care and the lifetime warranty and sharpening service offered by Shun.
Do yourself a favor and purchase this knife. You won't regret it one bit.
I purchased this knife because I wanted at least one knife with the SG2 or MC66 powdered steel blade. In case you are like me and don't know what 'powdered' steel is, has an article titled "Shun 101" that is a great basic steel and knife manufacture lesson. The part on powdered steel is near the end of the article. Having read other information about knife steel and hardness, I began looking for a powdered steel blade; it was rather difficult to find manufacturers of PSK(powdered steel knives) I found 2 that seemed best to me. The Shun Elite series with SG-2 PSteel and the Henckels Miyabi 7000MC with a core of MC66. I hate these differences because it makes me want one of both to compare them.
I chose the Ken Onion Elite 8"chef's knife with the SG-2 core between 2 layers of 410A stainless steel for corrosion resistance and protection. It costs about the same as the Miyabi 8" chef, but I liked the K O's looks and feel; I also tried handling one in a nearby cutlery store. Out of the box that knife is sharp! It costs a lot and seems sharper than a Henckels Twin Cuisine 8"chef. The Japanese knives are in general lighter and easier to handle for me than the European knives. The Shun blade angle is 16 degrees where the Miyabi's is 17 degrees. If you owned one of each of these, keeping the proper blade angle might be difficult with out one of the mechanical devices.
I'll report later to let you know what I think after I've used the Ken Onion Elite SG0418 for a while. But right now I'll agree with Mr. Harris that it's the one you want if you had to have only one knife.
Buy Shun Elite Ken Onion 8-Inch Chefs Knife Now
This is a perfect knife. It is elite in any category; beauty, balance, sharpness, hardness (how long the edge lasts). The bolster is contoured to more comfortably allow the pinch-grip, which is the correct way to hold a chef knife. That, along with the fact that it is ambidextrous, so impressed my left-handed chef father, that he immediately purchased himself the Ken Onion Elite (next model up, now discontinued). Only hone with a Shun steel, because its bolster has a built-in angle guide. Trying to eye-ball the proper angle without the guide is very difficult, so instead of honing your blade, you could be twisting it. However, this knife is forged from very hard steel, so if used on proper boards, and for the proper jobs, it should stay razor sharp for at least a year without honing, and then simply be sharpened (about $1 per inch at such stores as Sur La Table). That would save you the $40 on honing steel. Be aware that 8 inches is easier to handle than 10, but can be too short for breaking down large fruits/vegetables, cuts of meat. This is not the knife for all jobs, but it will be the workhorse of your kitchen.Read Best Reviews of Shun Elite Ken Onion 8-Inch Chefs Knife Here
The sharpest knife I ever had. I am not a professional chef, but I enjoy cocking. This knife blows the Global knife out of the way (the only other really good knife I ever had). I saw other remarks that the knife is tuff to work an 8-10 hour day with, but like I said I am not a professional so I can't judge that. Best knife.Want Shun Elite Ken Onion 8-Inch Chefs Knife Discount?
This is an excellent quality knife with great design. It's easy to use, the blade and angles of the handle make it comfortable for using the whole length of the blade and it cuts superbly. The 8inch length of knife is a particularly good size for smaller chef, the larger version would be been too heavy and hard to handle for me.
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