Kershaw Shun Knives: Beyond Only Elite Chef Knives Cutlery

In only five short years, Shun knives have gone from nonexistent to number one in the world of top-of-the-line culinary cutting tools. This product line's rise has been no less than impressive and has resulted in serial defections from industry standbys Henckels and Wusthof.

Shun's prominence in the industry is not unexpected. Global initially introduced Western chefs to high-end cutlery from Japan, however Shun took a level further and introduced them to the general public. In spite of a majority of critics' forecasts, Shun proved that the Western world wanted sharp, light, premium cutlery. Even though Shun knives are costlier and need more routine work than their competition, serious chefs saw the distinction and turned into loyal fans.

Kershaw and Shun

Shun knives are made by Kai Cutlery, a big and very established Japanese knife company. Kai acquired Kershaw Cutlery in 1978 and formed Kai USA to build and circulate American-made knives. When it became clear that there was a market for high-end kitchen knives made with classic Japanese knife-making methodologies, Kai was perfectly situated to head the movement.

The Shun Knife was first produced in 2003. Stores like Williams-Sonoma and Sur La Table have subsequently selected it to be among their featured knife brands.

Shun Classic Knives

Shun Classic knives are the hottest sellers of the Shun brand. They are primarily intended for the amateur home chef.

These are constructed with VG-10 steel from Japan, which, when matched against with European steel, is harder and sharper. Most people believe that the steel's sharpness and low weight, when combined with the typical hand grip from the West, creates an excellent product.

It's important to treat these knives with caution as they will turn discolored and lose their sharp edge if left in a wash basin filled with water or washed in the dishwasher.

The handles are made from pakka wood, that is a hardwood injected with resin. It is pressed into a D shape that fits with the shape of the hand.

People will argue that Shun Classic knives are costly. And it's correct that, with a Chef's knife priced in the $100 range, these knives are not for the thrifty. But Kai felt that first class materials and premium performance are worth a premium price tag. And these knives absolutely deliver on that promise.

Shun Elite Knives

Shun Elites are the second most-popular series of Kai's offering. While the Shun Elite series may resemble the Classic knives, there are a few crucial differences. The largest dissimilarity is its steel. The Elites possess SG-2, a superior "powdered" alloy.

Powdered steels are formed through a special method which permits even distribution of compounds throughout the steel. This forms a steel that can be created extremely hard and, consequently, sharp.

These knives have pakka wood handles, similar to the Classic line. It's important to handle the Elites with the same maintenance as the Classics.

Shun Ken Onion Knives

Ken Onion is most likely the biggest name in knife manufacturing today. His unique "Speed Safe" device, a revolutionary knife-opener, dropped jaws when it was made available for sale. Ken has also supervised the design of several knives sold by Kershaw, including the Chive, the Leek, and the Blackout.

Despite the fact that Ken Onion had never before dabbled in the planning of kitchen cutlery, he delved into the job anyway. His limited prior knowledge turned out as a blessing in disguise however; he was able to approach kitchen knife design without any pre-existing ideas or prejudices.

The resulting knives feature a Damascus-style blade, pakka wood handles and, most uniquely, an ergonomic shape intended to limit upper body fatigue in the face of long slicing and dicing sessions

Not all are fans of the Elite's unusual shape. A few grumble that the ergonomic shape works nicely onlylsolely for some hand sizeslshapes. But many industry professionals stand by them, and they've developed quite a large group of followers.

Shun Steel, Pro 2 and Others

The Shun name also includes a few lesser-known products. Shun Steel knives sport a stainless steel handle. Shun Pro knives sport a single-bevel that allows for a narrower blade angle and, thus, a sharper blade. Shun Pro II features a textured handle, a slightly thicker blade in addition to Shun's sharpest blade.

Kai also sells value products, sold with the Kershaw Wasabi name.

About The Author:
G.K. Roy is an expert on Shun Knives and lifetime journalist. Greg has evaluated a long list of kitchen cutlery and can tell you which tools offer you the best bang for the buck. Check out his award-winning post on the Best Kitchen Knives on Any Budget so you can add a little edge to your cooking.