Shun Premier 7" Santoku Knife

I bought this back around Christmas 2011 when it was on an Amazon holiday deal for $100. If you find it for that price nowadays, I'd pretty much try to yell through the computer screen at you to get it. :D At the current prices of ~$150 (depending on seller), I'd still say it's a good but not great value. Cost aside, it is a very nice knife. Aesthetically, the blade is simply exceptional. The polished hammered top half combined with the layered bottom half are beautiful. The pakkawood handle is also attractive, but I admit to not being as enamored with it as I was years ago. For some, the lighter weight may not be a preference, but it can be a real bonus when using this for a while because I think it helps prevent my arm and wrist from getting as tired as when I'm using my heavier knives. The build quality is outstanding. Of the four Shun knives that I've purchased, I've had one (a more expensive Reserve model) with an issue on the handle. Both of the Premier models that I bought (this and a paring knife) are perfectly made. The handle lines up just right with the blade, and there are no imperfections anywhere that I've noticed over years of use. Sharpness may go without saying, but I'll still say it :) - yep, it's sharp. It's not like cutting with this was a whole new experience for me. My less expensive Anolon knives are also pretty sharp - but I like using this knife more. Shun for me is more than just the functional value - it's the aesthetic value. It works great and looks great, and I like using it. There's something to be said for treating yourself or someone else now and again with a product that is just a cut above (sorry...no pun intended), and this is a knife that will stand out in most people's kitchen collection and make them feel good. I've attached some photos of this that hopefully convey some of the aesthetics. I think it's far more beautiful than the stock image here on Amazon conveys. Two big thumbs up from me for this knife.

Having read a couple of less than stellar reviews on Shun knives, I am writing to say that I do not understand any of those comments. I am a professional in the restaurant business and I have used my Classic 10 inch chef and 8 inch Premier Shun knives for a couple of years. Being so impressed with both knives, I just recently bought this 7 inch Santoku and used it for the past two nights in the restaurant for prep. A few of my colleagues on the line in the restaurant also use Shun knives. I also own four Global and several Henckels from when I began in the business.They are all fine products and their edges will all break or chip if abused. All knives dull with use and need to be re-edged. But like any finely built tool, each knife has its own personality based on design, weight, and quality of steel.I, along with other professionals I regularly talk with, consider Shun to be the current "gold standard" in cutlery. I truly enjoy using all of the brands I that I own and have mentioned, but Shun knives do stand out - IMO. Why? (1) Insane sharpness and retention of original manufacture's edge angle. BTW -It is worth it to purchase the Shun honing steel as it guides the knife with the correct angle. Used properly a Shun knife when dull is better than other standard kitchen knives right back from the sharpener. (2) Heft and hand-feel. Your hands move when chopping and balanced movement is key to precise work as well as safety. I do not own another knife that feels as good in my hands as do my Shun knives. Add to this the well-researched shape of their handle and my hand does not tire nearly as quickly using a Shun. (3) Beauty. Why not own a functional tool that surpasses the day to day demands of a professional kitchen AND looks like a piece of art? Functional art. Look, there are many great knives out there. Buying (and using) a Shun is a life-time purchase. Assuming you do not abuse it, the Shun knife will last and serve you well for a very long time. Whether a conversation piece with guests as you prep dinner or in a professional kitchen setting these knives impress.

I have a fairly large collection of knives. These include a full set of Shun classics, this premier, Wusthof Trident set, Henckels Twin 4 Star II, Gunter Wilheim, and a full set of Chicago Cuttlery's top of the line (which really should not be mentioned with the knives above... not a shot.at Chicago, but they are a great knife for that price). The Premier is truly the finest of these knives. It is well balanced and comfortable to use and hold. It feel heavier than the classic Shun to me... but that may just be my mind playing tricks. This knife, if you want a.truly fine knife that you will likely pass down, this certainly fits the bill. That being said... I would urge anyone to hold this knife and the Classics. It is a different feel in the hand and you may prefer the Classics over this knife. Small hands may especially prefer the Classics. Do note that the premier is made of a different (better) steel with 34 layers/side. Close inspection will show those over the classic. It mentions that it is encased in Damscus steel. I do question that. I thought Damascus steel was quite rare to have anymore. Perhaps a derivative of the original most likely? Also note that the knives, while some of the finest production cutlery in the world, are not great at everything. For chopping and slicing most things, they excel and are the best. However, I go to a German knife (my Tridents) for cutting up things like a bird or near bones. For chopping things like brisket, you are better having something heavy and sharp like the Gunther. I prefer my twin 4 Star for slicing up beef, though I believe a Shun would be perfectly acceptable for this use. The issue comes in how the knives are meant to be used to cut. Where a German knife appreciates a "pushing down or forceful chopping", typical Japanese cutlery prefers a slicing motion back forth. Understanding this explains why I have, and I highly recommend, a variety of knives for their own purpose. A few other comments: These knives must be sharpened at a different angle than German cutlery 16 degrees versus the typical German 20-22. This makes using these knives much easier to cut through things, explains why they require less effort, and in turn due to the type of steel used, makes them more brittle and easier to chip. I have not chipped any of mine but it is a common complaint. They will rust easier though most households (even on the coast) would be unlikely to have this issue. One last note: these knives come from the factory razor blade sharp. Until you get very familiar with them, use extreme caution. Especially with these knives, keep them away from children or elderly who are not sure with their hands. I sliced my finger to the bone with one of these where a German knife would not have gone so deep. All in all, this is one of the finest knives in the world and well worth the investment for lifetime of enjoyment.

Like many of the others, I got this when it was on sale, and the value at $89 is astounding. First, it is beautiful, and lets face it, for this level of knife it really should be. The Amazon picture does not do it justice, as it has a wonderful mirror polish over the hand hammered sides. Handles are personal, and I like the handle quite a bit, and have fairly average sized hands and use a fairly standard pinch grip. I'll admit, I went to Sur La Table and test drove the knife prior to purchase from Amazon. I also test drove the Miyabi and Global 7" Santoku knives and both are also quite good. I like the Miyabi Kaizen Santoku as much as the Shun, but the Shun in this case was the better deal. The Global was just as wickedly sharp, but I am not a fan of the handle or balance. As many have noted, the Shun knife comes razor sharp and able to shred newsprint or shave hair off the back of your arms, and more importantly, slides effortlessly through carrots and crisply through long angled cuts of spring onion. As an amateur knife maker, who has fire welded and folded up pattern welded (aka "Damascus") steel billets by hand, I recognize this really isn't anything like a "real" pattern welded blade. (Full disclosure, I am not nearly good enough to make great cutlery!) The stainless Damascus sides on this knife simply protect the hard VG10 steel core and it lacks the fine micro-serrations of a true pattern welded edge. In this respect, the performance of the Shun shouldn't be markedly superior to most other good VG10 knives from Tojiro or a number of others Japanese makers, regardless if they are "Damascus" or not. That said, VG10 is hard enough and wear resistant enough to stay razor sharp with nothing more than a few weekly swipes on a steel, but also can be sharpened much more easily than some very hard steels. It is a near perfect knife steel. The resin impregnated wood handle is glossy and beautiful, and as durable and sanitary a choice as micarta, and better than the phenolic handles on most German blades. Now, I have not had enough time to really get used to the knife, and intend to do an update in a year. Right now, like a kid a couple of weeks after Christmas, it is my new favorite toy in the kitchen.

Love this knife. Use it every day. Razor sharp. Would buy again. It’s got beautiful grain on the blade and handle. Heavy handle so if you drop it it will land on the hilt not the tip.

I've really enjoyed using this knife. It's incredibly sharp and I love the balance of it. It's a fairly heavy knife, which I prefer. I have a slight tremor in my hands and heavier utensils are more steadying. I had bought an Enso, which was also a really fine knife, but it was feather light. I returned it and bought this one. The craftsmanship is beautiful and it has made dealing with cutting up roasts and other meats a pleasure. I was surprised to read in the instructions that it shouldn't be used for chopping. A straight up and down motion one would use for onions or other veggies. It said that would dull the blade. It's really best used with a rocking motion. I do cut up a good deal of veggies so I bought a nakiri knife which is made especially for that purpose. I was really lucky to get a quick discount on the knife. I had it in my cart with a few other knives I was considering. It had been in there at a much higher price for two months. I checked one day and found that there was only one left and it had been deeply discounted. I was dubious about that but ordered it and thought that if it seemed off when I got it I could return it. The next day it said the knife was no longer available! It is definitely the real deal. The star of my knife drawer! It pays to check one's cart every day or two...

The Shun knives are some of the best out there. High carbon and an extra sharp edge (due to the different cut angle of the blade), mean you get a blade that holds it edge a long time and it's sharper than most other knives. It makes thin slices a breeze! I really like this Santoku knife, it's extremely versatile, great for everything from meat to veggies. The Damascus finish on the Premier blades is fake, but it looks very nice, and the hammered pattern on the upper part of the blade surface does seem to help avoid having the blade stick to things when cutting.The wooden handle is high quality and the weighting of the knife is well balances. This knife sits very comfortably in your hand when working on food. Shun also has a matching bread knife and carving knife that I've purchased and really like. I wouldn't recommend the carving fork or kitchen utility knives from the Shun Premier line though, only because they're pretty expensive and all you get with them is the matching finish. For the bigger knives though, the Shun Premier line is very nice!

The knives( I bought the chef and santoku premier) are beautiful and wicked sharp. Handles for me are by far the most comfortable of any I own. The steel has a high ring telling me the hardness of the steel is very high. So why the 4 star? The edges chipped both knives and I'm far from the only one. When I called shun the said that I would have to pay shipping to get the knives to them and they would determine if it was flawed manufacturing or if it was neglect on my part. If it was neglect I would have to pay for them to fix it and pay for shipping back. So I was pretty darn sure they were not going to admit design flaws like over tempering the steel or maybe bringing the edge to an angle that the steel is not able to support. So I'm very schooled at sharpening and took it into my own hands and am very satisfied. Now after many months of on and off thinking on this love-dont love relationship with these blades I believe I've figured it out. These knives are too hard and too sharp to use on plastic cutting boards. They cut into the board and any slight twist of the wrist can cause the edge to chip. I do not have this grabbing problem with my bamboo boards. So are they 5 star? For the price(these are not really expensive blades in this world) I would say yes but with the caveat that someone at shun should know this if I was able to figure it out and customer service is not great . Just don't cut on plastic/poly boards, wood only.

Amazing knife. Cuts everything like butter and looks amazing as well.

This knife is a work of art and sharp sharp sharp. You will love it.

Excelente faca. Leve, precisa e um aço de extrema qualidade.

Tiene una buena estructura para hacer cortes finos y precisos, La calidad del acero y el mango de madera son muy buenos

Love it. Clean cut with all meat even as an amateur cook