Shun Classic 8" Chef
NOTE: These are my subjective views on what appears to be a touchy subject. If your views differ, or if you disagree on a particular point of mine, please feel free to voice your own opinion. At the end of the day this is about personal preference and, as you'll read below, a knife geared to a specific consumer. Hope you enjoy.
I love my
Shun Classic Chef Knife. Part of this is tied to the fact that it was a wedding present and evokes fond memories. But just as important to me, it's a great knife. With damascened cladding around a stainless VG-10 core, this knife not only looks beautiful, but performs beautifully as well. The first time I ever used it, I couldn't believe how sharp it was. It is still one of the best OOTB edges I think I've ever experienced. And talk about fit and finish! Beautiful D shaped Pakka Wood handle, gleaming nickel endcap, with a perfectly smooth transition from handle to blade, and let us not forget the pretty damascus. I've spent three times as much on knives that looked and felt half as good as this one.
That said, this knife gets a lot of complaints from people. So let's go through them one by one. Can you get a better (or equally) performing knife for less? Yes, you can. Can you get a harder tempered VG-10 knife for less? Yes, you can. Can you get a thinner knife? Absolutely. Is Shun marketed everywhere, available everywhere, USED everywhere, and all around... everywhere? Yep.
But let me ask YOU something. Can you get a damascened, VG-10 core knife, with F+F like the Shuns, with a GREAT OOTB edge, great edge retention, and free lifetime sharpening from the manufacturer for less? You know what? SCREW for less. Can you get that ANYWHERE ELSE? No. And that explains why
Shun Knives are EVERYWHERE.
The simple truth, is that this is not a knife for knife nuts. This is a knife for great home cooks who care how well there knives let them COOK, and not how well there knives let them CUT. And for that purpose, with the great F+F, OOTB edge, and lifetime sharpening, the Shun is a package that can't be beat.
All Clad Worth the Price?