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- Verified Buyer
Good knife. Got this as a gift for my nephew. It would be a little sub par for the price of most Shun knives (cheaper steel, the tang isn't ground flush with the wooden handle) but at this price, it's very worth it. Just as sharp as their top of the line knives, and performs very well. Only issue some people may have is the handle. The metal tang sticks out all along the wooden grips, which feels a little odd, but isn't going to ruin your day.I have owned a lot of knives, both kitchen and hunting/other. Maybe a year and a half ago, I got a Shun 6 inch utility, and thought this is the best kitchen knife I have ever used. I use it every day. Since then got a carver, this santoku, and a paring knife. Quality and ease of use exceptional. You do need to know that Shun as a Japanese knife uses a 16 degree bevel as opposed to the 20 degree bevel on Western knives, so you need a different sharpener (I use a Kai) or you need to sharpen by hand on a stone. Worth the trouble.I'm a santoku lunatic. I love the versatility and I fall in love with every new model I see easily. It's a personal problem. For some quick perspective, I have now purchased 1 Miyabi 7", F. Dick 7", two Wusthof (Epicure and Classic), 7" Kasumi, 3 other Shuns (Premiere, Edo, Fuji) as well as this model. I gave this model 4 stars since I can't call it one my top three. The Shun Fuji might just be my absolute favorite, with the Kasumi coming in number two, and the Miyabi and Shun Premiere are near-identical. The biggest difference is that this knife gives a little away in the weight department, is overall smaller, and just a touch less sharp than the others. However, when you consider that this knife costs only 66% of my favorites it's tough not to make a case for this being the best deal over all.Upon initially taking it out of the box, I was a bit skeptical about the dull appearance and lighter weight (compared to my Global knife), but after a few weeks of use am really impressed. The 7” blade is slightly smaller than the typical 8” Santoku, making it easier to maneuver for non-experts, and it cuts through vegetables with ease and precision. After a few washes the blade now looks great and is complemented by the handle.I’m not sure this isn’t a Chinese made knock-off it’s so bad. I would return it but the price point (on sale + gift card + points) brought it into cheap-o knife territory rather than the precision crafted instrument I envisioned it would be, based on the photos and descriptions. This knife isn’t even on the same continent much less in the same arena of any other genuine Shun knife I have seen or handled in person at any reputable retailer. The look of the metal is off, having huge grains in it, almost like the appearance of tin sheet metal siding. It’s highly magnetic which could be a good sign, or not so much depending on what steel (or tin) it’s really made of. The smoking gun here however is in the handle. This is unlike any Japanese craftsmanship I have ever seen, even in purposely cheap replica wares (like souvenir swords etc). The spine of the knife protrudes nearly a centimeter above and below the wood grips, making holding the knife not only uncomfortable but painful. The “rivets” appear to be pot metal, and the wood itself isn’t even sanded smooth or properly finished. Not sure if it can be seen in the photo but the grain is lifted, like bare wood that’s been wet (hasn’t been washed yet by me, out of the box this way) without any proper finish applied, which is more akin to a light stain than a proper lacquer finish one would expect on a quality knife. Would not recommend nor ever purchase another knife without being able to actually see and hold the knife I’m about to buy. Spend a few dollars more and don’t waste time or money on this one.I have always loved Shun knives.Sadly, this one isnt of the quality of my other Shuns.The Tang (handle) is rough and does not feel smooth, balanced or natural while in use.I can not speak to the durability as of yet, but initially my impression is that this is an inexpensive knock off as opposed to an actual high quality Shun.I excitedly received my new Shun this week only to be disappointed. I had spent an inordinate amount of time researching knives the previous week and had decided on this particular knife after reading about the different types of steel, the types of knives (chef vs santoku), manufacturers, etc. Suffice to say I was pumped to open this package. Upon unwrapping I discovered really noticeable marring one side of the blade. Honestly if this was a $15-$20 knife I wouldn't care but I spent almost $100 on this when there are comparable knives using the same steel or better with the same shape, blade angle, etc for 1/2 to 2/3 the price! This was a "treat" for myself since I cook at least an hour a night 7 days a week so I had justified the extra money on this nice looking piece of cutlery.Amazon as usual was wonderful and my replacement should arrive tomorrow at which time I'll ship this one back. I appreciate on the rare instance I need to return or replace something it is hassle free! I'll update my review after I have some time with the replacement but overall I'm disappointed in the quality control for a knife that's supposed to be "high end".Edit 04/13/18: The replacement came in today with a very visible scratch on the face of one side of the blade. To say the quality control is lacking would be an understatement. It appears it is non-existent! I'm returning this knife as well and will stay away from Shun based on my sample size of 2 new knives that should never have been sold. The Amazon rep I spoke to was super helpful and agreed to pull this listing until they could determine why there are quality issues with this particular knife.Got it on sale so it was a decent deal. The qualify of the knife is good and the steel stays sharp longer than other cheaper knives.Casi dos años de uso y no ha perdido el filo, con los cuidados necesario sólo se necesita enjuagar después de cortes, secar y afilar en chaira unos segundos antes de usar.No recomiendo tallar con sacates, fibras ni nada que pueda raspar la hoja del cuchillo.La madera sigue oliendo natural, mantiene su forma y tiene un color característico a madera de uso, sin dudas de los mejores detalles de este cuchillo.I have a Cutco 7” chef knife for many years and It’s annoying which i need to sharpen it every time before use. I should have bought this earlier to save myself some time.Did some research comparing the Miyabi 7”, the Shun is almost half the price. Its awesome for me to do every day cooking. I am not a professional cook, don’t mind to spend a bit extra on a better quality knife for everyday cooking.Es un muy buen cuchillo, aunque esperaba recibir algo más de calidad, sobre todo por el precio. La lama llegó sin filo, ahora corta bien pero tuve que hacer yo el filo. No es un cuchillo pesado así que no esperen utilizarlo para trabajos que requieran un cierto esfuerzo..... para vegetales fáciles de cortar es muy bueno....Muy buen cuchillo con respecto a su precio!!Siempre quise probar un cuchillo de esta marca ya que en un par de ocasiones escuché buenos comentarios y no estaban equivocados ya que es un cuchillo de muy buen filo y excelente manejo!!!Facinada, es comodo se te adapta muy bien a la mano, buena calidad y un filo maravilloso y por el diseño las verduras caen y no se te quedan pegadas al cuchillo, me encanta
