Shun Classic 7" Hollow-Ground Santoku Knife - VG-MAX Japanese Steel Blade & Ebony PakkaWood Handle - Professional Chef Knife for Precise Slicing, Dicing & Chopping - Ideal for Home Cooks & Culinary Enthusiasts

I should start by saying this is not a true santoku. The reason I say this is because the edge has a considerable rocker to it (curve), unlike the traditional and much flater santoku blade. In fact, the rocker is much closer to the shape of a regular chef's knife. The good news is that this means people accustomed to western chef's knives can jump right into this knife. The bad news? If you're used to a flater santoku this knife will not chop as much (since less of the blade is in play) and it's a little harder to use this blade to scoop the things you've just cut. If you like to rock-and-chop, this knife will do it better than any other santoku. If you like to drop-chop, then this knife isn't going to get quite as long a chop. I like both, so I'm quite happy the knife can perform both jobs.As advertised, this knife comes with one of the sharpest factory edges you could ever ask for. So far the edge holds up extremely well, a few stroke on the steel and knife edge remains razor sharp.The knife comes in a nice presentation box, which although pretty, does not present a good way to carry the knife. If you plan on using this outside your house, buy a blade guard or a carrying case. Also, if you're buying a knife this nice, let me recommend that you get a hardwood edge-grain cutting board (or plastic, for you germaphobes). Don't cut on glass or tile, and any other such silly new-tech board. If you're going to pay big bucks for an nice knife, do what it takes to keep it nice.About actual use: The knife is extremely well-balanced, although I find that the location of the balance take a little getting used to. If you use a standard chef's pinch grip, you will find there are actually two places you could grip the knife. The first place is where the handle curves into the blade. If you look at the picture, you will see this is actually a half inch or so back from the full face of the blade. If you pinch the knife here, you will find the balance to be off slightly, and your index finger will probably fatigue from being wrapped where it is. Also, since you will not be pinching the full face of the knife, you won't get the fine control that the chef's pinch is designed to give.So, why would you do this? If you're not used to this knifes design you might because of the short part of the tang that extends from the pakka handle. On most chef's knives, your middle finger would wrap around the very front of the handle. You need to break that habit with this knife, because your middle finger actually wraps around the protruding tang, and your ring finger is the first one to wrap around the pakka handle.If you do this, and pinch the full portion of the blade, the balance of the knife is wonderful. It is lightweight, and chops and slices extremely well. Unfortunately, the knife was definitely made for right handers (good for me, since I'm right handed, but bad for you lefties out there). Not only does the "D" shape of the handle favour a right handed palm, but the blade of the knife is actually off-set from center to the left. That means if you look straight down at the spine of the blade, it is set slightly to the left. This is good for right-handers since it makes the pinch easier (more room to curl the index finger along the face of the blade, and less power needed from the thumb to hold the knife balanced). I tend to think this off set would probably adversely affect left handed use. But, if you're thinking about getting this knife and you're left handed, I'd say go ahead and order it from Amazon. If it doesn't work out, send it back (and post your comments for other left handers!).As for the scallops, a lot of people ask me if they work. This is what I say: if you're looking for some magical solution that will keep *all* thin-sliced tomatos or mushrooms from sticking to your knife during quick chopping, no, they don't work. If you're looking for something that will help decrease the stickage factor, then yes, they work. Is it worth the $20 price difference? Well, it was for me, but then, I cut a lot of stuff that tends to stick to the blade, so even a little extra help is appreciated.Overall, for ease of use, Kershaw/KAI has created a superlative product in their Shun line. The knives look great. They are well-balanced. The factory edges are razor sharp. The handles fit a right-handed person extremely well. The materials used are absolutely top notch, and should stand up to a lifetime's worth of residential kitchen use. And, since they are stainless steel, cleaning and maintaining them is a breeze.I would recommend this knife to anyone who really wants to have a great knife in their kitchen.Beautiful design, wavy damascus steel. You can see that the edge is not damascus steel, which I believe is intended so it doesn't rust and requires less sharpening.This knife is my new baby. I keep it wrapped in a towel hidden away from the cat and the boyfriend, in case he decides to accidentally stab himself with it. Sharp knives are safe if you know what you're doing, but if you're careless you can lose a finger.This is a Japanese style knife, so the edge is very delicate. If you drop it on the floor it will cause damage, so you have to be very careful. I love this aspect of it though. This also means that the steel is VERY hard and requires less sharpening, unlike German style knives, which are more durable but require more upkeep.I was careless and dropped it on the floor, and the edge know has the tiniest almost imperceptible ding in it. It hasn't affected its usefulness though, and it's very difficult to see unless you study it for a minute. I was lucky that more damage wasn't caused.If you promise to be careful and treat this knife like a baby, respect it, oil the blade after every use (I keep a slightly oily rag on hand), oil the handle every month, never put it in the dishwasher, keep it dry whenever possible, hand wash with hot water only... Then you deserve to own this knife. Otherwise, practice your kitchen skills first. Why would you pay so much for a knife that you don't even understand?Having never had a sharp knife like this one, I was blown away. Dicing onions, slicing tomatoes and potatoes, carrots, whatever....it is all effortless. I'm a vegetarian and this is the only knife I'll ever need.Besides the edge, the knife fit and finish are impeccable. The thinkg feels so good in my hand. It's hefty and large, unlike the other light and thin department store knives. It's made me want to cook for my own enjoyment, and of course I'm sure to cook for friends that are over so that I can impress them with my shiny and wavy Damascus steel! Let's be honest, looks are a big deal with a knife like this one. And I'm pretty sure that I've converted some people to look into investing in a nice knife!Some notes and caveats. The scalloped edge I think is not exactly effective. Potatoes and garlic still stick to the knife.Given that this is my only knife, I've was grateful for the reusable sleeve which I use to safely store the knife in the drawer.The knife does loose its edge with use. You can do the tomato test to check, i.e. the weight of the knife should be able to slice effortlessly into a tomato with only sideways force. I later ordered the honing steel I've had my global chef knife since 2004 and it still looks new. This knife came up on treasure truck in 2019 and I thought, I always wanted to try out a Shun and went for it. Within months this knife was chipping, rusting and could not handle how I used it. The blade is very sharp, but the chipping is awful. I used a wet stone and got almost all the chips out and it didn't take much longer for new chips to form. Don't buy...get a global G- 2 chef knife.Was für ein großartiges Messer, Design und Qualität auf absolutem Top-Niveau, der Preis natürlich aber auch. Da überlegt man ja auch schließlich ein wenig, ob man so viel Geld für so ein Messer ausgibt oder nicht. Ich selbst, bin mit dem Gedanken schon lange unterwegs gewesen und habe dann mir gesagt, mach es. Ich habe es nicht bereut und bin so begeistert, dass es nicht das einzige Messer aus dieser Serie mittlerweile ist :-) Klare Kaufempfehlung von mir.Love this knife - I am an amateur Chef and this knife was a great addition to my set. It is thin, but you have to treat it with care - wash the blade by hand and your never going to have issues. The knife is balanced and the handle is firm, the blade is sharpe and cuts veggies like a hot knife through butter. I recommend this product for those needing a well balanced, sharpe Santoku knife in their set.The knife is a dynamo. Shun (pronounced Sh-oon) is an amazing brand. Amateur chefs should never spend over $200 per knife and this is at the upper echelon for that class. What more do you need it to do? A Santoku is better than a chef knife because it does more. This knife would do fine I’m a large kitchen but the 6-7” blade is perfect for condo/apartment/studio living. Invest in a sheath at some point and perhaps a cheaper knife for when you send your knife back to Shun for free sharpening!Unreal quality. I've had mine for 2 years now and I haven't once had to have it sharpened. I just use a steel every couple weeks and it keeps its edge. Once you've tried a Shun, you can't use another knife.I travel with mine, no BS. I must have it with me when I go on the road. Every friend who's tried it wants to get one. I'll never buy a Henkel or a Wusthof again. I've had plenty of them and the quality just doesn't stand up. They won't hold an edge after a fair amount of use, while the Shun just stays incredibly sharp.Folded steel is just a better design.Aber es gibt wesentlich billigereMesser die auch so gut sind.Wie lange es scharf bleibt (wird nurzum Gemüseschneiden verwendet) kann ich noch nicht sagen da zu kurzIn Verwendung. - Folgt später.Das Messer liegt aber gut in der Hand.