Best Japanese Knives for Home Cooking

The very first time I saw these knives, I can’t seem to get over as to how stunning these knives are. If the Shun knives are people, you would expect them to win the Miss Universe title.

They are easily recognizable. They’ve got a D shaped handles as well as a distinctive Damascus style blade. The blade is made of VG-10 stainless-steel clad with 16 layers of SUS410 high-carbon stainless steel on each side, producing a 33 layered rust-free Damascus look.

The D shaped handles fit comfortably in the hand. They are made from Pakka-Wood which is ebony in color. Pakka-Wood is a fusion of hardwood veneers and waterproof resin that gives you the best of both wood and plastic world; feel of wood and durability of plastic. Unlike most Japanese knives, its D-shaped handles prevent the knives from twisting in your hands.

However, it didn’t go down very well with me the fact that these knives come in versions for right and left hand users as you can’t share with others who are handed differently than you. These knives might not be for everyone.

You can’t not consider buying these beauties. How can you resist? There are not many companies in the US offering free resharpening of your knives for as long as you own them. Also, you don’t hear often of a Japanese knife manufacturer giving a lifetime warranty on their knives. I think with these two benefits, it’s hard to look somewhere else.

For a complete collection, I suggest you get these:

Shun Classic 8-Inch Chef’s Knife

Shun Classic 8-Inch Chef's Knife

Eight inches of VG-10 stainless steel clad with 32 layers of high-carbon stainless steel, this chef’s knife is the perfect size for cooking housewives. With the combination of sharpness, weight and D-shaped handles which makes it a pleasure to hold, it’ll probably make a professional chef out of you.

Shun Classic 7-Inch Santoku Knife

Shun Classic 7-Inch Santoku Knife

The Santoku is a must in every kitchen. This one is so sharp you’ll find yourself slicing and chopping like a pro each time. You’ll have to use it with full attention though, because it slices through everything on its own weight. A dream knife for preparing ingredients.

Shun Classic 6-1/2-Inch Nakiri Knife

Shun Classic 6-1/2-Inch Nakiri Knife

Shun’s Nakiri is just as excellent as all its meat-cutting knives. This amazing veggie knife slices and dices your veggies with absolute precision, however thin or small you want them to be.

Shun Pro 8-1/4-Inch Deba Knife

Shun Pro 8-1/4-Inch Deba Knife

Definitely get this Deba Bocho to bone the chicken and fillet the fish. Its one side beveled edge gives it the strength and sharpness to go between meat and bone for the precise boning. It’s dishwasher safe, but who would think of dumping this magnificent piece of artwork into the dishwasher?

Be warned, if you’re getting Shun knives as your first kitchen knives, you’ll probably stick to them for life. For the whole Shun cutlery collection, check them out here.