Best Shun Knives Review and Ultimate Buying Guide 2022

In order to get the most out of a Japanese knife on your kitchen countertop, you should first choose the Best Japanese knife Brand. However, with so many brands out there in the market, it becomes hard to figure out the best one of all time.

But, you don’t need to worry, as whatever is the case, the Best Shun knives are truly the best, both in terms of performance & price of course. Shun is not just a knife manufacturer, instead this is an honor for most of western chefs.

This best Japanese knife manufacturer belongs to the mainland of Japan, which is a launch of the early 21st Century. Although, its Parent brand Kai group dates back to 1908. But, Shun is meant for Western chefs of Europe & the United States.

In the Best Shun knives lineup, you can find the various types of Japanese knives from Gyuto to Nakiri, & Santoku to Kiritsuke, as well. Since these knives require some special care, they can stay sharp for a long time, once sharpened perfectly.

Here, in this article, you will get to know the Best Shun Knives that are worth your time, & money to help you make the best decision while selecting the Best Japanese Knives. So, let’s find out what you are looking for right now!

Top 3 Picks of Best Shun Knives

Best Shun Knives | At A Glance

IMAGE	PRODUCT	SHOP
Overall Best	Shun Classic 5.5-Inch Santoku Kitchen Knife Benefits: Exceptionally sharp knife, Quiet Easy to maneuver, Smooth wooden handle, Durable Stainless S. blade, Versatile edge retention Best for cutting: Rocking, slicing, dicing, mincing of Veggies, Fruits, Dry fruits, Cheese, Butter, Bread, Buns, & some cooked meat or steaks.	Shop Here
A Value to Money	Shun Sora Chef’s Knife, 8 Inch VB0706 Benefits: A sharp cutting profile, Double-bevel blade, Comfortable handle, Easy to maintain knife, Good value to money Best for cutting: Cooked meat, steaks, chicken, sausages, veggies, fruits, & dairy products.	Shop Here
Best for Gift	Shun DM-0702 Knife Benefits: Perfectly balanced knife, Comes with a sharp blade, Solid construction & edge, Non-Stick & fast cuttings, Works on Raw meat also Best for cutting: Bakery items, Dairy products, butter, cheese, chicken, steaks, beef, (some raw meats), vegetables, fruits, & some leaves as well.	Shop Here
All-Purpose	Shun Utility Classic Knife, 6 Inch Benefits: Waterproof wooden handle, A Pre-Sharpen blade knife, Lightweight yet durable knife, Durable, & good edge retention, A Multi-Purpose Japanese knife Best for cutting: Veggies, Fruits, Breads, Buns, Dairy Products, Cooked Meat, Chicken, Ginger, Garlic, sausages, Pizza, BBQ meals, & daily household ingredients.	Shop Here
Best For Light Use	Shun DM-0705 Classic 9 Inches Benefits: Rightly serrated knife, A Double bevel blade, Long Versatile blade, PakkaWood Handle, Durable build quality Best for cutting: Breads, Buns, Sausages, Doner, Cooked/Steamed Chicken, Half cooked steak, pastries, slow-fermented breads, & various bakery items.	Shop Here
The Most durable	Shun Hiro SG2 8-inch Chef’s Knife Benefits: SG-2 Carbide Steel, A Very sharp blade, Fast & smooth cuts, Comfortable handle, Best for western chefs Best for cutting: Some frozen products, veggies, fruits, beef, bread, buns, herbs, leaves, & meal preparation.	Shop Here
The Comfortable Handle	Shun Classic Blonde 8” Chef’s Knife Benefits: Professional and Versatile, The comfortable handle, Non-Stick & sharp blade, Rust & Corrosion resistant, The Western-style knife Best for cutting: Boning and slicing of steaks, chickens, herbs, fish, beef, Veggies, Dairy & bakery products.	Shop Here
Best Edge Retention	Shun Classic 8-Inch Kiritsuke Knife Benefits: Perfect for daily cuttings, The best edge retention, A Maneuverable rocking, Sharp & versatile blade, Lightweight yet durable Best for cutting: Vegetables, Herbs, Leaves, Salads, Cheese, Cooked and Semi-Cooked meat, Bonning Chickens, Breads, Sausages, & a lot of other slicing, chopping in rocking.	Shop Here
Exclusively Sharp	Shun DM-0716 Classic 4 Ebony Benefits: Sharpest Paring knife, Durable build quality, A Comfortable handle, Double bevel blade, Best for fat trimming Best for cutting: Removing skins of small to large veggies, fruits, herbs, meals, trimming meat, beef, & some deep cuts.	Shop Here
Best For Vegetable	Shun Kanso 6.5-Inch Hollow Vegetable Benefits: 16-degree double-bevel edge, Pretty easy food release blade, Sufficient Sharp for vegetables, Holds the edge for a long time, A Full-Tang yet durable handle Best for cutting: Citrus & Non-Citrus Vegetables, Herbs, Leaves, Fruits, & Large Chunks of Veggies.	Shop Here

Best Shun Knives | Our Best Picks & Review

1. Shun Classic 5.5-Inch Santoku Kitchen Knife

So, we have decided to debut the list of the Best Shun Knives with its Santoku knife, which is overall the best Shun knife on the list. This knife is a launch of 2003, which makes it one of the earliest launches, & the 30th best Santoku Knife out there.

Build Quality & Material:

Not only the brand is exceptional, but the build material is also the extraordinary one. Shun is using Stainless Steel in its manufacturing, which is a rare case nowadays. The particular steel is known as VG-Max.

This steel is some sort of Native to both Japan, & especially to Shun. It makes their knives stand out even better as compared to some other brands. Here, the knife is based upon a completely stainless steel core.

To make the knife to resist rust, & oxidation, Shun is using a boosted (an extended amount than usual) level of Chromium in its combination. Its cobalt, & a little bit of Vanadium adds more strength to its entire structure.

Cutting & Performance:

A knife with a durable structure, but lacking in sharpness can never be considered as the best knife. And, Shun knows this pretty well. This let them make this knife durable and sharp out of the box at the same time.

Even being a double bevel knife, this knife doesn’t perform less than a single bevel knife due to its core, & the bevel angles on both sides. This knife gives you an angle of 16° on both sides.

The additional layer of the Vanadium makes its sharpness exceptional. This razor-sharp blade is using a thin blade that is still versatile due to its wide length and the gradual yet carefully tapered cutting angle.

On top of that, it offers a lucrative edge retention for the price, which makes its blade to perform for a long time, by enhancing the overall blade life. You don’t need to push the knife hard in order to peel or cut down your ingredient ever.

Last thing, this comes along with a Pakkawood D-shaped classical handle, which suits small to medium hands pretty well. This also enhances the overall appearance of the knife. Plus, this waterproof knife is also very comfortable.

Best for cutting:

Rocking, slicing, dicing, mincing of Veggies, Fruits, Dry fruits, Cheese, Butter, Bread, Buns, & some cooked meat or steaks.

2. Shun Utility Classic Knife, 6 Inch

This multi-purpose Japanese knife from Shun is for the first time on this blog. The knife is one of the most popular and the Best Shun knife, which has the same launch of 2003 as Shun Classic 5.5.

Build Quality & Material:

Just like the previous one, this knife is also using the VG-Max steel in its core structure but not the same one. Shun has manipulated the composition this time. In fact, it’s better to say that Shun amends the steel model as per their need.

Now, it doesn’t mean that this knife has got affected in terms of performance, quality, durability, or in any sense. Still, the knife is performing pretty well. The knife is packed with a durable blade out of the box.

This steel doesn’t not only let the knife stay sharp for a long time. Plus, the knife is also holding a decent edge retention that helps it justify the price. Its straight, slim & narrow blade doesn’t let it lose its stability or either versatility.

Cutting & Performance:

Here, you have got a thin and less wider blade as compared to the former one on the list. With this knife, you can now deal with almost any sort of ingredient, either large or small (preferable).

To be honest, this knife owns a sharp blade without any doubt. You can judge the blade both technically and practically. This doesn’t stick to any ingredient due to its shallow Tsuchime pattern.

Not only that, but you are also supposed to get a precise, fine, and pretty smooth cutting experience with this one. If you are planning to get a Japanese knife for your home, or for your casual usage, then it is a good deal to grab.

Moreover, the knife is using a double bevel blade, which holds a cutting or sharpening angle of somewhere 16° for each side. But, we personally believe this is pretty less than its given angle due to its immense level of sharpness.

Best for cutting:

Veggies, Fruits, Breads, Buns, Dairy Products, Cooked Meat, Chicken, Ginger, Garlic, sausages, Pizza, BBQ meals, & daily household ingredients.

3. Shun Classic 8-Inch Kiritsuke Knife

A good successor to Shun’s utility knife is the first Kiritsuke knife on the entire list. This knife is a launch of the year 2014, & it is currently ranking as the 13th best fillet knife, & 48th best Santoku knife out there.

Build Quality & Material:

This lightweight knife is a great production of VG-Max stainless steel again. But this time, Shun is using a layered structure of steel that makes its quality exceptionally the best one.

This knife features Damascus steel layering and cladding on its top profile of the blade. It does not only make the knife pretty much durable, structured. Plus, it also makes the knife non-stick and gorgeous in design.

Just like the former ones on the list, this knife is also holding the ability to resist corrosion, & rust to enhance the longevity of the blade. It’s better to handwash the knife, to avoid this from capturing any potential oxidation.

Moreover, the knife features the best edge retention on the entire list. This is due to its Kiritsuke style of edge, which makes the micro-structure of it pretty well. Plus, the knife comes with a versatile blade overall.

Cutting & Performance:

As Shun is using optimized Stainless steel in its blade, then how could it be possible that the blade is lacking in any sort of performance. This knife owns a good level of sharpness that is packed inside every corner of the blade.

To prevent the knife from sticking the ingredients on its blade, Shun is using the same Shallow pattern on its blade. This doesn’t only make the knife resist sticking, but to give it a pretty practical and gorgeous look as well.

Honestly speaking, along with the best edge retention, this knife also provides you with an easy rocking motion due to its slightly round shape in the end. Basically, the knife is meant for professionals with established rocking gestures.

Last but not the least, you have also got a lightweight, full tang, D-shaped & versatile handle which makes your hands-on experience pretty rich. One last thing we forgot to tell; the knife is a double bevel blade with less than 16° on each side.

Best for cutting:

Vegetables, Herbs, Leaves, Salads, Cheese, Cooked and Semi-Cooked meat, Bonning Chickens, Breads, Sausages, & a lot of other slicing, chopping in rocking.

4. Shun DM-0716 Classic 4 Ebony

Till yet, we haven’t touched even a single trimmer knife that is very supportive & useful in most of the butchery, & meal preparation tasks as well. Though the launch year is not clear, this is the 79th best Japanese Paring knife out there.

Build Quality & Material:

Just like its elder brothers, this cute little thing is a result of premium VG-Max, that doesn’t need to be praised if you are skimming the list from the start. Shun has kept renovating their traditions of manipulating the steel as per their needs.

The same has happened in this case, as there’s some addition of chromium elements. On top of that, Shun has also used some manual heat treatment processes which makes the layered steel core pretty durable to break or chip.

By doing this, you have successfully got a manipulated & strong micro-structure of the elements. This has made the knife work and last for a long time, without losing its sharpness.

Cutting & Performance:

For its cutting and the performance, the knife has a 4-inches blade, which is the smallest blade on the entire list here. With this knife, you are going to get more than enough sharpness, which is required for trimming, & paring sort of stuff.

You being a casual or somewhat intermediate chef can also utilize its maneuverable cutting edges. Its thin blade makes you take a deep, neat, and clean-cut even inside a meat with the complex joints.

You will see almost the same thing in the case of Shun’s DM-0700 which is not a member of this list though, but apparently, there is nothing different except for the color to make a difference out there.

On a closing note, this knife is versatile and sharp due to its dual bevel blade. You can easily use this guy to trim fats, & unnecessary removals of meat, or veggies. Plus, a durable Pakkawood resin handle takes the comfort to the next level.

Best for cutting:

Removing skins of small to large veggies, fruits, herbs, meals, trimming meat, beef, & some deep cuts.

5. Shun Hiro SG2 8-inch Chef’s Knife

In the middle of the way to the Best Shun knife, our editorial has decided to bring a shun knife that could be the best choice to gift to your other half if he (or she) is fond of cooking after successfully completing their culinary training out there.

Build Quality & Material:

Just like your deep & durable relationship, this knife is going to complement your relations even more, as Shun is using completely unique materials here. Here, Shun has used SG-2 Japanese steel, which is the most premium on this entire list.

This knife is a base of SG-2 core, which enhances the long-run of the knife pretty much. To make the knife look stunning, & physically durable, Shun has used layered steel, that is encoded within a Nickel pattern on both sides.

Not only that, this knife can never rust, break, chip or bend even using it for more than a decade for 10’s of hours per week. It has a pretty good distribution of metallic elements, which gives it an immense level of Rockwell hardness of 64HRC.

Cutting & Performance:

The perfect distribution of elements let the blade lead to one of the best sharpness out there. With this knife, you are not just limited to veggies or fruits. Instead, you can tear down even the raw meat, which is not possible elsewhere.

As for its beauty, its performance is also unexplainable. You being a professional or an emerging chef, can never thank Shun for this. The knife is packed with a pre-sharpen blade, that owns a double bevel blade for less than 16° on each side.

This knife also features a dense, & a full length of Tsuchime pattern, that makes the knife to prevent sticking. Not only that, it has the second-best edge retention out there, right after Shun Classic 8-inch.

Last thing, the knife also uses a completely unique and well-built yet comfortable wooden handle. This gives the knife a gorgeous look, along with the practicality. Overall, the knife is durable, beautiful, & sharp out of the box.

Best for cutting:

Some frozen products, veggies, fruits, beef, bread, buns, herbs, leaves, & meal preparation.

6. Shun DM-0705 Classic 9 Inches

The exclusive best Japanese knife for breads, that belongs to the house of Shun. Currently, the knife is ranking on the 51st spot for bread knives.

Build Quality & Material:

Shun has integrated the same VG-Max material even in this knife, which is a good sign of the durability of this knife. There are some modifications in its composition of the steel, even the knife is meant for bakery items & bread sort of cuttings.

Except for the addition of tungsten, & chromium, the knife owns a very durable structure, that also prevents corrosion & distortion. This amendment makes the knife stand out better in terms of edge retention, & wear prevention.

Cutting & Performance:

As compared to the typical bread knives, this knife has a wide blade that makes you take some straight and deep cuts in breads and buns. With this knife, you no longer need to push the knife harder into the internals of ingredients.

If you are a commercial Middle East, Asian, or Turkish Cuisine maker, such as Shawarmas, or doner, you need to cut the cooked chicken along with a certain continuity rhythm to cut down the chicken smoothly without hurting it at all.

For that case, this bread knife can also help you with its serrated blade. Though you might be thinking that it will bend down or start chipping, then you should worry not. Because, there’s also some amount of cobalt, to make it unbreakable.

Best for cutting:

Breads, Buns, Sausages, Doner, Cooked/Steamed Chicken, Half cooked steak, pastries,  slow-fermented breads, & various bakery items.

7. Shun Classic Blonde 8” Chef’s Knife

If you are truly a lover of your heritage of western-style products, you don’t want to get used to a knife designed with foreign traditions. Then, this knife is going to be the perfect match for you.

Build Quality & Material:

Shun is again using the VG-Max steel, which is now loaded with high carbon elements inside it. With this knife, you have got a high quality yet high-carbon steel core, which is using a layered style into its manufacturing.

When looking at its overall design, you will likely relate this knife to Wusthof and french style knives. So, if you were looking for that thing, then congratulations as you have found your ideal companion for your kitchen.

Cutting & Performance:

Though the knife comes with an appearance of western knives, this has the same traditional Japanese cutting profile overall. Whatever design you have, not even a single western knife can beat the class of performance as Japanese ones.

Here as well, the knife is pre-loaded with a sharp blade that is more than enough to remove your own skins. But, this is not actually meant for it, as you should only use the knives on your ingredients.

By far, this is the first knife with a single bevel blade which marks its sharpness at another level. With this one, you have access to cut any sort of product with its non-stick profile, along with a good edge retention, stable and versatile blade.

Last thing as for now; this also has a beautiful & modern sort of handle with a  D-shape design which is very handy to use. Plus, the Pakkawood makes it survive even in some water without soaking.

Best for cutting:

Boning and slicing of steaks, chickens, herbs, fish, beef, Veggies, Dairy & bakery products.

8. Shun Kanso 6.5-Inch Hollow Vegetable

The only Kanso blade on the list, that is mainly meant for vegetables. If you want a knife to cut the vegetables for less than a hundred bucks, it is the only option for you then. It is the second-best vegetable knife with the launch year of 2017.

Build Quality & Material:

This hollow-ground Nakiri is a make of alloy steel, which is not the VG-10 or VG-Max, as this is not even possible for this price. The knife still holds an edge for some other replicas by local brands in terms of durability and build quality.

The steels seem to be more likely on the side of AUS-10 or AUS-10V because Shun doesn’t use non-branded or typical steels into their knives. As this knife belongs to the Kanso series, we are sure that there is a lot of carbon & vanadium in it.

Cutting & Performance:

So, how does this Kanso perform on the ground? We would say, this is one of the best performing knives for this price, especially by the Shun. As you have already got an idea that Shun manufactures premium knives, but this is a budget one.

For cutting veggies, the knife comes with more than enough sharpness as you can also imagine from its blade yourself. This knife features a complete rectangular profile, in the end, that is slightly filleted in the ends, to protect your hands.

Its complete rectangular & straight profile or spine makes the knife easy to maneuver on veggies to take precise & sharp cuts without losing stability & consistency in the cuts.

Best for cutting:

Citrus & Non-Citrus Vegetables, Herbs, Leaves, Fruits, & Large Chunks of Veggies.

9. Shun DM-0702 Knife

On the second last spot against the list of the Best Shun knives, we have got you with another Japanese Santoku which features a western design. This knife is one of the early Shun launches, & the oldest most on the list that dates back to 2001.

Build Quality & Material:

The knife features a complete Stainless steel core, & the blade as well, which openly tells us that the knife is a traditional & perfect craftsmanship of Shun. This specific knife comes with a high ratio of carbon in its structure.

Now, the higher the carbon, the hard & unbreakable the knife will be. But, on the other hand, if a knife contains more carbon, then it does also have a chance of rusting. To overcome this, Shun is using Stainless layering on the blade as well.

Shun has integrated both the Japanese & western profile pretty much, that you can see from its edge profile. This knife comes with a slip circular edge from its top profile. Plus, it is slightly turned from the lower side, to present a perfect edge.

Cutting & Performance:

Apparently, the knife is a good match for gifting purposes if one of your colleagues is going to graduate from culinary school. It’s a good start for him then. Its 7-inches long blade makes the knife work best for chopping, and mincing tasks.

Honestly speaking, you will get a sharp blade out of the box, that doesn’t need sharpening again to make it ready for work. On top of that, this knife is more likely to resist rust, bends, chipping, & getting dull even after months of regular usage.

To make the knife Non-stick, Shun is using a shallow Tsuchime pattern that prevents the knife from capturing the elements or ingredients that also slow down your cutting speed and established rhythm.

Best for cutting:

Bakery items, Dairy products, butter, cheese, chicken, steaks, beef, (some raw meats), vegetables, fruits, & some leaves as well.

10. Shun Sora Chef’s Knife, 8 Inch VB0706

Let’s wind up the list of Best Shun knives with its good boy from Sora series.

Build Quality & Material:

This is the only Shun knife which is using a VG-10 steel core which is layered as well. In this steel, you have relatively high carbon content that makes the knife’s overall structure durable enough.

On its upper, you will get a layering of 420J Japanese steel, that prevents the corrosion from settling on its blade. Plus, the knife features a brazed steel blade, to provide the best economy for less than a hundred bucks.

Cutting & Performance:

There is enough sharpness in its blade, that allows you to handle your daily tasks as a commercial chef out there. Just to make it work smoothly for chopping sort of stuff, this comes with an easy to glide cutting edge as well.

Here, you have got the same 16° double-bevel blade, that provides more than enough sharpness for a chef. Though the edge retention is not the best one, it still justifies its price, along with modern high quality & comfortable handles.

Overall, the knife is quite practical to use for both professional, casual, & above average cooks to prepare their meal, & to perform their jobs in the kitchens. It also features a bolster construction, along with a D-shaped handle design.

Best for cutting:

Cooked meat, steaks, chicken, sausages, veggies, fruits, & dairy products.

Best Shun Knives | Frequently Asked Questions

The Bottom Line | Best Shun Knives

Shun Cutlery is known as one of the best Japanese cutlery in the western world and Far East Asia. They have been manufacturing the Best Japanese knives since 2002. Most of the time, they follow traditional Japanese knife making skills.

If you want to see a knife that includes both the sharpness, edge retention, versatility, durability, & the non-stick blade, then all of these things can be found in Shun’s fleet.

Shun uses Japanese, Damascus & German high carbon (sometimes Stainless) Steel in the manufacturing of its knives. Along with this, you will also get a Tsuchime or dimple cladding pattern, which makes their knives even more practical.

After putting tens of hours in researching, analyzing the best & performing knives, we have brought an exclusive list of the Best Shun knives to you. This list will help you select the Best Japanese Shun knife.