Shun 10-in. Shun Steel Chef's Knife  Product Reviews

"I have been a pro chef, I also designed micro hardness testers that rate dynamic properties of alloys... WOW... There is a lot of talk about German vs. Japanese, vs. American steel. Well, ya know what, don't make a difference, cause for the most part, it all comes down to the knife makers skill and design. Now, I'm talking here only about forged full tang blades, not cheep stuff. The characteristics of the forging and tempering have plenty to do with the usability of the knife, and the shape and blade design is even more important. I've used all kinds of forged blades, H brand M brand, S brand, Japanese brands as well, from S and G. Here are my findings: First, depends on what you cut on a regular basis. Heaver cutting jobs like large onions carrots and heavy large tubers like a good German design, thicker blade, deeper etc, especially if you are prepping a lot of them, kinda like driving a good SUV. If you are working a lot with finer stuff like medium onions, shallots, lettuce and things like that, I really like the Global. Very thin, holds an edge well, is like driving a Porsche, but get way to unstable with heavy stuff. I think this is where the Shun comes in. The steel is great, but so are all the others, the design and execution are wonderful. They are kinda like driving a Corvette I think. They are heavier than Global, lighter than German, are able to handle most of the stuff that H & M can handle, but not the really heavy stuff like chocolate blocks or very large tubers. Shun cuts delicate things, and doe a great job as well, but I really think Global is better at things like shallots and garlic etc. All these knives hold their edge, and the steel is blended to take advantage of the design. I think that Global holds it's edge the best, but some of my oldest Global knives pitted, no problem though, for home use you wouldn't notice. Also, the German blades are less fussy with sharpening, an advantage. I especially like the "D" handles of the Shun, and I very much like the balance, which I think is the best out of the group. So, all this being said, I do have a set of Shun, and Global, and Henckels, using them as the product I am cutting changes. Shun is worth the price, as are the others. Right now, I carry Shun to my culinary demonstrations. I do wish they had a 9" chef with steel handle. Had a 9" in culinary school, was the most versatile knife I owned, but alas not many 9s around now! So, Shun is great, and worth it!"