Shun DM0707 Classic 10-Inch Chef's Knife Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This was a difficult knife to rate, because on the one hand it is a very nice knife, and on the other, I can't recommend that you buy one.

1)This is a beautiful knife.I don't prep with it, but it has a permanent place on my magnetic strip, because I just like looking at it.If you want a Damascus-pattern Japanese knife that looks pretty, this is a good choice.You must also look at the Hattori HD (different Damascus style, black Western style handle with visible rivets), and the A.G. Russell Damascus (better Damascus pattern with white Eastern handles and visible rivets).They are harder to find, but nothing a quick Google won't fix.

2)Do not buy this knife unless you have held it, and preferably used it.This is true of any knife.Handle comfort and balance are extremely personal issues.My love affair with this knife ended as soon as I took it out of the box.I'm a right hander with large hands and I use a pinch grip.I like my knife balanced exactly on my working fingers.With its curved, offset bolster and ridged handle, it's specially designed for a right hander with small hands, using a pinch grip, and even then it's mediocre.Using that grip, the balance is 2cm (3/4") nose heavy.My $25 10" Forschner Fibrox embarrasses this knife in term of handle comfort and balance.The only Shun knife with a real handle is the Ken Onion custom.

3)This knife is razor sharp out of the box.But really, any good knife will take a 15 degree edge, you just have to be willing to put it on yourself (or find a pro you can trust to do it for you).My Wusthof Grand Prix has a 15 degree edge and is as sharp as this knife, and gives me at least 50 hours on the board before I need to touch it up with my Sharpmaker.The same goes for my Forschner.VG10 is better steel, but you will still need to hone it with a sharpening steel, and it will still go dull on you.It's only 7% harder than the average good knife and the Vanadium helps but isn't going to change your life.
If you just want a light knife with a thin spine, you can get the same thing for a quarter the money from a Forschner or some other industrial (F. Dick Pro-Dynamic or Messermeister Four Seasons, etc) If you want a light, razor sharp Japanese knife with a hard blade, you can get the same blade performance and a better handle for half the money from a Tojiro DP.

4) If you're in the market for a Japanese knife and want a complete set of Eastern and Western shapes, your only real options are the Shun or the Globals.I'd rather have a Hattori, but they don't make a bread knife, or a western boning knife, or a Chinese cleaver, or a paring knife (although the petty knives will do most of the same jobs).But unless you're really attached to the idea of a matching set, buy this knife and the 3.5" paring knife, and go industrial on the rest.A $15 Forschner boning knife will spank the $90 Shun boning knife.The same goes for the bread knife.All pimpery aside, if you ask Alton Brown, he'll tell you that a $100 bread knife is a waste of money (but he'll still be more than happy to sell you one).

5)The 9" Shun sharpening steel is too short for this knife.Find a nice 12" sharpening steel, or buy a 12" fine ceramic steel.The ceramic steel will take off metal, so if you don't really know how to use a steel, stick with metal; it's more forgiving of bad form.

All that said, this is a good knife.The edge is flawless, the steel is good, it's pretty, it has a nice blade shape, and the price is reasonable.If you like the hand-feel and don't have any trouble paying the mortgage, it will be money well spent.But I still prep with my Forschner, and leave the 10” Shun on the strip next to the 10” Global and the 10” Wusthof to impress any foodies that happen to wander through my kitchen, and as a silent testament to Brown, Bourdain, and my dream that Rachel Ray will someday learn how to use a real knife.

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Product Description:
Shun Classic knives are made in Seki City Japan, where craftsmen have made samurai swords for centuries. This 10-inch chef's knife is large enough to handle big kitchen jobs like breaking down poultry and splitting hard squash, but it is balanced enough to use for more delicate tasks too.
The blades of Shun Classic knives are made from VG-10 steel, a durable alloy that has superb edge-holding properties. Sixteen additional layers of alloy are applied to each blade to create a beautiful Damascus look, without the danger of rust that can occur with traditional Damascus blades. The shape of the blades is designed to reduce sticking, resulting faster, safer cutting performance. A once-piece tang runs from a traditional offset bolster to a steel end-cap, and the dishwasher-safe Pakka wood handle has a D-shaped profile that fits the hand beautifully. Every knife in the Shun Classic line is covered by a lifetime warranty.

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