Shun SG0404 Elite 8-Inch Chef's Knife Review

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(More customer reviews)First and foremost, let me start this review with a few general notes...
I am NOT a professional chef- I work in finance. I am a cooking enthusiast who decided to get serious about my kitchen. I admit that my needs are vastly different from those of a culinary professional.
That said, I must mention that reviews are great but I highly recommend going to a local kitchen supply store that will allow you to test drive knives.
Just about every celebrity chef has his or her own preference- I first heard about Shun knives from Alton Brown, who uses Shun Classics. I happen to prefer the Elites and my brother swears by Wusthof. The other reviewer of this item prefers Global.
The reason for the wide variety of opinion is that buying knives is a very personal thing- what's right for one might be very wrong for another! The only way to ensure you are happy with your investment is to take each for a spin and decide for yourself.
One more general word of wisdom- don't buy a set unless you would buy each and every component independently. Manufacturers have a bad habit of including one or two items that you really don't need, like a tomato knife or three different sizes of utility knife. Common sense says don't pay for the extra knife/accessory you don't need and therefore won't use.
Now, let's review this knife...
At $220 it should go without saying, but I'll say it for the sake of being thorough: this knife is sharp, *extremely* sharp. However, my personal feeling is that when you reach these high end price tags, you will find that all of the major brands will give you an adequately sharp blade. Beyond that, you need to concern yourself with edge durability and comfort.
As for durability, I'll say again that at this end of the price range you should naturally expect to get a knife that will last decades- no matter what brand you buy. The differentiator here has little to do with whether or not the knife will break, but rather how often you'll need to hone and sharpen your blades. (Honing and sharpening are NOT the same thing.)
While I haven't owned this knife long enough to make promises regarding the edge durability, the SG-2 alloy used in the Shun Elite will supposedly hold it's edge for quite a long time- even longer than the VG-10 used in the Shun Classics. If true, this would mean you could expect to get more cutting done between honings. Again, I can't vouch that this is true but that is the expectation Shun has set.
Finally, we come to comfort- you just have to feel comfort for yourself, but here are a few of my thoughts. Let me start with the comfort factors I *didn't* like about the competitors:
Global: Weight & handle length. For me, the Global was just too light. It is a proverbial feather. I fully understand that this would be a huge benefit were I chopping, dicing, and mincing for hours every day- but I don't. And since I'm a somewhat burly fellow, the lack of heft was disorienting for me. The handle is also a little on the short side for my big hands, which left the end of the handle bumping into the inside of my palm.
Wusthof & Henckels: Weight & handle shape. Both of these German-made knives are like battle axes. Holding them, I felt that if raging barbarian hordes stormed my kitchen I would be able to defend myself by wielding a Wusthof/Henckels as a broadsword and my dutch oven lid as a shield. They both seemed to be strong on power and brute force at the expense of agility and nimbleness. The handles felt quite boxy and lacked any elegance to their touch. (The Henckels was a little smoother than the Wusthof but both were very boxy.)
Now for what I liked about the Shun...
The handle was curvaceous, contouring to the peaks and valleys of my fingers and palms. The length was just right so that the knife felt perfectly balanced in my hand. The weight was neither too heavy nor too light. I felt like I could muster enough force to chop through anything, yet maintain grace and control while doing so. I attribute this to the thin 16 degree edge of the Shun, as opposed to the "normal" 22 degree edge of most knives.
While the Classic and the Elite had different handles, both were quite comfy and ergonomic. The winning element of the Elite over the Classic was the ambidexterity of the handle. You must choose either right or left handed with the Classic, which is a problem for me since I'm a lefty and my wife is a righty.In the end, settling on the Elite was a very easy decision for me but it could not have been made without holding and cutting with each knife myself. Even if everything I have just described resonates with your personal tastes please please please make sure you go out and try before you buy.
Admittedly, I did not purchase from Amazon but not because of price! There was actually no material price difference between Amazon and my local store. I simply felt honour-bound to buy from the folks who allowed me to test drive the knives.

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The ancient traditions of Japanese samurai sword-making, meet today's state-of-the-art steel technology in the new Shun Elite series of knives by Kai.Like the traditional samurai sword blade, Shun Elite is extremely sharp and flexible; ideal for food preparation.But unlike the traditional blade, Shun Elite features a center layer of a new type of "super steel" called SG-2.This new "super steel" starts out in a powdered form.Under heat and pressure it combines to make a much denser alloy which in turn creates the finest molecular structure used in knife making today.The result is an edge that will hold longer than any other steel on the market.Even better for busy chefs.Shun Elite's superior edge will respond quickly and easily to a honing steel when it needs a quick touchup.For added strength and protection, the SG-2 is clade between two outer layers of quality 410A stainless steel for beauty and tireless handling.Shun Elite features an ergonomic handle of handsome PakkaWood®.This premium-quality hardwood laminate combines the beauty and feel of hardwoods with the strength and performance of plastic.Inlaid with a traditional symbol, the handle is also enhanced by thin rings of brass and copper separating it from the bolster. With this kind of beauty and performance, Shun Elite will soon become the knife chefs reach for again and again.

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Global GS-14 6-Inch 15 cm Serrated Utility, Scallop Knife Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this knife along with a few other Global knives and ended up returning it. This is not to say that this is a bad knife but I found that it was unnecessary alongside the rest of the Global knives I purchased. The non-serrated knifes are so sharp that there were practicaly no instances where I needed to use this knife. I did end-up keeping the 8" serrated bread knife but as long as you have that one, you don't really need another serrated knives.
I like being able to sharpen my knives frequently and this isn't very easy to do with serrated knives. A special tool and technique is required and the whole process is very time consuming. In addition, make sure that you use a ceramic sharpener on all global knives. Its supposed to have a different grit that is better for them. Kyocera (ceramic knife manufacturer) makes one specifically for Global but they are quite expensive.

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Serrated Utility Knife

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Global 4-Inch Paring Knife Review

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(More customer reviews)While renovating my meager kitchen, I recently splurged, spending over $330 on two Shun Elite knives. They were hand made Japanese knives--sexy and sleek, beautiful to look at it--and very sharp with a gleaming edge. They caught your eye with a dazzling patterned blade.
A friend, inspired by my kitchen equipment renovation, went out and bought Global knives, preferring them for his high-tech shiny stainless kitchen. He asked me over for a cutlery show-down with my new Shun Elites. I was ready to rub his Globals into the dust with my Shun Elites!
After an entire afternoon of chopping and comparing, we both came to the same overwhelming conclusion--the Globals were sharper and easier to use. It's not that they are sharper per say, but if you examine them closely, the Global's edges are slightly concave, and are burred and rough, while the Shun Elites are polished to a gleaming and shiny finish, and taper to a much more straight point. My friend and I both felt that the Global's burred concave edges allowed the Globals to sorta gripe and slice/slid through everything from carrots to meat with more ease than the Shun's polished and acute edge. Because of this ease, we can also logically foresee the Global's staying sharper longer as well, despite the higher rockwell rating of the Shun's high tech SG-2 powder steel. However, who knows...?
We even tried shaving hair off of our arms, and the Globals won this test with ease. They are incredibly balanced and just seem to bounce in your hands.
This "Spear" 4" paring knife in particuar has a funky "ergonomic" handle that many have critizized, but I LOVE it! I fits my large manly man hands WONDERFULLY and makes this knife everything I have wanted in a small paring style knife. I can see where if you had smaller hands, this might not be the right choice for you--you might want to check out Global's Western style paring knife, which feels like the same ol' Henckels or Wusthoff to me--MUCH prefer the more comfortable and molded feel of this much more modern design...!
I loved my Shun Elites--they were sexy and beautiful. But the Globals were obviously designed by and for chefs--they are much easier and nicer to use, and as I said, they just effortlessly (read rip) through any food with no effort at all; I was very impressed--so much so that I returned my Shun Elites and exchanged them for a complete set of Globals, which are less than half the cost of the Elites--and I got twice as many knives (never have had a good bread or boning knife before!)
I highly recommend that if you are searching for truly sharp (as in Hello, Mr. Winter Squash!), easy to use kitchen cutlery, that feels like an extension of your hand and arm, that you check out Globals--the Shun Elites possibly as well. They are both wonderful knives, but I genuinely have to say I see why Globals are so popular with professional Chefs--they are awesome knives--maybe not as sexy and hand crafted as the Shun's, but they more than make up for that with an incredible ergonomic ease and free flowing sharpness that makes them a joy to use.

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Global GS-7 4" Parer

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Global G-16 10-Inch Chef's Knife Review

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(More customer reviews)I actually bought this knife locally and compared with the 8.25" GF-33, 10.5" GF-34 and 11" G-17 without knowing the size of each (they were pulled bare from a display case.) This forced me to pick the knife that actually felt best in my hands. I already own the 6.25" chef's knife so the 8.25 was out. The two bigger knives felt, well, too big and heavy. The 10" felt just right when held properly - thumb and forefinger on the aft most portion of the blade (just ahead of the handle.) The long slender profile really works in a knife of this length. It makes it feel more manageable without sacrificing the strengthes. The strengthes are of course more "rocking" length and more momentum when slicing. You cut right through an onion with minimal effort. If I were starting all over I'd skip the 6.25 and go straight for the 10. That being said, you really should hold a knife before you buy it since personal preference means everything.

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This 10-in. Chef's Knife is the perfect all purpose knife for those like a longer blade or for slicing large ingredients.Loved by professional chefs around the world, Global knives are an excellent choice for the serious home cook.The thin and razor sharp Global blade allows the cook to cleanly slice through foods, preserving the integrity of the ingredient and maximizing its flavor.The majority of Global knives are ground to a straight point rather than the western style of beveling the edge. To balance their knives Global uses a hollow handle that is filled with just the right amount of sand to create the correct balance. The handle has its own unique darkened dimples for a non-slip grip.Because the knives are very light weight they reduce hand fatigue.Global knives have a smooth contour and seamless, all stainless construction that eliminates food and dirt traps.Global knifes are forged in Japan from CROMOVA 18 Stainless Steel, a blend of 18 percent chromium for good stain resistance plus molybdenum and vanadium which gives excellent edge retention.

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Global G-2 8-Inch 20cm Cook's Knife Review

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(More customer reviews)This is one of the first global knives I bought. I loved it the first time I held it in my hands. What impressed me most was the perfect balance, the lightweight, and the sharpness. However, what may be perfect for me may not be perfect for you. I'd recommend anyone who is shopping for cutlery to go to a store and try how the knife feels in your hands before buying. And if you can borrow from a friend to try, that's even better.
Having used this knife for several years now, my initial impressions haven't changed. This is still my favorite knife for most tasks. I maintain it regularly with a steel and it is as sharp as it ever was. I have found though that for certain tasks like cutting slits into an onion for dicing or cutting root vegetables, I do prefer a heavier knife (that's why I bought another forged global knife), but that is just personal preference. All in all, a great general purpose kitchen knife.

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This 8-in. all-purpose Chef's Knife is Global's most popular knife.Your top choice for slicing large quantities of vegetables, fruit and meat quickly and effectively.Loved by professional chefs around the world, Global knives are an excellent choice for the serious home cook.The thin and razor sharp Global blade allows the cook to cleanly slice through foods, preserving the integrity of the ingredient and maximizing its flavor.The majority of Global knives are ground to a straight point rather than the western style of beveling the edge. To balance their knives Global uses a hollow handle that is filled with just the right amount of sand to create the correct balance. The handle has its own unique darkened dimples for a non-slip grip.Because the knives are very light weight they reduce hand fatigue.Global knives have a smooth contour and seamless, all stainless construction that eliminates food and dirt traps.Global knifes are forged in Japan from CROMOVA 18 Stainless Steel, a blend of 18 percent chromium for good stain resistance plus molybdenum and vanadium which gives excellent edge retention.

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F Dick 7" Offset Bread Knife Review

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(More customer reviews)Am I ever impressed with this knife - makes any bread slicing (even a stale baguette) a pleasure. Good price, excellent item

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F. Dick - 7" Offset Bread / Utility Knife, Serrated Edge - Pro Dynamic. F. Dick uses the state-of-the-art production plants and guarantees a uniform, continuously monitored quality of the hardening process. Steel and plastic are firmly welded absolutely gap-free to one another. The handles are made of high-quality, resistant and foodstuffs-compatible plastic. The knives are checked on a laser angle gauge to ensure the optimum sharpening and honing angle.

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Global G-9 8-3/4-Inch Bread Knife Review

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(More customer reviews)My Global has been slicing bread for three years now and guests still comment that it's "a really sharp knife". A low-carb disbeliever, and living near Seattle bakeries that are serious about their product, I eat lots of bread. Much mileage on the knife and it still melts through hard-crust Toscano Loaves like they were Wonderbread. Two more of these knives have been purchased for wedding gifts. Followup shows that the newlywed recipients didn't know that there were special knives just for cutting bread and are using this wonderful knife for cutting up everything. And love it.


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This 8-in. Bread Knife has a sharp, serrated blade to slice through even the hardest artisan bread crusts.This serrated knife is also a good choice for breaking up bulk chocolate for melting and baking.Loved by professional chefs around the world, Global knives are an excellent choice for the serious home cook.The thin and razor sharp Global blade allows the cook to cleanly slice through foods, preserving the integrity of the ingredient and maximizing its flavor.The majority of Global knives are ground to a straight point rather than the western style of beveling the edge. To balance their knives Global uses a hollow handle that is filled with just the right amount of sand to create the correct balance. The handle has its own unique darkened dimples for a non-slip grip.Because the knives are very light weight they reduce hand fatigue.Global knives have a smooth contour and seamless, all stainless construction that eliminates food and dirt traps.Global knifes are forged in Japan from CROMOVA 18 Stainless Steel, a blend of 18 percent chromium for good stain resistance plus molybdenum and vanadium which gives excellent edge retention.

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