Shun Ken Onion Chef's Knife Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I got this knife as a kind of impulsive indulgence, I think it looked cool in its own holder and I had heard good things about Shun knives. However, all those good things are true. It is by far the sharpest knife I've owned, and I've got Henckel Zwillings (not the cheapo kind you get at Target) that have been sharpened to what I USED to think was the sharpest blade around.
I'm not dissing the Henckels - if I had not indulged in the Shun I would have been very happy with their performance. But I did get a chance to make some observations on how the Shun shone (no, it's not the same "u" as in "Sun" but it's a borderline pun):
- Ripe tomato: The Shun needed no sawing action whatsoever. It cut the initial waxy and soft skin like it was being dipped in water. All my other knives need to break the skin either with pressure, angle, or a teensy bit of sawing motion
- Dish brush: While cleaning the blade side with a circular motion in sudsy water (safe for sharp knives) I found bits of the brush bristles in the water. Anything that touched the sharp edge was cut, and that has never happened with the best knife I'd had prior to that. I can normally touch a sharp blade without cutting myself, I am not going to try that with the Shun.
- Tortilla stack: I make chips out of 8" flour tortillas by taking a thick stack and chopping it into diamonds or strips, then frying. I've always had to get over the knife and press it in because the multiple layers (20) would slow down the blade. Or I'd work in batches of 6-8. With this knife, I cut the whole 20-thick stack with less pressure than I've used for half that many.
- Potato - while hardly a test for a knife (anything cuts potato) the slicing was awesome. After cutting into the potato, it felt like the Shun DREW the potato into itself and the potato came apart like it was already sliced. If you've ever held a potato in your hand and expected to re-position your hand after you're halfway through, DON'T do it with this knife. It will be cutting into your hand before you even realize it.
If anything got close to cutting like a lightsaber, this would be it. I kid you not. I wonder how long the sharpness lasts, but I'm enjoying it while it's there.
About the Ken Onion design - those used to the generous handle on Henckels might find the handle appearing to be a bit short (I have big hands) but that's until you find the thumb and forefinger position that fits almost over the blade. However, once you hold it, you realize it gives you an added cutting advantage. My only complaint is that the advantage is wasted. You'd have to wait till the blade goes blunt before the handle's design can actually help you cut better.
Did I mention I'm extremely happy with it? Happy indulging.

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Feel the power of the first truly ergonomic chef's knife!This Shun Knife by Kershaw is designed by Ken Onion, one of the worlds top knife designers.This patent pending design features a special angled curved bolster and specially shaped handle that fits perfectly in the hand, releasing all tension in your arm.The extra curve on the blade allows for an easier flowing motion across the cutting board, and the tip allows for easier scooping.Combine all of this with the sharpest Japanese edge available, and you have perfection.The design of this knife will make you an immediate chopomatic in the kitchen.

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Friedr. Dick Premier WACS 8-1/2-Inch Bread Knife Review

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(More customer reviews)If I was just reviewing this knife for myself, I'd only give it three stars. I'll explain why, but I think most people would like it just fine, if you ever managed to get past the sticker shock, that is.
Pros:
Excellent materials, including German steel that "rings" like it's auditioning for a Johnny Depp swashbuckler. Proper forged bolster, nicely-riveted handle, great blade curvature, lovely weight and balance.
The teflon is a nice touch, especially for soft, damp breads and non-bread items - this is an excellent tomato knife, for example. The blade also has a really nice extra-sharpened tip.
Cons (my three particular nit-picks first):
I make big, crusty loaves that the knife is sometimes a little too short for.
The scallops are only on one side of the blade, meaning that it doesn't naturally cut straight and is right-handed only, which the description doesn't mention. For the dexterous majority, that's no problem, but for us sinister types, it's a fairly big deal.
I find it too shallow, sometimes scraping my knuckles on the work counter when using thin cutting boards.
I'm not sure how durable the Teflon is: when I did the Johnny Depp "ring" test, I managed to put a ding in it, though I wasn't being remotely rough (or remotely swashbuckling, for that matter).
And finally, back to the sticker shock. I happily shelled out a similar amount for my big Henckels chef's knife, but it's rarely out of my hand when I'm in my kitchen. After writing this, I checked Cooks Illustrated (the definitive source for comparative equipment reviews). They didn't particularly like the (significantly cheaper) F. Dick model they tested, for many of the same reasons I mention above (making me feel simultaneously smug and unnecessary), saving most of their praise for a 10" Victorinox that sells for chump change.
This one would probably work best as a rather spectacular gift, especially if you accidentally left the receipt in the box.

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Fully forged, perfectly balanced, and ergonomically shaped, this 8-1/2-inch bread knife from Friedr. Dick's Premier WACS line is specially developed for edge retention and easy sharpening--perfect for both professional and home-based chefs. Adhering to the high specifications of the World Association of Chefs' Societies (or WACS), the Premier WACS line features a hygienic, antibacterial non-stick coating that effectively prohibits food to stick to it. And thanks to the ceramic particles in the coating, it's highly wear resistant and reduces cutting effort. The knife is complemented by a plastic handle with a stylish mother-of-pearl finish.
Produced from a single piece of red-hot steel under high pressure without any welding, the forged blade, bolster and full tang are optimized for weight distribution. Starting with high-carbon stainless steel, the Premier WACS line undergoes a special hardening technique with the addition of the X 45 Cr Mo V15 alloy--with chromium strengthening the steel against wear and tear, molybdenum giving it resistance to corrosion, and carbon providing absolute hardness. The blade is then ice-hardened for long edge retention, and laser angle-measuring equipment is used to check whether the optimum grinding and honing angle has been achieved.
The handle is made from high-quality, durable, food-safe plastic, and it's designed with a comfortably ergonomic finger guard at the end. A special manufacturing technique results in the blade and the handle being tightly linked so that not even the finest crack or gap is left. Unlike traditional knives with a handle housing, it is impossible for food residue or liquids to penetrate.
Manufactured in Germany, every Friedr. Dick finished knife is sharpened and honed by hand--just as it's been done since the company's founding in 1778 by Johann Friedrich Dick--and each knife is given the unmistakable Friedr. Dick etching. While this Friedr. Dick knife is dishwasher safe, it's recommended that you hand wash it using a mild dishwashing soap; rinse with water and dry thoroughly with a towel. Backed by a lifetime warranty.

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