Shun – Premier Santoku Knife 18cm (Made in Japan)

The Shun Premier 18cm Santoku is a beautiful, Asian-inspired chef’s knife. “Santoku” means “three virtues.” Depending on who you ask, this relates either to the three types of food with which it works exceptionally well—vegetables, poultry, and fish—or to the three types of cuts at which it excels: slicing, dicing, and chopping. In truth, a santoku is a knife of many talents. Some cooks prefer a santoku to a chef’s knife. Your choice depends on how the knife feels in your hand and how it works for you. We think you’ll find that the Shun Premier 18cm Santoku works beautifully and fits your hand like a glove. The slight belly curve enables the cook to rock the blade slightly and makes this santoku as easy to use as a chef’s knife. It is especially well suited to a down-and-forward cutting motion (push cut) and many cooks swear by their santoku for top performance.The Shun Premier Santoku is part of the beautiful Shun Premier line, which calls to mind the hand-forged knives of ancient Japan. While each knife still takes at least 100 handcrafted steps to complete, the materials Shun uses are among the most advanced in the industry.

Each blade has a cutting core of Shun’s proprietary VG-MAX “super steel” to take and hold a precision edge. The layered Damascus cladding supports the core and provides additional stain resistance. Near the edge of the blade, where the steels meet, an undulating line is formed—similar to the hamon formed when samurai swords are tempered using a traditional clay-baking technique. The hammered tsuchime finish acts like a series of hollow-ground cavities to reduce drag. The handles nestle comfortably in the hand, while the embossed end cap adds balance and beauty.

Tech Specs   

An Asian-inspired chef’s knife for handling most kitchen tasks

Hammered tsuchime finish helps release food easily when cutting   

Hand-sharpened 16°

double-bevel blade (32° comprehensive)   

Steel: Proprietary VG-MAX cutting core,

34 layers each side stainless

Damascus cladding   

Handle:

Contoured walnut PakkaWood®   

Blade length: 7 in. (17.8 cm)   

Handcrafted in Japan