Shun Mythbusting!

T

thombrogan

Joined
Nov 16, 2002
Messages
9,948
If you're a fan of high-end knives, it's lonely being the only Shun-lover in some crowds. The crap you hear; even after giving micrometer readings and fit-and-finish info; is old and often repeated uncritically by scores of parrotts who prattle on about "superior geometry" with no idea that geometry is based on measurements.

BFC/KFC/FF citizen Rob Babcock recently bought a much-praised and well-built Hattori KF chefs knife (the blade is that French pattern for which I'm so cuckoo) and noticed that, well, while a very nice knife, it wasn't that much better than his Shun Classic 10" Chefs knife despite costing more. Also, he measured the spine thickness (one of the many measurements responsible for "superior geometry" :rolleyes: ) and the longer Shun blade was thinner than the highly-praised Hattori blade! :D

Story here

Amazingly, many folks whose brains switch off when a chefs knife is well made and commercially successful due cotton to Shun's Classic paring knife and recognize it as the best of the best at any price.

Thanks, Shun! And Kershaw!
 
It is posts like this one that makes me wish I could spend more time in the kitchen. I, unfortunately, do not have a set of Shun knives yet b/c I don't have time to cook anymore. It would be nice to get to enjoy Kershaws in the kitchen as much as I enjoy Kershaws in my pocket.

I plan to pick up a Shun Higo soon though. I always have time to eat steak and I think I can squeeze in some time to enjoy Kershaws at the dinner table. :D
 
The downside of doing that, of course, is the tendency to bust Thomas W's cookies for not making the Leek more like the Shun paring knives.
 
I too believe Shun's line of kitchen essentials is top notch.
I won a Santoku, which got me started. (Thanks Thomas).
I know have 3 more for myself (all the Classic series DM #'s)
including the carving set. I also gave a carving set to my Mom.
I mentioned a couple of times that I wanted an assisted paring knife.
I recently found the Higo, Shun's folding steak knife in SG2. :eek:

I am very happy with the ones I've been using. They hold up better than
my Victorinox/Forschners I have, but then again the Kershaw's are made
of better quality materials, so I really won't try to compare.

I wrote a review about the Shun Santoku DM0702 in Reviews/Testing Forum here.

I probably wouldn't have ever bought the others if it wasn't for Thomas.
I was happy with what I had in the kitchen and never ventured out to
find something different. But after using the Santoku, I just had to try the others.
I don't know if I should thank or shoot Thomas. :D

mike
 
thombrogan said:
The downside of doing that, of course, is the tendency to bust Thomas W's cookies for not making the Leek more like the Shun paring knives.
Click to expand...
I had heard that 13C26 gets to 65 Rc and if ground similar to a Shun, there will be no ill effects when using, but I wrote it all off as hype and misinformation.
 
Thomas W said:
I had heard that 13C26 gets to 65 Rc and if ground similar to a Shun, there will be no ill effects when using, but I wrote it all off as hype and misinformation.
Click to expand...

DUDE!, you're on a role today! :thumbup:

Actually, I don't know what the hell you're talking about
with getting 65 Rc on 13C26 or who would think you could do that. :confused:
Or who would want an EDC ground like a kitchen knife.

How about just grinding down the paring knife blade enough to fit
in a Shallot or Leek handles and sending it on it's way. :D

Maybe a Santoku ZT, for the serious chef. THWAK!, "Take that Bobby Flay!"

I gotta go eat, my blood sugar is low or something.

mike
 
I've heard it's chippy at RC63, but I don't batter my knives as hard as I perhaps should because it's been nothing but fun. I'm happy with it at RC57, RC63, and every point in between. Just needs to be in more non-recurved knives; especially ones without linerlocks or mullet linerlocks (framelocks they call 'em).
 
Thomas W said:
I had heard that 13C26 gets to 65 Rc and if ground similar to a Shun, there will be no ill effects when using, but I wrote it all off as hype and misinformation.
Click to expand...
My guess is that the problem with 13C26 at 65 HRC is that room temperature air draws it down to around 62 ... so you have to keep your whole kitchen freezing and your food never thaws, which means it's too hard for the Shuns' very acute geometry. ;)
 
thombrogan said:
If you're a fan of high-end knives, it's lonely being the only Shun-lover in some crowds. The crap you hear; even after giving micrometer readings and fit-and-finish info; is old and often repeated uncritically by scores of parrotts who prattle on about "superior geometry" with no idea that geometry is based on measurements.

BFC/KFC/FF citizen Rob Babcock recently bought a much-praised and well-built Hattori KF chefs knife (the blade is that French pattern for which I'm so cuckoo) and noticed that, well, while a very nice knife, it wasn't that much better than his Shun Classic 10" Chefs knife despite costing more. Also, he measured the spine thickness (one of the many measurements responsible for "superior geometry" :rolleyes: ) and the longer Shun blade was thinner than the highly-praised Hattori blade! :D

Story here

Amazingly, many folks whose brains switch off when a chefs knife is well made and commercially successful due cotton to Shun's Classic paring knife and recognize it as the best of the best at any price.

Thanks, Shun! And Kershaw!
Click to expand...

LOL Thom,
When I first saw the title to this thread I was expecting to read some diatribe from you telling us why we should "shun" the show "mythbusters" on cable. I thought maybe they did or said something offensive to Kershaw!!:D
 
jonnymac44 said:
LOL Thom,
When I first saw the title to this thread I was expecting to read some diatribe from you telling us why we should "shun" the show "mythbusters" on cable. I thought maybe they did or said something offensive to Kershaw!!:D
Click to expand...
Same here! :D
 
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