Customer Reviews

Shun Classic 6-1/2-Inch Stainless-Steel Nakiri Knife

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I have begun replacing all the knives I have accumulated over the years, and after much research have decided that the Shun line will do me nicely. Like most folks I cannot buy a whole set all at once, nor do I think I need a whole set, so will be buying them one at a time. The Nakiri knife was my first purchase of the Shun line for several reason's. I first saw it being used on a popular food show and noticed it seemed to be the chef's favorite knife. He could be seen using it for almost every cutting task, slicing, dicing and even light chopping. I decided after some more research to put that knife to the test myself. This is a wonderful all round knife. It will do almost every task you use a knife for. Notice I said almost, there are some specialty tasks that it does not do well, such as boning and filet work. But when slicing, dicing and chopping vegetables it really shines. It is so sharp out of the box that it requires no effort to slice even the harder root veggies. I find the weight and shape of the knife to be very comfortable and the overall length seems perfect. The "D" handle took no time at all to adjust to and really helps to locate the knife in the hand. This is a great knife and will serve me for many years. Highly recommend.

The size and shape of this knife tend to limit its use to smaller chopping jobs, so I wouldn't recommend it unless you have, at the very minimum, a good chef's knife, but it's a great addition to a knife set. The knife balances beautifully, the asymmetric handle is an asset, and its sharpness embarrasses German knives.

This is one of the greatest knives I have every used! I am a professional chef who uses a knife in a for a solid 3 hours every day and this is my knife of choice. This knife is far superior to anything I have used. From Montana knives to Wusthof and Sysco Black Diamond this particular Shun beats them all. If you are cutting vegetables in high volume or just for a dinner for two buy this knife. But only buy it if you are serious about owning one of the finest cutting implements on the market.

The blades consists of multiple layers of steel for hardness, strength, durability and corrosion resistance. The blade is kept at a 16 degree angle compared to a Global's 26 degree blade angle. This means the knife is SERIOUSLY sharp! However it does not hold its edge as long as a knife with a greater blade angle. This means you MUST use a honing steel every so often. In the professional kitchen I use a steel every or every other day to maintain a razor sharp edge. In a home kitchen honing every week or two weeks should be sufficient. The Damascus finish is extremeley attractive and durable due to the high level of carbon in the steel. This also means it is prone to etching. If you are cutting something with high acid content such as lemons be sure to wipe the blade carefully after each use. Also, this knife is a Nikiri or a Japanese vegetable knife. It slices, dices, and minces very well! As far as versatility goes this knife is not high up on the list. If you are looking for the ultimate veggie knife however, look no further.

By all means buy this knife! You will love it and use it more then any other. Just keep in mind the responsibilities that go with a knife of this caliber. Take care of this knife and it will last you a lifetime!

This knife feels substantial in your hand. You wouldn't think so, as it appears to be designed for smaller people, but I am about 6' tall, and it fits me fine. My wife who is 5'3" loves it too.

What is really amazing about this knife is that it's not only sharp, it feels like you're holding a _real_ knife too; there's something there. Some Japanese style knives feel light, almost invisible, but the Shun knife sits in your hand like a sharp, solid force, helping you keep those onions all exactly the same. I love it.

As a professional chef working in a busy banquet kitchen, I use my knives quite a bit. They are an integral part of my world. I have owned quite a few german steel knives, and in the last year become extremely loyal to Shun knives. This 6 1/2" Nakiri was my first piece of japanese steel and I am blown away by the quality of this thing, heres why:

Blade- VG-10 steel is much harder than most of whats on the market. This allows this nakiri to hold an extremely sharp edge for a long time. I was able to lightly run the blade along my arm and trim of all my hair...talk about sharp. After a solid month of abuse in my work kitchen, it has performed most any vegetable chopping/dicing task I have asked it to. The edge is still perfectly razor-sharp (16 degrees!). I would not advise using this knife to take on harder root veg (i.e. carrots).

Handle- i have medium sized hands and the handle could not be more comfortable. It also allows for a good grip in the hand, which allows me to perform my work quickly and precisely. The pakkawood looks nice and holds up very well - HAND WASH ONLY!!

Overall Feel- the knife is very well balanced. German knives tend to be too blade heavy, which can come in handy, but does not allow for efficient chopping/dicing/mincing. The knife is rather light and feels nice in the hand. I definitely have noticed that I can work faster - I cannot stress this enough!

Yes, Shun knives cost a bit more, but they will be able to serve you for a lifetime, and then some. The high carbon VG-10 steel is extremely durable and has a hardness factor that allows for superior edge retention. I wont likely have to sharpen my shun knives for years. I have sharpened my german steels 6 or 7 times in 2 years. All I'm saying is that german knives have their place in the kitchen, but Shun's japanese style blades are flawlessly designed and will hold up over time, even in the professional kitchen. Highly recommended from this chef!!

I love to cook. I also have been a finish carpenter and cabinet maker and there is no explaining how a good tool is worth it's weight in gold! This is a must for every cook. Leave it in your kitchen. It will disappear should you take it to your culinary arts class. I'm sure there are better knives but you can't have them all. As one of my teachers pointed out, you become a prostitute for knives. Just joking of course but all cooks and chefs will know what I imply by that saying. This knife is SHARP and it keeps its edge for a long time.

It does exactly what it says. State of the art cutlery, cutting vegetables becomes a pleasure. It is stunning the precision of this knife; you set it on the food push it and goes down the exact direction intended. It did not go 1/1000 of an inch to left or to the right. I used it for onion, and let me tell you; never in my life was so easy, at the end the onion was so small chopped. It felt like I was cutting air. I even bought a kitchen electric chopper precisely to use it for cutting onions. I do not need it anymore.
The design it is so sleek and elegant! I felt in love with it only by seeing it on the picture, after a research on the internet I bought it and I am not sorry. I got tired to try and replace knives. Definitely, I will buy the Shun Set. I highly recommended, like no other product!

When it comes to chopping, slicing and mincing fresh produce,this is the knife I reach for. It is very sharp and easy to keep a edge with a ceramic honing rod. Shaped like a slender cleaver, it performs impeccably on everything from summer tomatoes to winter squashes. Forged from VG10 super steel clad with 16 microthin layers of high-carbon steel, the nakiri has a full tang to maximize strength and balance. Its unique D-shaped handle, made of resin-infused hardwood, is comfortable to grip and easy to control. It well worth the investment I'm Irish & Swedish so research and tried the knife at Sur La Table first.
This is a YouTube Link of Food Star Alton Brown Talking about Shun Knives, Interesting to help you select and care of your knives: youtube.com /watch?v=lVCM5BfeA8c

I have the 5 1/2 inch Nakiri which both my wife and I love... but this has a little more weight to it...
Perfect balance, and razor sharp.
I love it!

I bought this knife after reading several reviews at different web sights. I wanted a cleaver type knife but not too large. I love this knife. It was sharp out of the box, is easy to hold and use. I butchered 60 lbs of elk meat with it; it kept an edge well throughout the entire job. Expensive but worth the price.