Shun Knives: Classic, Premier, Nagare, Shiranami, & More

When it comes to blending time-honored Japanese craftsmanship with modern culinary innovation, Shun knives stand out as a category-defining brand.

Introduced to North America in 2002 by the renowned KAI Group, Shun knives quickly gained popularity, coinciding with the rise of Japanese cutlery in the U.S. culinary scene. The emergence of Japanese knife brands like Shun gained significant traction when celebrity chefs like Alton Brown featured them on prime-time cooking shows on The Food Network and the Cooking Channel. These lightweight, artfully crafted, and nimble knives took the spotlight away from German knives that had stolen the show for decades prior.

Today, Shun knives are a favorite among home cooks upgrading their tools, aspiring chefs purchasing their first professional knife, and seasoned professionals seeking reliable workhorses in the kitchen.

With several distinct series to choose from, Shun offers something for every cooking style and preference. Let’s dive into the artistry, performance, and design of all their key collections.

While we’ll focus on the 8” chef’s knife, every series includes a full lineup of knives, including santoku, paring, slicing, steak, bread, and utility knives.

Oh, one quick thing before we get into the series; it's not SHUN like FUN, it's SHUN like MOON!

The Shun Classic series is the brand’s flagship line, offering a perfect balance of performance, durability, and affordability. Featuring a VG-MAX core with 69 layers of stainless steel cladding, the Classic series honors Japanese tradition with its beautiful Damascus artistry, while being incredibly easy to maintain, hone, and sharpen.

Anyone looking for a perfect balance of Japanese performance and the ease of care of a traditional German knife should absolutely consider a Shun Classic.

Features:

VG-MAX Stainless Steel Core
69 layers of Stainless Damascus
60-61 Rockwell Hardness
Pakkawood D-shaped Handle
Stainless Steel Bolster and End Cap

VG-MAX is a proprietary steel that is similar to the ever-popular VG-10 stainless steel. Coming in at a 60-61 Rockwell Hardness, the blade will hold an edge much more so than softer German steels, but isn't prone to chipping like much harder Japanese steels.

If you're new to Japanese knives, you'll quickly learn that although their steels are generally harder than those of Western knives like the Wusthof Classic or Zwilling Pro, and if used improperly, they are more likely to crack and fracture along the edge.

Japanese knives are best for push and tap chopping, or slicing, rather than rock chopping or other techniques where the blade is torqued and pivoted on the cutting board. However, Japanese knives with a Rockwell hardness of 60-61 are more forgiving when it comes to various cutting techniques, especially when used with the right cutting board and a delicate touch.

Something to consider with a Japanese knife is that you don't need to use a lot of force when chopping and slicing. Allow the fine geometry and sharpened edge profile to do the work for you; you just need to guide the blade where you want it to go. Proper technique, a medium-to-soft-wood cutting board, and regular honing will ensure your new Shun lasts a very long time.

Shun Classic knives have a D-shaped ebony Pakkawood handle, in Ebony or Blonde. Pakkawood is a resin and composite wood engineered material that is super durable, resistant to water absorption and warping, and does not swell with humidity fluctuations. The D-shaped handles are designed for right-handed individuals. However, it's a subtle "D" shape compared to other similar handles, making it comfortably usable by left-handed people as well.

The Shun Classic is a perfect first chef's knife or for anyone looking to explore the world of Japanese knives.

The Shun Premier is a slight upgrade from the Classic series. Featuring a Tsuchime, hammered blade finish, the Premier has a slightly more elegant vibe while offering a bit more utility due to the dimples on the blade. The larger, symmetrical handle offers a more familiar Western-style grip, and the blade shape is stellar for rock-chopping.

Features:

VG-MAX Stainless Steel Core
69 layers of Stainless Damascus
Tasuchime Hammered Finish
60-61 Rockwell Hardness
Pakkawood Handle
Stainless Steel Bolster and End Cap with Kanji
Brass and Black Inlays

Like the Classic, the Shun Premier is made with the same VG-MAX stainless steel core and Damascus cladding. There are two main differences in the blade. First, the top half of the blade is hammered, which is called a Tsuchime finish. The tiny divots on the blade create air pockets, allowing sticky and wet ingredients, such as cucumbers and tomatoes, to slide off the blade more easily. A tsuchime blade is similar to knives with hollows along the edge.

The other main difference between the Classic and the Premier is that the Premier has a much more rounded curve at the tip of the sharpened edge, creating an amazing flow for those accustomed to the European-style rock chop.

The walnut, blonde, or grey Pakkawood handle is significantly girthier than the Classic, featuring a symmetrical design, along with brass and black inlays at the base of the handle and a kanji imprint on the end cap. When we say girthier, don't think you need massive bear hands to comfortably grip the handle. Folks with petite hands, big palms, long piano fingers, or a combination of every hand feature you could imagine all love the feel of the Premier handle.

The next three series all share the same Dual Core Stainless Damascus Steel. The blade consists of alternating layers of VG-10 and VG-2 stainless steel. The original Dual Core, Shiranami, and Nagare are coreless, meaning that there is no cladding; what you see is what you get throughout the entire blade from the spine to the sharpened edge.

The original Dual Core is the most traditional Japanese design of all the Shun Series, featuring a Kiritsuke blade profile and an octagonal handle.

Features:

VG-10 & VG-2 Stainless Steel Damascus
60-61 Rockwell Hardness
Octagonal Ebony Pakkawood Handle
Stainless Steel Bolster
Kiritsuke (K-tip) Chef's Knife Profile

Instead of the classic chef's knife style blade shape, the Dual Core features a Kiritsuke design. The reverse tanto-like tip has a hard angle from the spine to the tip of the blade, which is excellent for intricate knife work. The edge of the Dual Core is mostly straight, until the very tip of the blade, which creates a lot of surface contact with the cutting board.

A kiritsuke is designed for tap and push chopping, slicing, and nimble blade work, where you use the knife at different angles on and off the board. You can use the Dual Core for rock chopping, but it's generally best for ingredients that aren't high off the cutting board (less than an inch). Otherwise, the tip of the knife may dig into the board. Check out our Kiristuke vs Bunka video to better understand how to use a k-tipped blade.

We love partnering with awesome brands like Shun Knives to create unique knives and series. The Shun Shiranami series is one of the most exceptional (we think so, at least) and unique series that we've made.

Constructed with the same VG-10 and VG-2 Stainless Steel Damascus as the original Dual Core series, the Shiranami essentially named itself with its Damascus pattern on the top half of the blade. Shiranami translates to "white capped wave," which is exactly what the blade resembles. Combined with the turquoise, deep ocean bluish-green handle, this knife screams beachy vacation vibes!

Features:

VG-10 & VG-2 Stainless Steel Damascus
60-61 Rockwell Hardness
Linen Micarta Tapered Handle
Stainless Steel Bolster with White Inlay
Angled Stainless End Cap with Kanji

Micarta is another engineered epoxy-like material that is just as, if not more durable, than Pakkawood. The linen designs resemble burlap, creating an evolving 3D look with a mix of white, deep greens, turquoise, and other colors found at various ocean depths.

The bolster feels fuller than the others in the Shun lineup and has a sloped angle feel, which feels fantastic at the pinch grip. The handle itself flares out to the end cap, providing an ergonomic and grippy feel that helps stabilize your hand in different positions as you use the knife at various angles, both on and off the cutting board.

As of 2024, when we released the Shun Knives Shiranami Series, the set includes a Chef's, Santoku, Nakiri, Master Utility, and Petty Knife. If you're looking for a unique, all-purpose knife, we highly recommend checking out the Master Utility; it's a hybrid of prep, bunka, and nakiri knives!

The Nagare is another exclusive series we created with Shun Knives. It's a perfect balance of German feel with Japanese performance. Featuring a full-tang, double riveted handle with more curves than the Nile river and a more traditional gyuto-style blade profile, it's not only a show stopper, but a beast in the kitchen as well.

Features:

VG-10 & VG-2 Stainless Steel Damascus
60-61 Rockwell Hardness
Grey and Black Grained Pakkawood
Full-Tang, Double-Riveted Handle
Stainless Steel Bolster and End Cap

The two key features that separate the Nagare within the Dual Core lineup are the starburst Damascus design and the curvy full-tang handle. As you can see, the VG-10 and VG-2 layers burst out from the top of the spine and flare throughout the rest of the gyuto blade profile. Like the herringbone of the Kiritsuke or the white capped waves of the Shiranami, the Nagara is a unique little unicorn as well!

The full-tang handle provides the feel of a German or French chef's knife, but the curvy belly and tapered butt allow it to be better balanced and more ergonomic. If you're looking for a traditional Japanese knife, this isn't it. If you're coming from German or French chef's knives and want to explore Japanese knives with a sense of familiarity, this IS it! Meanwhile, if you just need another excellent blade to add to your collection, you know what to do!

The Shun Kanso series focuses on simplicity, inspired by the Zen principle of eliminating what is unnecessary. Featuring AUS10A high-carbon stainless steel, Kanso knives are tough, sharp, and designed for minimal maintenance. The rustic Heritage finish hides scratches and improves with age, while the Tagayasan wood handle—known as "iron sword wood"—offers durability and a natural aesthetic.

Features:

AUS10 Stainless Steel
60 Rockwell hardness
Sandblasted, Matte Finish
Full-Tang, Double Riveted Handle
Tagayasan Wood Handle

In Japanese, Kanso basically means simple and without clutter, and that's precisely what Shun did with this series. No frills, no thrills, just a workhorse blade that's ideal for a busy kitchen. Whether you're cooking at home for a house full of kids or working the line for 10 hours a day, the Kanso will hold up to abuse.

AUS10A stainless steel will hold an edge, is easy to hone and sharpen, and if you leave it out dirty for a while, who cares! The sandblasted finish will hide scratches and evolve in its personality as you beat the blade!

The Tagayasan Wood handle will channel your inner Samurai. It's ridiculously durable and rugged and looks great with its natural grain. The cutout at the butt of the knife doesn't serve any specific purpose; it simply looks cool. However, if you wanted to put some string at the end or hang it in your shop between whole animal butchery, it'll definitely catch some attention from passersby.

A quick note about commercial use, since that was in mind with the Kanso. There is a Shun series missing from this blog, but that's very intentional. The Sora line is intentionally nixed as it takes more of a food service approach. Think Dexter knives with a little more pizzazz. The handles are made of plastic, lighter than air, and have overlaps and gaps at the bolster. They are intended for a very specific audience. We carry the knives because some people love them and need that nimble, lightweight feel while working the line. However, most of our customers and knife nerds looking for a great knife to use at home or in a commercial kitchen can get a better quality blade at the same price as the Soras. The Shun Classic and Kanso are great options for the price, along with the Enso HD, Miyabi Koya, or Global Classic.

What a mean-looking blade!

The Shun Narukami is the most unique among all the series because it's forged with an Aogami #2 Blue High-Carbon Steel Core. If you're newer to Japanese knives, you should know that #2 Blue is one of the most popular Japanese steels due to its pleasure to work with as a bladesmith, along with its ability to hold an edge, while also being easy to sharpen. However, this type of steel requires a bit more TLC than the others you learned about by Shun Knives.

Features:

Aogami #2 Blue High-Carbon Steel
61-62 Rockwell Hardness
Bead-Blasted Stainless Steel Cladding with a Candle Wax Drip Edge
Black Micarta, Full-Tang, Double Riveted Handle

Let's talk about care, patina, and rust. Any high-carbon steel blade that is NOT stainless steel must be kept dry, even while prepping. If you wipe down the blade between ingredients and dry it immediately after hand washing, you'll never have to worry about the exposed high-carbon steel rusting. Instead, it will develop a natural patina over time. Depending on the ingredients you cut most often, the patina will range from blue to yellow to greenish-brown hues. However, if you let the knife sit after slicing wet ingredients like tomatoes or cucumbers, or let it rest after washing to air dry, chances are your patina will begin to show signs of rusting. It's not the end of the world if a carbon steel blade gets some rust spots; it can always be fixed, but that adds layers of work, complexity, and money spent on blade refurbishing essentials, rather than buying new knives!

So, if you're used to carbon-steel knives or are willing to pay a bit more attention to your new kitchen companion, then the Narukami will be a great addition to your collection. Carbon steel knives are also easier to sharpen than lower Rockwell stainless steel knives. The Narukami pairs nicely with a new Whetstone set, so you can keep your knives as sharp as razors!