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(More customer reviews)The Shun Ken Onion 7-in Santoku is perhaps the best knife I have ever held in my hand.
For years, my knife collection consisted of assorted Henckels 4-star and Wusthof Grand Prix knives, which I found to perform very well. However, I recently became curious about the recent hype over santoku knives and what qualities, if any, set the santokus apart from chef's knives.
Given the Shun reputation, I decided to try several of their santoku knives. My evaluation of them was primarily based on weighting and feel. I tried the Shun Classic 4" and 7" santokus, as well as the Ken Onion 7" santoku. I found the Classic 4" to be surprisingly unbalanced and would therefore -not- recommend it. The Classic 7" santoku felt good, and has a weighting that is on par with the good weight distribution of Henckels 4-star knives. However, the Ken Onion 7" absolutely blew the others away in terms of weighting, balance, and control.
The Ken Onion 7" Santoku has a superbly weighted feel that truly sets it apart from other knives I have tried. It is noticeably heavier than German and Shun Classic knives (chef's and santokus). While some prefer the lighter weight of other santokus (lighter due to the thinner blade), I find that the weight of the Ken Onion santoku provides superior control for chopping and dicing that cannot be achieved by a lighter knife. The blade of the santoku is already thinner than the blade of a chef's knife, so because of that, you still get the greater precision of the santoku blade without sacrificing control.
The balance of this knife is superb. It is unlike any other large knife that I have held. This knife has become the one that I always reach for, and my Henckels chef's knife has become obsolete. Most things can be done using a santoku instead of a chef's knife, I've found. In fact, it is better for chopping vegetables and works well on meat. (However, I still recommend a carving knife for thin cuts of meat.) My other knifes, while very good by general knife standards, just don't feel as good as the Ken Onion 7" santoku.
The hollow ground features of this knife will cost you a bit more than the straight blade santoku, but it does keep vegetables from sticking as much. It does not, by any means, prevent sticking altogether, but there is an improvement. It is hard to say whether it is worth the additional cost -- it really is a personal preference.
Finally, this knife is gorgeous. Its form and function are unparalleled -- the Ken Onion 7" santoku is not only a pleasure to use, but a masterpiece to the eye, as far as knives are concerned. The handle fits extremely comfortably into my smaller hand, and I have been told, repeatedly, that this knife works for both rightys and leftys.
While I cannot say say that this knife is a bargain, its performance is superb and I truly enjoy using it. Many of the German knives or the Shun Classics will work very very well for the typical chef, but Ken Onion knives are great for collectors and avid chefs. The quality is outstanding -- made using a technique employed by japanese swordsmiths. The stiffeness of the blade is remarkable compared to others that I have tried.
Most of the cooking process deals with preparation, and a good knife is perhaps the best investment that you can make. Ken Onion knives make prep time so much more pleasurable that it may easily be worth the additional dollars. I assure you that you, too, would be proud to own one of these.
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Made from VG-10 high-carbon steel, Shun knives are specially constructed to be harder, less brittle, but also more flexible than traditional steel formulations. The VG-10 core is clad with 16 full layers of SUS410 high-carbon stainless steel on each side, for a total of 33 layers. These layers not only protect the VG-10, they create an exquisitely detailed surface reminiscent of Damascus or pattern-forged steel, the kind once used for Samurai swords. As a result, the knives are simply stunning to look at--much like antique Damascus knives but without their tendency to rust. An additional benefit includes the slight patterning, which helps slice rather than crush delicate foods and keeps cut food from sticking to the blade.
Designed by Ken Onion, one of the world's top knife designers, this 7-inch Shun Santoku knife combines the qualities of a vegetable cleaver and a chef's knife for powerful yet precise chopping and slicing. The knife features a handle made from ebony-colored PakkaWood, a fused blend of hardwood veneers imbued with waterproof resin that combines the warmth and traditional look and feel of wood with the strength and durability of plastic. The arched handle and stainless-steel angled bolster offers extra clearance over the cutting board for safety and extra slicing power, plus prevent the knife from twisting or slipping, even when hands are wet. Furthermore, the knife comes in attractive Shun packaging--great for gift giving. Like all Shun Ken Onion cutlery, the knife should be washed by hand and dried completely. The knife measures 12 by 2-1/2 by 3/4 inches and carries a lifetime warranty when purchased directly from Amazon.com.
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