Shun - 8" Premier Kiritsuke Knife

Some knives can qualify as artwork as much as cutlery, and this is a piece that falls into that category. The 8’’ Premier Kiritsuke Knife from Shun is an absolute stunner, and it has the performance characteristics to backup those looks. This is a multipurpose knife with a 16* cutting angle on each side of the blade. That blade is made with 64 total layers of stainless steel and a VG-Max Cutting Core. The knife is corrosion resistant and it features a hammered finish to help the food fall away from the blade as you slice.

Both right and left handed cooks will feel at home with this blade in their hands, as the walnut pakkawood handle is designed to be used on either side. Flexibility is at the heart of the defining characteristics of this knife - you will find that it is up to nearly any task in front of you in the kitchen. Place your order today!

Blade Features: 

Propriertary VG-MAX cutting core. This high-end stainless steel forms the core of the entire blade, all the way to the cutting edge. VG-Max is extremely hard, which means Shun Classics can take an incredible edge and hold it longer. 

VG-MAX—is the latest in the VG line of "super steels," steels that have gained recognition throughout the kitchen knife industry as some of the finest cutlery steels available. It builds on the highly successful VG10 and is proprietary to Shun. VG-MAX includes additional carbon to improve strength and durability. It has more chromium for wear and corrosion resistance. More cobalt enhances strength. Increased tungsten enables the steel to be very fine-grained—so the edge can be extremely fine and sharp. Molybdenum improves corrosion resistance and strength. Vanadium improves impact resistance and enables the steel to form vanadium carbides, which enhance cutting performance. Shun hardens the VG-MAX in its knives to 60-61 on the Rockwell Hardness Scale, a standard measure of material hardness.

Hammered tsuchime finish helps release food eaily when cutting. Stainless Damascus Cladding - 34 micro-layers of steel on each side support the core, add stain / corrosion resistance and help food release from the blade. 

 In Japanese, tsuchime (Tsoo-CHEE-may) simply means “hammered” and you will see actual hammer marks on a tsuchime-finished blade. This finish does two things: gives the knife a look that is reminiscent of the handcrafting techniques of ancient Japan; and it creates tiny pockets of air that act as hollow-ground cavities to reduce drag and quickly release food from the blade. Shun’s gorgeous Premier line features a hand-hammered tsuchime blade finish as do some of our exclusive lines. In the tradition of ancient Japanese knife and swordmaking, Shun's tsuchime finish is created by hand hammering each blade.

Razor-sharp hand sharpened 16° angle cutting edge on each side for top performance; blade is double-bevel, flat ground for easy cutting and food release. 

Because of the hard, premium steel from which Shun cutlery is made, the blades can be thinner, lighter, and sharper. A thinner edge cuts more easily by putting less stress on the edge—so fewer strokes do the job. Thinner edges are easier to control as well, making cutting smoother and, once again, relieving stress on the edge. Shun’s handcrafted Japanese knives are sharpened to a precise 16° angle on each side of the blade (for double-beveled blades, this means a comprehensive angle of 32°). For comparison’s sake, European-style blades are generally sharpened to 20-22° each side for a comprehensive cutting angle of 40-44°. Due to the premium-quality steel we use for the cutting core of our blades, Shun’s incredibly sharp edge will nevertheless last an incredibly long time before resharpening is needed. Experience  shows that with Shun you get extremely sharp edges that last an extremely long time.

Handle Featues: 

Pakkawood - Premium, resin-impregnated hardwood resists moisture and is strong and durable. 

PakkaWood is a premium handle material made of genuine hardwood impregnated with resin. The resin makes it moisture resistant, strong, and durable. PakkaWood is intended for use in high-end products that see constant and hard use, especially  those used in wet environments. This, of course, makes it ideal for kitchen cutlery handles. Sanding and buffing brings PakkaWood to a beautiful gloss finish. As with natural wood, no two pieces of PakkaWood® are exactly alike. Many Shun handles are made of PakkaWood. It offers our customers all the advantages of wood, including a beautiful look and feel, but since it's easy care and highly water resistant, virtually none of the disadvantages of untreated wood.

Symmetrical (ambidextrous) Handle is shaped the same on both side enabling left or right handed use. 

 Incredibly sharp edges and unmatched aesthetics set Shun knives apart from every other kitchen knife on the market today. In the great tradition of Seki City, Japan's sword and knifemaking center, every knife is handmade by highly skilled specialists and requires at least 100 handcrafted steps to complete. Every day, the legacy of ancient sword smiths serves as inspiration to the artisans in the Kai factories. Kai’s 100-year-old tradition of blade-making excellence, combined with the newest technology and the most advanced materials, makes every Shun knife a functional work of art.