Shun Premier 5.5″ Santoku Knife

The Shun Premier 5.5-inch Santoku Knife is an all-purpose kitchen knife with a name meaning “three virtues.” The “three virtues” of the Santoku Japanese blade shape are twofold: referring to the three types of food the Santoku is designed to prepare – vegetables, poultry and fish – and the three types of cuts at which it excels – slicing, dicing and chopping. The hollow-ground hammered cavities on the blade reduce the friction between the blade and the food, allowing the blade to glide through even usually-sticky potatoes, and also creating pockets of air so the knife releases the sliced food from the blade more easily.

In the tradition of Japan’s ancient sword smiths, each elegant damascus-clad Shun Premier knife is handcrafted in Seki City, Japan with a 100-step process. The blade is forged with 34 micro-layers metal on each side of a VG-MAX* cutting core. There are alternating layers of 431 and 410 stainless steel, plus one additional layer of nickel on each side of the cutting core. Forged into one single, strong piece of metal, these layers support the core, add stain and corrosion resistance, and help the food slide from the blade.

The blade of each Shun Premier knife has a hand-hammered tsuchimi finish, which adds beauty to the blade and also acts as a series of hollow-ground cavities that make the blade glide through food and help the cut food release from the blade.

The durable, edge-retaining, easy to sharpen core of VG-MAX stainless steel is exposed at the critical point – the blade’s cutting edge. The blade of each Shun Premier knife is sharpened to a cutting angle of 16-degrees on each side.

Each beautiful Shun Premier handle is made of walnut PakkaWood, a resin-impregnated natural hardwood that is durable and moisture resistant and does not harbor bacteria. An embossed end cap adds balance and beauty to the knife.

Engraving: Up to 8 characters can be laser engraved on this Santoku Knife.

Features of the Shun Premier 5.5″ Santoku Knife:

• VG-MAX stainless steel cutting core
• 33 micro-layers of SUS410/SUS430 stainless steel on each side of the cutting core
• 1 layer of nickel on each side of the cutting core
• 16-degree cutting angle on each side, flat ground
• Bead blasted and acid etched to provide texture, reduce drag and enhance beauty
• D-shaped ebony PakkaWood handle
• Full composite tang

Blade Length: 5.5 inches

*What Is VG-MAX Steel?
VG-MAX is the newest in the line of VG super steels, building on the highly successful VG10 formula. VG-MAX contains more carbon, which provides strength and durability to a knife blade. Added chromium provides wear and corrosion resistance. Higher cobalt content enhances the strength of the blade, and increased tungsten allows the steel to be very fine-grained so the edge can be extremely fine and sharp. Molybdenum contributes to corrosion resistance and strength, while vanadium improves impact resistance and allows the steel to form vanadium carbides, which enhance cutting performance. Shun sharpens VG-MAX in its knife blades to 60-61 on the Rockwell Hardness Scale.

A Bit About Shun
Shun kitchen knives are made by KAI Corporation, which has been handcrafting blades in the spirit of the legendary sword smiths of Seki City, Japan for over 100 years. Every Shun knife is handmade by a team of highly skilled specialists and requires at least 100 handcrafted steps. This tradition of Japanese sword-making excellence in Seki City is combined with technology and advanced materials in each Shun knife.

Handcrafted in Seki City, Japan • Limited Lifetime Warranty