Shun DM0706 Classic 8-Inch Chef's Knife

Wow, what a knife. We do a lot of cooking at home, and recently visited a high end kitchen store where we got to test out some knives, including this Shun DM0706 Classic 8-Inch Chef's Knife. I believe if you're serious about cooking, you should own great cookware and excellent knives. I finally stepped up and got excellent knives.

The Shun Classic 8-inch Chef's Knife is an all-purpose Model DM0706

For those who haven't heard the hype, Shun is one of the most respected knife brands in the world. Check them out on the Web at kershawknives.com. The balance is wonderful.. not only are these very good looking knives, but the difference between using these and our previous set of knives (henckles) is significant. This Shun just falls right through whatever you're cutting.

• Heavy 8-inch blade superior for chopping and other cutting tasks
• Forged high-carbon stainless steel blade, hand-honed for razor-like sharpness
• Traditional-style composition handle is triple-riveted for strength and permanence
• Dishwasher safe
• Lifetime guarantee

I love Wuesthof and Shun knives. I prefer Wuesthof and Shun over Henckels and Global because the handles of the latter two brands don't fit my hand well. Try different knives, and choose what fits your hand, budget, and cooking style. Each knife is made in a right- and left-handed version. The knives are EXTREMELY sharp.

One thing to note about Asian knives is that they must be sharpened at a different angle, 16-18 degrees vs. 20 degrees for German knives. I have small hands and this knife felt perfect. This knife makes quick work of everything because it is so sharp. chef recently threw over his beloved forschner knives for these shuns, I had to found out why.

For ratings on various brands and types of knives, check out cooksillustrated.coms' equipment ratings.I recently inherited my grandmother's Wuesthof 8" chef's knife. If you treat your Shun knife well, though, it will make cooking fun... trust me. This Shun DM0706 Classic 8-Inch Chef's Knife product earned 115 customer reviews and 98% are satisfied (as 01/03/2014).

WARNING: DON'T USE BASIC MECHANICAL OR PRE-ANGLED SHARPENERS ON YOUR SHUN! Shun knives have a smaller-angled edge, and this will be ground down to a wider angle if you use most standard sharpeners. Be careful, or your razor-sharp knife will become plain-ol'-sharp.