The Japanese word 'shun' translates to the exact time when a fruit is perfectly ripe, a vegetable is at its best, or meat is at its most flavorful. From professional chefs to home chefs, everyone celebrates shun in their kitchens, patiently waiting and curating each dish at its proper time. The Shun name honors this tradition of seasonal, mindful eating and is the hallmark of the Japanese knife makers' dedication to making kitchen cutlery that is always at the peak of its perfection.
Based in Seki City - the heart of the Japanese cutlery industry since the 13th century - and inspired by the traditions of ancient Japan, the Kai Corporation - makers of Shun - has produced blades of unparalleled quality and beauty for over 100 years. Each Shun blade goes through a 100 step process to complete, from its blade shaping to the polishing of the handle. While Shun maintains ancient traditions of handcrafted quality, every blade takes advantage of modern, premium materials and state-of-the-art technology to bring Shun to millions of kitchens across the world. The handles are made from PakkaWood, a premium hardwood material bonded with resin to make it durable and moisture resistant. Each blade is made up of Japanese high-carbon stainless steel blended with additional elements such as chromium to improve its impact resistance, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance.
Other elements such as vanadium are added to enhance the blade's razor-sharp cutting performance, in addition to the sharply acute angle to which the blade is crafted. As such, it's best to slow down and take extra time to enjoy the effortless precision of Shun even more so than other quality knives. And just like any other
quality knife, we advise using only soft wooden cutting boards; avoid glass, ceramic, or tile cutting boards as they will most likely damage the blade. We also advise avoiding bleach to wash your knife, as that may promote rust. Instead, hand-wash your knife with warm, soapy water and take the time to dry. Make sure to get all the moisture off of the cutting edge and handle. A lot of people get concerned that their handles change color over time. Don't worry, this isn't a defect but rather a natural part of the aging process due to oils in the hands as well as from oxidation and exposure to light.
The Shun name is dedicated to bringing beauty to your kitchen, but behind the hand-tempered waves of steel is function: razor-sharp blades offering peak culinary perfection.
