I’ve been wanting to get some new knives for a few months now, but wasn’t quite sure what to get. My wife’s uncle recommended I look into Shun knives. So I stopped by our local Sur La Tabla so I could check them out in person. I really liked the way they looked and how they felt in my hand. They have a D shaped black handle and Damascus style blades.

I purchased the Shun Paring Knife for $44.95 from Sur La Tabla and then ordered on Amazon.com the Shun Classic 8-Inch Chef’s Knife with Scallops for $128.77 and the Shun Sharpening Steel for $39.95.

WOW! I never really realized how dull my old knives were until I started using the Shun knives. These things are scary sharp! They just melt through everything like butter. Shun knives are Japanese made and unlike a typical German knife with a 22 degree angle on the blade, the Shuns have a 16 degree angle. Making them super sharp and they stay that way for a long time thanks to the hardness of the VG-10 steel core and the 32 layers of high-carbon stainless steel.

Check out the video below to learn more about Shun from Food Network star Alton Brown…

I’ve been using these knives for almost a month now and I honestly don’t know how I survived without them! Having good sharp knifes is probably one of the most important things you can have in your kitchen. In many ways these knifes are safer then my old dull knives because they don’t require the force that my old ones did when chopping or slicing. They really are a joy to use and I highly recommend them. Thanks Tom for introducing me to the wonderful world of Shun Knives!

Alton Brown also did an entertaining and informative video called the School for Knives. Its a good primer on the different types of knives and their uses. Check it out below…