Product Description

This stunningly beautiful line of cutlery features the look and benefits of Damascus steel, yet without its rusting problems. The Damascus-look blade profile reduces sticking and results in less damage to the food being cut and faster prep times.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #4925 in Kitchen & Housewares
• Size: 6-inch
• Brand: Shun
• Model: DM0701
• Dimensions: .90" h x 2.30" w x 11.60" l,

Features

• 6-inch multipurpose Japanese utility knife; ideal for peeling, chopping, or slicing
• Precision-forged high-carbon stainless-steel blade; holds a razor-sharp edge
• Clad with16 layers of stainless steel to produce a rust-free Damascus look
• Durable D-shaped Pakkawood handle; comfortable offset steel bolster
• lifetime warranty; manufactured in Seki City, Japan

Amazon.com Review
A member of the stylish Shun Classic line, this multipurpose utility knife comfortably handles any small-scale kitchen cutting need from chopping to peeling and slicing. The utility knife’s compact size makes it easy to handle and thus a favorite among home and professional chefs. The tool features a narrow sloping blade measuring 6 inches in length with a piercing tip.

Leveraging a 90-year history of superior workmanship, Shun knives are precision-forged in Japan by renowned blade manufacturer KAI. Using technologically advanced processes, a VG-10 "super steel" core is clad with 16 layers of high-carbon stainless steel to produce a rust-free Damascus-look blade. The Damascus detailing not only enhances the knife’s aesthetic appeal, it also prevents morsels from sticking and avoids crushing or damaging foods. Forming a comfortable D-shaped hold, a fused blend of hardwood veneers and resin comprise the unique ebony Pakkawood handle. A traditionally offset stainless-steel bolster protects knuckles while a steel end-cap finishes the piece. Although dishwasher-safe, hand washing is recommended. This product includes a lifetime warranty. -- Amy Arnold

Customer Reviews

stylish little Japanese super-slicer
First off, this knife is beautiful. The wood handle and steel cap give it a sophisticated look, but most of all, it is the Damascus blade that really makes it a show-off.

Back before guns, a lot of effort went into making steel sharp for swords. The Damascus technique involves folding steel tens or hundreds of times to achieve the ultimate in sharpness, and it dates back hundreds of years.

This knife is a reference to those ancient swordmakers, but not exactly. Unlike true Damascus knives, Shun knives are laminated: the inner layer is a high-tech piece of expensive super-steel (called VG-10) and the outer layers (protecting the inner and bringing down the cost) are a more ordinary stainless steel. Unlike the swords of old, only the outer layers on this knife are folded. The VG-10 inner part, the part the edge is made from and the part that cuts, is a single forged piece. So in this knife, the Damascus pattern is more for looks than performance. Perhaps it also helps keep food from sticking.

However I don't care what it is for - it looks fantastic. It also gives an exotic, handmade look to your kitchen cutlery. Normally Damascus knives are much, much more expensive.

As for cutting, the VG-10 super steel combined with the Japanese obsession with ultra-thin, ultra-sharp edges make this knife wickedly sharp. The VG-10 core is designed to keep an edge for a long time, however all straight edged knives will need sharpening. If you never bother to sharpen your knives, get a serrated knife instead.

The handle is a wood product. It is based on wood, but resin-injected and sealed so it repels water. Shun advertises it as dishwasher safe, but that would be like putting your fine china in the dishwasher - you could do it, but why take the chance? If you do dishwash it, you might want to take it out before the drying cycle, and keep the blade away from anything that could nick it.

This knife is very light and sharp. The 6" length is very useful to me. I use it sometimes as a slicer, sometimes as a parer, and sometimes as a sandwich knife. It has become my main go-to knife for small jobs. Unlike other, duller knife brands, this straight-edge knife has no problem cutting bread or tomatoes.

All in all, this is my ideal balance of performance and looks. There are cheaper knives on the market that perform just as well (some 1/3rd the price) but none that look as good, at any price. It is worth it to me, especially since knives generally last for decades, sometimes lifetimes.

Shun Knives are Beautiful, Elegant, and the Sharpest around
The Utility Knife is definitely one you want in your collection, but I would rank it as the top 5, not the top 3.

Shun knives are beautiful creations period. Since I'm Asian, I love the tradition look and feel of this Japanese knife. I love the beauty of the blade and the dark, polished, Pakkawood handle. The unique "D"-shaped, Wood handles are preferable. The shape fits my hand perfectly, and the wood does not get slippery when wet - providing a very secure hold. The steel is of utmost quality and sharpness. Do not put this blade into any old electric knife sharpener! Electric knife sharpeners are made to put one angle on any blade. These blades come with a 16 degree angle and you don't want to be changing that angle. There are electric knife sharpeners that can sharpen these knives, but you'll have to do some research and find out which ones can be a fit with these knives. I prefer to hone with a sharpening steel and manually sharpen with a stone if necessary (and I don't see it being necessary to touch it to a stone any time soon). The blade is sharp straight off the factory and as Alton Brown says - it's the sharpest straight out of the factory edge as he's ever seen.

These knives are more expensive than most, but I think it's definitely worth it. To have the sharpest, most beautiful knife around - it's no contest. If you are on a budget, build your collection slowly. It's been said that there are only 3 knives that are the absolute basics for any kitchen: A 8" Chef's Knife, a Paring Knife, and a Long Serrated blade for cutting bread and larger items. I would add a thin utility knife and a boning knife to that list next. Then I would add those "in-between" sizes as I get more money flow in. =)

If you plan on spending any time in the kitchen, good kitchen knives are a definite must. Preparation is the bulk of cooking and when you have good knives, it cuts down on the danger of cutting yourself, it adds pleasure to the work, and it cuts down on prep time. Knives are also a very personal choice and it's best to at least go to a store and try it out for yourself first. Shun Knives are designed by the Japanese, so remember - it's designed for small hands. This makes it fit most women's hands perfectly, but I've heard of guys with larger hands not like it so much and going back to the German knives. So definitely try it out. It's a personal thing, it needs to fit you.

Why spend so much money on a knife? Well, if you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, and you almost always have to bust out a knife to prep a meal from scratch - why not use the best? Why spend that time with items that you love and brings you pleasure to use? Many times, it's the small things that brings us the most pleasure in life, and I consider my Shun knives as one of those things. Having something so beautiful and yet so sharp and perfect - it makes my time cooking just that much more enjoyable.

Another good thing to know is that although the Shun Knives are usually offered for right-handers, you can get these knives for left-handers. You just need to find the guys who stock and sell those ones as they are less known, and less common.

Better Than 5 Stars!!!!
Update 9/10/07: Before purchasing this knife separately, check out the Shun Classic U2 (Ultimate Utility) Knife. You may like it better.

I believe if you're serious about cooking, you should own great cookware and excellent knives. I finally stepped up and got excellent knives. 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 [...].

Great features of the entire line include these cool "D" shaped handles that fit your hand better. Each knife is made in a right- and left-handed version ([...] for lefties). The steel used for the blades is harder than what you would find in most other knives. 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. The Shun steel takes the guesswork out of getting the angle correct because of the flat edge on one side of the metal disc below the handle.

It's been a while since I've had a utility knife, but I'm learning quickly. If you're building your set and want to take care of the must-haves first. Move this down on your priority list. Get the chef's, paring and bread knives first. With that said, there is a place for this knife in your kitchen. As with all of my other Shun knives, this one is extremely sharp and it's relatively light. It doesn't take as much force to slice and chop.

This is an expensive, but lifetime investment. I encourage you to visit stores and feel the knives in your hand to make sure you are comfortable with them. For more info on Shun, check out Alton Brown's website. For ratings on various brands and types of knives, check out [...]' equipment ratings.

This is probably the best kitchen purchase I've made and the one I'm most proud of.