Product Description

Shun has nicknamed this knife the "U2" which means the Ultimate Utility Knife. This knife featuring a 6" blade also sports a reverse scalloped cutting edge. Perfect for bagels, breads, fruits, vegetables (try this on a tomato if you want to be impressed). And due to its unique rounded tip, flip this knife over and use as a spatula and make your sandwich in record time with less mess and cleanup. You'll soon see why this is call the Ultimate Utility knife.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3466 in Kitchen & Housewares
• Size: 6-inch
• Brand: Shun
• Model: DM0741
• Dimensions: 1.60" h x .80" w x 10.80" l, .55 pounds

Features

• 6-inch Shun Classic Ultimate Utility knife slices tomatoes, makes sandwiches, and more
• VG-10 steel core clad with 16 layers of stainless steel on each side
• Beautiful black PakkaWood handle in D-shaped profile
• Razor-sharp scalloped edge, round tip, Damascus-look ripples on blade
• Wash by hand; lifetime warranty; gift-boxed

Amazon.com Review
The scalloped-edge, six-inch blade on this Shun Classic knife is so sharp it slices effortlessly through everything from a soft tomato to a crusty loaf of bread. Add the rounded tip for spreading mayonnaise, and the Ultimate Utility becomes the ultimate sandwich-maker that every kitchen needs. Not only does the knife work hard, it looks stunning, from the shiny black handle to the shimmering ripples on the Damascus-style blade. Already gift-boxed, this knife will be hard to give away.

Shun knives, made in Japan by KAI (Kershaw Cutlery), are quite possibly the sharpest knives on the market. The acute 16 degree angle of Shun edges won't bend or waver due to the hardness of the VG-10 steel core used in their construction. Clad with 32 layers of high-carbon stainless steel (16 on each side), the blades resist rusting and maintain their razor edge for a considerable time. The handles are made of a resin and hardwood fusion known as PakkaWood, and form a "D" or slight tear-drop profile with a side ridge that most comfortably fits a right-handed user. Covered by a lifetime warranty, Shun knives are dishwasher-safe, but are best cared for when washed and dried--carefully--by hand. --Ann Bieri

Customer Reviews

Not a must have, but a great have
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.

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.

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.

This is great for sandwiches; you can use one knife to do everything well. I like the wider blade on this better than the narrow utility and tomato blades. This knife does not replace the bread knife, but it is good for small quantities of bread. I quickly tired of it when I used it to prep French bread for bread pudding.

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 Cooks llustrated's equipment ratings.

Unless you are a daily sandwich fiend, make this one of the last knives you get to complete your set. It is certainly a nice knife, but not as crucial as other knives. My only regret is that I already own the tomato and utility knives.

Put A Leash On This Knife! Fantastic!
I thought I was going to have at least 2 guests at a party try to steal this knife!

After getting a gift certificate at a kitchen store I wasn't sure what to get...but knives always grab me. The young lady who helped me kept pointing me to this Shun knife. The folded steel blade really got me and I could bring it back if it was a bust. My husband loves knives as well and does the sharpening.

One slice with this knife and I was hooked. Then a friend helped prep a party and she immediately picked it up and used it...and started raving about it without any input from me. Then a second friend arrived to help and grabbed the knife and couldn't believe how good it was.

I haven't found anything it doesn't slice well. I'd love a longer version for those bigger bread jobs...though it did 4 loaves of crusty french without a sore hand. Tomatoes don't stand a chance and never lose their shape in the cutting.

This knife is worth every penny and I'll buy another Shun knife when I'm ready....the Chicago cutlery is on its way out for sure now...I'm in my 50's and buying my lifetime knives.

Grew from "a mistake" to "my favorite knife"
The Shun utility knife is an oddball and you will have to give yourself plenty of time to get used to it. It is indeed a sandwich knife - best for cutting bread and vegetables, good for spreading mustard and mayo. The weight is pretty heavy for a knife this size. The blade is thick. Luckily at six inches it is not too heavy for me to use. So what's the competition? I have an ancient set of Chicago Cutlery, the best my long ago student budget could afford. Out of sheer politeness, we must ignore this comparison. Then I have the set of Global knives, worthy of comparison: a paring knife, utility knife and Santuko 7" chef's knife. Great knives, sharp, light knives. It took time but the Shun blew them away. Then the lone finalist in the field - another Shun utility knife, a 6" straight model - light and razor sharp. Nope, the Shun ultimate utility knife wins hands down. It's something about the curved edge and the scallops that gives it the ability to take on everything at just the right angle. No more groping around for another knife because you're switching to another veggie. The wide blade lets you pick up stuff almost like a chef's knife and transfer to a bowl - the scallops do make this tougher than a chef's knife, but hey, I'm lazy.

What's awkward about this knife? It's kinda short. Cutting a large watermelon is gonna be a challenge. Cheese - well, none of these knives work with cheese. Any delicate cutting tasks, like dicing olives, is just too awkward because the blade is thick and now the scallops are too big in comparison.

I read somewhere at a knife aficionado's website that while the metal of the Global and the Shun are pretty similar, the Shun's are tweaked so the blade can hold the sharper edge. Unfortunately, this also means the metal is slightly more brittle than the Globals. So don't drop your blade.