Shun knives
- This topic has 29 replies, 10 voices, and was last updated 11/13/2017 at 10:04 am by
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Diamonds are fine for sharpening Shun knives. There are several people on the forum who have sharpened shun knives with no problems. If the knife is in good condition and you’re matching the factory angle I would probably start with the 600 grit to raise a burr. However, if you intend to re-profile the blade you might want to start with the 100 or 200 grit to save time.
Does anyone use their diamond stones on shun knives? If so which grits do you use to obtain a burr? Shuns website says do not use diamond stones.
My answer is yes and now no. When I first started using a WE System (Pro Pac II), one of the first nice kitchen knives I purchased was a Shun Classic Santoku Knife, VG-10 Max Steel. I did sharpen it with WE Diamond stones (16dps), because that’s all I had at the time, and got very good results. I remember I was very impressed by the sharpness and durability of the edge. I remember warnings of the VG-10 Max being chippy. I never experienced any problems. I would use a progression: 200 grit (only if needed), 400 grit, 600 grit, 800 grit, 1000 grit, then 1500 grit (if you have it), then use leather strops med, and fine. I generally strop 4µ then 2µ.
Later on down my road of sharpening experience I did acquire Shaptons Stones. Now I prefer to sharpen that same Shun Knife with the whetstones. Just because I prefer the consistency of the scratch pattern I get using the Shaptons, not because I had a problem with the diamond stones.
I would recommend that you not use the WE Diamond Stones to sharpen a Shun Knife until the diamond stones are well broken-in. Also, my Shun Knife was made of a moderately hard steel, VGmax, HRc 60-61. There are some model Shun Knives made of harder more brittle steels then the VGmax. For those I would recommend not to use Diamond Stones at all.
Marc
(MarcH's Rack-Its)Jayhwker01, all you asked was can you use diamonds stones to sharpen a Shun Knife. They make many models of many different steels. Which particular knife, made of which steel do you own, or are you looking to purchase?
My knife as you read is a Damascus or layered steel patterned knife with the softer Sus410 sandwiched between layers of the harder VGmax steel. It’s supposed to give it the best characteristics of both steels. The durability of the harder steel and the sharpening ability of the softer steel.
I could comfortably sharpen my knife with the stones and strops you own as long as the diamond stones are broken in. The Ceramics are fine to use when knew, they just improve every time you use them, and seem to keep getting better and better with use.
Marc
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Here is another knife in the same style and price point as the Shun. I bought the 8″ chef’s knife called the 210mm Gyuto, then the 6″ chef’s knife called the 180mm Gyuto, and the 170mm Santoku all around use knife. These are my favorite knives “bang for the buck” I have ever bought, still to this day! They’re easy to sharpen. The profile is very thin behind the edge so with use the shoulder doesn’t widen and they are very sharp and durable, VG10, stainless. And they also come in the western style knife handles which I was more accustomed with when I bought these. Just trying to show you some other options. I do like the Shun Knife, I have, but I like this knife much more! They’re shipped directly from Japan. If in stock it takes about a week.
One thing….I do recommend you use the knife, you buy, first, right-out-of-the box, for a while, before you sharpen it. That allows you a basis for comparison between what the knife maker intended the knife to cut like and what your sharpened knife cuts like. Enjoy your shopping.
Marc
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I agree with MarcH that there are plenty of other options in the price range of the Shun DM0706 that would be worth considering as alternatives before you make your final purchase decision. Shun makes good knives, but many feel that they are a bit over priced and that you’re paying a premium for a brand name.
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Marc,
Do you use your diamonds on the knives you suggested?
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I don’t see why you wouldn’t use diamond stones on (relatively) hard kitchen knives. I have quite a few of them (and harder than Shuns) and I never had any problems with them.
Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge
Marc, Do you use your diamonds on the knives you suggested?
To be honest, jayhwker01, I do not. For my personal knives, I try to use the Shapton Glass Stones (SGS), whenever I can. For the VG10 knives, I own, I find I can usually start a resharpening or touch-up job with the 500 grit SGS. I could very well use the diamonds stones and they would do a fine job. It’s like this…if you have a Honda and Acura which would you prefer to drive? The SGS are a little faster, more even, consistent and predictable and I get the results I’m looking for quicker.
Remember, I’m still using the Wicked Edge System, just the sharpening medium is different. When I sharpen knives for friends of unknown steel types I generally stick to the WE Diamond Stones. I used exclusively diamonds for several years before I started trying other brands, abrasive mediums.
Just to qualify the Shun Knife you’re considering, a little further; I think it’s a fine knife and definitely worth the money and not overrated, or overpriced. I don’t regret one bit, buying my Shun knife. It was just one knife I purchased along my adventure to find what I liked best in my personal use kitchen knives. After buying and using the Shun, later I found the JCK Natures Sazanami. It was everything the Shun was, but it was thinner, lighter, slightly more flexible and passed through the food with alittle less effort. I have since bought other, higher priced, better steels, knives that I now prefer to use. And I will continue to shop and buy for the quest. I used the JCK Natures Sazanami again today, just to refresh my feel for it. It is a very fine knife. At the price especially. Either way, what ever you buy it won’t be the last knife you buy or the last knife you’ll sharpen.
I have bought some knives I don’t like, or enjoy using, maybe more then a few. They’re still fine knives. Just not the feel I was looking for. They just hang there and every once in a while I give them a using. Sometimes I give them a touch-up to see if I can bring out more of what I’m looking for in that knife by changing the bevel or the angle.
Whatever you decide on, don’t second guess yourself. Everyone has their own opinion of what they like in a knife. You may not even know that yet. I certainly didn’t when I bought myself my first couple of good nice knives. So enjoy the quest you’re set off on.
Marc
(MarcH's Rack-Its)Thank you so much for your last post. You gave me more clarity and more at ease on my next purchase of “higher end” kitchen knives. You see I’m used to using my W.E on pocket knives and I’ve gotten good at sharpening those. I was second guessing myself with the Japanese kitchen knives and using my diamond stones. I will give you an update on what I choose!
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If you’re looking for a high-end kitchen knife, you may want to get one with Aogami Super steel. At least it is my favorite steel for kitchen knives. It sharpens pretty easily and can be gotten very sharp (much like white steel), only the edge lasts a lot longer than white steel. It is carbon steel, by the way, so if you want stainless, it’s not an option. For stainless kitchen knives 13C27 a.k.a. AEB-L is my favorite steel for similar reasons.
Molecule Polishing: my blog about sharpening with the Wicked Edge
Mark, based on your recommendation I just added this knife to my amazon wish list. Which means I’ll buy it within the next couple months, but right now I’m already on my wife’s radar for buying too much stuff.
https://www.amazon.com/Kikuichi-Nickel-Warikomi-Damascus-Santoku/dp/B00EOAC1WW
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cjb80202; from a man admittedly with more money than brains and with no built-in stop check, (i.e., wife), when it comes to the other attractive sex, kitchen knives, I read, read, read….Google them, look for other knife forum write-ups and read reviews from various sources. Be wary of long hyphenated names that say a lot of words and don’t really say anything. Look at the specifics, like exactly what steel it’s made of. Look at how many reviews there are.
In your instance I wonder why they call it Nickel Sweden but it’s made in Japan. Only 1 review on Amazon? and only 1 left?
If I can’t find something written up about a knife I’m shopping on several of the other knife and sharpening forums and Big retailer Forums like Chef’s Knives to Go or Cutlery and More I look with scrutiny and lots of reviews! Compare and look for similar knives in lower price points.
At least once you buy it, if you really don’t like it, you don’t have to feed it and care for it. You just let it sit or hang there and try to ignore it until the space it’s taking up is better used by a newer knife you really want to buy! LOL!
Marc
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