Kershaw Shun Classic knives are an astonishing blend of technology and art. The craft of knife making has come a long way through the years and these knives are at the pinnacle of blade evolution.
Many people talk of the Shun Classic having the appearance of Damascus steel, a technique which produced blades of fabled hardness and resilience in the days of the Crusades. This technique produced swords from folded steel, where the layering and beating of the steel produced a structure not unlike that of puff pastry. A final etching technique then exposed more of the pattern to the eye and left a surface which showed the classic wavy lines of this kind of blade.
In the process of creating the steel, chemicals were added to the forging to give better material properties that could withstand more of the brutal use that these blades were put to without snapping or dulling of the edge.
Shun Classic Knife Technology
The Shun Classic knife range takes this technique and brings it right up to date, bringing in knowledge from the materials science of modern days. At the core of every Shun Classic blade is a block of what is known as VG-10 “super-steel”. This block takes a normal carbon-steel and ads trace elements of Molybdenum, Chromium, Manganese, Cobalt, Silicon, and Vanadium into the mix to make this a steel the Crusaders would have dreamt of.
Wrapped around this core are 16 layers of folded and beaten stainless steel which gives the core a protective layer that does not suffer from rust in the same way as the old Damascus steel allowing you to use these knives for daily use without constant need to sharpen or oil them.
What Does All This Technology Mean for a Shun Classic Knife?
The single biggest benefit of all of this high-tech steel is its ability to hold a much sharper edge. When compared to Western blades, the Shun Classic range is thinner and has a much more acute angle on the blade giving an incredible cutting action. What this means is that you always have more control in your food preparation; from carving large pieces of meat through to incredibly delicate presentation a Shun Classic knife goes where you want it to.
This feeling of control is boosted even further by the way that the Shun Classic handle is shaped. The use of a D-shaped handle gives a you both comfort and control as you hold the knife and the use of veneered Pakka hardwood for the handle makes them dishwasher safe (although we would never recommend treating your Shun Classic in this way!)
Combined with all this, the use of a heavier “bolster” in the handle make it balance much more naturally in your hand. This make it easier to use for a long time as you employ the classic knife rocking movement about the pivot point, since the balance of the Shun Classic won’t make your hand slide towards the blade as you work.
Finally, don’t forget the just jaw-dropping beauty of the Shun Classic knife range. The “Damascus” appearance and logo on the blade combined with the solidity of the handle construction make the Shun Classic knife almost a work of art – certainly something to be incredibly proud of owning.
