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To test sharpness out of the box, we conducted a paper-cutting test. Holding the paper tightly with one hand, we dragged the blade of each knife through the paper along the entire length of the blade. We assessed whether or not we could achieve a clean slice and evaluated how easily each blade could move through the paper, noting any snagging or tearing. This test helped us establish a baseline by determining how sharp each knife was directly out of the box, without any prior use. As a general rule German blades tend to be on the lower end of the scale, while Japanese are on the higher. Should I put my knife in the dishwasher? A general-use ‘softer’ steel knife can range from 54-56, while more professional style premium blades, from 58-64 at the upper end. The higher the rating, the thinner the blade can be forged, creating a finer, sharper cutting edge but there are trade-offs as knives this hard can be brittle, chip if misused and take longer to sharpen. The shape and design of the laser-etched Kebony handle (a Norwegian alternative to tropical hardwood) impresses as much as anything else, particularly the short little finger scoop at the butt end that really does help with precision cutting and slicing.
Mac knives are popular among pro and semi-pro chefs who rave about the Japanese company’s attention to detail, the quality of its metals, its impressive manufacturing process, the weight and balance of its knives and, above all, the slimness and sharpness of its blades. Consider how often you'll be using your knife and how often it needs to be sharpened—some hold an edge much longer than others. Also, consider how likely it is to rust or get water stains. While most manufacturers recommend hand washing knives, some can be put in the dishwasher.In addition to the shape of the cutting edge, it's important to consider whether or not the blade has a bolster. Bolsters sit between the blade and the handle and act as a guard that protects your fingers from touching the sharp edge. They're common in German-style models and are particularly helpful for cooks who like to choke up on the knife handle. Though bolsters provide protection, they add weight and sometimes cause the knife to feel heavy or unbalanced. The included 6-inch, two-pronged fork helps guide the carving knife away from your hands and efficiently slice large pieces of meat, and when serving, it's perfect for holding each piece in place. During testing, we noted that the fork tines were much shorter than others, but it wasn’t a detriment—they were plenty long enough to hold the meat securely. Overall, the knife and fork worked really well together and felt well-balanced.
This knife is certainly unique, with a fork tip for serving or moving meat, a serrated edge toward the tip, and a straight edge toward the handle. Speaking of handles, this one is comfortable to hold, and it’s attractive. During testing, it took a little time to get used to the knife’s features, but we came to appreciate the different edges and liked using the fork tip to stab slices to move them to a serving plate. When using a carving knife, always allow the carving knife blade shape to work for you," says Matt Matsushima, Director of Operations at Shun Cutlery. "There is typically a slight recurve to the cutting edge, and this is to help carving on contoured surfaces, like a turkey breast, as well as around round joints and bones. The blade tip is also usually very upswept, which allows for detailed slicing in tight areas with the tip of the blade, without digging into the meat. The most important step in selecting any piece of cutlery is to make sure it feels right to you in your hand.” You may have noticed that many santoku knives are quite tall. This helps balance the food as you slice downwards, giving you even slices each time. Additionally, a bigger surface area on the blade means you can transport your sliced or diced ingredients to the pan with ease. Carving knives typically range from 8 to 14 inches in length, and the ideal length largely depends on personal preference. The smaller and shorter the blade, the more control you’ll have, but a longer blade is oftentimes more adept at making longer cuts and getting into harder-to-reach places. A longer blade also helps avoid any sawing-like motions, which can damage the meat. Avoid putting your knives in the dishwasher where you can, as a dishwasher produces a lot of heat and steam that will expand and warp the metal, says Rob Falconer from ProCook. "The knife was easy to maneuver to crush garlic cloves and then mince them. Cutting onions was smooth and easy, too. While cutting the butternut squash, we were able to make smooth cuts, though thought a slightly heavier knife would have required less effort. This knife cleaned easily with very few spots. Carving knives are sharpened like you would sharpen any chef’s knife. They should be regularly honed to keep the blade straight, and when the blade begins to dull, it should be sharpened on a whetstone until the blade is fresh and pointy. Keep in mind that a slicing or carving knife normally doesn't have to be sharpened as often as your chef's knife or other multipurpose knives since it's only being used for specific tasks (and, in some cases, only once a year at Thanksgiving)—unless you're someone who cooks or barbeques dense cuts of meat more frequently. A chef’s knife and a santoku knife perform the same—or very similar—tasks in the kitchen. Both are good for cutting, dicing, slicing, and chopping, so it’s not necessary to own both. However, while chef’s knives are generally about 8 inches long, there are 5-inch santoku knives that may be more comfortable for cooks with smaller hands, or for taking over the tasks of a utility knife. An extra knife in the kitchen can be handy when there are helpers around, too.
The knife comes with a 7-inch, heavy-weight bolstered fork, and both have water-resistant handles made from pakkawood, an engineered wood that's particularly durable. They aren't dishwasher safe, but we found them easy enough to wash by hand and can see them lasting a long time—particularly if you only bring them out for big events.When it comes to grip comfort, this is mostly up to personal preference. It’s always helpful to hold the knife in your hand to get a better idea of how it feels, if the grip feels natural, and if the size and weight works well with your hand size. You want something that is easy and comfortable to hold onto so that it doesn’t slip out of your (likely greasy) hands while you’re carving a large piece of meat. Dishwasher detergent can also be abrasive, damaging the look and integrity of the blade and handle. Instead, handwash your knives, dry them off completely, and avoid leaving your knife to air dry as this can cause rust to form." Looking after your new knife We tried the knife on a number of items, including garlic, onion, tomato, and a piece of paper. There was no tearing on the tomato, and the knife was able to slice very thinly with ease. It also smashed garlic easily and minced well. The knife's sharp hollow edge helped it glide through an onion, and it only experienced a slight drag when cutting butternut squash. It even sliced through paper twice with only minimal tearing on the second run. You may notice that some carving knives have Grantons along the blade, similar to what you might see on a santoku knife. These small dimples are helpful when slicing meat because they help the meat to pull away from the blade as you’re slicing. The dimples cut down on any resistance and make it much easier to slice through the protein.
The small dimples along the blade make it easy for food such as smoked salmon or brisket to pull away when slicing. The stylish pakkawood handle is designed for consistent and heavy use. It's also made from hardwood with resin to protect against unwanted water or moisture damage. It's not dishwasher safe, but based on other Shun knives we own, we believe this knife will stand the test of time with the proper care.It also boasts a forged bolster, which gives it balance, even though the pieces feel a little heavy. During testing, that weight didn’t affect the comfort level, and the set did a fine job with the turkeys we carved and sliced. Thanks to the knife's sharp tip, it worked particularly well for getting the breast meat off of the carcass. Key specs – Blade material: High-carbon steel; Handle material: High impact polypropylene; Size: 20cm All knife blades will gradually blunt with use, and even the act of slicing soft vegetables on a chopping board will slowly degrade the edge of the blade. Therefore, it’s advisable to always ensure your knife’s edge is razor sharp. Not only does this make the task of cutting, slicing and chopping a breeze, but you’re also far less likely to cut yourself with a sharp blade than with a blunt one. We found this knife to be very good at most cutting tasks, leaving a pretty edge. However, the handle may be somewhat awkward to hold for those with smaller hands. It's a bit longer and straighter than similar knives, which had the end of the handle bumping into our forearm.
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