Shun Classic Chef’s Knife Review – 8 inch (dm0706 review)

Are you looking for a quality chef knife? Then you must have come across a famous Japanese knifemaker shun. Shun is crafting knife knives for hundreds of years using Japanese ancient knife-making techniques. Shun has a large collection of chef’s knives and among them, Shun classic is one of the most famous and beautiful ones. It’s a harmonious combination of ancient blade-making tradition and cutting-edge innovation that makes it a multipurpose knife. 

Let’s dive deep into this shun classic chef knife review (dm0706 review) to know more about every specific feature and quality of shun classic chef’s knife. Here I have also added users’ questions and thought about this kitchen partner. 

Quick Overview

If you are in hurry then before going through this whole shun classic 8” chef’s knife review you can go through this quick overview. 

1. The blade core is made with exclusive high carbon VG-MAX stainless steel. 
2. The core is wrapped by 34 layers of Damascus steel on each side that protects the core from any kind of pressure or damage. So, there is a total of 69 layers of steel in shun classic dm0706 knief. 
3. It has a razor-sharp 16-degree cutting edge on both sides. 
4. The blade is rock solid hard with Rockwell hardness around 60. 
5. The handle is made from Durable ebony pakkawood. 
6. Shun classic chef knife features a traditional D shape handle. 
7. The blade is 8 inches long with a 5.5 long handle. 
8. Blade exterior has a beautiful Damascus pattern.  Those layers of stainless steel create a wavy Damascus pattern through the whole blade. 
9. Comes with a limited lifetime warranty for any kind of manufacturing defects. 
10. Shun provides free sharpening for this knife. 

Shun dm0706 Classic 8-inch Chef’s Knife Review

Where its made

Each piece of shun knives is manufactured in Seki, Japan. Seki is known as the knife and sword-making capital of japan as craftsmen are making knives here for 700 years. Every piece of shun knife is handcrafted by expert knife smiths by maintaining ancient Japanese knife-making techniques as mentioned at the beginning of this shun 8-inch chef knife review. While maintaining traditional techniques they also use modern technologies and premium material. Each shuns knife takes 100 steps to come to its final condition. 

Blade Material

The blade core of shun classic knife is made with high-end VG-MAX super steel. VG-MAX is an exclusive and innovative steel formula of Shun. This is steel with extra carbon, tungsten, cobalt, vanadium, and chromium component. Now, you may ask how this component contributes to the quality of the blade. 

Carbon is a compulsory component of steel to increase the hardness and durability of knives. Chromium makes the blade rust and corrosion resistance and cobalt add more strength. Other components also contribute to the durability, strength, and sharpness of the knife. 

This VG-MAX core is protected by 34 layers of stainless Damascus steel on each side. So, there is a total of 69 layers of steel in the classic shun chef knife. These layers protect the core from extra pressure or other kinds of damages. 

Blade Design

shun classic 8” knife has a thin Japanese blade profile with a beautiful Damascus pattern. This blade has curves from both top and bottom parts like other chef’s knives. 

Those layers of Damascus steel make a beautiful Damascus pattern through the whole body of the knife as mentioned before in this shun classic knives review(dm0706 review). Those patterns are a combination of straight shapes and wavy shapes. You will find a shun logo on one side of the blade. 

Sharpness and Edge

The sharp edge ensures precise and effortless cuts in the kitchen. It is a compulsory feature for a quality knife. Kai shun classic knives are hand sharpened to a razor-sharp 16-degree cutting angle. You may ask why it’s not sharpened to a more thin cutting angle. The main matter is with the increasing sharpness the chance of getting damage of the edge increases. So, Shun tries to keep the proper balance between sharpness and durability. Still, it is twice time sharper as any other western knife. 

Moreover, This shun 8” chef’s knife is a double bevel knife that means it has the same cutting angle at both sides. As the core material is very hard shun 8-inch chef knife retains its edge sharp for a long . And that’s why, you won’t need to sharpen it too often. It is designed to cut in a smooth, slicing motion and precisely. 

Hardness

As mentioned in the sharpness part of this shun classic 8” review, the edge retention and durability of a knife depend on the hardness of its core material. And hardness depends on the material component and crafting process of the knife. As this shun chef’s knife uses VG-MAX super steel with a total of 69 layers of steel it is actually tough hard. 

When it comes to the forging and crafting process, each shuns knife goes under more than 100 steps. So, finally, those knives become rock solid. 

Handle Material

Shun classic chef knife handle is made with ebony pakkawood. Pakkawood is not natural raw wood, it is a durable resin-based material. Generally, it is a composite of different kinds of hardwood and resin. As a resin-based material pakkawood can hold a shiny color for a long. 

Pakkawood makes the handle water and moisture resistant. Moreover, it doesn’t harbor bacteria so the handle lasts for long and doesn’t get damaged. 

Handle Design

Kai shun classic knife features a traditional Japanese style D shape handle. Actually, the handle is straight-rounded shaped but it has a slight ridge on the right side. That ridge fits in the grip of the hand and ensures a comfortable and slipless grip. Though this D curve on the right side makes the knife more comfortable for right-handed users, it makes it hard to use for left-handed users. 

The whole handle has black in color. It also has a steel end cap with shun logo at the end of the handle. This steel cap contributes to balancing the knife along with adding beauty. 

Tang

Shun Classic knife is a full tang knife that means a part of the blade goes all the way through the end of the handle. Full tang chef’s knife is always preferred over half tang knives. Because tang uses more durability to the knife. Moreover, it also contributes to the proper balancing of the knife. 

Size 

shun classic knife has an 8-inch long blade. This is the most used blade size for a chef’s knife. Because with this size of blade one can do the job of both more long and short knife. And the handle is almost 5.5 inches long which is comfortable for both large and small hand users. When it comes to thickness this knife is very thin. 

There is nothing to worry about if you want a shorter or longer version of this same knife. This knife has a 6-inch version and a 10-inch version. Even if you want to buy a sharpener then 6 inches and 10-inch versions are also available with a sharpener as a set. In that case handle, size and price also vary. 

Weight and Balance

When it comes to weight, shun classic 8-inch chef’s knife is super lightweight as mentioned before in this kai shun classic dm0706 review. It is only 7.1 ounces that is pretty less compared to other knives of this size. So, this knife will ensure a fatigue-free cut for a long time without any pain for its weight. 

Blade weight, handle the weight, full tang, and steel end cap all these things contribute to the proper balancing of this knife. The weight of shun 8-inch chef knife classic is so nicely distributed that this knife will feel like a part of your hand. So, even after long use, you won’t feel any pain in your wrist. 

Warranty and Free Sharpening

Shun Classic knife comes with a limited lifetime warranty. Shun dm0706 knife uses all quality material along with modern technologies for their knives. So, shun is fully confident about the quality of their knife. That’s why any kind of a manufacturing defect you will get warranty service. 

Moreover, Shun provides a free sharpening service as mentioned before in this kai shun classic chef’s knife review. When it comes to sharpening if you go to an expert it will cost a good amount. So, it is better to send knives to shun, they will sharpen your knife for free. And you will get the sharp edge like new again and again. 

Clean and Maintenance 

With proper care and maintenance, a low-end knife can last for a long. On the other hand, without proper care, a very high-end knife may get damaged in few days. So you should care about proper care of shun classic 8-inch chef’s knife, though it is very easy to maintain this knife. 

Shun dm0706 classic 8-inch chef’s knife is a dishwasher-safe knife, but hand washing is always a better option. Because washing a knife into a dishwasher for a long time may cause a chip or damage to the edge. So, after normal use, you can wash the knife with water and after heavy use, you can use soap and cloth.

Though the handle is moisture resistant it is better to dry the knife after every wash. So, before storing just put the knife in an open place after wash. 

When it comes to storing the knife never put it in the drawer without any sheath. As any shun knives don’t come with any sheath you need to use a wooden knife block or an extra sheath. It is better not to use any magnetic knife holder because it may damage the structure of the steel of the knife. 

How the knife will feel in your hand

When we decide to buy a chef’s knife, our main concern remains “How the knife will feel in our hand?” As a classic shun 8-inch chef knife features a D shape handle the curve of the handle fits comfortably in the grip of right-hand users. And the handle gives a slipless grip. 

With the razor-sharp edge and thin profile, shun dm0706 classic 8-inch chef’s knife goes through any food like butter. So, you won’t need to create pressure to cut any food. Because of its lightweight, even after long use, this will not create any pain in your hand. Moreover, the balancing of this knife, makes you feel it as a part of your hand. 

Customer’s thought

Most of the review about shun classic 8” was positive, you will hardly find any negative feedback.

Let’s talk about the negative reviews first. One user mentioned about the only handwash safe feature. He said the knife may get chips or get damaged if you wash it in the dishwasher. Another person was not happy as the knife is only for right-handed persons. 

But when it’s about positive reviews, most of the users mentioned about different amazing features as mentioned in this shun 8-inch chef knife review. One user said it is a tiny kitchen sword and the knife is gorgeous. It also settles into a perfect pinch grip. Another user mentioned about the beautiful metalwork and it cuts like a dream. 

Pros

This whole shun classic 8-inch chef’s knife review is about different features and pros of shun classic chef knife. Let’s gather them here briefly.

1. Easy to use and maintain. 
2. Sharp edge cuts through anything like butter. 
3. The hard blade has long-lasting edge retention. 
4. Nicely polished wood fit comfortably in the palm. 
5. Handle provide slipless grip. 
6. It provides perfect pinch grip
7. The lightweight knife makes long prep jobs easy. 
8. Proper balancing and easy to control. 
9. Comes with a limited lifetime warranty. 
10. Comes with free sharpening. 

Cons

You already may know about those few drawbacks of this knife from this Shun classic 8-inch chef’s knife review. 

1. It supports only hand wash and it is not dishwasher safe. 
2. It is not comfortable for left-handed users. 

There is also a santoku version of of classic knife. Here is shun classic santoku review.

FAQ

1. Is shun classic 8-inch chef’s knife left-handed or right-handed? 

Actually, this knife is a right-handed knife as there is a curve on the right side. But as mentioned before in this classic shun 8 chef knife review most of the left-handed people get this knife comfortable for the knife. But all left-handed people may not find it comfortable. 

2. Can this be sharpened in an electric sharpener? 

It is better not to use an electric sharper for this shun 8” chef knife(dm0706 knife). And it is better to send the knife to shun as they provide free sharpening service as mentioned in this shun classic knife review. They will sharpen the knife free of cost. 

3. Is Shun classic chef’s knife single or double bevel?

This Shun knife is a double bevel knife like most other Shun knives. That means it has the same cutting edge on both sides of the knife. 

4. Does Shun classic 8-inch chef’s knife come with any sheath? 

This shun chef’s knife doesn’t come with any sheath. It just comes with a nice box so you have to use an extra sheath or knife block as described before in this classic shun chef knife review 

5. What are the differences between Shun Classic vs Kaji? 

These two shun knives have many differences along with a good amount of similarities. They have differences in terms of balde material, balde construction, and handle design. But these two knives have the same sharpness and handle material. 

Conclusion

If you have gone through this whole shun classic chef knife review then you must have got a clear idea about this multipurpose knife. It’s a true workhorse that can take care of most of the tasks of your kitchen. From professional chef’s to home cook it is a great knife who want to make their kitchen work easier. 

So, if you need a chef’s knife that is sharp, durable, beautiful, and retains its edge for a long time then shun classic 8-inch chef’s knife is a great option to consider.