In my experience, I’ve found little use for the traditional “carving knife”. In my view it’s a specialty knife. I generally prefer to use knives which are a bit more utilitarian.
Traditionally, the carving knife is most often seen around the holidays when turkeys, hams, and roasts grace most tables, and is then returned to its box where it lives with a matching carving fork until the next holiday. I’ve never actually seen one in any professional kitchen I’ve worked in, although in certain old school restaurants which specialize in tableside presentation of dishes, you might find one.
That said, if you enjoy tradition and want a really serious knife for those holiday meals, then the Shun is just the ticket. If I were looking for a carving knife, this is the one I’d choose. The Damascus cladding combined with the steel handle is undeniably aesthetically pleasing. The VG10 steel core offers high performance. VG10 is capable of taking a very fine edge and features excellent edge retention.
This knife should outperform any carving knife you’ve ever used and keep coming back for more.