This four-inch Shun Paring Knife is the all-steel version of one of the best paring knives available today. While the D-shaped handle may seem a little slick to some, it completely eliminates worries about crevices where bacteria could hide and gives the knife an unmistakably clean look. The four-inch blade will fit larger hands than Shun’s smaller paring knives and puts this blade at the low end of the utility knife range.
The handle itself is something you quickly get used to — large enough to grip in the palm comfortably with a flat side that orients the blade and gives the user complete control of the cutting edge. The blade is the true gem here, forged from Shun’s Damascus-style stainless steel. Sixteen thin layers of high tensile stainless steel on each side give the harder core of VG-10 steel extra support and strength. The VG-10 cutting edge is ground to an acute angle impossible to hold in the more resilient supporting layers. That gives this knife a strong blade and long-lasting cutting edge that outdoes western knives in cutting ability.
You may think it’s expensive for a paring knife, but consider that the paring knife is one of the blades you use most often. It makes sense to put your best knife in the most useful area. The little chores you consider most tedious will go better if you allow yourself the best tools.
Shun knives require special honing systems and may chip if used on hard surfaces like glass, ceramic, or bone. Protect the cutting edge by hand washing and by storing the Shun Paring Knife in a good knife block.
