Chefs Knife Review: Shun DM0706 Classic 8-Inch Chef’s Knife

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Shun DM0706 Classic 8-Inch Chef’s Knife

Shun’s proprietary blend of VG-10 steel with that distinct wavy pattern makes its second appearance here at Best Chefs Knives. As in the Shun Ken Onion, both are clad on either side with 16 layers of Damascus steel totaling over 30 layers of incredible blade strength. This allows for the DM0706 Classic to retain maximum flexibility without sacrificing sharpness.

The handles are made from the same Pakkawood® material as the Ken Onion. For those not familiar, it’s a resin impregnated hardwood that allows for the rich beauty of wood yet still be bacteria resistant. Once you grab hold of a Shun, you know it; the handles have a familiar D-shaped grip as opposed to the traditional round. This allows for better stability and comfort. Knife comfort might not seem like an issue to the home cook prepping for 10 minutes, but to the professional sous chef working a 10-hour shift this is a big deal.

Like we’ve said before, if Alton Brown can stand behind the Shun line with his Good Eats’ name, then we at Best Chefs Knife can root for the company as well. Yes, they probably pay him a bundle of money, but Alton’s reputation in the kitchen is second-to-none in our book.

Speaking of a bundle of money, ever wondered what a $2,000 knife set looks like? Stunningly beautiful, that’s what. Yes, those are all Shuns.

So what’s the main difference between the Shun Ken Onion and the Shun Classic Chef’s? Design, mostly. The same materials are used but the Ken Onion has a specially curved bolster and dramatically angled handle. The Ken Onion (at around $60 more) also comes with a wooden holder.

Click here to check out current prices on the Shun DM0706 Classic 8-Inch Chef’s Knife.

Shun Classic Chef’s Knife Features

• High-carbon VG-10 Japanese super-steel with a Rockwell hardness rating of 60-61
• 16-degree angle on the blade-sharper than the traditional European 20 degrees
• 16 layers of Damascus stainless steel SUS410/SUS431 Pattern per side for a total of 33 layers
• D-shaped Pakkawood handles for comfort and control
• Limited Lifetime guarantee
• Dimensions: 14.6 x 3.2 x 1 inches ; 9.6 ounces

Shun DM0706 Classic Review

Hands-down the reviewers love this knife. Most begin their praise by stating how surprised they are with how well it fits into their hand and how comfortable it is over time. The D-shaped grip helps with the placement of the fingers and nearly “teaches” you how to use a chef knife. Many users gravitate to the Shun knives as it’s known the Japanese build them to fit slightly smaller hands. At Best Chef’s Knife we appreciate the movement toward slightly smaller knives ourselves.

This being said, we found reviews from the usual Wusthof converts who were more accustomed to using a larger-handled knife and they found the Shun Classic to be quite comfortable. The Damascus-style pattern relieved some of the “stickiness” to slicing root vegetables such as carrots, and for the professional chef this is a plus for speed.

The sharpness of the knife right out of the box undoubtedly impressed many reviewers. However, this gives us the opportunity to address the angle of the blade. Shun knives typically have a smaller-angled edge just after manufacture and this could be ruined (or ground to a wider angle) by using a standard sharpener. A wider angle is more conducive to the longevity of the edge as it will receive less dings, but it wouldn’t be the scary-sharp knife you originally bought in the first place. Just be forewarned that you should not use a pre-angled sharpener to take care of your Shuns.

Overall the users were happy with the weight and balance of the Shun Classic, with a few noting that it was lighter than they anticipated. This is common in Asian knives as they are not designed for brute-force work like a German knife. Several professional chef reviews we found online appreciated the weight after a 12-hour shift.

There just weren’t many negatives to find with regards to this knife. The long-term reviewers we found were still very happy with their purchase years later and consider it as an investment. One reviewer went so far as to say that it’s the best thing he’s ever purchased for his kitchen. Hard to beat that.

Hot Chef Knives Recommendation

At Best Chef’s Knife reviews sometime come easy. With the Shun Classic, given the quality and beauty of the steel, the simplicity in design and the competitive price it’s certainly one of our favorites. In the ongoing battle between Wusthof and Global, sometimes little ol’ Shun is there to give us something to cheer about.

We have found Amazon.com to have the best prices on chef’s knives including the full Shun line. Click here to check it out.

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