• Kai Shun Classic Chef’s Knife
  • Kai Shun Classic Chef’s Knife
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Kai Shun
  • chef’s knife / brand preference; rock / push-cut / slice; enthusiasts seeking premium performance.

Kai Shun Classic Chef’s Knife

Kai Shun Classic Chef’s Knife

£184.95 GBP
£184.95 GBP
Sale Sold out
  • Made in Kai Shun
  • Tier - Best

“A premium Japanese all-rounder that makes the step up in sharpness, hardness and finish obvious.”

Lucy · Head of Curation
  • Free UK delivery over £75

The Shun Classic chef’s knife is a 20cm everyday all-rounder for chopping herbs, dicing vegetables and portioning boneless meat. It uses a VG-MAX core, 32 layers of Damascus cladding and a blade hardness of 61 ±1 HRC.

It rewards a lighter touch and proper care, and in return the edge feel and finish are a real step beyond a conventional Western workhorse.

  • 20cm blade, VG-MAX core
  • 32 layers of Damascus cladding
  • 61 ±1 HRC hardness
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Best for

Best for

  • chef’s knife / brand preference; rock / push-cut / slice; enthusiasts seeking premium performance.
Not ideal for

Consider something else if

  • you expect to cut bones, frozen food or use the knife roughly. Compare Classic Chef’s Knife with its adjacent Good/Better/Best alternative before deciding.
From the counter

Lucy's Verdict

A premium Japanese all-rounder that makes the step up in sharpness, hardness and finish obvious.

Lucy · Head of Curation

Why we chose it

This is here to compete for the “one serious knife” purchase, so it needed a distinct feel and a convincing everyday reason to choose it over the other all-rounders. The Shun Classic DM-0706 uses a VG-MAX core, 32 Damascus outer layers and a 61 ±1 HRC blade in a 20 cm chef’s-knife format. The 20 cm format is the benchmark all-round size: enough blade for serious prep without becoming cumbersome.

Who it's best for

Buy it if you want a everyday all-rounder mainly for chopping herbs, dicing vegetables and portioning boneless meat; you naturally use rocking and draw cuts; you want a harder Japanese edge plus Damascus finish and will hand-wash it. This recommendation applies specifically to Classic Chef’s Knife.

Why Lucy recommends it

  • The Shun Classic DM-0706 uses a VG-MAX core, 32 Damascus outer layers and a 61 ±1 HRC blade in a 20 cm chef’s-knife format.
  • The 20 cm format is the benchmark all-round size: enough blade for serious prep without becoming cumbersome.
  • Role: everyday all-rounder; best for chopping herbs, dicing vegetables and portioning boneless meat.

Not sure this is the one? Ask Lucy

TypeChef’s Knife
Size20cm
BrandKai Shun
Is Knifetrue
Blade Length20cm

Hand wash only, dry promptly and sharpen on a whetstone suited to hard Japanese steel.

Free UK delivery On orders over £75. Blades ship in protective packaging — never loose in a box.

Warranty check Ask Lucy before you buy — we'll tell you honestly if this isn't the one.

If you're torn

Still deciding?

If a heavier German blade feels like the safer choice, read this before you decide.

Global or Wüsthof?