Shun Blue Steel Knives

[Chemicalkinetics]

This may be old news for some people, but it has not been mentioned here. Shun is launching a new line of knives with a blue steel (carbon steel) core enveloped in stainless steel. This allows a cutting performance of the blue steel, and the easy of care for the stainless steel. The core steel is hardened to 61 Rockwell. They also have octagonal handles (except the Menkiri knife), and are sold with knife saya (sheath). Based on Chefknivestogo information, it will be Blue 2.

http://cdn.metrokitchen.com/images/up...

Have fun

[cowboyardee]

Interesting. Many unanswered questions:

- What will they cost?
- Which form of blue steel are they using? OTOH, most blue steel tends to be pretty decent. Even the blue steel in the cheap Tosagata nakiri I have is pretty nice.
- Most importantly, will Shun mess up the geometry?

The honesuki might wind up being a good buy for a lot of shun's regular customers if the price is right (and they don't mess up the geometry). I have no idea why Shun's customer base would want a kiritsuke (they are very cool, but a little difficult to use), or a especially a menkiri.

[Chemicalkinetics]

They should be launched at $200-250 a piecce:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=shun%20blue%20steel&sprefix=shun+blu%2Caps&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Ashun%20blue%20steel

http://www.metrokitchen.com/category/...

According to Mark Richmond, it will be blue paper #2, so it is certainly not the most expensive blue steel, but it may be the best for average home cooks, since blue#2 is toughest. As for why they pick on these four knives. I am not so sure. This blue steel line is in partnership with Chris Cosentino, so maybe he has something to do with this (or not).

[Custardly]

Since I've never used a blue steel knife, I've no aversion to them.

[wattacetti]

I think what I find interesting is the photo and the inclusion of a menkiri-bocho as part of their launch. Just curious as to how many people hand-cut soba and udon?

[Chemicalkinetics]

You are right. The four knives they are launching are certainly interesting:

Shun Blue Pro Utility/Butchery Knife (looks like a hankostu)
Shun Blue Honesuki
Shun Blue Menkiri
Shun Blue Kiritsuke

Some people from knife forums think the menkiri bocho will be a great seller just because of the shape (read the original post)

http://www.kitchenknifeforums.com/sho...

A lot of people who collect Japanese knives like to collect sobakiri (much like menkiri) and yanagiba. That being said, I don't see knife collectors want to collect Shun knives.

[wattacetti]

Since Shun has become the new Global for people to display on their counters, I can imagine a place for the Blues in the market.

That reminds me that I have to start shopping for a kiritsuke.