Knowing about the comparison of Shun vs Wusthof knives is very crucial when you need to buy the best kitchen knife. That’s because while investing in a set of first-class kitchen knives, it’s a simple decision. Likewise, it’s easy to buy one of them, and then you’ll work it every day.
If you buy a cheap piece of knife, it’ll get out-perform soon rather than lasting forever. But, the complicated thing is to choose the right brand of your kitchen helper when you buy.
Although Shun and Wusthof are two kitchen knife brands, they have several differences. So, it’s essential to know what their differences are before you choose one of them. Let’s jump right in!
A Brief Summary Of Shun & Wusthof
Here are the things you want to know if you just have a minute and are seeking a brief comparison of these two knife brands. Shun is a Japanese-style kitchen knife with extremely sharp edges that can cut at 16-degree of angles on every side.
Besides, Wusthof is a Western-style German origin knife with a 14-degree angle, which is more pointed than shun knives. The blades of Shun knives are lighter, thinner, and fabricated of sturdy steel than their competitor Wusthof blades.
Because of the more robust composition of steel, edges of Shun knives are more chip than the edges of Wusthof. But, Wusthof edges will retain the edges for a long time as they’re highly durable. Among the eleven knives of Shun, All of them have made with exclusive Japanese designs.
As a result, they come with a stylish look and better performance. But, Wusthof delivered five unique knives that are also superbly designed, but they come with a traditional western look.
So, we can say that Shun and Wusthof are doubtlessly two of the best knife brands in the world that are in business for more than a century. In the debate of Wusthof vs Shun, one thing is very common among them that the knives of these two manufacturers are a bit pricier than others.
But, they have the right value to invest in because you can use them regularly and for years, even forever. In the many differences, the main one is their different look and feel. Usually, people have a robust preference for them, as their styles are very different.
A Quick Look At The Shun Knives
As a part of the KAI Group, Shun is a Japanese company that’s producing kitchen knives. Also, they’re manufacturing other cutlery products in Seki City of Japan since 1908. As we already said that this brand has eleven knife collections.
Every knife has made by hand with extra care through a process of 100-step by highly professional artisans. With their deep focus on craftsmanship and quality, they bring the traditions and legacy of ancient Japanese swordsmiths.
Among many handy features, two of them make this knife noticeable, including their blade materials as well as the unique designs.
Blade Material
Shun blades have made with “super steels” that include VG-MAX, VG10, SG2, and High-carbon “Blue.” They’re not just highly refined; they also have better edge retention. Also, they’re resistant to corrosion and chipping.
Design
Shun knives’ designs always speak for their own. They have made uniquely beautiful finishes and sharp angles. Some of their blades have featured with Damascus design. As a result, they have formed by layering some particular types of alloys and metals together.
Some of their handles have been made from hardwood, while others from synthetic materials have quite a few unique designs. You can learn more about the Shun Knives Review from the other post.
A Quick Look At The Wusthof Knives
Wusthof is a German brand producing knives since 1814. They have two lines of printed knives such as Gourmet and Pro that have laser cut from a vast steel sheet. Also, they have five different forged knives that undergo a process of 40-step.
Thus, they have heat-molded and come from a large, single piece of durable high-carbon stainless steel. Wusthof has many handy features, two of them make this knife noticeable such as their blade materials and designs.
Blade Material
All blades of Wusthof knives have made form from high-carbon and rust-proof steel and alloys. So, they come with improved hardness, extreme durability, and corrosion-resist features.
Although their handle material differs from the products they have made from Polyoxymethylene. This synthetic material holds a stiff molecular composition and resists fading.
Design
In the wusthof knife comparison, the knives of the Wusthof brand have well-designed for comfort, better performance, and higher safety. Their products come with a full bolster that doesn’t just add balance; it also protects your hand from falling onto the knife’s blade.
Also, the knives are as sturdy as balanced because of the full tang feature. As all products have an exceptional handle with ergonomic design, you’ll find them comfortable in hand.
You can learn more about the Wusthof Knives Review from the other post.
A Quick Comparison On Japanese Knives & German Knives
There are some fundamental differences between Japanese brand, Shun, and German brand, Wusthof. Shun knives offer lightweight, thin, and durable blades that make them effortless to use. It’s because they need less force to cut through food.
But, Wusthof knives come with thicker blades, so they’re as more massive as durable. Also, they can tolerate heavy-duty use, unlike the chip of the Japanese knives. While using Japanese knives, this is always suggested to get a slicing motion, smoothly pulling the knife throughout the food.
If you use this method, you can get the benefit of the sharpness of its edge. Also, you’ll get the advantage of its blade’s thinness, which helps you avoid any damage. As German knives are durable and thicker, they can manage up-&-down chopping more aggressively.
In-Depth Comparison Of Shun & Wusthof Knives
According to the standards, Shun and Wusthof knives have managed to get high scores. But, we believe the battle of Shun and Wusthof, both of them are strong candidates to take the gold.
The Wusthof Classic 8-inch chef knife is hugely sharp while Shun 8-Inch Chef Knife is an excellent piece of a knife. We have tested them and found sharpness is one of the priorities when we compare kitchen knives. So, let’s get an in-depth comparison of these two different knives below:
Shun 8-Inch Chef’s Knife
It’s an agile and lightweight chef’s knife from Shun Cutlery. The knife features a comfortable grip that makes it an easy option for various types of kitchen needs.
With razor-sharp edge and 8-inch length are ideal for dicing, cutting slicing, and chopping a wide range of foods. These include fruits, vegetables, and other items. Let’s know a bit more about their stunning features.
Design
The significant difference between these knives is in their use that lies in shape. Its flat and wide blade allows you to do an excellent job when you need chopping. That’s because the merely way you’ll be able to cut with it is just using a forward movement.
Besides, you can use this knife to shake the blade back and forward on the cutting board as it has a rounded blade. This chef’s knife will be your top choice if you buy a knife depending only on appearance.
Thanks to its traditional craftsmanship, the manufacturer made it from their Premier line, which used the ancient style of Kasumi knifemaking. Making the outside of this knife looks softer and smoother; the misty exterior is undoubtedly evident in the premier knives.
Although Kasumi structure plays a significant role in the knife’s property, we’ll talk about that later. This chef’s knife of Shun has a superb and functional finish to make stuff even better. Because of its hand-made tsuchime making process, it gives a similar look of this knife to the old samurai sword.
That’s why it considerably increases the functionality of the knife that we’ll expand upon below. Moreover, this chef’s knife has designed with an excellent Damascus style on two sides of the blade.
As the knife’s handle has is made of pakkawood, it brings the appearance of this knife to a new unique level. It feels very natural, but it has engineered with pakkawood.
This pakkawood undergoes polishing with sand that gives the glossy finish of its handle. And rest sure is that not any other pakkawood handles look precisely like another if you like to get a unique modeled knife.
Properties
The Shun 8-inch chef’s knife comes with a package of serious strength based on the outstanding exterior. When it comes to the key feature of this knife, its stainless steel of VG-MAX has made the core property. It’s the latest type of material in their VG-line that often considers as an improved and new version of the well-known VG10 steel.
The knife has superior strength and higher durability because of the included carbon in its steel. Also, it has packed with chromium that boosts the corrosion and wears resistance. Due to its upper level of molybdenum and cobalt, it gets improved strength.
As it has higher vanadium, it notably develops the contact resistance that eventually enhances the knife’s cutting performance. The knife is extremely sharp and elegant because of its increased levels of tungsten.
For utmost stability and strength, the knife’s every side has VG-MAX core designed with 34-layer high-carbon stainless steel. The knife also offers additional power of stain resistance.
Furthermore, its full tang design is another great thing to mention about this knife. It means you’ll feel the knife well balanced on your hand with handling lots of leverage and force.
General Care And Sharpening
Handwashing the blade using gentle dishwashing soap after every use is the simple way to extend your knife’s life. Indeed, you should avoid leaving it for a long time in the water as it may promote rust.
Also, it’s notable that granite or glass cutting boards are not suitable for your knife. So, you must practice cutting on a wooden board. You have to hone the blade, in any case, one time a month that will help you to avoid routine sharpening.
Thus, you don’t need to sharpen your knife above one time every year. You can get more of kitchen knives at our comparison Shun vs Miyabi.
Wusthof 8-Inch Chef’s Knife
This classic chef’s knife is not just an essential tool for your kitchen; it’s also a workhorse for your kitchen. The knife is a crucial wide-ranging kitchen gear that’s effortless to use for cutting, slicing, chopping, mincing, and dicing.
It’s also ideal for long-lasting work like cutting thicker meats and vegetables because of its balance and weight. Now, let’s know some more things about its spectacular features.
Design
Wusthof has the biggest selection of different types of knives. There’s somewhat to have room for every from serrated slicers to bread knife. But, the chef’s knives are the most flexible one among them.
So, we consider this 8-inch chef’s knife to be the best choice because it can manage most kitchen jobs while the different sizes of knives are out there to choose from. This knife is forged in type that also makes stamped knives.
But, these types of knives are higher in quality due to their precision-forged and made from one piece of sturdy steel. The making process of this knife goes through over 40 steps.
As they use unique X50CrMo14 steel, which is the combination of molybdenum, chromium, and vanadium, Wusthof is just about modernizations. All elements of this knife contribute to its overall performance that delivers something amazing.
The steel of this knife is hardened up to 58 HCR. That’s a standard and higher degree for German-style knife production. You can argue that Japanese knives like Shun knives have a higher degree of HRC degree.
But, Wusthof, of course, makes it up by bringing in the latest PEtec technology. So, you can say that it provides better sharpness by only seeking the knife as a result of this technology. When it comes to the handle, it’s probably the most comfortable one we have ever seen so far.
It offers a perfect sense of balance while it’s heavier than what you likely to work with. Its Polyoxymethylene made handle comes with three rivets.
Properties
As you have learned already, this 8-inch chef’s knife has made from special X50CrMo14 steel. Every element of the knife gives it a particular set of properties. Thanks to the chromium of the knife, it’s exceptionally stain-resistant, while molybdenum makes it very hardness plus corrosion resistance.
Also, vanadium boosts the hardness that makes it exceptionally durable. The knife ensures that it’s very sharp because of applying with the latest technology. For the highest workability, the manufacturer measures the knife’s blade before applying the laser sharpening method.
Precision robots use a whetstone to sharpen the blades by bringing most of the advanced technology of these days. To end with, the knives get the final polish through a particular disc.
Because of these features and their advantages, this chef’s knife works very well when you need to slice, mince, and dice different types of food. We also should say that it’s one of the sharpest knives we have experienced to date with sharpened edges at an angle of 14-degree. Also, you might be interested to know more about Dalstrong Vs Shun comparison.
General Care & Sharpening
It’s recommended to wash the Wusthof 8-inch chef’s knife right away after you use it like all other knives. You should use warm water to clean it, and dry right after washing that will help you to avoid rust.
Despite its dishwasher safe and come together with a wooded handle, it’s better to wash by hand. You don’t have to sharpen the knife very often if you care about it properly.
We recommend you to get honing steel to hone if your knife lost its sharpness because of constant use. But, you have to take out your big guns, meaning you should use a sharpener if it becomes dull.
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Conclusion
We know that you eagerly wait to know who the winner is in the Shun vs Wusthof debate. It’s a bit tough to determine and declare whether Shun or Wusthof has first past the post. Shun is a leading and famous Japanese-style knife, while Wusthof also covers all the requirements to be a beater.
You’ll get the first-class knife with better performance and will last an extended time despite which one you choose. Determining what features are most significant to you is the considering point to make simpler the decision.
To be honest, we have tested both of the knives, and two of them are as comfortable as durable and sturdy. But, we found the knife from Wusthof a bit more appealing than Shun.
However, the difference is very little, so you’re also all set to deal with your kitchen tasks using Shun knives. Most importantly, it widely depends on your choice and preference, which one you’ll make the winner from your side.
