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| General Questions |
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| What’s the correct way to pronounce Shun? |
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| Say, “Shoon” (rhymes with moon). Shun is the Japanese concept of eating fresh, local, and in-season—when food is at the peak of perfection. At Kai, we work hard to live up to that tradition everyday, making fine kitchen cutlery that is always at the peak of its perfection, too. |
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| What is the Shun Honing Steel made of? |
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| Honing steel is used to realign the micro edge of the knife. With Shun knives, the VG-10 cutting core is so hard that it stays sharp longer than other knives. Depending on how often you use your Shuns, you may wish to hone your knives only once a week or so. The Shun Honing Steel has a micro-ridged stainless-steel rod that is used to gently realign the knife’s edge. It features a premium moisture-resistant PakkaWood® handle with a built-in 16° honing guide to help you hone to the correct angle easily. |
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| Are the Shun Classic’s D-shaped handles only for right-handed users? |
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| No. The D-shape of the Shun Classic handles was designed to tuck into the palm of a right-handed user and provide more control by leaving less space between handle and hand. That said, many left-handers find that the handle works just as well for them. The best way to know whether a knife is right for you is to actually hold the knife in your hands before making your purchase. |
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| Are the Pure Komachi 2 knives ceramic? |
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| No, they’re not. Our Pure Komachi 2 blades are made of high-carbon stainless steel with a food-safe, FDA-approved resin coating. This non-stick coating (similar to Teflon®) provides the eye-catching color, resists corrosion, makes cleaning simple, and helps the knife glide through food with ease. |
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| Can I buy direct from you? |
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| Yes, you may purchase Shun knives directly from us at Kai USA. However, we always charge the MRSP (Manufacturer’s Recommended Selling Price), which will normally be higher than what many of our dealers charge for the same products. We do this because we want to support the dealers who carry our quality products by not undercutting their prices. While we would be happy to sell you our products directly—just give us a call—you will usually find a much better price from one of our terrific dealers. And be assured that the Shun product you purchase through our authorized dealers will be fully backed by our famous Lifetime Warranty. |
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| Use and Care |
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| How can I help maintain the life of my knife? |
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If you use your Shun knife correctly, it can be an heirloom possession for you. Using your knife correctly isn’t just about how to maintain the edge and how to sharpen the blade; it’s about how you use the knife on a daily basis.
Please do not push straight down on your blades, Not only will this result in arm fatigue for you, it can also be hard on your blades. When you cut, it’s important to use a “locomotive” motion. Move the blade in either a forward or backward direction. By pushing the blade forward when you chop, rather than pushing straight down, the blade does the work instead of having to use your muscle to cut. The same applies pulling back on the knife. This slicing motion will cut down on muscle pain and keep your blade in excellent condition. |
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| Is there anything Shun knives shouldn’t be used on? |
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| Please do not use Shun knives—other than the Ken Onion meat cleaver—on bones or joints. These knives are designed for precision slicing rather than chopping through bones. |
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| How should I store my knives? |
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| Store your knives in a block, a knife case, a drawer wood holder, a sheath, a magnetic bar, or back in its original box. If your knives are just thrown in a drawer, they can get dulled or chipped, as well as being a potential hazard when you reach into the drawer. |
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| What are appropriate cutting surfaces? |
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| One key to keeping a Shun (or any other knife) sharp is to use an appropriate cutting surface. These include wood, bamboo, and polypropylene, all of which are softer materials and will “give” under the blade. If the knife can leave a cut line in the board, your cutting board is sufficiently soft. Please do not cut on tile, ceramic plates, marble, granite, or acrylic. All of these surfaces will dull your blade very quickly. |
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| What is the proper way to hone a Shun blade? |
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To maintain the life of your blade and for optimal performance, it’s important to keep your knife honed. But remember that there’s a big difference between honing and sharpening.
Honing maintains your blade. It simply realigns the micro edge of your blade to give you the best performance possible—until your knife is ready for re-sharpening. Sharpening actually removes metal from the blade, putting a fresh edge on the knife. If you hone regularly, you’ll cut down on the need for sharpening and extend the life of your knife.
You can easily hone your knives with the Shun Honing Steel. Our Honing Steel has a built-in honing guide set to the correct Shun 16° angle. Line your knife up with the guide, then make a few light strokes on each side of the blade. That’s all it takes to maintain the edge. (Please do not use a diamond steel for regular honing. Diamond steels are for sharpening and will remove metal from your knife before it is necessary.) |
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| What’s the best way to sharpen my knives? |
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There are several options for sharpening your Shun knives.
First, you can send your knives to our Kai USA facility in Portland, Oregon. We will be happy to restore the factory edge to your blade for as long as you own the knife. There is no charge to you for this service, aside from the cost of mailing the knife to us. We will sharpen your knives and return them to you via the US Post Office. Please include a return address as well as a telephone number so we can contact you if needed.
To have your knives sharpened, send them to:
Kai USA ltd., Shun Knives
WARRANTY DEPARTMENT
18600 SW Teton Avenue
Tualatin, OR 97062
(For more information, click Warranty at the bottom of this page.)
If you prefer, you can also take your knives to a professional sharpener in your area. If you choose this option, please make sure your sharpener knows that Shun knives are sharpened to a 16° angle on either side.
To sharpen your Shuns yourself, Shun has an electric sharpener—set to the correct Shun 16° angle—available. The Shun Electric Sharpener retails for $59. Pros or knowledgeable home cooks may also choose to sharpen using a whetstone.
But please remember that sharpening is not something that should be done on a weekly or even a monthly basis. Sharpening actually removes some of the metal from the blade, so sharpening too frequently may reduce the life of your knife. |
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| Can I wash my knives in the dishwasher? |
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Technically, yes. Both the blades and the PakkaWood® handles can stand up to the rigors of the dishwasher.
However, we generally recommend against it. Here’s why: The dishwasher can be hard on all your dishes, but it can be especially hard on knives because they tend to get knocked around during the cycle. Conversely, sharp knives can put “dings” in your dishwasher, too. In addition, when you wash different grades of metal together, brown spotting may occur on the higher quality metals (such as Shun blades). These spots can be difficult, if not impossible, to remove. Finally, many dishwashing detergents contain corrosive agents. Not only can this cause unnecessary wear on your dishes, it can also cause pitting or corrosion on your Shun knives.
For all these reasons, we recommend that you protect your investment by choosing to handwash your blades with a gentle dish soap that contains no bleach or citrus extracts. |
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| What should I keep in mind when handwashing my knives? |
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The best and easiest method is simply to wash the knife using a damp sponge and mild soap right after you use it. Make sure you do not run the sponge—or your hand—directly along the blade at any time. Towel-dry the knife and let it air dry for a few minutes before retuning to its proper storage.
Please do not leave your knife sitting in a sink full of water. Not only can it be dangerous if you reach into the sink without seeing the knife; it can also be hard on any knife if left soaking in water for an extended period of time. |
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| Warranty Information |
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 WARRANTY SHIPPING INSTRUCTIONS AND FORM
Limited Lifetime Warranty
Each of these quality knives and cutlery products are guaranteed for the lifetime of the original owner to be free of defects when received from the factory. Any product we find to be defective in its original material, construction, or workmanship will be repaired or replaced with the same item or one of equal value at no charge. (Of course, normal wear, abuse such as prying with the knife, or neglect are excluded from this non-transferable warranty.) For warranty service, please return product via UPS or insured mail. Include your name, address, telephone number, and a short explanation of the warranty service requested to the address below. Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery.
Kai USA ltd., Shun Cutlery
WARRANTY DEPARTMENT
18600 SW Teton Avenue
Tualatin, OR 97062
Liability Disclaimer
The purchase, use, and ownership of knives are subject to a wide variety of local laws and regulations. Certain knife styles, blade designs, and blade lengths are not allowed in specific areas. In light of recent events involving national security, knives may not be permitted in government buildings or on government property (such as court houses, federal offices, national monuments, and airports), and government officials may take the position that knives are “weapons” under applicable laws. Due to the complexity and constantly changing nature of these laws and regulations, it is impossible for Kai USA ltd., and Shun Cutlery to be aware of every restriction in every location in which our knives may be sold or carried. It is the responsibility of the buyer to investigate and comply with the laws and regulations that apply in his or her specific area. You, and not Kai USA ltd., are solely responsible for any claims resulting from violation of these laws and/or regulations.
WARNING! Knives are extremely sharp tools and should only be used with the utmost care and caution. Any use other than cutting is considered misuse and abuse and will void your warranty.
Shun Cutlery products are made in the USA, Japan and China as indicated on the product.
We reserve the right to change specifications, materials, or discontinue products at any time without notice. |
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| Where do I ship my knife for warranty service? |
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| Please see the Warranty Shipping Form Instructions and Form to send back any KAI-USA, LTD knives for warranty service: WARRANTY SHIPPING INSTRUCTIONS AND FORM |
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| Can I ship my knife in a padded envelope? |
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| Please use a box. Padded envelopes are often ripped or torn open during the shipping process and your knife could be lost. We cannot be responsible for knives lost during shipping. |
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| Can I have my old knife back if you choose to replace it? |
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| We're sorry, but we cannot replace a knife and return the old one. |
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| I shipped my knife to you for sharpening or repair. Have you received it yet? |
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We encourage you to ship via UPS or Fed-Ex as these companies automatically provide a tracking number. The tracking number allows you to easily verify your knife’s arrival at our facility. If you prefer mailing the knife to us via the post office, we suggest insuring the package and using the Delivery Confirmation service. Again, this will provide a tracking number for verification of the arrival of the knife.
Please remember that shipping and mailing times vary greatly. Check with your shipping service for the approximate shipping time from their facility to ours. |
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| What is your turn around time? |
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| We process warranty requests as soon as possible. But please allow four weeks from the day you ship the knife before contacting us. |
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| Will you sharpen my knife? |
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| Yes, we sharpen every Shun knife sent in for warranty service as part of our normal procedure. (In fact, we will sharpen your Shun knife free of charge even if it doesn’t need warranty service. Please see below.) We provide this additional service free of charge. Please note that we can only sharpen and repair Shun, Wasabi, and Pure Komachi 2 knives. |
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| How will I know if my knife is covered under warranty? |
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| Please provide your phone number and the best time to call you in your letter of information. If there is any problem with your coverage, we will call you to discuss your knife. Otherwise, we will repair and sharpen your knife within our usual turnaround time. |
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| Do I include money for return shipping costs? |
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| No, we do not charge for the return shipping costs. (You will have to pay for the initial shipping costs to us, however.) Please note that in order to keep our costs down so that we can continue providing warranty service free of charge, we will return your knife to you via the US postal service only. We cannot accommodate overnight or other special shipping requests. |
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| Can I send my knife back to you for routine sharpening? |
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| Yes, we will happily sharpen any Shun, Wasabi, or Pure Komachi 2 knife for you. There is no cost for this service, aside from that of initially shipping the knife to our facility. |
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