Shun Cutlery

Shun Knives are among the most beautiful and effective in the world. These extremely sharp and durable knives are indispensable tools for both the professional chef in a fine restaurant and the gourmet chef at home. Advanced manufacturing processes produce a far superior blade that reduces friction when slicing food, and all Shun knives achieve ideal balance for hours of fatigue-free prep work. The current company is named KAI USA Ltd, and has three lines of products; the original Kershaw Knives name, Shun Cutlery, which sells kitchen cutlery,and Zero Tolerance, a new line of combat knives. The Zero Tolerance line represents joint designs between custom knife makers Ken Onion, Tim Galyean, and Strider Knives; a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each knife is donated to the Outdoor Recreation Heritage Fund for the Paralyzed Veterans of America. Ken Onion is Kershaw's best-known designer, who has won numerous awards for his designs with the company since 1998, such as his Speed-Safe opening models. Shun Cutlery offers knives designed by both Ken Onion and Food Network personality Alton Brown. Kershaw has also collaborated with custom knife makers Grant and Gavin Hawk, Frank Centofante, and Ernest Emerson. In 2002 Kershaw released a model which was a collaboration between custom knife maker Ken Onion and Stephen Seagal featuring actual stingray leather on the handle.[9] In 2004 Kershaw developed a multi-tool for the National Geographic Society with National Geographic filmmaker Bryan Harvey. Kershaw has also released models in collaboration with Jeep, Orange County Choppers, the American Professional Rodeo Association, and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.In May 2005, Kershaw Knives won four of the top awards at the Blade Show in Atlanta, Georgia. This was the first time in the show's history that one company won this number of awards in one year: 2005 Overall Knife of the Year, 2005 Most Innovative American Design, 2005 Kitchen Knife of the Year, and 2005 Knife Collaboration of the Year. In June 2007, Kershaw Knives won Blade Show's "Overall Knife of the Year Award" with the model 1850 "Tyrade", in which the patent-pending concept of using two different steels in the same blade was introduced. The blade steels were D2 tool steel at the cutting edge, and a spine of CPM154 stainless steel. In 2009, Kershaw announced a collaboration with Emerson Knives, Inc. to produce an automatic version of Emerson's Commander.