Shun Cutlery Knife Care Guide

The Shun (pronounced "shoon") knife collection is one of Kai Corporation's most popular and widely used. Built to last for both skilled chefs and home cooks, these knives have been carefully crafted in the quality and style of the legendary swordsmiths of Japan. Over 100 handcrafted steps are taken by highly skilled artisans to create the Shun knives. The Kai Corporation takes pride in delivering what they call a "functional work of art" by combining tradition, the highest quality materials, and the newest technology.

Quick Tips

• To prevent accidents, always be aware of where your fingers are in relation to the knife as the blade is extremely sharp.
• When cutting, avoid pushing down on the knife; this could damage the blade. The preferred "locomotive" motion should be almost effortless and not cause arm strain. 
• Only use Shun knives to cut meat and vegetables. Do not chop bones, frozen food, or thick-skinned vegetables with these knives. 
• For safety reasons, it is dangerous to leave knives soaking in a sink. It will also cause the knife to rust.
• It is not recommended to put Shun knives in the dishwasher. Knives get knocked around in the dishwasher which could damage the knives, other dishes, or the dishwasher.

Use & Care

With proper care, a Shun knife will last a long time and provide unparalleled performance in the kitchen. TO preserve the longevity of your knife use only on a soft, forgiving cutting surface, slice in an even "locomotive" motion, and hone with a Shun honing steel regularly.

For best results, keep the following in mind while using the Shun collection:​

• To avoid chipping, use Shun knives in a smooth, "locomotive" motion, instead of an up-and-down "chopping" style. This is most similar to a hand saw motion; pushing the knife forward with each cut down through the food, and pulling back up to take the next cut.
• To avoid rust, micro-corrosion, and chipping, hand-wash the knife immediately after use with a mild soap and dry completely before storing. 
•  Avoid using abrasive or citrus based soaps or detergents as they will cause rust.
• Use wooden or polypropylene cutting boards to cut food on, instead of glass, marble, ceramic, or acrylic surfaces which will dull and chip the blade. 
•  Always keep your Shun knives stored in a block, sheath, in-drawer holder, or other container. Not only is this protection for you and others in the kitchen, but it keeps the blade from getting dulled or chipped.

Honing & Sharpening​

• The life and performance of the blade relies on proper care. Honing and sharpening the knife are important in maintaining the blade. You can hone the knife as needed until it needs to be sharpened. The frequency of honing and sharpening depend on the amount of use. Note that over-sharpening can dramatically reduce the life of the blade.​
• Honing is the realignment of the micro edge, and can be done with the Shun honing steel tool.
•  This tool has a built-in guide to ensure proper honing at a 16 degree angle and prevent damage. 
•  A few strokes on each side of the blade should suffice.
• Diamond blade honing is not recommended as it can damage the blade by removing metal before sharpening is needed. 
•  Shun offers free sharpening through the limited lifetime warranty, by sending the knife to their Oregon facility. This ensures that a trained professional will restore the knife for optimal quality and sharpness.
• You can also purchase a whetstone or electric sharpener to sharpen the knife. Shun offers a three-piece whetstone set, complete with honing steel, whetstone, and a bamboo stand angled at 16 degrees for proper and simple sharpening. Other electric sharpeners are not built with the 16 degree angle and could damage the blade.  

Lifetime Warranty

Shun brand products under Kai USA Ltd. carry a limited warranty for the lifetime of the original owner. Items covered include manufacturing defects in material and construction, as well as ability to perform as advertised. This warranty does not include normal wear and tear, such as rust, damage due to improper use, accident, loss, or theft. Shun will replace or repair defective products at their sole discretion. The owner must send the defective product to the Tualatin, OR facility.

Kai USA Ltd., Shun Cutlery
Warranty Department
18600 SW Teton Avenue,Tualatin, Oregon 97062

Please note the following liability disclaimer:​

​"Shun cutlery and Kai brand products are sold for legitimate culinary purposes only. Any use of these products other than cutting is considered misuse and abuse and Kai USA Ltd. is not responsible for any injuries or damages caused by misuse and/or abuse."

Any use other than cutting is considered misuse and abuse and will void the warranty.