Classic 6 1/2" Nakiri Knife

Stays sharp for so long! Had it for over a year and isn’t due for sharpening yet. Slices through tough vegetables like onions, carrots so easily. Make sure only used for vegetables and not meats because meats will dull the blade. Completely worth the money. Favorite cutlery I own! Gifted to my boyfriend’s parents because I loved it so much! Highly recommend.

This is one of the best knives in my collection. I am an experienced cook but have never tried a Nakiri knife. This was on sale at Amazon, so I decided to test it. I discovered it is perfect for vegetables and other soft items. It is also ideal for making julienne or a fine dice of garlic or onion, and is as sharp or sharper than the Shun 8" Chef's Knife that I also own. If you can afford it, this is a must-have for your knife collection!

Great quality knife. Works perfectly for cutging veggies.

Bought other Shun knives first, but then discovered this one and it is now my wife's favorite for a variety of tasks. These things are awesome for slicing when sharp.

This is my first Japanese knife, and I'm already a convert. It's simply a joy to look at and use. I look forward to picking it up every time. And since I chop at least one vegetable basically any time I cook, it seemed to make sense to have a specialized vegetable knife. Why not? If you're worried about the D-handle because you're a lefty: don't. It's very subtle. You might not even notice, if nobody told you. One very minor negative: it came out of the box with a somewhat strong artificial/chemical smell, which I attribute to the pakkawood. If you didn't know, it's a manufactured material–basically wood veneers and resin, as I understand it. The smell abated somewhat after an initial wash, and it's mostly gone after a couple days airing out. But I get a little wary of anything that's off-gassing VOC's and the like...if that's a concern for you. I do like this material; it's most of the feel of natural wood, with none of the maintenance or worries (so I'm told). This is, by some margin, the best factory edge I've yet seen on a knife of any kind. No joke. It is *almost* hair-popping (I can feel it grab) and it glides through paper with a whisper. I happen to sharpen knives as a side-hustle, I'm a bit obsessive about my own blades, and I had planned/expected to take this right to the stones as I would any new knife (likely setting a new angle). With this one, though, I wouldn't be able to improve upon it much. If a customer brought it to me, I'd hand it right back. I certainly wouldn't change the angle. They claim 16º per-side, and while it is quite a thin knife, I'm still *slightly* dubious as the bevel is almost invisible. Regardless, I wouldn't monkey with it. Any additional sharpness would be superfluous, so there's no reason to risk durability by overdoing it. It definitely seems to favor a slicing motion, versus the "rock and chop" that I'm used to doing with chef's knives. Tap-chops work, too, but will surely dull it faster. Sometimes I have to remind myself that just because I *can* make translucent-paper slices, doesn't mean I *should* for every recipe. I don't think that's a downside.

Easily my favorite knife, and that’s saying a lot! I’ve been growing my collection of Shun Classics for about four years now. Each definitely serves its purpose. The Nikiri, though ... man, it’s essential. I don’t eat a ton of vegetables, but when slicing, dicing or mincing them, there’s nothing better for the task. The weight and balance are perfect, the blade was super sharp upon delivery and, as it’s straighter than pretty much all the other blades, I’d have to say it’s probably the easiest to sharpen. I’m not an amazing cook and my knife skills are definitely wanting, however, once you learn to slice, rather than chop, these Japanese knives make perfect, precise cuts and actually are a joy to use. Lastly, as with the other Shun Classics, the Damascus cladded blades are eye catching. I have their slim walnut knife block but, as my collection’s recently outgrown it, I always have a knife or two out (... admittedly on display) in my makeshift prep area). I’ve just ordered a magnetic strip to hang the knives I need for the meal I’m prepping. The Nikiri will likely be a permanent fixture there as it’s definitely my favorite to look at!

Good Product.

I have a range of Shun knives - paring, chefs 5 and 8 inch, chopper and carver. The is my last one that I will need - it arrived this morning. Well packed as always, on unpacking looked beautiful. I washed in warm soapy water and immediately tried it out. Fruit salad, pineapples, mangoes, kiwi, strawberries - all prepped great....and did not stick to blade on cutting. I was so sharp, really sharp. I will keep it this way with my Chefs Choice 15Xv sharpener. I then prepped some red pepper, tomatoes and other veg....clean cuts without effort. Using the knife was really easy, well balanced, easily handed. Maybe a little bit heavier than some I have held but I like the heft, its reassuring without requiring effort to wield - Really good knife...love it