Hey everyone David C Andersen here coming at you from the KnifeCenter Kitchen And today
we’re taking a look at the Shun Sora collection,
The Sora collection brings Shun’s premium cutting experience into a more affordable
price range.
It’s a step above the entry-level blades in terms of cost, but they are an incredible
value, offering materials and performance that are a cut above their competitors.
There are a full range of options available in the lineup, from paring knives to serrated
knives and full-size chef and santoku knives.
The blades are unique, and are at the heart of what makes these knives special.
You can basically think of them as a jigsaw puzzle - we have a top section and a bottom
section that are laser cut for precision and braze welded together, forming a pattern that
calls to mind classic Japanese sword hamon lines.
The spine side is a solid piece of high-polished 420J stainless steel which keeps the materials
cost down,
But the edge section is where you truly get your money’s worth - by putting high-performance
steel right where you need it most, the edge, with laminated steel featuring a VG-10 cutting
core.
Shun’s proprietary process is a modern twist on an old blacksmithing trick - seen, for
example, with axe makers on the American frontier.
Where quality steel was scarce, the cutting bit of the axe head would be embedded in lower
quality steel.
Materials aren’t nearly so scarce nowadays, but Shun’s composite blade technology allows
them to bring you maximum performance without the high premium usually associated with it.
And no need to worry about the durability of the weld - we’ve seen this process before
from Kershaw, one of Shun’s sister companies, on blades like the Leek and the Junkyard Dog
for years to great success.
The factory edges are extremely sharp right out of the box, and they are sharpened to
a very acute 16-degree bevel, making them feel even sharper and cut like a laser
The handle and tang design owes a lot to classic Japanese kitchen cutlery, with a hidden tang
and handle shape both updated for a more modern aesthetic.
The polymer handles are another way to keep the cost down, but they still feel nice and
streamlined in the hand - easy to index in use.
Here we have the Shun Sora 8” Chef Knife, which is a bit more like a Japanese gyuto
than it is a typical Western chef knife, with less belly here at the tip meaning you don’t
have to raise your wrist quite as much when chopping or mincing.
Popular as a compliment or even a substitute for the chef knife is a good Santoku, and
this 7” model comes from my kitchen.
I’m usually not a big fan of these scallops behind the edge - they are supposed to help
keep food from sticking, but sometimes it is hard to feel the benefit.
Not so with this knife, as they are deep enough to truly make a difference.
Both of these larger blades are great all around utensils and are at their best when
using it in a push-cut style typical of eastern kitchen knives.
The feel of the cuts when using these knives is addictive - there is just so little resistance!
- and you’ll probably find yourself looking for recipes that require a little more cutting,
just so you get another chance to use the knives.
We’re also fans of the 6” Sora Chef Knife - this one belongs to one of our video producers.
It makes a great companion knife, with a little more overall belly than the 8” chef or 7”
santoku.
This helps it when slicing meat, and I think this one is the best in the Sora lineup when
it comes to mincing.
Thanks to the curvature it has a nice, gentle landing on the cutting board, making it a
joy to use.
Of course, your kitchen wouldn’t be complete without a good paring knife, and I’m a big
fan of the Sora 3.5” Paring Knife.
The thin, lightweight blade handles with ease - it can be very precise at things like skinning
a potato or trimming vegetables or fruit.
It even has a little offset to the edge angle, making it easy to use when doing tip-down
pull cuts along a cutting board.
Other options to flesh out your Sora collection include block sets, utility knives both serrated
and plain edge, and serrated bread knives as well.
Everything you need to fully outfit your kitchen.
As you can see, we plainly love these Sora knives from Shun.
If you’ve never experienced a truly sharp kitchen knife, it is a game-changing experience,
and the Sora knives can cut with some of the best knives out there.
If you want to get your hands on one, make sure to click the link in the description
below to head on over to KnifeCenter.com
But if you’re still on the fence, we’re actually offering you a chance to win this
8” Sora Chef Knife, generously donated to us by Shun in order to giveaway to you.
In order to enter, make sure you are subscribed to the Knife Center YouTube channel, and then
comment below telling us what you would like to cook up using this fine blade.
You must have a U.S. shipping address, and we will be announcing a winner on Monday March,
11th.
A full list of rules can be found in the description below.
Good luck everyone!