Although neither of these knives is a personal favorite, they are both brilliant pieces of cutlery and deserve a special mention. However, given the choice between them, he could pick a clear favourite. Since I prefer lighter knives with more ergonomic handles, I deeply prefer the Shun Premier. With that said, anyone who likes a classic French knife would love the Wusthof Classic.

Overview

The Shun Premier is a classic Japanese style chef’s knife. It is slim, lightweight and has a stylish design. I love its hammered Damascus steel, which makes it look like a samurai artifact. The combination of steels used in the construction of the blade gives it a good balance of a hard, high carbon core and a softer Damascus steel liner and protects the brittle interior. However, it is not a very suitable knife for heavy tasks, so some finesse is required to use it to its fullest.

The Wusthof Classic line of knives is no less impressive. It’s heavier, sturdier, and shaped like a handle that most Western chefs have grown accustomed to. Its forged, high-carbon stainless steel is strong, durable, and can be taken advantage of with minimal maintenance. The rim is precision engineered using Wusthof’s proprietary PETec process. It also has a thick pad and finger guard that support the butt of the knife, which along with its weight makes it a great heavy-duty knife. It can be a bit heavy for some though, and I’ve never been a fan of typically blocky European knife handles.

knife surface

The Wusthof Classic line tends to have a smooth blade (although there is a dimpled or hollow-bottomed version). This flat blade makes thin slicing a bit trickier, as the food sticks to the flat part of the blade. Shun Premier’s blade traps small pockets of air under the slices and makes it much easier to cut extremely thin foods. It’s a little more prone to getting bits of food stuck inside, but the hammered look is so pretty that I’ll forgive it for being a little less convenient.

Beef up

In typical Japanese style, the buttress only serves to connect the handle to the blade and is as thick as the thinnest part of the handle. It’s light because the blade is light and you don’t have to balance as much. I like light knives. On the other hand, though, there’s a lot to be said for a big, beefy booster. The Wusthof has a reinforced gusset and toe guard which also makes the heel a perfect tool for wedging and cracking. Although I keep a big, heavy, cheap knife for those things, it makes the Wusthof more versatile and robust.

Solve

It’s looking at the obvious time. The handles of these two knives are drastically different, and at first glance the Wusthof appears to be more ergonomically designed. Unfortunately, it also has a boxy, blocky profile. I don’t find these knives particularly comfortable or easy to grip. The Shun Premier has a rounded handle that looks straight from the side, but actually fits much better in the hand’s naturally rounded grip (I think) without needing too much force. Another point for Shun.

Steel

I’m generally a fan of high carbon stainless steel like the one the Wusthof Classic is made of. However, the reason for this is that high carbon steel is a headache to maintain. It takes so much effort and attention to prevent fading or chipping. The Shun handles this very well with 16 layers of Damascus steel protecting the business end of the blade. These knives have a wicked edge, but the edge itself can be brittle, so it’s important to respect that.

recommendations

The Wusthof Classic is perfect for chefs with a classical European influence. It is deeply familiar and a high quality tool. Strictly as a matter of personal aesthetics and comfort preferences, however, it’s not my favorite of the two.

The Shun premier is a classic Japanese style knife and a clear choice for anyone coming from the Japanese culinary tradition. It’s also lighter, has a more comfortable handle, and looks closer to art. Definitely my favorite in this duo.

However, if these knives are a bit dated and stuffy for your taste, check out the Global G-2 and Shun Ken Onion comparison. Those are two knives that push the modern envelope nicely.