Knives

The Shun Classic 7-inch Chinese Vegetable Cleaver is a large, squared knife with a very wide blade, and it serves as the Chinese answer to a chef’s knife. It is especially useful for processing vegetables, particularly large ones such as cabbage, yet it is nimble enough for nearly every kind of cutting and slicing, from fruits and vegetables to a full array of boneless proteins. The cleaver feels solid in hand, but Shun’s thinner blade keeps it easy to control through a long prep session. The broad, flat side of the blade crushes garlic and carries chopped ingredients from board to pan. This is a vegetable cleaver, not a meat cleaver, so it is not made for joints or bones. It shares the construction and handle of the entire Shun Classic line.
FeaturesVery wide blade: The tall blade keeps knuckles well clear of the board, crushes garlic with the flat, and scoops large piles of prepped food in one pass.Thin cleaver profile: A thinner blade than a meat cleaver gives clean, controlled slices through vegetables and boneless proteins.VG-MAX cutting core: Shun’s proprietary steel is strong, fine-grained, and resistant to wear and corrosion, and it holds a very keen edge through extended prep.Stainless Damascus cladding: Layered stainless steel supports the core, adds stain resistance, and helps food release from the blade.Hand-sharpened double-bevel edge: The fine, symmetrical edge serves left- and right-handed cooks equally well.D-shaped ebony PakkaWood handle: The handle is comfortable in either hand, durable enough for daily use, and does not harbor bacteria.Full composite tang: The composite construction keeps the knife balanced despite the size of the blade.Handcrafted in Seki City, Japan: Each Shun Classic knife requires at least 100 individual steps to complete in Seki City, one of Japan’s most important blade-making centers since the 13th century.Free lifetime sharpening: Shun offers free lifetime sharpening, so the knife can be professionally sharpened by the manufacturer whenever its edge needs restoring.
Tasks It Handles WellShredding cabbage and lettuceChopping and slicing large vegetablesCrushing and mincing garlic and gingerSlicing boneless meats and fishTransferring prepped ingredients from board to pan
Choosing a Shun Vegetable KnifeThe Shun Classic 6.5-inch Nakiri is the smaller, lighter vegetable knife, with a straight edge suited to push cuts and tap chopping. Cooks who want a wide blade in a more familiar Western shape should consider the Shun Classic 8-inch Western Cook’s Knife, whose stronger edge is built for dense foods such as winter squash. Learn More