Shun Kanso Knives

This is how you get your Shun Kanso collection started, Shun says of the build-a-block set, then add to it at your own pace. It pairs the 8-inch Kanso chef’s knife with the 9-inch Kanso combination honing steel and a 6-slot bamboo block with open slots for future knives.The chef’s knife handles daily prep on its own, and the honing steel keeps its edge aligned between sharpenings. As the collection grows, a parer, a utility knife or a santoku can fill the remaining slots. It suits a cook who wants one excellent knife now and a plan for the rest.
A Complete SetThe Kanso 6-Piece Block Set includes four knives from the start. Learn More

Shun describes this Kanso set as five key pieces of kitchen cutlery plus a block with a finish to match the Kanso handles. The 8-inch chef’s knife and 5.5-inch hollow ground santoku cover board work, the 6-inch utility knife and 3.5-inch parer handle the small jobs, and a 9-inch combination steel keeps every edge aligned.The dark-finished 8-slot angled block holds all five pieces, with two spare slots for future knives and one for a pair of kitchen shears. The knives are matched in finish and handle wood. It is a complete kitchen in one purchase and a substantial gift for a wedding or a new home.
Starting SmallerThe Kanso 3-Piece Starter Set includes three knives without a block. Learn More

Shun built this Kanso set around the three knives needed for grill-worthy proteins of all types, and adds an 8-slot knife roll to carry them to the smoker. The 12-inch hollow ground brisket knife slices brisket, ham and turkey and comes with its own wooden sheath. In barbecue, where knives meet salt, pepper and abrasive rubs, the rustic Kanso finish conceals the scratches of a well-used tool.A boning and fillet knife trims fat and silver skin before the cook, and the 5-inch Asian multi-prep knife handles poultry and small prep and is excellent for cleaning silver skin and fat caps. The 12-inch reach of the brisket knife gives uniform slices for catering trays. A knife roll keeps all three protected on the way to a cook-off. Each knife has a Tagayasan handle and a solid AUS10A blade. The set suits backyard pitmasters and competition cooks, and it makes a memorable gift for anyone who takes barbecue seriously.
Pieces Sold SeparatelySee the Brisket Knife, the Boning and Fillet Knife and the Asian Multi-Prep Knife. Learn More

The Kanso 4-piece steak knife set brings Shun’s plain-edged Japanese steel to the dinner table. Each 5-inch blade slices a ribeye or a pork chop cleanly, leaving a smooth face on the meat.Serrated steak knives saw through meat, which tears the fibers and lets flavorful juices escape onto the plate. A plain edge can be resharpened like any kitchen knife, so these steak knives stay keen for years. The rustic Heritage finish and dark Tagayasan handles match the Kanso kitchen knives, and the set arrives gift boxed, ready for a wedding or a housewarming.
Kanso in the KitchenPair them with the Kanso Hollow Ground Brisket Knife for carving at the table. Learn More

The Kanso 3-piece starter set gathers the three knives at the core of a kitchen, an 8-inch chef’s knife, a 6-inch utility knife and a 3.5-inch paring knife. The chef’s knife handles board work, the utility knife covers cheese and sandwiches, and the parer takes care of peeling in the hand.The three knives share the same rustic Heritage finish and contoured Tagayasan handle, so the set looks consistent on a magnetic strip or in a drawer. It comes gift boxed, which makes it a natural present for a graduate or a couple setting up a first kitchen. More Kanso knives can be added one at a time as a cook’s skills grow.
With a BlockThe Kanso 6-Piece Block Set adds a santoku and a honing steel in a block. Learn More

Honing gently realigns the edge of the blade, prolonging the knife’s sharpness, as Shun puts it. The 9-inch Kanso combination steel has two surfaces, a smooth one for regular honing and a micro-ribbed one for less frequent, more thorough realignment.Hold the knife at Shun’s 16° angle and draw each side lightly along the rod. Its handle is finished to match the Kanso knives, and the steel is included in the Kanso build-a-block and 6-piece sets. Ceramic rods can be brittle and may break if dropped in a commercial kitchen; this steel is rugged, and with two finishes on one tool it is more versatile than a standard smooth steel. A steel maintains an edge; it cannot restore one that has gone completely dull. A truly dull knife needs a whetstone.
Learn to HoneOur guide to honing steels covers technique. Learn More

Shun calls this 12-inch Kanso knife ideal for trimming and slicing large cuts of meat such as brisket and holiday roasts. The long blade draws through a whole brisket flat in one stroke, and hollow-ground indentations reduce sticking so each slice falls away intact.A wooden saya, or sheath, is included to protect the edge between barbecues. A rustic Heritage finish suits a knife that spends its life beside a smoker. It is the centerpiece of the Kanso BBQ set and a fine gift for a pitmaster.
The BBQ SetThe Kanso 4-Piece BBQ Set adds two smaller knives and a knife roll. Learn More

The 7-inch Kanso Asian utility knife has a tall, nearly rectangular blade in the style of a Chinese cleaver, but thin and light enough for slicing. It chops vegetables for a stir-fry, slices meat thinly for hot pot and scoops the cut food from the board on its broad face.The flat of the blade also crushes garlic or ginger with one press. Its single-steel AUS10A edge is keen and easy to maintain, and the contoured Tagayasan handle balances the tall blade. Cooks who prefer a cleaver-style knife for everyday work will find it a versatile primary blade, and it makes a distinctive gift.
Vegetable Knife OptionsThe 6.5-inch Hollow Ground Nakiri is a dedicated vegetable knife. Learn More

A boning and fillet knife has a narrow, curved blade that follows bones closely, and the Kanso version handles both meat and fish. It breaks a chicken into parts and lifts a fillet from a salmon’s backbone. It debones chicken thighs, removes silver skin from a beef tenderloin and cleans the rib bones on a rack of lamb.Work with the tip along the bone in short strokes, and keep the meat cold so it holds its shape. In the Kanso BBQ set, it trims a brisket before the smoker. Its Tagayasan handle gives a secure grip when your hands are wet. The double-bevel edge suits left- and right-handed cooks and is easy to maintain with standard waterstones or a honing rod.
Poultry SpecialistThe Kanso Asian Multi-Prep Knife is shorter and stiffer for poultry joints. Learn More