# Shun or Calphalon Katana Santoku?



## jonhaber (Jun 4, 2012)

looking for a recommendations on which knife to choose

the shun non-hollow ground 7.5 " santoku
http://www.amazon.com/Shun-DM0702-C...

or the 

calphalon katana 7" hollow ground santoku
http://www.cheftalk.com/products/ca...

thanks!


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## Deckhand (Jun 4, 2012)

Welcome!
Most people would recommend getting a gyuto. I have a misono ux10 santoku I like. The hattori Hd santoku would be my recommendation in your price range if you are wanting a santoku over a gyuto.


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## kalaeb (Jun 4, 2012)

Welcome Jon. 

If I had to choose between those two i would choose the shun, only because I have used other shun knives in the past and been happy with them. I dont know anything about the Calphalon. 

Some other options you might want to consider would be the mac superior, less costly and a little better steel. 

Do you mind if I ask why you narrowed down your search to those two knives? 

If you are dead set on those two, I believe Bed Bath and Beyond carries both and you could go test them and see which one feels better in your hand.


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## jonhaber (Jun 4, 2012)

thanks for the replies so far

i am looking at these two knives because i would like to try a santoku in place of my chefs knife, i like damascus,

the calphalon i can get for $80 cad at bbb. I am watching an auction for the shen which might be $100. I want to spend under $120 at most.

also wondering how important the hollow ground is, read it makes no difference

thanks


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## jonhaber (Jun 4, 2012)

that mac knife looks nice, would be be noticeable a better performer than these other two?


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## Benuser (Jun 4, 2012)

Hiromoto AS 190mm: $114 with JCK and $109.85 with CKTG.


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## Justin0505 (Jun 4, 2012)

I remember someone posting about a really awwsone, cheap santoku a few months back. It was a basic kurouchi finish w/ wa handle, very thin... I think it was like <$50. Ring a bell for anyone?

As for the OP, I have used both and the shun is in a different league in terms of quality. The cala katana knives are designed to look cool in a BB&B display case, but are kinda crapy. I believe the "damascus" is just pattern etched mono-layer cladding designed to look like folded damascus. The handle material is cheap and just glued in place and Ive seen it warp and come loose from the metal. 
I used to think that they looked cool too, until I met someone with a few. Dont wast your money.


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## Vertigo (Jun 4, 2012)

Get the Shun. Those two knives aren't even comparable. 



> also wondering how important the hollow ground is, read it makes no difference



I doubt the Calphalon is truely "hollow ground" like a straight razor, and rather they're just using that term to mean it has scalloping on the blade. If so, it doesn't make a smack of a difference at all. It's like putting a pink cardboard spoiler on your AMC Eagle and calling it a selling point. Meaningless marketing voodoo.

_Edit - And for the record, this is Damascus:







The sloppy chicken-scratched nonsense with the Shun and the Calphalon is just more meaningless marketing voodoo. _


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## Andrew H (Jun 4, 2012)

Justin0505 said:


> I remember someone posting about a really awwsone, cheap santoku a few months back. It was a basic kurouchi finish w/ wa handle, very thin... I think it was like <$50. Ring a bell for anyone?
> 
> As for the OP, I have used both and the shun is in a different league in terms of quality. The cala katana knives are designed to look cool in a BB&B display case, but are kinda crapy. I believe the "damascus" is just pattern etched mono-layer cladding designed to look like folded damascus. The handle material is cheap and just glued in place and Ive seen it warp and come loose from the metal.
> I used to think that they looked cool too, until I met someone with a few. Dont wast your money.



Are you thinking of this? http://www.japaneseknifeimports.com/zakuri-165mm-blue-1-kurouchi-tosagata-bocho.html
That's what I would get.


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## tkern (Jun 4, 2012)

I have the Zakuri and its a bit too small to be a santoku. Its more of a snub nosed, tall petty. Its a great knife for utility work but not to replace a chefs knife.


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## tk59 (Jun 4, 2012)

Shun is a better cutter, in my opinion. The hollow grind prob has a minor effect. If you want the damacus look, I would check out the wares at Japanese Chef Knife and go for either the: Gekko, Inazuma lines. Hattori HD is a slightly better cutter, in my opinion but a bit more expensive, IIRC. I have not tried Togiharu but Korin also carries a hammered "damascus" line of knives that I'm sure performs well.


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## Eamon Burke (Jun 4, 2012)

You said you like damascus. A Sakai Takayuki Hammered Texture Damascus Santouku is $111 and a good little knife. Pretty knife too.

If you want only good steel on a budget and will sacrifice damascus and a nice handle, you can get a Dojo santoku--they are like $80 and Aogami Super, a very good quality carbon steel.

Tanaka Damascus Santokus are at the top of your price range, but it's a good brand and more traditional looking.

*edit* the Togiharu Santoku at Korin that tk59 mentioned is also a suggestion of mine, because it and the Sakai Takayuki are the same exact knife--it just gets rebranded and sold many places.


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## zitangy (Jun 4, 2012)

If I remember the steel type is as follows..

VG10 for shun
VG1 for calphalon katana series

Calphalon, Scanpan.. their primary business is pot and pans not knives... They figured that they have followers ( blind ones) adn so they OEM it and stick their brand..

have fun

d


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## James (Jun 4, 2012)

In addition to the ones recommended already, check out the miyabi kaizen and fusion from sur la table


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## tgraypots (Jun 4, 2012)

I had a MAC Superior for a while and enjoyed using it. I gave it to my sister and she loves it. The Calphalon Katana is made in China. I bought a honesuki from BB&B, brought it home and opened it up, found the blade was bent in 2 places and returned it.


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## tk59 (Jun 4, 2012)

Keep in mind, some of these knives are not stainless. I don't know if you are comfortable with that.


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