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You are working on improving your culinary skills. The thing you must need to do as you improve your skills is to make sure that you can support yourself. One of the critical things you need in the kitchen to keep your improving culinary skills is to have the proper knives to work with, as there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all knife.
That is why it is essential to learn about the different blades that chefs use and determine which ones are the best ones for you. The knives to compare today are high-end knives that professional chefs love: the Cutco and Shun brands. What is the difference between these knives? Let’s go over the overview of both brands and then make the comparison. Let’s go over the Shun knife brand now.
The Shun Knife Overview
The Shun knife brand comes from Japan, and it caters to the high-end and professional chefs and those who cook at home that want to cook high-quality gourmet food. The Sun knives are beautiful and make a great addition to the kitchen, aesthetic-wise, and high-end food preparation purposes. Shun knives have the composition of expensive materials as the blades are hard-steel that requires a lot of maintenance as these knives are incredibly sharp.
Since the Shun knives are very sharp, they need frequent sharpening, which you can do yourself or send to a professional to take care of it. However, they will become dull very quickly if you use them regularly. You also want to be very careful when you use these knives to easily injure yourself because of their highly sharp edges. You also want to make sure that the blades are safe as they are fragile as they can easily chip if they encounter a rugged area of meat such as bone. Therefore, they are not the ideal knives for deboning. When it comes to slicing and dicing foods that are not too hard, whether they are meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, or baked goods, the Shun knives are excellent for that.
Skilled Japanese artisans are the ones who design, forge, and make these knives with their hands, and they have been around for a highly long time. Therefore, Shun knives are delicate, and you want to take the best care of them while using and cleaning them. After each use, you must hand-wash them with light detergent and warm water and dry them off using a clean and gentle cloth. When you use the knives, they will oxidize if you do not care for them properly after each use as they have a high carbon content. However, Shun knives are not the only knives that require this level of care, as Japanese knives in general do. Let’s go over the Cutco brand.
The Cutco Knife Overview
If you are looking for a high-quality knife made in the USA, then Cutco is the perfect knife for you. These blades are expensive but will last you forever, and the bonus thing about Cutco knives is that they do not require nearly as much maintenance as the Shun knives. There is no forging with the Cutco knives which means you will have stamped knives instead. They also feature a ‘Forever Guarantee,’ which means if you are not happy with the Cutco knife, the company will provide you with a replacement. That is one of the reasons that they are costly. The guarantee increases the cost.
That also means these knives are less likely to chip than the Shun knives. That means if there is destruction of any kind, you can send a request to Cutco for a replacement. The blade consists of stainless steel, and you can technically wash them in the dishwasher. However, the recommendation is to still handwash them and dry them with a clean and soft cloth. Even though the Cutco knives will last you a very long time, they are not invincible and not immune to destruction. You can cut more complex foods with a Cutco knife as they are more versatile than you can with the Shun knife; however, chipping can still occur once again.
The other thing to keep in mind when dealing with the Cutco knife is that you will have to sharpen them often as they can dull quicker than Shun. Shun consists of more rigid steel, which allows the blade to hold its edges for more extended periods than Cutco. You also need to send the knives to Cutco for sharpening, which can be a significant inconvenience. Therefore, that is something to consider when you are investing in this knife. Now, let’s go over which knife is better: The Shun or the Cutco blade?
Which Knife Is Better: The Shun Or Cutco Knife?
You have to remember each knife has its advantages and disadvantages. Let’s go over both of them first with the Shun knife. If you want a traditional Japanese knife, go with Shun as they consist of high-quality stainless steel that is beautiful as they feature hand-hammered finishes. The steel is tough and will remain sharp for a long time, and you can sharpen these knives yourself. However, they are more expensive, and because the handles aren’t resistant to moisture, they can wear them down. They can chip easily and can rust.
The Cutco knives are American-made knives that are comfortable to use and have corrosion-resistant blades, and do not rust. They are also quite sharp, even though the edge consists of softer steel than the Shun ones. However, Cutco has fewer design options than Shun, and you have stamped blades instead of forged. There is no bolster, and you need to hire Cutco professionals for sharpening your knives which can be inconvenient.
The verdict is, it depends on your needs. If you want to use Japanese knives that slice quickly and well, Shun is the better option. In addition to that, you can impress your friends because they are gorgeous. However, if you prefer a robust and versatile knife, then Cutco is the better option. It all depends on your needs.
Conclusion
If you want to be more active in the kitchen and improve your cooking skills, you need to become better when it comes to food preparation. Therefore, you want to purchase a knife set that is going to fit your needs. There are various types of knives, and it is essential to understand their purposes, the pros, and the cons before deciding on investing. That means if you are debating buying Shun knives or Cutco knives, you must learn about their features before making a significant investment. Both blades present their advantages, challenges, and unique features that serve various purposes.
