FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Explore these FAQs first, then if you still have a question, we’d be happy to help.
General Questions
No, registration is not required to receive warranty service. Our Limited Lifetime Warranty applies whether or not your knife is registered, and you don’t need to keep a receipt—so if your knife was a gift, you’re still covered.
That said, we do encourage customers to register their Shun knives. It helps keep your collection organized and makes it easier for us to support you if needed.
Please note: At this time, customers outside the United States are unable to register their knives due to system limitations. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your understanding.
Product Questions
Without proper knife technique, micro chipping can be the downside of very hard stainless steel. A cook who is unfamiliar with the hardness of Japanese knives and is used to strongly chopping down with a knife against a cutting board, may indeed chip the knife. The damage will be even more pronounced when cutting against ceramic, glass or marble (please don’t!). Micro chips in the blade edge can also occur if a spot of rust develops on the extremely thin edge, too.
The good news is that with a gliding cut, the proper cutting surface, and making sure the knife is thoroughly dry before storing, the chances of chipping are reduced enormously. What’s more, micro chips can easily be sharpened out. Our Warranty Service Department will be happy to help you with that.
Of course, if there is a problem with the materials or manufacturing itself, we’ll take care of that, too. Just send in your knife to our Warranty Service Department for evaluation.
The Rockwell scale provides a convenient way to compare the hardness of two materials, such as types of steel. It measures hardness based on the depth of penetration of a diamond cone pressed into the material at a constant pressure. Put simply, the higher the number, the harder the material.
In general, Shun hardens VG10 and VG-Max steel to 60-61 Rockwell and SG2 to 61-62. An increase of 1 degree Rockwell equates to an increase in hardness of about 10% as well as an increase in edge-holding ability. These degrees of hardness enable Shun knives to be thin, hard, and precise without being overly brittle.
VG10, VG-MAX, and SG2 are three different types of advanced “super steels” that Shun uses to make our blades. In blades with Damascus cladding, the cutting core—the inner layer of steel that actually does the cutting—may be made of one of these advanced steels. Blades with no cladding may be composed entirely of one of these steels. These three steels go far beyond the typical “good, better, and best” categorization. Instead, think of them as “excellent, superb, and ultra-premium.”
VG10 is a highly refined stainless steel with excellent edge retention and stain resistance.
VG-MAX has more chromium and vanadium than VG10, which provides even better edge retention and corrosion resistance, and enables Shun to harden the steel so it will take an amazingly sharp edge. VG-MAX is only available in Shun knives.
SG2 is powdered steel; this means it is even more refined than VG10 or VG-MAX and it remains more ductile (less brittle) even though it is very hard. It offers superior edge retention and corrosion resistance, with less chipping.
German (and other Western-style) knives tend to be heavier and made of “tougher” but “softer” steel. They are also generally made from thicker blade stock, which means it takes a bit more pressure to slice through foods. What’s more, these knives are typically sharpened to a wider cutting angle (20-25° on each side of the blade), again requiring more muscle to cut through foods. Because of the “softer” steel, German steel knives will also get dull faster and require more maintenance. Many cooks find that they need to hone their knives before each use.
Japanese steel knives are generally lighter in weight and are made of thinner, harder steel. Due to their harder steel, the blade stock can be thinner and the edge more acute—that is, sharper—than a comparable German knife. Shun knives, for example, are sharpened to a 16° angle on each side of the blade. The lighter, thinner blade makes Japanese steel knives like Shun extremely agile, precise, and can even be less tiring to use.
This is not to say that German steel knives are “bad.” (In fact, the softer steel enables them to take a bit more edge abuse.) It’s just that Japanese steel knives are different creatures. You may find that you need to refine your knife technique in order to take full advantage of the light precision that Japanese steel knives have to offer. For instance, if you’re used to simply pressing downward to make a cut with a German type knife, with a Japanese knife you want to make sure you slice by moving the knife forward or backward. This avoids crushing the food, enables the thin, light blade to glide through whatever you’re cutting, and helps you make a very precise cut.
Use & Care Questions
Fine Japanese knives are harder, thinner, and sharper than comparable European-style knives. They are built for keenness and edge retention rather than toughness. That’s why they should not be used on bones, very hard produce, or frozen foods.
Cutting surface and cutting technique are also factors. We recommend using softer wood, like Hinoki Cutting Boards, and cutting in a smooth slicing motion, not a forceful, up-and-down “chopping” manner. In addition to these, here are other reasons why chipping can occur:
- A pre-existing condition—corrosion, if not addressed, can eventually lead to a chip.
- Micro corrosion—may look like micro chipping, but is the result of corrosion right at the edge. It can occur because moisture is left on the cutting edge. Moisture weakens the stainless steel and promotes micro-corrosion. To guard against this, wash your knife immediately after use and dry it very thoroughly with an absorbent cloth or towel.
- A work-hardened cutting edge—an unaddressed rolled edge can become over hardened during use, making it more vulnerable to chipping. Regular honing can help prevent this.
Shun Cutlery is designed to be used in a smooth, slicing motion—and never in a forceful, up-and-down “chopping” manner.
The proper cutting motion is a "locomotive" motion, pushing the knife forward and down as you cut through the food, then pulling the knife up and back towards you (in order to position it for the next cut). This motion is also similar to cutting wood with a handsaw—forward and down, then back. The razor-sharp blade of your Shun makes this practically effortless.
When you first begin using a Shun, go slowly and enjoy the precision cutting ability of your new kitchen cutlery. As you gain experience, you will be able to work more quickly. No matter what your experience level, be careful and always pay attention to where your fingers are in relation to the knife.
Use your Shuns on meats and vegetables only, not on bones or very thick-skinned vegetables. For this heavier kitchen work, try our Classic 8” Western Cook’s Knife (DM0766) and Classic Meat Cleaver (DM0767). They're designed to handle more aggressive work in the kitchen, such as breaking down chickens and preparing thick-skinned vegetables like butternut squash or melons.
There are a number of reasons why a knife tip might break—apart from accidentally dropping it tip down on a hard surface.
- A pre-existing condition—corrosion or a tiny chip or nick near the tip could weaken it, making it break during a normal cutting task.
- A bent tip—if the tip had previously been bent, it has been weakened and could break.
- Lateral (sideways) movement of the knife—can twist the tip and weaken it.
- Prying—never pry with the tip of your knife.
- Knife block damage—sometimes a tip can be damaged going in or out of the block.
We recommend that you do not wash your knives in the dishwasher. Here’s why: The dishwasher can be hard on all your dishes, but it can be especially hard on knives because they tend to get knocked around during the cycle. Conversely, sharp knives can put “dings” in your dishwasher, too. In addition, when you wash different grades of metal together, brown spotting may occur on the higher quality metals (such as Shun blades). These spots can be difficult, if not impossible, to remove. Finally, many dishwashing detergents contain corrosive agents, such as citrus extracts. Not only can this cause unnecessary wear on your dishes, it can also cause pitting or corrosion on your Shun knives.
For all these reasons, we recommend that you protect your investment by handwashing your knives with a gentle dish soap.
One key to keeping a Shun (or any other knife) sharp and avoiding chips is to use an appropriate cutting surface. To help maintain your edges, use a cutting board made out of softer materials and will “give” under the blade, such as Shun's Hinoki Cutting Boards. If your knife can leave a slight cut line in the board, that’s a good sign it’s soft enough. Please avoid cutting on metal, tile, ceramic plates, marble, granite, plastic, or acrylic, as these hard surfaces will dull and chip your blade very quickly.
Titanium cutting boards fall into this same category. Despite being marketed as a softer metal, their hard surface can cause significant damage to the fine edge of a Shun knife. For best results, we recommend sticking with traditional, blade-safe materials like Hinoki wood to ensure the longevity and performance of your knives.
As you use your knife your edge rolls over to one side or the other making it feel dull. This is normal. Honing straightens out a rolled edge without removing blade material.
A honing steel enables you to re-align the edge so that the razor-sharp edge is once again gliding through the food as you cut. Learn more.
When your knife is dull and honing no longer provides improvement, it’s time for sharpening. You can send it to us for sharpening, or we offer a variety of tools to sharpen on your own. Shop sharpening and honing tools.
To maintain the life of your blade and for optimal performance, it’s important to keep your knife honed. But remember that there’s a big difference between honing and sharpening. Honing maintains your blade. It simply realigns the micro edge of your blade to give you the best performance possible—until your knife is ready for sharpening. Sharpening actually removes metal from the blade, putting a fresh edge on the knife. If you hone regularly, you’ll cut down on the need for sharpening and extend the life of your knife.
You can easily hone your knives with the Shun Honing Steel. Our Honing Steel has a built-in honing guide set to the correct Shun 16° angle. Line your knife up with the guide, then make a few light strokes on each side of the blade. Learn more. That’s all it takes to maintain the edge. (Please do not use a diamond steel for regular honing. Diamond steels are for sharpening and will remove metal from your knife before it is necessary.)
If you notice any of the issues below, your knives will need sharpening. Especially in the case of micro corrosion, the sooner you spot it, the easier it will be to solve. Inspect your knives often.
- Reduced performance—even after honing, the edge won’t easily glide through the resilient skin of a tomato.
- Reduced performance on part of the blade—the part of the blade you use most (usually the center) no longer cuts as well, but the tip and heel may still be sharp.
- Micro corrosion on edge or blade—such as rust.
You have several options:
Return them to us for FREE sharpening
Shun owners may return their Shun knives to our Tualatin, Oregon facility for free sharpening. To take advantage of this service, please see our Sharpening service information here. Ship your knives to us using the carrier of your choice, however we strongly recommend a carrier that provides a tracking number. Without a tracking number, you will have no way of knowing that your package has arrived at our facility—and neither will we. We cannot be responsible for shipments without a tracking number.
Sharpen them yourself with a pull-through sharpener
For a manual pull-through, try our Diamond and Ceramic Retractable Sharpener, which matches the 16° angle of our cutlery.
Sharpen them yourself on a whetstone
A second sharpening option is to purchase a whetstone. Shun offers several whetstones as well as a three-piece Sharpening System that includes a honing steel, whetstone, and a bamboo stand angled to 16° that makes sharpening easy. Shop sharpening and honing tools.
But please remember that sharpening is not something that should be done on a weekly basis. Sharpening actually removes some of the metal from the blade, so sharpening too frequently may reduce the life of your knife.
If you use your Shun knife correctly, it can provide you with a lifetime of service. Yet using your knife correctly isn’t only about how to maintain the edge or how to sharpen the blade; it’s also about how you use the knife on a daily basis.
Please do not push straight down on your blades. Not only will this result in arm fatigue for you, it can also be hard on your blades—and could result in chipping. When you cut, it’s important to use a “locomotive” motion. Move the blade in either a forward or backward direction. By pushing the blade forward when you chop, rather than pushing straight down, the blade does the work instead of having to use your muscle to cut. The same applies to pulling back on the knife. This slicing motion will cut down on unnecessary muscle strain and keep your blade in excellent condition.
Warranty/Service Questions
Maintaining the edge of your knife to ensure it does not become dull is considered normal care and is the responsibility of the owner. It is not a defect covered by warranty. The sharpening process removes material from the knife. This means that the more you sharpen your Shun, the wider the edge geometry becomes and the more frequently your knife will require sharpening.
Two things you can do that will help keep your knives sharp are to cut on a "soft" wood cutting board using a smooth, slicing motion, and to hone frequently with a Shun Honing Steel.
A softer cutting surface "gives" under the knife and helps resist chipping. Never use a hard surface such as marble or glass; it's a surefire way to damage your knife. Our Hinoki Cutting Boards are the perfect surface for fine cutlery.
Proper cutting technique also helps maintain your knife's edge. Shun Cutlery is designed to be used in a smooth, slicing motion—and never in a forceful, up-and-down “chopping” manner. The proper cutting motion is a "locomotive" motion, pushing the knife forward and down as you cut through the food, then pulling the knife up and back towards you to position it for the next cut. This motion is also similar to cutting wood with a handsaw—forward and down, then back. The razor-sharp blade of your Shun makes this practically effortless. Remember to use caution at all times and pay attention to where your fingers are in relation to the knife and the knife's cutting edge.
Stainless steel knives can still develop rust. Rust is caused by moisture left on the blade. Rust is not a manufacturing defect and is not covered under warranty. If you start to see orange or brown colors developing, it must be dealt with immediately using the Shun Knife Care Kit. Or, if you prefer, our sharpening and warranty team will remove light rust from your knife. Just let us know when you process a claim.
For more stubborn rust blooms, use a product named Flitz. Flitz is a blue gel which helps remove rust, stains, and corrosion from steel. If you decide to use the product, use it only on the areas directly affected by rust. We recommend not letting the Flitz sit on the blade steel for any length of time. After applying the Flitz and removing the rust, please wash your knife thoroughly with warm, soapy water, completely dry it with an absorbent material cloth or towel, and finish with a light coating of cooking-grade oil on the blade and handle cap of the knife. Specific instructions on how to use the Flitz product are available on the Flitz container. Our instructions are not intended to either supplement or surplant the directions of the Flitz manufacturer.
There are lots of ways. Here are some great tips:
- Clean knives right away after use, make sure no food is left on the knife
- Clean knives in warm or cool water; hot water can “cook” leftover food particles onto the blade
- If you use detergent, make sure it’s mild and non-citrus (citrus can break down the protective film)
- Dry thoroughly after cleaning, especially the edge
- Don’t return a cleaned knife to a wet cutting board; knives are made to rest cutting edge down (for safety), but this means the vulnerable edge can rest in water (or juice, etc.) if you place it on a wet board
- If you have hard water, consider a water softener
Our sharpening services can help you address issues from a standard dull edge to a broken tip. We want to make sure you know what to expect when you send your knife in for service.
Standard sharpening
When your knife is dull and honing no longer provides improvement, it’s time for sharpening. Sharpening removes metal from the edge of the knife to reform the sharp edge. This means that, over time and many sharpenings, your blade will look different than it did originally. This is normal and to be expected.
Repair sharpening
Perhaps your knife develops a small chip along the edge. Or the tip breaks off. Depending on the nature of the break, we may be able to help. Small chips (2mm or under) can usually be sharpened out. Repairing a broken tip is more complicated but can be done. Learn more.
We’re sorry, but we only provide warranty and sharpening service to customers who purchased their products in the USA, Canada, or Mexico through Kai USA or any of our authorized dealers. If you purchased your products elsewhere, please contact the authorized dealer from whom you originally purchased.
For international purchases and service, please contact:
Kai Europe: Contact Us
Kai Japan/Asia: Contact Us
For Michel Bras cutlery: Member Service
If you purchased our cutlery in the USA, Canada, or Mexico and currently reside in another country OR you purchased outside of the USA, Canada, or Mexico and currently live in one of these countries, please contact Kai USA before sending your product to us so we can advise as to whether we can service your product.
Shopping Questions
It's easy to return a product purchased from our website. You may return anytime within 30 days of when the order was placed. Please contact Customer Service to request a Return Authorization for products purchased from our website: 1-800-325-2891 (M-F, 8 am-3:00 pm, Pacific Time) or email us at customerserviceWEB@kai-usa.com.
Be sure to have the information from your packing slip available. You will receive email instructions for returning your product. Ship your unused product, in its original packaging, to the address identified in our email. Kai USA is not responsible for returned items until they are received by us. We recommend that you insure/track your returned items. Find more information here.