The Shun Kanso Asian Utility Knife is a beautiful multi-tasking blade—from its sharp tip, which can be used to peel ginger, to its long, straight edge, perfect for portioning meat. While it may look like a meat cleaver, it isn't. (You'll want a heavier cleaver for breaking bones.) Instead, the Kanso Asian Utility Knife is adept at processing quantities of vegetables for stir fry and thinly slicing meats. Every part of this knife can be put to use. Use the flat to smash a garlic clove. Use the back to tenderize meat. Use the tip and razor-sharp edge for everything from skinning fish to shaving vegetables. Once you use it, you'll find yourself reaching for this precision knife more and more often.
 
The Shun 7-in. Asian Utility is part of the Shun Kanso series. Kanso is a design principle based on Zen philosophy. It means “simplicity,” but simplicity that is achieved by eliminating the non-essential. In Kanso, we took away anything that doesn’t matter and kept everything that does: high-performance steel, razor-sharp edge, perfect balance, and precision cutting control. The steel is Japanese AUS10A—highly refined, high-carbon, vanadium stainless steel that takes a razor-sharp edge and holds it longer. Kanso's Heritage finish hides scratches and gives Kanso a rustic look that just improves with age. The handle is made of a wood called tagayasan or wenge, which is sometimes known in Japan as “iron sword wood.” The handle contouring enables an easy chef's grip. Full-tang construction provides strength, balance, and easy cutting control. Like all Shun knives, Kanso is sharpened to a 16° cutting angle each side to cut cleanly and help preserve food’s freshness and best taste.