Shun Premier 9" Bread Knife

The Shun Premier Bread Knife is a beautiful, handcrafted Japanese piece of art. This was my second Shun (my first being the large Premier Santoku) and it is easily the very best bread knife I've owned. It looks great and feels very balanced in my hand. It's lighter than my previous bread knife but matches the blade length. I bake fresh breads every week, and cutting my first slice was so smooth and effortless that I immediately regretted not buying this knife sooner. There were fewer crumbs as the blade is so thin and sharp that it made the bread feel smooth and butter-like. If you've ever found yourself squeezing the bread harder than you'd like to fight the tug and drag of your knife, you'll understand the difference with this knife. This knife isn't inexpensive, but it's also not expensive if you consider how long it can last when cared for. I don't like to buy things I don't need or won't use frequently, and so I'd convinced myself that this knife was probably only marginally better than my old bread knife and perhaps too extravagant. I'm a very grateful person who simply tries to live modestly and not waste. So, I didn't hesitate to buy it just because of the cost but rather also because I felt it might be excessive. But the knife is now a regular part of my kitchen and is earning its keep each day. Delayed gratification became purchase vindication. Taken proper care of, this knife will outlast me and will pass to my son. It is very sharp with a lovely bow that makes it very easy to cut through the thicker bottom crust of the bread without hitting my knuckles on the cutting board. And it should go without saying that this knife deserves a great cutting surface that is of commensurate quality such as an Epicurean or fine wooden board that will ensure the knife continues to function well. I would never use this on plastic or rubberized boards (and I don't own any). Like all Shun knives, it must always be hand washed and should be dried gently afterwards with a soft towel. Consider this a long-term investment that appreciates with use.

I am not a professional chef, don't even play one on TV. However, I do love to cook and appreciate good tools. And the 9-Inch Shun Shun Premier Bread Knife turns out to be a great tool for kitchen work! I have tried other knifes before, anything from Kyocera ceramic knifes to "Forever Sharp" mall specials and heavy (and expensive) German brands. At some point, all of them showed their weaknesses. So I was skeptical when I read the raving reviews of Shun knives, but decided to give them a try last year when Amazon had a great discount on the 6-Inch Shun TDM0723 Premier Chef Knife. And so far, I have not been disappointed! That Shun Chef knife has become my favorite knife and I had been lusting for the matching Bread Knife ever since. The reason I wanted a dedicated Bread Knife is my passion for Artisan Bread. Some of those breads have nice hard crusts that can challenge any knife. And if you ever had a squished soft bread after it was sliced with the wrong knife, you know what I am talking about. Serrations in the knifes blade help when cutting things that are hard on the outside and soft on the inside (such as bread) but also help cut soft bread without crushing it. Unfortunately, there was no discount or special deal for them this year, but I wanted this bread knife so badly that I still got it. Amazon had the best price and thanks to Amazon Prime, the knife arrived quickly, sharp and ready to use. It looks beautiful, has more heft than the Chef knife and is well balanced. And Bread is where the serrated blade of this knife really shines: almost no pressure is needed to cut into the hard crust of a nice artisan bread and the blade moves through it effortlessly once it is in, resulting in nice even slices. Unbelievable performance that leaves me with a smile on my face every time I use it. Soft bread offers no resistance and can be sliced without crushing or squishing it. I haven't tried it on anything else (the Shun Chef knife works great on e.g. tomatoes), but have no doubt it would perform flawlessly. Seriously, if you are looking for a new favorite bread knife, look no further. You can't go wrong with this one.

This really is the bread knife's bread knife. If you slice a lot of sourdough, it's worth the cost. (Slices roast beef beautifully, too.)

Very sharp and easy to use. Well balanced. I use it to cut all kinds of breads

Just looking at it, you can tell it's a splurge. The handle is beautiful, and the tooling on the knife is very attractive. Pick it up, and you'll find an extraordinarily comfortable handle, good weight and balance. I'm not knowledgeable in knife making, but I'm pretty good at using, and sometimes misusing them. I've become pretty good at making very crusty sourdough and French breads, and I thought I owed it to myself to buy a knife that slices bread, rather than hacking away at it. This knife is capable of scoring the crust to use as a guide to make straight, even cuts. Very happy with my gift to me!

I have purchased a wide array of bread knives in varied price range and have been totally disappointed in what I’ve received for slicing my artisan and sour dough breads. The comfort, balance, ease in slicing is the top quality. The blade is thick enough to make a perfect slice but thin enough to be used in a bread slicer. The grip’s contour fits perfectly in my hand, is comfortable and makes slicing multiple loaves a breeze. I would definitely encourage the purchase of this knife. I will also add that I’ve never had really good knives. This is my second higher end knife and it has really made cooking more enjoyable.

This replaces my 35 yo Wusthof bread knife that is now just too dull. This new knife is not only beautiful but cuts through my crusty sourdough loaves with ease! It's really a game changer and I love it!

Best serrated knife I’ve ever used.

I've got a few Shun premier knives, and they're all awesome! This one is no exception! The handle is very comfortable, it's razor sharp, and it's beautiful! This thing slices through crispy sourdough like it's no ones business! I've used it a lot, and it hasn't lost its edge! If you want a beautiful exceptionally sharp knife, this is the one for you!

For those seeking high quality and are willing to pay the price, it could be worth it. Competitively priced.

amazing authentic product

The knife box had been opened, the knife was not in the sheath and the handle did not have its plastic. There were finger prints on the knife. It was also not as sharp out of the box as I would expect for a Japanese knife. Therefore, I guess it was ex-display. At S$299 for a knife, you expect to get a new one. The knife itself should do what it was bought for - cut bread and roasts with no snagging. The curved edge will help with those hard crusts that a straight edge struggles with.

This is the best bread knife I’ve ever owned very sharp and cuts through crusty bread with ease. The look of the knife is beautiful and feels good in the hand