Kai Shun Premier Paring Kitchen Knife

Very sharp. Made in Japan. Damascus. Love to use it. Good for small uses. Kind of a collection item. Made so precise. We feel to keep it always

Amazing knife. Crazy sharp...and it looks like a piece of art.

I bought this back around Christmas 2011 along with a Premier 7" Santoku. I think it cost around $70 at the time, and after using it for years, I'd still say it's worth that. At the current $120 price, I'd probably still get it as a gift to someone, but I wouldn't pay that much to get one for myself. Cost aside, it is a very nice knife. Aesthetically, the blade is simply exceptional. The polished hammered top half combined with the layered bottom half are beautiful. The pakkawood handle is also attractive, but while I still love looking at the blade after all these years, the handle is no longer really my preference. It's still an attractive handle, and I oil it periodically to help keep the luster on it, but my tastes have changed. The build quality is outstanding. Of the four Shun knives that I've purchased, I've had one (a more expensive Reserve paring knife) with an issue on the handle. Both of the Premier models that I bought (this and the Santoku) are perfectly made. The handle lines up just right with the blade, and there are no imperfections anywhere that I've noticed over years of use. Some folks have reported chipping the blade, but I've never had an issue with mine. Sharpness may go without saying, but I'll still say it :) - yep, it's sharp. The Santoku compared to my other less expensive Anolon knives wasn't a night-and-day difference, but that was the case with this compared to my other paring knives. I use a paring knife on every apple that I eat, and this glides through them without any issues at all. I've using a honing steel maybe a handful of times over 4.5 years, but I've never sharpened this. I do tend to now use the Shun Reserve paring knife because I prefer the heavier feel of it, but honestly, this one cuts better for me. It's just a great knife. Shun for me is more than just the functional value - it's the aesthetic value. It works great and looks great, and I like using it. There's something to be said for treating yourself or someone else now and again with a product that is just a cut above (sorry...no pun intended), and this is a knife that will stand out in most people's kitchen collection and make them feel good. The Shun Reserve line is beautiful, but the handles on those aren't quite as robust, IMO. I've attached some photos of this that hopefully convey some of the aesthetics. I think it's far more beautiful than the stock image here on Amazon conveys. Two big thumbs up from me for this knife.

Great knife

Bought as a gift, she LOVED it. It's gorgeous & Cuts all things like butter. Berries? Like butter. Veggies? Like butter. Steak? Like butter. Butter? Like butter.

Its very sharp and thin. shouldn't be used as a utility paring knife because of the thinness of the blade. However you can slice grapes and garlic as thin as paper, if you wanted to.