# My Shun Disappointment - Anyone else see this



## bwaterme (Dec 27, 2015)

After about 90 days of use I noticed my 7" Shun Classic Vegetable Cleaver had a significant bend. I smack it down on garlic pretty firmly to crush it, so the bend was not shocking. But what does surprise me is the crease developing. See attached photo.

I am sending it to Shun with a warranty claim and certainly hope they make it right. Hoping this knife is a defect, but my first Shun experience is not wonderful so far. Or are my expectations not realistic?





  








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bwaterme


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Dec 27, 2015


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## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

If they're selling it as a cleaver, it should be able to smash garlic and ginger.  FWIW you can do a lot better for the money.  Like the knife seen most often on Iron Chef runs $230 on rakuten.  Shun cleaver was never on Iron Chef that I know of.


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## bwaterme (Dec 27, 2015)

Thanks millionsknives! Agreed on bang for buck. I wish I had bought a different knife. I recently got a Miyabi Kaizen and I am very happy with it.


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## bwaterme (Dec 27, 2015)

Benuser,

Thanks for the reply. Not sure what you mean. Can you clarify?


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## bwaterme (Dec 27, 2015)

Benuser,

I understand what you mean. Yes. I am certain the handle was off the board. I appreciate the heads-up in regards to Shun asking!


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

Some of the "tehniques" seen on TV like smashing garlic and ginger with the cleaver blade seem to be like TV drama by folks who don't mind replacing knives often. I once asked Yan about it; he basically confirmed. Crushing garlic under the blade is a different story. But crushing ginger????


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## bwaterme (Dec 27, 2015)

Brianshaw,

Thanks!  Totally agree.  Yan doesn't have to worry about replacing blades, but I do   There are other equally effective ways to accomplish the same thing.  That said, even if I were smashing ginger like Yan, I might expect the blade to bend some near the handle, but not crease unless I was constantly bending it back and forth like a paper clip.


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

That is a weird failure. Is it only lamination failure, or a crack through to the core metal?


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## bwaterme (Dec 27, 2015)

It isn't deep at all, but it is definitely in the metal. If you run your fingnail over it, it will catch, but not much deeper than that. Hope I'm explaining that well. My bet is Shun will replace it. While this is likely my only Shun purchase, if they don't correct it I'm 100% there will be no more Shuns for me.


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

I understand you completely! Hope it works out for you.


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## ordo (Mar 19, 2009)

That's a nasty metal wound, but you do not crash garlic or ginger with a smash of the blade. You place the blade gently over the product and with your left hand you smash the blade.


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## bwaterme (Dec 27, 2015)

Thanks Ordo!  I hear you.  I think I may not have explained myself well in my original post.  I smack the blade on the garlic to loosen it from the skin.  I would not say it is that much force.  Not as much as what BrianShaw refers to in regards to TV personalities.  I then use your described methodology to crush the garlic clove.  At this point there is no pressure on the handle at all so this could in no way cause a bend.    Thanks for sharing your experience!


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## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

Is the bolster welded, or simply pinned?


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## bwaterme (Dec 27, 2015)

There is no weld.


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## bwaterme (Dec 27, 2015)

It certainly appears that the bolster is not welded. I can't say with 100% certainty as I am no expert. It sure looks like 1 piece.


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

It probably is welded. Per Shun:

"The bolster is the transition between the blade and the handle. Most Shun knives have a welded stainless-steel bolster that is hand-ground and polished so that it the blade flows seamlessly into the handle. "


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## bwaterme (Dec 27, 2015)

I learn something new every day.


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

BrianShaw said:


> Some of the "tehniques" seen on TV like smashing garlic and ginger with the cleaver blade seem to be like TV drama by folks who don't mind replacing knives often. I once asked Yan about it; he basically confirmed. Crushing garlic under the blade is a different story. But crushing ginger????


As I recall, Yan only smashed slices of ginger, no thicker than a quarter. I would expect a blade to be able to make that sort of a smash, even just the hand against the flat sort of smash.


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## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

phatch said:


> As I recall, Yan only smashed slices of ginger, no thicker than a quarter. I would expect a blade to be able to make that sort of a smash, even just the hand against the flat sort of smash.


Yes, and I believe those are baby ginger to boot, or just tricked out before hand to be soft. I watched one of his videos and I simply cannot believe that was an ordinary piece of hard ginger he was so easily mushing.

I think many knives have a soft temper at the tang, or are weakened from welding/brazing. You can safely smash things with the heft of any heafty blade, but you cannot do it as if wielding a baseball bat for a home run. Flick your wrist to get velocity, but power should be off before actually hitting the board.

But lets face it, this is something you do to impress yourself, or your co-workers if that applies. Is it going to impress the wife? No, certainly don't think of doing it for that. But the ratatat of rapidly chopping something, now that turns my SO on.

Rick


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

When I took classes with Yan I didn't get the impression that he was smashing stunt ginger, but it was sliced thick. I could be wrong, of course, and maybe it was stunt ginger. He loves the dramatic effect and can afford to abuse knives. I don't know what to think about the Chinese Grandmas who smash stuff with the side of a cleaver like its a hammer. But really there's a better way - micro plane. Everyone should have one or two for these kind of tasks!


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

But the problem may be a workmanship issue not even related to crushing garlic or ginger. If it were from knife abuse I would expect the anomaly to be a full-fledged crack rather than what appears and has been described as a surface effect. Possibly just a cosmetic defect? It would be interesting to have it magnafluxed!


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## bwaterme (Dec 27, 2015)

Just an update.  My Shun Cleaver came back today.  There was no explanation on the paperwork, but they just sent the knife back to me.  Again, no explanation.  So I called and spoke to the warranty department.  They told me that a supervisor looked at the knife and determined it was not a defect, so they just sent it back to me.

To me it is unbelievable that they treat a client this way that purchased a $229 knife. I will NEVER buy another Shun product again, and will discourage anyone else I know from buying a Shun.  Ridiculous.


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## rick alan (Nov 15, 2012)

I keep wondering if I should bother sending my Shun back.  The last 1.5" was apparently burned in the finishing process and produces a heavy burr that is impossible to remove unless you sharpen it to a rather obtuse angle.  I feel I'll pay the shipping and just get the same run around.  Even the stone of theirs was defective, full of large black impurities I was always digging out, but I haven't had to dig out any in a while.

I dunno, perhaps one day I'll feel the mood and just do it.


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## bwaterme (Dec 27, 2015)

I got mine from Sur la Table. They were not at all interested in backing the product. I did bring it to their attention after the 60 day exchange policy so technically they were consistent with policy. But I was also disappointed that they offered no support.


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

That's really too bad. I had a problem with a Shun bought from SurLaTable mailorder. The blade was at a slight angle from the handle. I took it into the closest store and they made everything right without even discussion.


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## millionsknives (Apr 25, 2014)

I guess at this point all you can do is try to fix it yourself. How much is it bent? You can try to straighten it out yourself


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## brianshaw (Dec 18, 2010)

MillionsKnives said:


> I guess at this point all you can do is try to fix it yourself. How much is it bent? You can try to straighten it out yourself


... or consider sending it to someone like PerfectEdge in San Mateo who has extensive experience with Shun sharpening and repair. When I dropped my chef knife they unbent the tip and de-chipped the blade heel very effectively.


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## jake t buds (May 27, 2013)

Hopefully this will put to an end the idea that you have to smash, with a heavy hand and brut force, a small clove of garlic by bringing down a knife like a hammer onto a wood board - unless of course you're on TV.


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