Shun Elite 2-Piece Santoku and Paring Knife Set

The ancient traditions of Japanese samurai sword-making, meet today's state-of-the-art steel technology in the new Shun Elite series of knives by Kai. Like the traditional samurai sword blade, Shun Elite is extremely sharp and flexible; ideal for food preparation. But unlike the traditional blade, Shun Elite features a center layer of a new type of "super steel" called SG-2. This new "super steel" starts out in a powdered form. Under heat and pressure it combines to make a much denser alloy which in turn creates the finest molecular structure used in knife making today. The result is an edge that will hold longer than any other steel on the market. Even better for busy chefs. Shun Elite's superior edge will respond quickly and easily to a honing steel when it needs a quick touchup. For added strength and protection, the SG-2 is clade between two outer layers of quality 410A stainless steel for beauty and tireless handling. Shun Elite features an ergonomic handle of handsome PakkaWood®. This premium-quality hardwood laminate combines the beauty and feel of hardwoods with the strength and performance of plastic. Inlaid with a traditional symbol, the handle is also enhanced by thin rings of brass and copper separating it from the bolster. With this kind of beauty and performance, Shun Elite will soon become the knife chefs reach for again and again.

Two popular and quite stunning Shun Elite knives come in this gift-boxed set: the 3-1/2-inch paring and 7-inch santoku, both perfect for preparing fruits and vegetables. Each knife features a sleek black handle, made of a hardwood-resin fusion known as PakkaWood, which showcases an inlaid traditional Japanese emblem and fine rings of copper and brass near the bolster. A distinctive flourish, called a "hamon," along the edge of the blade recalls the samurai swords once made in Seki City, Japan, where Shun Elites are handcrafted. The knives come nestled in a bamboo box for superb presentation and safe storage.

Shun Elite knives stand out for their incredible sharpness, sharper even than Shun Classics, thanks to the newest powdered steel alloy known as SG-2. The process used to make SG-2 results in a fine-grained, very dense blend of ingredients that creates a smooth-as-silk knife edge. Shun edges are formed to an unusually keen 16 degree angle, which is one reason they're so prized among chefs who value uniformly thin slices, a necessity in Japanese cuisine. Covered by a lifetime warranty, Shun Elite knives should be washed and dried--carefully--by hand. --Ann Bieri