This year sees the introduction to the general market of a beautiful new series from Shun: Kanso. This FAQ will help you decide where Kanso fits into to your lineup for 2016.

See the Kanso line in booth #S4434.

What does “Kanso” mean?
Kanso is a Japanese aesthetic tradition influenced by Zen philosophy. The essence of the tradition is simplicity, through clarity of purpose and the elimination of anything non-essential. Shun chose this name for its new series of knives because it wanted to create knives that were both extraordinarily beautiful and simply sophisticated.

What makes Kanso different?
Kanso shares the same razor-sharp 16-degree cutting edge and handcrafted quality as the rest of Shun’s fine cutlery, but one look tells you that Kanso is different. Kanso has a streamlined design that is reminiscent of heritage knives that have been handed down from cook to cook, and will be passed down for many more years to come.

What is Kanso’s blade steel?
Shun Kanso is made of Japanese AUS10A stainless steel, a top-of-the-line steel. Because of the vanadium in the steel formula, this steel is exceptionally fine-grained and can take a very sharp edge, yet it is hard enough to hold that edge. Its high-carbon content gives it good strength, edge retention, wear resistance and hardness. High chromium helps make it stain resistant. AUS10A is excellent cutlery steel and Shun’s expertise in heat-treating the steel brings out its ultimate high-performance characteristics.

What kind of finish is on the blade?
Apart from Kanso’s simple elegance, one of the most striking things about these knives is the Heritage blade finish. It gives Kanso a patina that many knife users find extremely appealing. It also hides scratches and only improves with age. The Kanso Heritage finish enhances performance, too, enabling Kanso to glide through foods with ease.

What kind of wood is the handle made of?
Tagayasan wood handles complement Kanso’s full-tang blades. In Japan, this unusual dark-grained wood is known as “iron sword wood” for its incredible durability. The wood’s hardness requires extra handcrafting during manufacturing, but will provide its owner with a lifetime of service. The Tagayasan handles are angled to enable a comfortable pinch grip while cutting.

Who is the Kanso customer?
Millennial customers, customers who may be new to Shun and those who value performance and prefer simple, clean lines in design will appreciate Kanso. With its high-performance steel, razor-sharp edge, perfect balance and precision cutting control, Kanso will appeal to good cooks, aspiring cooks and anyone who enjoys simple tools that simply perform.

When is it available and what styles will be offered?
Kanso is available now. The series currently includes: 8-inch Chef’s Knife, 7-inch Hollow-Ground Santoku, 5.5-inch Hollow-Ground Santoku, 7-inch Asian Utility, 6-inch Utility, 3.5-inch Paring, Combination Honing Steel and 6-pc Block Set.

For more information, call 800.325.2891.