What are the pros and cons of a Tojiro DP Paring Knife vs. Shun Classic (Premier, VG10 stuff) paring

So I was wondering about everyone's opinions on two relatively inexpensive items. What are the pros and cons of both for those who have tried them?

shun handle is perfect for a paring knife, that alone wins it.

Never sharpened a Shun, but DP's vg-10 isn't the most "friendly" vg-10 to deburr. DP handles also suck hard. Between the two, I'd choose the Shun.

Shun's 3inch paring does not suck.

Price! I think the tojiro will be substantially cheaper.

Got a shun a long time ago in an open box sale and never regretted spending that $32. Last Christmas I wanted to upgrade mom’s knives so got the tojiro. Out of the two, shun ftw! And now she has that one too. Not bad to sharpen and if you’re not hitting the board it’ll stay sharp for a long time.

Has anyone ever compared the Shun to something like the Robert Herder peeling knives? Wonder how they compare... so far anything I've put up against them has dissapointed...

Thanks for you input guys. I ended up getting a Kaji 4" and a Fuji 3" to test out. So far the Kaji 4" is a lot bigger than my hand size. We'll see how the Fuji 3" turns out when I receive it.

why didnt you get the classic?

Honestly I liked the styling better (aesthetics) and managed to get a really good deal on those those two so I only spent $80 per knife. I also thought the Kaji and Fuji were basically like the classic but with SG2 and a little different styling. I'm wondering did I make a mistake because the Kaji is extremely heavy and thick. Is the classic a lot thinner in the handle and the blade? And does it weigh a lot less?

I think the Classic is pretty well balanced for size and blade. Don't like Premier, Hiro or Edo. Don't know Kaji or Fuji.

But give me a Del!

there's a reason a ton of people like the classic. i havent seen any feedback on the other lines. so by choosing to not listen to our advice you are in a sense buying blindly. hope it works out for you. let us know if it doesnt, and describe why so that others in the future may learn from it.

dave - i've secretly wanted a scott mcghee parer forever but they are $200 new and arent even available. i could never fathom spending that on a paring knife. i cant believe i spent over a 100 for one (watanabe in white steel, lol), and i never use it!!

Just saw the K-tip version of the Shun classic paring knife... didn't know that existed. Anyone compared it to the normal version?

The Shun Classic line has D-shape handles, right? I'm in the market for a paring knife, but a "D" shape won't work because my wife would use it too, and she's a lefty.

Right now my prime candidates are either a Wusthof Classic Wide parer, on the theory that paring knives tend to get beat up, so softer steel is good, or else a Gesshin Ginga 100mm if I want to spend more and take better care of it.

Either will work. But. The Shun Classic has just enough "D" handle so that it can claim Japanese roots I've used both righty and lefty and for all practical purposes makes no difference. The 5" utility is actually a good knife for removing silverskin and I had a lefty for a couple years.

daveb said:

Either will work. But. The Shun Classic has just enough "D" handle so that it can claim Japanese roots I've used both righty and lefty and for all practical purposes makes no difference. The 5" utility is actually a good knife for removing silverskin and I had a lefty for a couple years.

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Wait, are you a lefty?

I'm correct handed.:angel2:

But with the Shun Classic "D" handle it doesn't really matter. I've used leftys without issue.

daveb said:

I'm correct handed.:angel2:

But with the Shun Classic "D" handle it doesn't really matter. I've used leftys without issue.

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Okay, but not everyone is adaptable. There are degrees of handedness preference, and my wife has what I'd call a strong lefty orientation. So all the cooking spoons and spatulas in our kitchen that aren't symmetrical are in both righty and lefty versions. She's fine with an octagonal wa handle, or the oval handle on the Shun Premier santoku she uses. But I don't think the Classic D-handle would work.