Shun Classic 7″ Cleaver, Handcrafted Japanese Vegetable Knife, VG-MAX Core with Damascus Stainless Steel Cladding, Pakkawood Handle, Chinese Cleaver for Processing Large Vegetables

I am a Chinese, a Chinese vegi knife is all I need for all cutting tasks (except a heavy cleaver for chopping bones). I was looking for a replacement for the knife I bought 20 yrs ago in China. Shun is a great find.- Shape: Shun is very similar to a typical knife used in China. It is a little larger, much thinner and lighter than my old one.- Sharpness: It is EXTREMELY sharp. It is effortless to cut/slice vegis such as carrots and tomatoes. The edge is sharp from tip to the end. The entire length of the knife is useful.- thinness: Shun does not recommend it for tough veggies like butternut squash. I don’t use it to smash garlic like how I typically do. Instead, I press the knife with my palm to crush the garlic. It has worked out well.- Cleaning: I follow the instruction: clean it with hot warm right away after use and dry it immediately. It is very easy.Before I made the purchase, I debated between Shun and Wusthof vegi cleaver. I own several Wusthof knives, and like them. Which one is better depends on how you cut veggies:- Japanese steel: harder, lighter and thinner, blade is 16 degree angle. Pros of Japanese steel: sharper, more precise cut; I have never given too much thought about precision before. However, once I have Shun, I find that I I am able to slice onions, cucumbers, etc in much thinner stripes. iI think that 16 degree angle definitely gives an edge to Shun over German knives if you care about precision. Con’s: more brittle.- Germany steel: softer, thicker and heavier, blade is 20-25 degree angle. Pro’s of Germany knifes: take more abuse, less prone to chipping; has more steel to handle sharpeningI decide to give Shun a try because of its reputation. I am very happy with the knife, and enjoy using it everyday.