Shun Premier 9" Bread Knife

The Shun Premier Bread Knife is a beautiful, handcrafted Japanese piece of art. This was my second Shun (my first being the large Premier Santoku) and it is easily the very best bread knife I've owned. It looks great and feels very balanced in my hand. It's lighter than my previous bread knife but matches the blade length.I bake fresh breads every week, and cutting my first slice was so smooth and effortless that I immediately regretted not buying this knife sooner. There were fewer crumbs as the blade is so thin and sharp that it made the bread feel smooth and butter-like. If you've ever found yourself squeezing the bread harder than you'd like to fight the tug and drag of your knife, you'll understand the difference with this knife.This knife isn't inexpensive, but it's also not expensive if you consider how long it can last when cared for. I don't like to buy things I don't need or won't use frequently, and so I'd convinced myself that this knife was probably only marginally better than my old bread knife and perhaps too extravagant. I'm a very grateful person who simply tries to live modestly and not waste. So, I didn't hesitate to buy it just because of the cost but rather also because I felt it might be excessive. But the knife is now a regular part of my kitchen and is earning its keep each day. Delayed gratification became purchase vindication.Taken proper care of, this knife will outlast me and will pass to my son. It is very sharp with a lovely bow that makes it very easy to cut through the thicker bottom crust of the bread without hitting my knuckles on the cutting board. And it should go without saying that this knife deserves a great cutting surface that is of commensurate quality such as an Epicurean or fine wooden board that will ensure the knife continues to function well. I would never use this on plastic or rubberized boards (and I don't own any). Like all Shun knives, it must always be hand washed and should be dried gently afterwards with a soft towel. Consider this a long-term investment that appreciates with use.

This is my 11th Shun, just can't beat their quality for the price.

Beautiful bread knife, matches my set of Shun Premier knives. Also works great for cutting meat that's tied in a loaf.

This thing cuts through sourdough bread like a hot knife through butter and I’m not exaggerating.

I have purchased a wide array of bread knives in varied price range and have been totally disappointed in what I’ve received for slicing my artisan and sour dough breads. The comfort, balance, ease in slicing is the top quality. The blade is thick enough to make a perfect slice but thin enough to be used in a bread slicer. The grip’s contour fits perfectly in my hand, is comfortable and makes slicing multiple loaves a breeze. I would definitely encourage the purchase of this knife. I will also add that I’ve never had really good knives. This is my second higher end knife and it has really made cooking more enjoyable.

This is an awesome knife! I can't say enough about it, 10 stars if possible. It cuts well, has a nice feel in my hand and washes well. The blade seems ot stay sharp for quite awhile with a lot of use!

I am not a professional chef, don't even play one on TV.However, I do love to cook and appreciate good tools.And the 9-Inch Shun Shun Premier Bread Knife turns out to be a great tool for kitchen work!I have tried other knifes before, anything from Kyocera ceramic knifes to "Forever Sharp" mall specials and heavy (and expensive) German brands. At some point, all of them showed their weaknesses.So I was skeptical when I read the raving reviews of Shun knives, but decided to give them a try last year when Amazon had a great discount on the 6-Inch Shun TDM0723 Premier Chef Knife.And so far, I have not been disappointed! That Shun Chef knife has become my favorite knife and I had been lusting for the matching Bread Knife ever since.The reason I wanted a dedicated Bread Knife is my passion for Artisan Bread.Some of those breads have nice hard crusts that can challenge any knife.And if you ever had a squished soft bread after it was sliced with the wrong knife, you know what I am talking about.Serrations in the knifes blade help when cutting things that are hard on the outside and soft on the inside (such as bread) but also help cut soft bread without crushing it.Unfortunately, there was no discount or special deal for them this year, but I wanted this bread knife so badly that I still got it. Amazon had the best price and thanks to Amazon Prime, the knife arrived quickly, sharp and ready to use.It looks beautiful, has more heft than the Chef knife and is well balanced.And Bread is where the serrated blade of this knife really shines: almost no pressure is needed to cut into the hard crust of a nice artisan bread and the blade moves through it effortlessly once it is in, resulting in nice even slices. Unbelievable performance that leaves me with a smile on my face every time I use it.Soft bread offers no resistance and can be sliced without crushing or squishing it.I haven't tried it on anything else (the Shun Chef knife works great on e.g. tomatoes), but have no doubt it would perform flawlessly.Seriously, if you are looking for a new favorite bread knife, look no further. You can't go wrong with this one.

First of all , there is no struggle cutting through the bread, we always have a fresh loaf of sourdough around …. Slices the bread like butter. Also a very beautiful knife.