You need a knife that meets your demands.
You know this if you've been spending a lot of time in the kitchen. Whether you're a chef or a cooking enthusiast aspiring to go pro, you're accustomed to work. The business of cooking extraordinary food is painstaking, deliberate, and detail-oriented. You know that average kitchen knives just won't cut it for you. You want something that can meet your needs and support you in the multitude of tasks in the kitchen.
We think that the Shogun kitchen knives can not only meet your demands, but exceed them in the most amazing way. Shogun knives will complete your kitchen experience and make it extremely fulfilling. Let's dive into the details of how this chef’s knife can do it.
The Dalstrong brand has been around since 2015. Since day one, its group of artisans has worked tirelessly to innovate new ways of improving culinary tools, which is why they came up with the Shogun knife series. With every knife made, their knowledge and skills are honed, and they continue to make new and better knife models that consistently provide the promise of excellent culinary performance.
The organization behind the brand is led by David Dallaire, who is Dalstrong's Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Apart from being the head honcho, he's also the originator of new Dalstrong knife designs in collaboration with a team of knife artisans. Every single knife is created and assembled by professional blacksmiths in a state-of-the-art facility.
The Dalstrong brand has earned the trust of over 450,000 cooks and chefs worldwide. The team behind Dalstrong continues to grow the number of people who trust the brand by exceeding the boundaries of greatness and excellence in every knife crafted.
The Dalstrong Shogun Series X Chef Knife is the main focus of this review. This chef knife is one of the nine Shogun kitchen knives in the Dalstrong Shogun repertoire. All Shogun knives are made with Japanese super steel, G10 fibreglass resin, and finished with the innovative Tsuchime hammering method.
We're focusing on the details of the Shogun Series X Chef Knife because it is the essential tool everyone should have in the kitchen. Chef knives are versatile: you can use them in many different ways. They can slice, chop, mince, cut, squeeze, and even peel food items.
Having a chef knife that performs well and is a good cooking companion in the kitchen is essential. This article will put the Shogun Series Chef Knife under the lens to determine if it will hold its own in your kitchen.
The look of this Shogun Series X Kitchen Knife has "Premium" all over it. This Japanese-style knife has intricate design details that'll make you think of how much thought and effort is put into the design. Let's look more into these swanky details.
Handcrafted Blade Patterns
The Shogun Series X blade patterns are distinct from the many types of kitchen knives out there. This unique design is called the Tsuchime pattern, carefully hammered onto the blade's surface.
The Dalstrong Symbol
On the blade of the knife and at the bottom of the handle is the lion's head that's laser-etched in full detail, which immediately makes the knife stand out and effectively introduces the lion's head as the iconic Dalstrong symbol.
Mosaic Pin
The scale of the knife has a pin that's made of copper material. This copper is crafted in a mosaic-like pattern that exudes a higher level of craftsmanship. To shape this pattern on a small pin that connects the scale and the tang is an artisanal feat.
Curved Bolster
This thoughtful touch to the design takes into consideration comfort and effectiveness of use. The curved bolster allows you to pinch the knife in between the top part of the handle and the bottom part of the blade's spine for a more sturdy chopping action.
Rounded Blade Edge
The rounded bevel of the edge is optimized for a smooth rocking motion when slicing on a chopping board. It reduces the slicing resistance so you won’t even have to take the knife off the chopping block, making it ideal for mincing food items.
This knife isn't all about aesthetics, after all. Dalstrong has packed a lot of punch into this simple yet essential item that will make any cooking enthusiast excited.
Incredible Cutting Ability
The Shogun Series X chef knife is extremely sharp out of the box and will stay this way even after continuous knife action. The slicing and chopping motion is smooth and almost frictionless, making the downward motion on each chop effortless. If you don't know how to sharpen kitchen knives well, Shogun Series X is a great choice as you probably won’t need to sharpen it anytime soon.
Non-slip Scale
The handle's scale is made of fibreglass and resists moisture. The scale can be subject to alternating wet and dry environments, and keeps your grip on the handle tight.
Western-style Handle
You'd expect a Japanese-style handle for a knife that gives a nod to a historical Japanese figure. Yet the western-style handle is an excellent contrast to the Japanese-inspired design and puts that balanced knife weight that feels amazing to hold.
Rust and Corrosion Resistant
The knife has stainless steel layering with a clean finish, making it resistant to rusting and corrosion. The Shogun Series X is a knife that can withstand the test of natural wear and tear.
Full Tang
The metal used for the knife extends down to the bottom of the handle, making it durable and unlikely to be broken in two. This knife will remain in one piece despite the tremendous downward force that's typically applied when slicing harder food items.
The materials of this Shogun chef knife are extraordinary and well thought out. From the blade's foundation to its cladding, the materials used are meant for longevity and durability. The handle is also built for long-lasting use and adaptability.
Japanese Super Steel
This is the primary material used for the blade. It is vacuum heat-treated to keep the metal's purity and color. The AUS-10V code means it's a premium carbon stainless steel with Vanadium added to the mix. This Japanese Super Steel also has 62+ Rockwell hardness that is superior in toughness and cannot be bent out of shape easily.
Damascus Steel
The steel grade SUS410 is heat-resistant, and the Shogun Series X has 67 layers of Damascus steel hammered carefully on top of the steel in the traditional Japanese artisanal fashion. This steel reinforces the toughness of the Japanese super steel and makes it resilient to extreme temperatures.
To completely reinforce the blade, it is subject to a cryogenic hardening process using liquid nitrogen. This treatment removes any stress left on the blade and increases its resistance to wear.
G10 Garolite
This military-grade material is a glass-based epoxy resin laminate which is treated using heat and pressure before being modelled into shape. This material will not decay, it won't emit any odor, and it can be easily washed clean. This durable scale material makes the handle resistant to heat, cold, and moisture.
The Dalstrong Shogun Series X is, without a doubt, a worthy addition to your kitchen knife set. Among the chef knives out there, this easily stands out as a high-end knife that is skillfully made with excellent aesthetics and a performance that exceeds expectations. It leaves nothing to be desired, and is a great knife that both professional chefs and everyday cooks will love. This knife, just like any other Shogun kitchen knives in the series, is definitely worth every single cent.
