Knife Specifications

What is the Utility 150 mm suitable for?

The Kanetsugu SHIUN VG-2 150 mm Utility Knife is a smaller, versatile Japanese kitchen knife designed for precise everyday cutting. Thanks to its practical 150 mm blade length, it is ideal for slicing fruit, vegetables, herbs, sandwiches, smaller boneless cuts of meat, cheese, larding meat, and delicate kitchen prep. The Utility knife perfectly bridges the gap between a small paring knife and a larger chef’s knife. It is nimble enough for detailed work yet long enough for routine slicing of smaller ingredients on a cutting board. When a large chef’s knife is unnecessarily bulky, the 150 mm Utility knife is a very practical choice.

VG-2 – reliable Japanese steel for a sharp and clean cut

The blade core is made of Japanese VG-2 steel. This steel is valued for its high strength, good hardness, edge retention, and corrosion resistance. This makes it suitable for everyday kitchen use, where sharpness, reliability, and easy maintenance are important. In the SHIUN series, the VG-2 core is protected by outer layers of AUS-2 stainless steel. The knife thus combines a sharp cutting core, good blade stability, and practical durability for everyday kitchen work.

3-layer VG-2 + AUS-2 construction

The blade features a 3-layer construction, where a sharp VG-2 steel core is sandwiched between two outer layers of AUS-2 stainless steel. This construction protects the cutting core, supports blade stability, and ensures practical durability for everyday use.  The combination of a harder core and stainless steel outer layers is popular in Japanese kitchen knives because it combines good cutting performance with easier maintenance than traditional carbon steels.

Utility blade profile – a versatile tool for precise cuts

The Utility 150 mm features a practical blade shape for small to medium-sized kitchen tasks. It offers more control than a large chef’s knife, yet greater versatility than a small paring knife.  The slimmer blade is suitable for precise slicing of fruits, vegetables, smaller portions of meat, cheeses, and herbs. Thanks to its light weight and good balance, the knife is comfortable even during extended use.

Japanese oak – traditional octagonal handle

The octagonal handle is made of Japanese oak. This traditional shape fits comfortably in the hand, provides a secure grip, and helps guide the blade with precision. The octagonal handle is suitable for both right- and left-handed users. Thanks to its light weight and good balance, the knife feels light and natural even during extended use in the kitchen.

What makes the SHIUN VG-2 series exceptional?

Who is this knife intended for?

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

Recommendations and Maintenance for Japanese Knives

Sharpening a kitchen knife

To maintain maximum sharpness, we recommend regularly maintaining your Japanese kitchen knife using high-quality water whetstones, diamond whetstones, steel and honing stones.

Water stones are among the gentlest and most effective ways to sharpen Japanese knives. Diamond sharpening stones excel at rapid material removal, making them suitable even for harder types of Japanese steel.

Steel rods are primarily used for ongoing alignment and straightening of the blade. For fine polishing and achieving extreme sharpness, we also recommend using stroping leather.

If you are unsure about sharpening, please contact us. We will professionally sharpen your knives according to your individual preferences. We also regularly organize knife sharpening courses.

Cleaning a Kitchen Knife

After each use, wash the knife by hand in lukewarm water, dry it with a soft cloth, and store it in a safe place. Residues of harsh ingredients can cause rust-like stains on the blade’s surface. This is not always corrosion of the blade itself, but often food particles or debris from the surrounding environment that have become stuck. To remove them, you can use, for example, baking soda mixed with a little water into a fine paste and an old cork.