Brands
Shun vs Miyabi
What this is based on: published manufacturer specifications and retailer listings, cited on each product; the weight of professional and owner reviews across multiple retailers; and hands-on experience sharpening and cooking with knives of this type. We have not individually tested every model listed, we do not run instrumented sharpness testing, and we do not claim a test we did not run.
Quick picks
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shun Classic 8" Chef's Knife (DM0706) | A knife you want to look at | 8.3 | |
| 2 |  Miyabi Birchwood SG2 8" Chef's Knife | Someone who already sharpens their own | 8.6 | |
| 3 |  MAC Professional 8" Chef's Knife with Dimples (MTH-80) | The one-knife kitchen | 8.8 |
| Shun Classic | Miyabi Birchwood SG2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Core steel | VG-MAX | SG2 micro-carbide powder steel |
| Hardness | 61 HRC | 63 HRC, Cryodur ice-hardened |
| Factory edge | 16° per side | approx. 9.5–12° per side |
| Cladding | 68 layers Damascus | 101 layers, flower Damascus pattern |
| Spine at heel | Thin | 2.1mm |
| Weight | Light | 6.2 oz (178g) |
| Handle | D-shaped pakkawood | Karelian birch, stainless bolster, mosaic pin |
| Origin | Seki, Japan | Seki, Japan |
SG2 against VG-MAX
SG2 is a powder metallurgy stainless. Powder processing gives a much more uniform carbide distribution than conventional melting, which is what allows 63 HRC with a usable amount of toughness and a very fine achievable apex. It is commonly cited as holding an edge roughly twice as long as VG-10 at typical kitchen hardness.
The costs are real: less toughness, and more resistance to conventional alumina abrasives. A soft clay stone will struggle with SG2, which is why the stone recommendation changes for these steels. Full comparison on VG-10 against SG2.
The angle is the bigger difference
Miyabi grinds the Birchwood to roughly 9.5 to 12 degrees per side. That is extraordinarily acute for a kitchen knife — most Japanese makers sit at 15 to 16. Out of the box it cuts like very little else at this size.
It is also a genuinely fragile edge. At that angle and 63 HRC there is very little steel supporting the apex; a bamboo board, a twist through a squash or a chicken joint will take a piece out. The chipping diagnostic covers this.
Who each is for
- Shun: someone who wants a premium Japanese knife and is still building sharpening habits. Forgiving enough to live with.
- Miyabi: someone who already sharpens on hard stones or diamond, cuts exclusively on a soft board, and wants the longest interval and finest edge available in a production knife.
A 63 HRC blade at under 12 degrees per side punishes every mistake you have not learned to avoid yet. Learn on something cheaper — start here — and come back to it.
The verdict
The Shun Classic for most buyers at this level: 61 HRC and 16 degrees is a sensible, durable, genuinely excellent combination, and it forgives the occasional lapse.
The Miyabi Birchwood if you have already earned it — if the stones are in the drawer, the board is soft, and you know exactly what you are asking of a blade. And if neither is the point and you just want the most cutting per dollar, the MAC MTH-80 remains the answer.
The picks in detail
#1 · A knife you want to look at
Shun Classic 8" Chef's Knife (DM0706)
The Damascus-clad knife people actually buy. A 16-degree-per-side VG-MAX edge at 61 HRC, a D-shaped pakkawood handle, and a look that sells itself.
What it does well
- 16 degrees per side is a sensible factory angle — acute, but not so thin it chips on a carrot
- Handle geometry is genuinely comfortable in a pinch grip
- Kai's warranty and free sharpening service are real, useful things
Where it gives way
- You pay a significant premium over a MAC or Tojiro for the Damascus cladding
- The D-shaped handle is oriented for right-handed use
- Thin tip is easy to snap if you twist it in a squash
Skip it if: Left-handed cooks who dislike a D-shaped handle, and anyone who resents paying for 68 layers of cladding that do nothing for cutting.
| Blade length | 8 in |
|---|---|
| Steel | VG-MAX core, 34 layers Damascus cladding each side |
| Hardness | 61 HRC |
| Edge angle | 16 degrees per side |
| Handle | D-shaped pakkawood with stainless bolster and end cap |
| Warranty | Limited lifetime |
#2 · Someone who already sharpens their own
Miyabi Birchwood SG2 8" Chef's Knife
SG2 powder steel at 63 HRC behind a 9.5-to-12-degree edge and 101 layers of Damascus. The sharpest knife here out of the box, and the least forgiving.
What it does well
- 63 HRC SG2 holds an edge appreciably longer than VG-10 at 60 — commonly cited as roughly twice as long
- A sub-12-degree factory edge is genuinely rare and it shows on the first cut
- 178 g with a 2.1 mm spine — light and thin for a Damascus-clad knife
Where it gives way
- 63 HRC and a very acute edge is a chipping risk on any hard board
- Powder steel is slow on a soft clay stone; you want a hard stone or diamond
- Costs several times what a Tojiro DP does
Skip it if: A first Japanese knife. At 63 HRC with an edge under 12 degrees per side it will chip on a hard board or a careless twist, and it is slow to sharpen on a soft stone.
| Blade length | 8 in |
|---|---|
| Steel | SG2 micro-carbide powder steel core, 50 Damascus layers each side |
| Hardness | 63 HRC, Cryodur ice-hardened |
| Edge angle | approx. 9.5-12 degrees per side, double bevel |
| Blade height | 1.75 in |
| Spine at heel | 2.1 mm |
| Weight | 6.2 oz (178 g) |
| Handle | Karelian birch with stainless bolster and mosaic pin |
| Origin | Seki, Japan |
#3 · The one-knife kitchen
MAC Professional 8" Chef's Knife with Dimples (MTH-80)
The knife that wins the most side-by-side tests and asks the least of you. Thin, light, 61 HRC, and forgiving enough that a mediocre sharpening job still cuts well.
What it does well
- 6.8 oz with a 2.5 mm spine — genuinely light in the hand over a long prep session
- 15 degrees per side from the factory, which is the angle you will maintain anyway
- 25-year warranty and a reputation for consistency unit to unit
Where it gives way
- Costs meaningfully more than a Tojiro DP for a similar hardness
- Mono-steel, so no cladding to protect the core if you drop it edge-first
- The dimples do less for release than the marketing implies
Skip it if: Anyone chasing maximum edge retention. At 61 HRC in a mono-steel it will not out-last a powder-steel blade, and the dimples are cosmetic more often than useful.
| Blade length | 8 in (approx. 200 mm) |
|---|---|
| Steel | Sub-zero tempered high-carbon molybdenum vanadium alloy |
| Hardness | 61 HRC |
| Edge angle | 15 degrees per side (double bevel) |
| Blade height | 1 7/8 in |
| Spine at heel | 2.5 mm |
| Weight | 6.8 oz |
| Handle | Riveted Pakkawood with integrated bolster |
Common questions
Is Miyabi better than Shun?
Is SG2 steel worth it?
Will a Miyabi chip more easily than a Shun?
Are Shun and Miyabi made by the same company?
Sources
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