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Handle Materials
Shun uses natural woods and synthetic materials to create handles that are comfortable, beautiful, and durable.
Pakkawood
Most Shun handles are PakkaWood®, a premium handle material made of genuine hardwood impregnated with resin. The resin makes it moisture resistant, strong, and durable—important for kitchen knives. Sanding and polishing brings PakkaWood to a beautiful gloss finish. As with natural wood, no two pieces of PakkaWood are exactly alike.
Tagayasan (or wenge)
These wood handles complement Kanso’s full-tang blades. In Japan, this unusual dark-grained wood is known as “iron sword wood” for its incredible durability. The wood’s hardness requires extra handcrafting during manufacturing but will provide its owner with a lifetime of service. The tagayasan handles are angled to enable a comfortable pinch grip while cutting.
Textured PP/TPE
Shun Sora has PP/TPE (polypropylene/thermoplastic elastomer) handles in a traditional Japanese design. The material is lightweight and durable. Texturing the material provides excellent grip. These handles help give Sora precision balance and are easy maintenance.
