A new chefs knife

When I first got started about serious cooking I decided I needed a serious knife. I bought a 5" chefs knife at the grocery store. I thought I'd hit the jackpot for about $10. It wasn't long before I realized this knife was lacking. (about a week or two) So a month or two later bought a 7" calphalone santuko. Big improvement but still not right. It was more like a cleaver that I might chop bones with then a knife. Too thick of a blade for delicate work. A year later I was at an outlet mall which had a calphalone store and I held in my hand my first 8" chefs knife. The balance, the versatility, the thin blade for delicate work. It was beautiful and I had to have it. After using this knife for a year and a half it has finally dulled and needs to be sharpened. Sharpening it would work wonders but I, after looking a knives, have come to consider this a beginners knife.

I have researched knives and decided on a Shun. But which one? I first went to Williams Sanoma. They have all the lines save one. I love the classic, the elite, and REALLY love the Kaji. such a beautiful knife and high end. I looked at reviews on amazon and found complaints on the workmanship of the handle.

I then went to Sur La Table. While the Kaji is an exclusive to W/S, the Bob Kramer is an exclusive to Sur La Table. Both are the highest end knife Shun has on the market. Both knives are retail in the $400 range. Both stores sell it in the $330 range.

I've looked at and held both. My next chefs knife will be the Bob Kramer from Shun. This knife is un-freakin-believable. A thing of beauty that I feel will never have to be replaced.

I have a friend who is a store manager at Sur La Table out east. He will use his employee discount to get me the knife at $230.

I am about to go high end, and I can't wait.