I bought these shears to go with my Shun knives. The other reviewers are correct when they say these are actually Kershaw shears. Kershaw is part of Kai, USA, as is Shun. At any rate these are great shears, made in Japan, wonderfully sharp out of the package, very ergonomic and have all the bells and whistles one would expect from a great pair of shears. I like them more than my messermeister's, they are larger and have more mechanical advantage when cutting bone. Cutting fins off of fish has just gotten a lot easier and butterflying a chicken is a snap. Highly recommend these shears.

These shears cut smoothly and easily, they're sharp enough for any task you might want to put them to. They're also sturdy and comfortable, the plastic handle doesn't slip or slide. They disassemble easily for cleaning, but stay solidly together when you want them together. The add-on features like bone notch and bottle opener all work well, but I like the notches on the inside of the handle, which are meant to be grips for opening jars and such. Overall, this is one of my most often used tools because it does about a dozen different tasks and does those tasks well.

My pair came with a plastic sheath with a magnet attached, designed to stick to your fridge, oven, or hood. This might be handy for those of you who keep your knives in a block without space for shears but since I use magnetic knife strips I simply keep my shears firmly stuck there instead.

One note about branding, since some other reviewers have mentioned it. Shun is owned by Kershaw. These shears are marketed as part of the Shun cutlery sets, but will say Kershaw on the blade. Don't sweat it- the names are basically interchangeable. The Kershaw brand makes some great utility/pocket knives, by the way. I owned Kershaw knives before I ever even heard of Shun. And if you're a really observant fan of Good Eats, you'll notice that Alton's pocket knife is a Kershaw ;)

I purchased these shears for a Christmas present for my husband. He kept saying that he couldn't cut up a whole chicken to put on the grill. So I thought this would help me and him. Since he does all the grilling. We already have put them to use and love the way they handle and cut. I put them in the dishwasher to clean. They feel very good in your hand and comfortable. I would definetly say where a great purchase.
Thanks Amazon.com and Kitchen Kaper's

These should last a very long time, 20 years or so if you do not leave in water all the time. I have gotten by for years with the two dollar cheapos from Ikea; just buy a new pair every 2 years or so. Difference is nite and day of course; these blow any cheapo away.

One person below complained above that the identical item branded Kershaw is sold much cheaper, but it is only two bucks cheaper.

These are my all-time favorite tool in the house. I use them for everything. Kerhsaw is known for their high-qulaity and these shears are no exception. They handle any job, clean easily and last forever. An excellent purchase!