Push in the back needed to decide on a Gyuto

[Quesred]

Hi all,

So I've been stalking this forum on and off for years now, but have never gathered the courage to actually post . Wanted to start off by saying I really appreciate seeing how the members on this forum tirelessly help each other and newcomers alike.

After having wanted to get myself a good knife for years now - I have finally decided that I can financially afford to do so I have been looking at some knives for a while and am inclined to go for the Kohetsu HAP40 Western Gyuto 240mm ($229), because of its alleged great edge retention. However, because there are so many options on this website I cannot help rid the feeling of potentially overlooking something "better". For example, I read some recommendations for the Kikuichi Warikomi Damascus Gyuto 240mm ($420) or the Masamoto VG Gyuto 210mm ($165 on sale now). I feel like I just need some more knowledgeable people to tell me what they would do in my shoes. For which one to go or am I missing out on a better option?

Important for me is to get a knife that can be my go-to in the kitchen for most things - so I figured a Gyuto would be good? My partner is simultaneously getting me a Wüsthoff 240mm Chef's knife as a gift - (I know, I know - probably not great for this forum) - but it was on ultra-sale and it seemed good to have a knife with which we can both be a bit less careful and that I will be able to use to practice my future sharpening skills on. So I will have that for heavy-duty tasks if needed.

Another point of importance is edge retention > I am planning on learning to sharpen, but due to work commitments I do not see myself picking this up within the next year. So I would love a knife that I don't have to worry about sharpening as regularly.

Finally, I am 202cm/6'7" with quite big hands - I was wondering if that impacts the size of the knife I should get. Right now I've always been working with 210mm so that's what I'm used to but I can imagine a 240mm being quite nice. Or should I even consider a 270mm?

So in short: good price/value, edge retention and versatile. (a plus would be that it is also something nice to look at)

Thanks in advance, very much appreciate all input and help!

--

Here some more info:

1)Pro or home cook? - Home cook

2)What kind of knife do you want? (Gyuto, Santoku, Petty, Paring, Sujihiki, etc.) - Gyuto

3) What size knife do you want? - 240mm? (I am open to 210-270mm.)

4)How much do you want to spend? - $200-$400 (If I can save money I'd love to of course for other knives or a sharpening set-up. On the other hand, if there is an option so much better than its alternatives but a bit above this budget it isn't a problem either.)

5) Do you prefer all stainless, stainless clad over reactive carbon, or all reactive carbon construction? - stainless clad for maintenance ease, but open to carbon if much better.

6)Do you prefer Western or Japanese handle? - Western

7)What are your main knife/knives now? - A Miyabi 210mm gyuto and cheap European knives, can only go up from here

8)Are your knife skills excellent, good, fair? - I'd say good for a home cook, but not compared to pro's?

9)What cutting techniques do you prefer? Are you a rocker, chopper or push/pull cutter? - Rock/chop, but flexible in adjusting my style if needed.

10)Do you know how to sharpen? - Not really, although I plan on learning in the future.

[taz575]

If you have the board/counter space, a 270mm would work for you with larger hands. Out of the 3 you recommend, I would go with the Kohetsu HAP40 in 240 or 270mm. You can get an idea of how tall the blade is by the heel height; 50mm is right around 2". If you have big hands, make sure there is plenty of heel height! Some 240 and 270mm are shorter heel height wise, others are taller.

HAP40 is a high end semi stainless steel known for it's amazing edge retention. It is semi stainless, so it won't react to foods as quickly/visibly as other carbon steels like White or Blue steels. Awesome steel!

SG2/R2 is a fully stainless steel that is fully stainless, but has excellent edge holding properties and is still easy to sharpen and will take a wicked edge. Another awesome steel!

If you are interested in trying a Wa style handle in a taller 240mm blade, these are 3 excellent choices!
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kusesg2gy24.html
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/kurosaki240.html
https://www.chefknivestogo.com/ogsg2kagy24.html

[Quesred]

Thank you for the fast response, Taz! I will only be looking at 240-270mm from now on then.

The reason I went for a Western-style handle is mostly unfamiliarity with Wa-handles, but I am open to it. After your recommendations, and considering that some of the 270mm's are out of stock, the three I am now considering are:

Kohetsu HAP40 Western Gyuto 240mm
Kurosaki Shizuku R2 Gyuto 240mm
Kurosaki Senko SG2 Gyuto 240mm

The latter really is an eye-catcher for me, but I have found fewer reviews on it (although the ones I found were great ). I will wait to see if someone else will chime in on the topic before making a final decision. Thank you for giving me some extra options!

[taz575]

I have some Kurosaki blades and they are amongst my favorites. Very thin behind the edges, but not flimsy feeling. Great all arounders! You will have your Wustoff for more heavy tasks (squash, chocolate, etc), so the Kurosaki would be a nice contrast to that!

[Jeff B]

Your height will play little roll on how long a knife you should get. The size of your workspace, cutting board, amount and size of product you generally work with and length you are most comfortable with will factor more in the length of knife you should get. If you don't have any problems with knuckle clearance now with the knives you use then it shouldn't be a problem for you with 210mm Japanese knives. The height at the heel is the only thing you need to pay attention to there. Just make sure the knife you buy has as much or more heel height as the knives you have know.

And I am a BIG Kurosaki fanboy!

[Radar53]

Hi there Quesred and welcome to our forum finally. Some great advice from the guys above.

My first thought was the Kurosaki R2 hammered, which is unfortunately OOS ATM. This knife is second only to my Shibata Kashima in terms of cutting produce and it's a bit more solid. So I would say go with either of the Kurosaki's that have been noted above by others. You will be gobsmacked by how they perform.

Also if you're not going to be doing your own sharpening for a while, I would get the CKtG sharpening service here https://www.chefknivestogo.com/inshse.html so that will have a baseline reference point going forward.

Best of luck

[Quesred]

Thank you all for the additional insights. Based on your comments I feel confident to choose one of the Kurosaki's and will indeed make use of the sharpening service!

I get the feeling I can't go wrong with either the Shizuku or the Shenko. Even so, do you have any tips that could help me decide between the two? (I prefer the Shenko-looks, but the Shizuku has many positive reviews whereas I can't find as many experiences with the Shenko). Is the difference in spine thickness at base (2.2mm vs 3.3mm respectively) something that I should consider or is it something that I wouldn't notice as much as a novice? I'm not even sure what that effect would be, but it seems a significant difference.

Thanks all, I feel like i'm almost there

[JASinIL2006]

They both look like beautiful knives. Rather than worrying too much about spine thickness, I'd probably consider the profile more. If you do a lot rocking, I'd probably be inclined to look at the Shizuku. The Senko looks to have a slightly flatter, pointier profile. (Although it is hard to say from the pics.)

Either way, I can't imagine you'd find much that would disappoint you with those knives. I have an earlier Kurosaki (a Masakage Shimo gyuto, from before he stared his own line of knives) and it is an absolute cutter. I bet either knife would make you very happy.

[Jeff B]

Thank you all for the additional insights. Based on your comments I feel confident to choose one of the Kurosaki's and will indeed make use of the sharpening service!

I get the feeling I can't go wrong with either the Shizuku or the Shenko. Even so, do you have any tips that could help me decide between the two? (I prefer the Shenko-looks, but the Shizuku has many positive reviews whereas I can't find as many experiences with the Shenko). Is the difference in spine thickness at base (2.2mm vs 3.3mm respectively) something that I should consider or is it something that I wouldn't notice as much as a novice? I'm not even sure what that effect would be, but it seems a significant difference.

Thanks all, I feel like i'm almost there

They both use basically the same steel it's just made by two different manufactures. The biggest difference between the two is just the profile.
As far as the spine thickness, it comes down to two different geometries. The Senko has a thinner spine but is thicker through the center of the knife giving it more convexing, this will give it a little better food release. The Shizuku has a thicker spine but is more flat ground with a little convexing on the right side. They both weigh nearly the same and will feel nearly the same in hand. Both knives have very good laser-like performance.

The Shizuku has been around for a few years where as the Senko is a fairly new offering. This is why you will find a lot more reviews on the Shizuku.

[cliff]

I will echo that your height matters less than board space, Kitchen size, and, to a degree, how many people you're cooking for. If you're cooking for 2-4 people, a 270 will likely be overkill most of the time. Japanese handles will open up many more options. Even if you don't sharpen, I would encourage you to get a leather shop to maintain. That's pretty easy and will keep things sharp for quite awhile.

ETA - if it's just me, I tend to reach for a Bunka or a 210 petty or gyuto. When I'm cooking for 2-4, I tend to go for a 240, if there is a decent amount of prep. Though it's not hard and fast, by any means. If there's a 270 on the board, I'll use it on a shallot. It's just that, for me, the big knives tend to come out when I'm entertaining and smaller ones for day-to-day stuff.

[ex1580]

It's just that, for me, the big knives tend to come out when I'm entertaining and smaller ones for day-to-day stuff.

Me too! But sometimes I am entertaining myself.

If I have to prep a lot of veggies I grab a Chinese vegetable cleaver because it's tons of fun. Otherwise, it's just whatever I feel like at the moment and if I am showing off I can get out something a little more flashy. If I'm on the road it's stainless because I don't want to worry about making sure the knives are all the way perfectly dry before they go back in my bag.

Measure some of these knives and make some cardboard cutouts to try. 270mm is a LOT of knife for a gyuto so I feel like there should be a reason for it. Big hands and a tall person means to me means you want to be looking at the handle and the right height cutting board. Just my two cents though.

Good luck!

[cliff]

Part of it is also working on your skills, too. There is something satisfying about learning to work with a 270, so it becomes second nature. It's not only about volume or the size of product, it's about the leverage you get. The longer blade will effectively stay sharp longer, because you can use more different parts of the blade, and there's more room for scooping up the stuff you cut.

[Radar53]

The only other thing that I can think of that might play into your choice would be the balance point. If the balance point is forward of your grip (blade heavy) that will feel different to the opposite. A 240 euro feels somewhat cumbersome to me and it seems like a big knife. I was surprised how nimble my first 240 Japanese knife felt in comparison, because the balance point is generally close to my pinch grip and it's lighter.

I would guess that between the two Kurosaki's any difference would be pretty small, but only one of the videos has Steve showing this. Someone here might be able to clarify any difference.

[Quesred]

Hi all,

I want to thank you for having helped me so much. I ended up getting a Kurosaki Senko SG2 Gyuto 270mm. You convinced me to try out a Wa-handle and trying out a 270 seems like a lot of fun!

I found a great deal for €250 incl shipping with Cyber Monday discounts still on. I feel somewhat bad because I was planning to get my first knife from this forum, but this seemed like such a steal - I felt like I had to go for. The money I saved I would like to spend on another knife or some sharpening tools from this website to show my support, which means back into the rabbit hole I guess

I expect to come back in some time asking for more advice on how to best expand my collection of knives and sharpening tools. But for the next two weeks, I am planning on trying out and enjoying the new purchase, it should arrive tomorrow. I might drop in and let you know how it is treating me <3

Thanks everyone who took the trouble to help me out!

[Jeff B]

An excellent deal, I don't blame you at all for jumping on it!

[XexoX]

No here will hold it against you. Had it been known you were in Europe, I'm sure places there to order from would have been mentioned. You might want to add "EU" to your location to help us help you.