Dave Martell 240mm in 01. There are other knives that I've owned that are "better" in one way or another or that feel fancier or more "special" but if I had to pick just one knife to go out and make a living with day in and day out, it would be the Martell. Simply put it's the most "gyutoy" gyuto I've ever used. A gyuto should be THE multi-purpose knife, meaning that it should be capable of doing many things well and it's only "specialization" should be a lack there of. Now, most of us spoiled knuts have the luxury of owning multiple gyutos so we actually start to select more specialized qualities in each knife like: "this is my tank, this is my laser, this is my nimble knife, this is my beater, this one is best on hard veg, this one is best as a raw protein slicer, this is for push-cuts, this is for rock-chop, this one works best on days starting with "T", etc, etc."
However, what the Martell gyuto reminded me of is that you really only NEED one knife. One knife CAN actually do everything and do it all well enough that having other gyutos become a matter of want and not need.
- Profile is as near to perfect as I think is possible: there's literally no section of the edge that doesn't make useful board contact.
- Grind is very complex and very well thought out, but to over-simplify it: It's thick where it needs to be thick and thin where it needs to be thin.
- Handle is fantastic and the handle, profile, blade shape are all well integrated into an over-all ergonomic design that is very, very comfortable and is also very flexible / comfortable throughout the range of grips and cutting motions.
- Steel and HT are everything that carbon should be: Hard without feeling "glassy", very tough, but a pleasure to sharpen, crazy high "why would you ever need it that sharp!?!" sharpness potential, but will good inherent "toothyness", very good edge retention (especially the first 100%-90% sharpness), takes a beautiful patina, but is not at all highly reactive or stinky.
At $500 its one of the best bargains (if not the best) in the mid-tech / semi-custom market.