270mm Carbonext is too long for me - How to decide between 210 or 240?

Hey All, I've been using this 270mm Carbonext for about 2 years now and it's just too long for me. I do all the cooking for my family and I'm retired now so I'm doing even more cooking. I learned from a friend way back in the 70s that a chef knife is used to rock and chop. Well, now because of the internet I'm using chopping and push cuts and still trying to learn other basic techniques that will help my cutting be more efficient and enjoyable.

The problem is that I have no frame of reference to help me decide between a 210 or 240. I used a 10" Chicago since about '78 up until I got my Carbonext, but I don't cut the same way anymore and also would never go back to such a thick blade.

Any suggestions for how I would make that decision?

If you're used to a 270, a 240 should definitely feel shorter. Plus, if you have previous experience with a 10" and felt okay with it (even if that was a long time ago, and your technique has changed quite a bit), you should be okay with a 240. If I had a single knife, I'd rather have a 240 than a 210.
In other words, does the 270 feel a little too long, or a lot too long? If you've been using it for two years, I'm guessing it's only a little too long.

How about going to a kitchen supply store that stocks knives of different lengths and trying them out?
How much counterspace do you have? If little, I would go for 210. Most people say that a 240 is more versatile, but for home cooking I don't think it's an issue at all.

toddnmd said:

If you're used to a 270, a 240 should definitely feel shorter. Plus, if you have previous experience with a 10" and felt okay with it (even if that was a long time ago, and your technique has changed quite a bit), you should be okay with a 240. If I had a single knife, I'd rather have a 240 than a 210.
In other words, does the 270 feel a little too long, or a lot too long? If you've been using it for two years, I'm guessing it's only a little too long.

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No, actually it feels like a lot too long. I'm even puzzled a bit about why that is.

DamageInc said:

How about going to a kitchen supply store that stocks knives of different lengths and trying them out?
How much counterspace do you have? If little, I would go for 210. Most people say that a 240 is more versatile, but for home cooking I don't think it's an issue at all.

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I have plenty of counter space and my cutting board is 18 x 24. I have enough space for a 240, I just don't know if it's the best for me or why it would or wouldn't be.

I was a lot more satisfied when I used my 10' chef knife. But I did not know what I do now and I cut things faster and better now. So there it is.

You can find 240's that run short or 210's that run long...I would suggest something in the 225 range.

I have a couple of 240s and two 210s - the 210s are really a bit dainty and girly and don't offer a lot of knuckle space either. I also have three 270s in my collection that I haven't used yet - maybe I should give them a try and see if I have similar problems ...

mhpr262 said:

I have a couple of 240s and two 210s - the 210s are really a bit dainty and girly and don't offer a lot of knuckle space either.

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There's no direct correlation between blade's height and length. Makers could make blades as high as they want. That makes me think a statement about less knuckle space offered by 210mm knives is false.

To the JWK1: sometimes it's not just a length of knife, but a combination of handle, profile and length. I mean: a handle could affect your grip, the profile curvature would affect your cutting technique, so it's not just blade length that matters. That said you could be super comfortable with some 240mm and now so with the others. All comes down to personal preferences, so the more knives your try — the closer you'll be to understanding what you like and what not.

Since you already own a 270 I'd lean towards 210mm even 180mm is very useable in a home setting, anything you find that's too big for the 210 you still have the 270 to fall back on, but most day to day tasks can be done with a 180-210

icanhaschzbrgr said:

There's no direct correlation between blade's height and length. Makers could make blades as high as they want. That makes me think a statement about less knuckle space offered by 210mm knives is false.

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That would be true if you just shortened the blade, then you would end up with a santoku, which has indeed the same blade heighth and knuckle clearance as a 240 or 270mm knife, but with a short blade.

if we are talking about pure gyutos however there is very much a direct correlation. The 210s are just smaller versions if the 240s and 270s but maintain more or less the same proportions. That means knuckle clearance shrinks along with blade length.

mhpr262 said:

if we are talking about pure gyutos however there is very much a direct correlation. The 210s are just smaller versions if the 240s and 270s but maintain more or less the same proportions. That means knuckle clearance shrinks along with blade length.

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There's no such thing as pure guyto. Each maker has their own preferences regarding heel height and other params. And my premise was that there are no strict rules or obligations in this regard. Everything is totally up to maker's decision.

Sorry for derailing this thread, I promise I won't argue anymore here.

OP, maybe you should just keep an eye on BST, and try one or more knives. Buy something that has potential to be a keeper, and if it's not, sell it and try something else. I'm guessing you're planning to let the 270 go at some point as well.
Regarding height and length, it does seem that many 240s are a bit taller than 210s. More likely when we are talking about one maker of both lengths. But there is some variation--it's not a super-strong correlation. But something to consider.

You need both 210 AND a 240 of course:groucho:

My preference is to use the shortest knife that can do a task well. For one stick of celery or a couple of carrots, I'll usually grab a 210. For a bunch(?) of celery or a small bag of carrots I'll grab a 240. For a case of celery or a 20# bag of carrots the 270 will get the nod. For meats I want a little more knife and it will be a 240 or 270.

Works out rougly to using a 210 20% of time, a 240 60% of time and a 270 20% of time. Could do it all with a 240 but then I would have an empty knife rack...

Don't neglect weight and balance in your decision. They can be as important as length in the suitability of a knife.

I'm a chopper, so heel clearance is big deal for me. The 42mm clearance on the typical 210 gyuto just doesn't give me as much safety margin as the 48 to 50mm on a 240 gyuto. Losing the skin off your knuckles just ruins your day. It's not the length. It's the width. (Or so she said). Thus, I now only own one 210 gyuto, and for home veggie chopping, I prefer an 180mm santoku or nakiri which typically has 50mm of heel clearance.

daveb said:

Could do it all with a 240 but then I would have an empty knife rack...

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Or a bunch of 240's

Well, there are a couple....:cool2:

Some people even prefer to use a sujihiki for a chef's knife, but then one has to work with the handle completely off the cutting boarrd, not everybody's cup of tea.

mhpr262 said:

Some people even prefer to use a sujihiki for a chef's knife, but then one has to work with the handle completely off the cutting boarrd, not everybody's cup of tea.

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this to me is like people who use those little 1 dollar mousepads offices supply their workers and compensate by 1cm on it moving across half the screen. or the tiny little monitors. it creates some weird, IMO inefficient habits.

A lot of good points and suggestions here. This has me thinking a lot and reevaluating certain concepts I have been clinging to. Hmmm, must have more knives...

Seriously, I think I'm going to sharpen up my old 10" Chicago and just see what the length is like for me now. I'm starting to steer away from the 210 and try a 240. I'm starting to think the profile on my 270 carbonext is bothering me more than the actual length.

JWK1 said:

I'm starting to think the profile on my 270 carbonext is bothering me more than the actual length.

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Can a coarse stone help with that?

It's not too big you just need a bigger cutting surface

CutFingers said:

It's not too big you just need a bigger cutting surface

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OK, my board is 24"X18". How much bigger do you need to accommodate a 270mm knife? Seriously, if need a bigger board then I really don't want a bigger knife. I'm not cooking for a banquet party every night. I'm cooking for my family. If a 270mm really comes into play when you need to prep an entire bunch of celery, OK. I over bought. I only want to efficiently prep two or three stalks of celery at once and work on my knife skills.

210 for home cooking works for me and doesn't feel too dainty. My wife and kids prefer 180 and smaller knives. Recognize that you are, "asking the barber if you need a haircut." The best answer is get a 240 and a 210 and use whatever strikes your fancy that day. (But really for an onion, a carrot, a stalk of celery for an evening meal, 210 is fine)

:hungry:

Shorter knives allow for more precise cuts, while longer knives are better at dealing with larger fruits, vegetables, and protiens. Bigger knives tend to be more efficient at prepping large amounts of food.

240mm gyutos are popular, because they are still precise enough to do tip work, while being long enough to handle larger items.

The type of food you like to make should point you in the direction of what size knife is needed in your kitchen.

Over the years, I've come to use the knife that is best suited for the task. A big job where a lot of veggies need to chopped, I will use a cleaver. Prepping a vareity of dishes, I use a 240mm gyuto. Prepping dishes that need a lot of tip work, a 210mm gyuto.

Jay

Most wa-240's will have a blade length of 230mm...